VDH holds three day lead

News from the bearded French giant as he continues in strong following winds

Day 21. Position at 1300: 24°31’S / 40°49’W
Wind: 17 knots from N. Rough seas.
Temperatures: day 26°C / night 15°C / sea 24°C
Distance covered in the last 24 hours: 253 miles.
To Cape Horn 2,228 miles.
Lead over Monnet: 3 days and 1 hour.

Hi there,

I crossed the Tropic of Capricorn (23°30’S) last night and the weather has completely changed: it’s goodbye to the steady trade winds and hello to the hard work changing the settings!

The sky is completely grey with the Sun hidden behind the clouds. It’s drizzling and only the temperature still remains tropical. We’re not yet into the forties, but already I’m going to have to get some clothes on at night. As I announced yesterday, the wind has gone around to the north, and is too strong for the spinnaker on a single-handed race. But things aren’t going too badly, as I already have three days’ lead over my predecessor, so I’m quite happy and in the best of form, as is Adrien.

Now, things are starting to calm down, and tomorrow night, the wind will almost certainly abandon us for a while. But Philippe Monnet had the same problems in this area and the gap between us shouldn’t be reduced.

When I think it’s already been three weeks since I left...
See you on Sunday.

JL VDH

A day with "Boulgom", SIMON’s cuddly teddy bear from Languidic