22.12.2007
Dear all,
Please find below today’s snippet from Temenos. Nothing from Sodeb’O tonight which is stil going well and for the time being Groupama is still on Code Red due to set off on the Jules Verne round the world record attempt on Christmas Eve but we'll find out more tomorrow as the weather window is looking less favourable today....!
Kind regards,Kate
Michèle’s Excellent Humour
heading South to escape an overly calm weather situation, Michèle and Dominique gybed again after feeling the first signs of the air flow they'd gone in search of.
“It’s still a little light, but the wind should fill in fairly quickly. It’s kicking back in puffs of wind, but for the time being it's not exceeding 20 knots. The skies are still clear, but all that should change in the coming hours. This air flow should accompany us to the top of Tasmania. The day has been fairly pleasant, we've spent a fair amount of time at the helm so that the boat can punch through the waves, which is something the automatic pilot finds hard at times" recounted Dominique when contacted at the end of today.
Still concerned about not placing too much pressure on the keel, Dominique indicated that he had "gybed around fifty miles earlier than indicated on the routing, to avoid the stronger winds."
It is the onset of Christmas, but still the sun and blue skies are the order of the day, and spirits are pretty high abooard Temenos II. Through reading Michèle’s message it becomes clear that she’s not going to let anything spoil her enjoyment at being at sea.
“It was a strange awakening this morning. Dom was beset by a bout of loud sneezing, a good ten or so one after the other… I’ve developed the strange habit, another of the mysteries of the deep South, of my brain being more sensitive to the noises of the boat and, with the help of my 2 honed ears, I wake at the slightest hint of an unusual noise in my environment. This morning it wasn’t a suspicious creaking that woke me from my deep sleep but rather the series of sneezes bursting from my co-skipper!
I feel like I went to sleep barely an hour ago. I'm looking at the onboard watch, I do as quick a calculation as my brain will allow when it is still riddled with sleep. I have slept for a good 4 hours… And I'm not dreaming, the inside of the boat has been invaded by... sunshine! I direct my gaze through our plexiglass 'windows' and outside the blue has replaced the grey, it’s fantastic!
The watch promises to be a good one and that all puts me in an excellent mood. Nobody's perfect, I have to admit that that's not always the case, but I assure you, I NEVER let my 'very rare' ill humour show, I count on my co-skipper to confirm that!
I begin to put on my layers of fleece but Dom tells me that it’s 16°C outside, decidedly Christmas has come early! I hesitate with getting out my swimsuit for a while!! and then finally I make do with two thin layers of fleece, not to mention my foulies, which are the only way to defend yourself against the spray or an undisciplined wave, the one that has already targeted you from 3 miles off!
The light wind has filled in and on a course of 125 our southward descent is becoming clearer. I have a quick glance at the last file that Dom has downloaded. The American model has given us a steady air flow and is promising us a depression for 25th and 26th December, with winds reaching 35 to 40 knots. The European model lets us spend a quieter Christmas by dishing up 20, 25 knots. It’s decided; I’m not going to let anything ruin my day. I’ve decided to believe, at least for the duration of my next watch, in the European model (even though I have to admit that the American one seems more pertinent…)
The speed is good, with 18 knots we should carry the large gennaker, but on the one hand it is still out of use in a jumble at the bottom of the sail locker, and on the other, we are keen to reduce the 'stress' on the keel. We are nonetheless making a good average speed, and the blue boat is positively revelling in these gliding conditions, as am I. The birds which are still all around us are enjoying themselves too.
A quick look at the latest ranking, a slice of bread and peanut butter (some fat so as to combat the cold!) and I go up on deck to discover this magical environment ...
Today all I want to say is thank you"
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