11.03.2009
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LEG 5 DAY 25
What a difference a day makes.
Constant losses to the two guys in front as they sailed away in more
pressure made the mood on PUMA'S il mostro frustrated to say the least.
Well, give a group of sailors a few winning position reports in a row and
the mood changes quickly. It appears to be our turn, at least for a short
time, to reel in some miles as the two leaders begin to sail in some
lighter winds. We have a few nice sail combinations to use in these
conditions and we are blazing off the miles. It feels good to be heading
straight at the mark at an average of about 22 knots, and back to winning
scheds!
We also had a bit of a milestone today. Capey brought out the paper chart
for Cape Horn! A big move, seeing it is still over 2000 miles away.
Anyway, it is our next landmark and as is his custom, he has the old
school paper chart on the nav station desk just in case it is needed.
It is a phenomenal place on paper anyway, tons of islands on the Chile and
Argentinean coasts. We’re all looking forward to seeing it, and having it
in the rear-view mirror. Until then, we should have some nice sailing to
the ice point then a day or so on the breeze to get to a front that should
quickly sweep us to the Horn. It sounds good now, but there are a million
weather variations that could happen between here and there.
Onboard all is simply damp. There is a huge amount of condensation below.
All of our clothes are wet, the interior is wet, the bunks are wet.
Fortunately, our friends at PUMA supplied us with the layering system that
keeps us warm in these horribly damp conditions, and really nice dry bags
that keep unused clothing dry. Man does that feel good to peel a damp
layer and put on a nice fresh dry one- not many of those left though. The
fact is our world is just down right soaked, and it doesn't look like much
of a dry cycle coming in the near future. But power reaching has its
advantages, like knowing that you are high balling towards the mark. As I
look up on the nav screen, we are literally pointing straight at the mark
which is 374 miles away.
Physically we are all commenting on how skinny each other looks, and it is
interesting how you can especially feel your legs getting weaker being in
such a confined space for days and weeks on end. Hopefully we won't look
like one of those NASA Apollo mission completions when the astronaut got
out of the capsule and had to be helped just to walk. Don't think it will
be that bad, but it is a fact of our lives none the less. Santi, our
physio and work out guru is going to have to do some quick magic in our
short stopover in Rio.
Another hour to the next position report. It sure is more fun to report
good scheds to the boys on deck than it is to report bad ones.
- Kenny
For more information on Puma Ocean Racing, please contact:
Bridgid Murphy or Kate Fairclough - PUMA Ocean Racing
Tel: +1 978 996 5155 or +44 7827 277 517
bridgid.murphy@puma.com or kate.fairclough@puma.com
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