12.01.2008
Please find the latest Temenos release below (sorry there hasn’t been one for the past two days but the French press attache had a skiing injury!). Other news, Sodeb'O made it safely into Cape Town today and its 24 distance record has now been approved.
Kate
Temenos II ahead of the front
For two days now, strong N’ly winds have been tickling Temenos II, but unfortunately without really catching up with her as Dominique explained to us today. With the approach of the front, the monohull is accelerating, but then stumbles inexorably in a system of high pressure positioned ahead of its bow. The immediate result is that the boat slows, prior to being caught up again by the front... For nearly 48 hours, this same scenario has been repeating itself, tirelessly braking Temenos II as she tries to power forward.
In contrast, Mutua Madrilena has the advantage of its position as chaser. 120 miles in the wake of Temenos II, the Spanish boat is in the front, propelled by strong winds of up to 40 knots, whilst aboard Temenos II they have to make do with less than 20 knots, enabling the pursuers to make up some of their deficit. As a result it’s impossible in these conditions for Temenos II to be able to contain their comeback right now, though Michèle and Dominique are hoping this will be short lived. Really lacking speed, this front should finally manage to gain enough easting to chase away the high pressure and thus enable Temenos II to pick up the pace.
“We’re making headway under gennaker on a close broad reach in less than 20 knots of breeze. It’s a little misty today and the barometer is continuing to rise as a result of the anticyclones. This ridge of high pressure has been bothering us for two days. The front is progressing at around fifteen knots, which is the same speed as us. We're keeping ahead of it as it's not really strong enough to catch up with us. As soon as it slows a little, we power forward again and then hit the high pressure. The front then moves nearer to us and then we accelerate away again briefly before being slowed once more.
Gently, oh so gently the front should end up by catching up with us, then we hope to be able to make headway with it for around 1000 miles to the Horn. The last routing gave us an ETA of around eight days time, but this reindexs a long term forecast, and therefore not necessarily very reliable.
The waves are abeam of us and the boat heels right over at times. Everything around us is grey. We feel the cold when we stay at the helm but down below it must be about ten degrees, which is more than bearable. Our overriding sensation is that after the Indian Ocean, our bodies are well accustomed to the cold.”
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