It's a whopper

Entering the Pacific sees Steve Fossett's Cheyenne score her biggest day's run to date

Day 30 Position at 0510GMT: 53 25.240S 179 16.849W Course/speed: 072deg /27.6 knots TWS/TWA: 28 knots /294 deg

A year ago we were jumping up and down over the pace which Olivier de Kersauson and Geronimo were making on their Jules Verne Trophy attempt. Now Steve Fossett and the crew of Cheyenne are setting a new benchmark for Southern Ocean sailing, higher even than de Kersauson's pace.

On Saturday the world's biggest catamaran crossed the international date line in record time - half way around the world in 29 days having racked up their fifth consecutive 500+ mile day. In the 24 hours leading up to 0510 this morning Cheyenne logged an incredible 623 miles (at an average of 25.92 knots). By our calculation Cheyenne is now 1,861 miles (or 4-5 days) ahead of Orange II's 2002 round the world record and just over 1,000 miles ahead of Geronimo's fast trip through the Southern Ocean last year. Hats off to Steve Fossett and the crew.

As the 24 hour runs show Cheyenne is currently sailing in near ideal conditions - with 25-30 knot winds blowing from the southwest. A high pressure system is located to their north centred to the east of the Chatham Islands and it appears that Cheyenne will be able to remain basking in these conditions for a several days to come...


Brian Thompson reports from on board

We clocked up our best days run today at 622 miles, which puts us 2042 miles ahead of Orange, or 4.5 days ahead. We had great conditions for most of the day, sailing at a 125 TWA in 25 knots of wind with one reef and the staysail or solent. Boat speed was often touching 30 with the best speed of just under 35. The boat was not loaded up and we were gliding down the waves very easily. The helm was light so we did not have to grip the sheets on the edge of control.

If we were looking for 24 hour record conditions this was not a million miles away. We could have sailed more aggressively and got another 50 miles but the sea state was not quite flat enough for safe speed, and a round the world record attempt is not the right time to sail hard enough to beat the current 24 hour mark, it would be too tough on the boat and the crew. That is best left for a dedicated run in the Atlantic.

We were all pretty pleased to get a 600 mile day for this trip, and to cap it off, within the same hour we had crossed the date Line, sailing from the Eastern Hemisphere into the Western. As Adrienne said 'we are taking this baby home now!’ 3900 miles to the Horn...

Now night is falling here, whilst dawn arrives for those of you in the UK. The wind is picking up to 30 knots and becoming more westerly so we are sailing more downwind in bigger waves. We just changed back down to the staysail after wrestling the big cuben fibre solent down to the deck and lashing it off. We won't make such a big days run as the waves will be slowing us, but it should still be respectable.

The big weather news is a gale that is forecast to pass to the south of us on Thursday. This will squeeze the isobars between itself and the high to the north, giving 30 - 50 knot westerlies. 30 knots at latitude 48S and 50 knots around 53S. We are now at 53S, having been at 54S earlier today. We are making a move to slide up towards 50S to cover ourselves if this gale develops more. Conversely, if it weakens we will be able to revert to our eastward track.

We have not been able to go up the mast for several days so we assume all is well aloft. Damian did some repairs to the new pin that we made for the starboard cap shroud.

We have had two days of constant drizzle so not a lot of scenery except our avian companions the albatross and the petrels.

Nick is cooking tonight and he has just announced on the radio that it will be served in the 'Cafe Australis', I had better go over and get my table, and get some food before my watch in half an hour..

Brian