Slow progress to Tahiti

A report from Geronimo en route across the Pacific

Olivier de Kersauson's Capgemini and Schneider Electric-sponsored trimaran Geronimo has enjoyed postcard sailing conditions as she makes her way across the Pacific from Sydney to Tahiti. Having left Sydney four days ago, Geronimo and her 10 crew have covered approximately 1,300 miles and passed approximately 175 miles due north of the north island of New Zealand and Norfolk Island to the north.

Since leaving Sydney the giant trimaran has had some fantastic conditions but has slowed down from the 20+ knot boat speed she had over the first few days to a frustrating three knots in a confused breeze. The 32m trimaran is still travelling in an east nor’east direction as she tracks across the Tasman Sea and the Pacific towards Papeete in Tahiti.

The Tahiti Nui Challenge will set a new benchmark record for the passage between Sydney and Tahiti. The distance for this record is approximately 3,310 nautical miles.

"Calm, cold rain in small and cold squalls, trade winds from the east but 300 miles to our north and strong westerly winds 400 miles to our south," commented skipper Olivier de Kersauson as Geronimo inched towards Tahiti. "We are in the middle of a porridge of micro high systems with fixed fronts and weak winds in all directions. We have the impression of moving between invisible wind holes. But there is no real option available, we're just trying to avoid the worst of it. Keeping the same course we tack 15 to 20 times a day...Within the same hour we had the wind on the nose from starboard then from port at 140 degrees, straight on the nose at 1 knot then 17 knots from behind over ten minutes and we just began to think that was it, at least some fair wind....but everything collapsed again, the wind goes around all the quadrants and then...nothing... not even a shiver. The rain pours straight from a black sky on our grey world. Silent wet calm, the head hidden in the shoulders as the crew waits for the next wind. Where from....?,’

Once Geronimo is in Tahiti she will be heading to the west of the USA to attempt a number of records in the Pacific and Asia regions. First on the list will be the 2,215 mile Los Angeles to Hawaii Transpac record. This at present stands at five days, nine hours, 18 minutes and 26 seconds set by Bruno Peyron in 1997 on the maxi-catamaran, Explorer.