thedailysail degree

Trying to reach the icegate, Miranda Merron reaches a significant moment in her solo Atlantic crossing

Friday 23 May 2008
Time of Position : 0600 UK time
Latitude Longitude
Ranking : 4th
Average Speed : 7.5 knots
Miles To Leader : 179 miles
Distance To Boat Ahead : 86 miles
Miles To Marblehead : 1,109
Sponsors Of The Day : 43W Cuppa Cino, 44W The Daily Sail, 45W Jason and
Andrea, MT Waters

"The breeze has been steadily building since yesterday morning, and settled around 22 knots, occasionally up to 25, so that's all fine. However, the seastate is foul. You know the pictures where the boat metamorphoses into a bird? We have been attempting that on and off all night, unsuccessfully so far. 40 Degrees is still a boat, and crashes back down to the water. The boat was slamming so hard, I thought it wise to slow down for a while, which stopped most of the boat's attempts at flying. Irritatingly the Gulf Stream
is pushing 40 Degrees to the north, and the eastern end of the ice gate is 20 degrees left. I would like to beat Fuji to it, but he is closer. And must be airborne part of the time too! It will help once it gets light.

Sorry, but it'd too rough to type any more for now."

"Giovanni has sailed a superb race and shown the rest of us how it's done. He is the only one through the gate so far."

"Thanks to the following degrees (and thanks for the upwind crashing - of which only another 50 miles or so...):

Cuppa Cino - I will come and say hello next time I'm on platform 9, Clapham Junction

thedailysail - Hello James, Andy and Toby. (The idea for the degrees of longitude came from Andy Nicholson - thank you!)

Jason & Andrea - brilliant shore support, especially the plane

Miranda/ 40 Degrees