Go south

The Volvo Ocean Race fleet are enjoying fast sailing

Steve Hayles reports from onboard Tyco
After a day of very pleasant sailing in the more traditional trade winds, that those who have been in this part of the world are familiar with, our driftathon of a couple days ago is all but forgotten.

It has hardly been cold down here so far but probably not as hot as we would have expected until today. Temperatures are now soaring and life below decks is getting uncomfortable.

I am pleased to report though that our rationing program instigated by Jono is proving very easy to live with and we have created ourselves a few more meals for the end of what will be a long trip. It does seem that ETAs are directly linked with your current speed so talk has gone back to it being a more normal length leg.

In reality we are at least a couple of hundred miles behind where the leaders were at this point in time during the last race (1997-1998 Whitbread) so although very dependant on conditions in many days time that we cannot forecast yet, we will no doubt be a little late into Cape Town.

There is still a large proportion of this leg left with our next hurdle being the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITC), which is a rather long way of referring to the Doldrums.

Every boat will have its plan of attack for getting through here and into the southeast trades as painlessly as possible but no doubt the fleet will emerge from the other side with tales of differing fortunes. It is a fact that this is a very unpredictable part of the world on a scale that matters to us and no doubt some boats will fare better than others.

Page Three.... Mark Rudiger
Page Four.... Position reports