Lat/Long: 01 43 N / 029 23 W (104 miles N Equator / 870 miles SSW Cape Verde Is)
Average Boat speed: 5.99 knots (heading NW by N)
True Wind speed: 5.8 knots (direction ENE)
Sea temperature: 28.1 degrees C
Distance sailed so far: 23,819 miles at an average speed of 16.3 knots
(data communicated by Thrane MiniC via BT Business Broadband)
Update based on data recorded 0710 GMT...check http://www.teamellen.com for the latest data updated hourly
IN BRIEF:
* B&Q CROSSES EQUATOR AT 2145 GMT LAST NIGHT in a new fastest solo time of 60 days, 13 hours and 35 minutes.
* LONG WAY TO GET OUT OF HIGH RISK DOLDRUMS and Ellen not expecting to clear this area until late tonight
* JOYON STARTING TO SPEED UP AGAIN after a slow couple of days inching northwards close into the Brazilian coast.
* MORE UPWIND CONDITIONS EXPECTED AFTER THE DOLDRUMS as the north-easterly trades are not expected to veer into the east until Sunday.
* CONCERN GROWS FOR SLINKY as hundreds of emails pour in overnight from everyone wanting to know whether MacArthur had sacrificed Slinky to Neptune when crossing the Equator.
IN DETAIL:
B&Q crossed the Equator at 2145 gmt last night in a new fastest solo time of 60 days, 13 hours and 35 minutes. Taking 1 day, 10 hours and 50 mins off the previous fastest solo time set by Joyon of 62 days, 0 hours and 25 mins. At the of crossing, the ahead calculation was showing a greater margin because Ellen was effectively closer to the finish than Joyon as she crossed the Equator a few miles further east, and therefore closer to the finish. This is MacArthur's fifth new solo speed record that she has achieved on her voyage so far [see below] and, subject to WSSRC ratification, she has also set a new solo Equator-Equator record of 51 days, 19 hours and 15 minutes.
There is still a long way to get out of high risk doldrums and Ellen is not expecting to clear this area until late tonight: "Wind up and down, fluctuating between 5 and 9 knots, and its gone further to the north which is a good sign. Have been hesitating about putting the Code 0 up [giant light wind sail, good up to 8 knots only, takes massive effort to put up and get down]...There is a very thin line of cloud I can see on the sat pics that looks like the end of the Doldrums to me, but its 195 miles to the north which is a long way at 8 knots..." Since crossing the Equator, <> average speed has been decreasing from 15 knots to 6 knots this morning - and these are once an hour 5 minute averages, in between she is having even slower patches. Satellite imagery shows a dangerous amount of shower and cloud activity and each shower can bring potential of no wind or violent squalls in equal measure. Falling into a windless hole now could cost Ellen all her advantage that she has built up to 1 day and 13 hours at 0752gmt this morning – already on its way down from a peak of 1 day 14 hours overnight.
Francis Joyon, on board IDEC, started to speed up again after a slow couple of days inching northwards close into the Brazilian coast. From today his Distance Made Good [ie effective miles covered towards finish line] starts to improve dramatically - 232 miles today, 257 miles tomorrow then 300 miles. Ellen can expect to lose some of her advantage as she stays slow through the Doldrums today. [See below for Joyon's daily VMG runs to the finish]. Joyon crossed the Equator after 62 days and 25 minutes on 23.1.04 [on Ellen's timetable, tomorrow the 29th] and was fortunate not to get trapped by any Doldrums activity - picking up the beginings of the NE Trade Winds before even reaching the Equator.
Further upwind conditions are expected after the Doldrums as the north-easterly trades are not expected to veer into the east until Sunday. Commanders' Weather warn Ellen to keep east of 35 degrees West or risk getting caught in lighter winds. For now, <> having to head on a more north-westerly course but as the winds turn to the right, Ellen will be able to push North again. Outlook for North Atlantic not so good with big 'blocking' high pressure sitting over Ireland - for now the jury is out on which direction it will drift, south-east or east. Either way, for Ellen to break the record this high needs to move out of the way soon! See Commanders' forecast below.
