VDH loses miles

Frenchman negotiates the hazards of the North Sea, but still on track for solo Round Britain record

With 08:30 this morning Jean-Luc van den Heede and his round the world record breaker, Adrien were sailing south down the North Sea passing the latitude of Berwick at the border between Scotland and England.

After a day sailing in a very rough sea and a wind of almost polar cold, VDH has benefitted this morning from the conditions abating and the NNW wind dropping to 20-25 knots and backing fractionally.

Entering the North Sea yesterday VDH said he knew that as a singlehanded sailor this stretch of water would represent the most taxing part of his attempt on the Round Britain and Ireland record. In the north the weather is often wilder due to the effects of the Atlantic while in the south there are numerous shallows off the Thames Estuary and between the two there are numerous oil platforms and other hazards to avoid, making the North Sea the equivalent of a minefield. At the same time there is the nagging temptation for the singlehanded sailor to fall asleep.

"I lost a little time overnight, because I fell into a lull for four to five hours," said the bearded former Maths teacher. "It was the first time that my boat speed dropped to less than 10 knots since leaving from Ventnor. Since yesterday, I have been sailing with three broken battens, the price I have to pay for a rather violent course alteration I had to make... But this won't prevent Adrien from eating up the miles.

Tonight, I have an awkward passage to negotiate between many oil platforms, sand banks and a small zone of relatively weak wind, but I am always thinking my arrival off the Isle of Wight as that will mark the end of my singlehanded record breaking on board Adrien. That should be on Wednesday night or daybreak Thursday."