BT Global Challenge - Leg 5 - 10/4/01

Conrad Humphreys tears his hair out as LG Flatron falls into a hole, but now it's the rest of the fleet's turn to suffer

As LG Flatron approaches this large anticyclone which stretches across our route and looks to ensnare the whole fleet over the next 24-48 hours, we have a small chance of hooking into the right-hand or more favourable side and sliding around the top of it.
The danger is that it moves over the top of us, halting our progress and allowing the fleet to hunt us down from behind. They have a different dilemma. If we slip through and hook into the freshening north-easterlies, leaving the high pressure to shut the door as we exit, we could be in Cape Town two days ahead of the next boat. At the moment, it's too early to call. We are in a dying breeze which could leave us wallowing at the boundary of the Roaring Forties exit for the next 24 hours.

Lucked out...big time. We tracked the high moving east along the 44th parallel, it seemed destined to pass below us and ensnare the fleet. As it reached 40E, the high turned northeast and moving at 15 knots it decided to have a rendezvous with Team LG. With nowhere to hide, we sat in a wind hole for 24 hours. BP and Quadstone must have enjoyed pulling back 100 miles in 24 hours. We hated every minute of it. Furrowed brows on all onboard as we nursed LG along between 2-3 knots of boatspeed. Keep calm, we'll get through, just don't stop.

The relief this morning as Cian woke me with news that we had a steady north-easter at 5 knots, blowing us along on course, was just immense. Gradually as the day started the breeze has filled and we are now moving at 10 knots towards Cape Town. The sked says it all - 97 miles lost in 24 hours, 28 miles gained in the last 6 hours.

The high will move off quickly, so the pain will be short-lived by those behind us. I hope they park and experience the hellish 24 hours that Team LG have just had.