Concern is growing for 'Slinky' as hundreds of emails pour in overnight from everyone wanting to know whether MacArthur had sacrificed him to Neptune at the Equator. On the outbound crossing it was a copy of Lance Armstrong's "It's Not About The Bike" but this time, she promised to offer up the most valuable thing she had on board. Slinky is MacArthur's long-suffering on board companion - furry looking, around six inches long and purple in colour, you sometimes see him hanging around the webcam. His has suffered in silence for the past 62 days and now he has disappeared from view: "Slinky? I'll try to do some photos to clarify the situation soon..." was MacArthur's only comment. For most sailors including MacArthur, offerings to Neptune are a serious business, not to be taken lightly.
WEATHER ANALYSIS FROM COMMANDERS' WEATHER 0600 GMT:
It has been fine in the doldrums area so far, but Ellen will be not clear of the doldrums trap until she is north of 4N.
Wind speeds have been indexly 8-13 kts, but will likely diminish further over the next 6 hours. There are no heavy showers/squalls on the satellite imagery at this time – hopefully wind speeds will not fall below 3-4 kts, without the shower/squall activity. Regardless, it will be a tense situation until Ellen is north of 4N.
Once north of 4N, the ENE and NE trade winds will increase to 13-18 kts on Saturday. It will be important to stay east of 35W, to sail a shorter distance and there will be more wind speed E of 35.
This will require Ellen to sail tight to the wind. Winds will not veer into a more favorable easterly wind direction until later Sunday.
The large high pressure area NW of Ireland this morning will play a role in Ellen’s approach to the finish line. Hopefully the high pressure area will be over the Bay of Biscay instead of over or north of Ellen’s projected route.
Wind forecasts
Wind directions are TRUE, wind speed in kts, time is UTC
Fri, Jan 28
12: 050-080/ 6-12, near 2 45N/29W
18: 040-070/ 6-12
Weather?Variable clouds with some scattered showers/squalls.
Sat, Jan 29
00: 050-070/10-15 - wind stronger to the N (around and N of 5 30n)
06: 040-060/13-18
12: 050-070/15-20, near 7N/31 30W
18: 050-070/13-18
Partly cloudy Sat and Sun with a brief squally shower or 2.
Sun, Jan 30
00: 060-080/13-17
06: 060-080/13-18
12: 070-090/14-20, near 11 30N/33 30W
18: 070-090/13-18
http://www.commandersweather.com
ELLEN MACARTHUR SOLO ROUND THE WORLD - NEW SOLO TIMES:
Ushant-Equator 8d 18h 20m 7/12/04 0230GMT (taking 14h 3m off Joyon's time)
Ushant-Cape of Good Hope 19d 9h 46m 17/12/04 1756GMT (taking 10h 45m off Joyon's time)
Ushant-Cape Leeuwin 29d 14h 5m 27/12/04 2215GMT (taking 17h 24m off Joyon's time)
Ushant-Cape Horn 44d 23h 36m 12/1/04 0746GMT (taking 4 days 2h 45m off Joyon's time)
Ushant-Equator 60d 13h 35m 27/1/05 2145GMT (taking 1d 10h 50m off Joyon's time)
FRANCIS JOYON 24 HOUR RUNS
Francis Joyon's 24 hour runs. These are VMG distances, ie distance sailed towards the finish, not through the water:
26.1.05 IDEC 162 miles / B&Q 388 miles
27.1.05 IDEC 130 miles / B&Q 367 miles
28.1.05 IDEC 232 miles
29.1.05 IDEC 257 miles
30.1.05 IDEC 300 miles
31.1.05 IDEC 299 miles
1.2.05 IDEC 278 miles
2.2.05 IDEC 221 miles
3.2.05 IDEC 212 miles
4.2.05 IDEC 162 miles
5.2.05 IDEC 284 miles
6.2.05 IDEC 383 miles
7.2.05 IDEC 400 miles
8.2.05 IDEC 439 miles
9.2.05 IDEC 345 miles
[dates normalised to Ellen's]
PARTNER OF THE DAY : SEEDA/COWES WATERFRONT
Offshore Challenges Sailing Team UK Base
Click here for further information on Sailing Speed Records http://www.sailspeedrecords.com and here for information on Ellen's campaign http://www.teamellen.com
For further information, please contact Offshore Challenges:
Lou Newlands or Lucy Harwood
T: +44 (0)870 063 0210
E: lou@offshorechallenges.com or lucy@offshorechallenges.com
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