08.02.2008
Temenos II increases its lead
Clear of the zone of high pressure, it is now the time of reckoning. Aboard
Temenos II the strategic choices of Michèle and Dominique have born fruit.
Abandoning its W’ly option, Mutua Madrilena has shifted back over to the East,
behind Temenos II and 138 miles in its wake.
For the next two days, the monohull should continue its progress upwind full and
by in a fairly shifty, disturbed N’ly wind. Going from 10 to 20 knots, these
variations in the breeze require the duo to monitor the trimming constantly, but
on reading Michèle’s message, this doesn't seem to be shaking the spirits of the
troops.
During today’s radio session, Dominique recognised that the weather situation
was going to become more complicated at the approach to the Canaries, but in the
meantime the two co-skippers are fully intending to savour the fine sailing
conditions.
"Our course in the high pressure has gone pretty well. We have been able to get
a bit of distance between us and Mutua Madrilena. Snatching back the miles from
a pursuer always makes you feel good. Equally when the reverse is true, you
really get annoyed and I should know all about that! This annoyance is well
contained and controlled aboard our ship nevertheless! In a race the rankings
can rapidly become an obsession. Every two hours, you have to count the miles
won and lost, analyse the different strategies, comment on them, get more grib
files, study the various possibilities, brainstorming guaranteed… Fortunately
night-time comes along in the end and these 12 hours without rankings leave us
to our tactics and our play, so we're finally free!
Back to sailing upwind, heeled over like a mountaineer in mid ascent, we make
headway against the wind. Our summit isn’t far off now; we must get there! We
are concerned about the gear, which is like a friend to us now, and we're
doubling the tests again, in the knowledge that a part which breaks isn't
necessarily going to be 'courteous' enough to warn us beforehand.
As far as our eyes can tell, Temenos II looks to be holding up well, but the
wear and tear after all these miles, all these waves and these manoeuvres, is
surely not to be ignored. You have to take care of your boat whilst continuing
to demand so much of her. Doubtless due to a little superstition I won’t speak
of such matters for concern after a circumnavigation.
We often hide this legendary ‘maritime superstition’, but aboard Temenos II,
tradition is very often respected, considered and sometimes even adapted. It is
in this way that for a very long time, we have banished the one which "alleges”
that a woman aboard brings bad luck! On the other hand, the animal with big ears
(described in this way for years to avoid having to pronounce its name) is
persona non grata aboard Temenos II. Those we've found have been merely pale
representations of the animal, the majority of which come from what we call the
library... a small box of pocket books, often damp. All have been destroyed
without any formal ceremony!
In the form of photos or quotes, there’s no escape for these creatures. The
skipper crosses them out with a felt pen whilst I choose a more radical
solution. I rip out the page and toss it overboard! (the paper is biodegradable)
Last night was fantastic, just like the day which preceded it. There were some
integral moments of happiness, without the need to explode the speedos
necessarily; what counts is the harmony. A man or a woman, a boat perfectly
trimmed which slips along within its speed polars, a deep blue, slightly rounded
ocean, skies either filled with sunshine or flooded with stars, the shiver up
the spine is guaranteed and happiness is assured! Rooted to the helm with the
smile that comes with great days, Dominique sends me a discrete little, knowing
glance. And then splitting open the poetry of the moment with a great crash,
these idiotic flying fish arrive on the scene, with landings which are at times
funny, other times cruel and gory. They hit the deck of the boat at full tilt,
or even land directly on the helmsman (and I know what I'm talking about!)
Decidedly they still haven’t learnt how to avoid obstacles like this yet. It has
the tendency to make me angry every time. I’m forced to switch the pilot on and
rush to put them back in the water before they die, without being able to soap
them down before! I know a flying fish can’t talk but maybe he can hear, can’t
he??"
te Jennings
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