Speed drops off (a little) for Joyon

As IDEC runs out of runway near Salvador

Position at 10:05: 12deg 22.00S 36deg 38.00 W
Distance from start 22757.71 nautical miles
Speed/course: 6.8 knots / 027°

The last 24 hours have slowed up - relatively - for Francis Joyon who is at present still sailing up the Brazilian beach, now just past the Mini Transat, Transat Jacques Vabre finish port of Salvador de Bahia.

While Joyon has had just the most impressive of runs up the South American coast - he has yet to be badly becalmed and the wind has mostly been from astern - the last 24 hours have been slower than he is used to, racking up a mere 310 miles in the 28 hours since 0600 yesterday.

Assuming our wind charts are correct Joyon appears to be currently sailing upwind into around 25 knots on port tack. Ahead the wind situation is looking more complex with a small high pressure system situated overland to the west of Recife and the northwestmost branch of the St Helena high affecting the winds off the coast and with a small depression to the southeast of Salvador.

If Joyon's luck holds then the wind right in by the coast will have enough west in it still to allow him to just scrape round Recife on port tack in a lightening breeze. If not, then he will have to tack and face getting increasingly headed as he goes offshore. This option may not be such as bad idea as although he will be on a losing tack there appears to be more wind offshore and remarkably the offshore breeze is set to swing into the ESE - thus more perfect reaching conditions for lucky Mr Joyon. The prevailing northeasterlies don't look as though they will kick in until he reaches the Equator.