Closing on the Cape

Francis Joyon continues to make rapid progress through the Southern Ocean

Position at 0800GMT 36deg 46.64'S 11deg 27.24'E
Distance finish 7124.64 miles
Speed/course: 15.59 knots / 102°

Francis Joyon is maintaining his relentless pace across the world's oceans singlehanded aboard his 90ft trimaran IDEC. The last 24 hours have seen him knock out another 400 miles and all being well another 24 hours down the track will have him directly south the Cape of Good Hope.

In about 24 hours time the forecast charts indicate that Joyon will fall off the back of the present depression he is riding to the northwest. He will go through a short transistion period before the strong northwesterlies resume from another intense depression that is tracking eastwards.

Joyon's present course appears to have him heading straight across the Agulhas Plateau to the south of South Africa. This area is renowned for its bad seas. At present Joyon's consistent performance has him crossing this bank on Friday night-Saturday morning just before he feels the brunt of the chasing depression.

Despite his even progress, even this early part of the Southern Ocean is proving taxing for Joyon. He currently is experiencing a Force 7 and is sailing under three reefs and storm jib. Worse, this morning while sailing at 20 knots the trimaran collided with a floating object that caused the daggerboard to pop up.

"I was down below at the time and it shook me up," said the normally cool as a cucumber Joyon adding that he will have to pull out the daggerboard to check it for damage. It is apparent that something is up because the board is now making a different noise. However the check-up will have to wait as at present in the lively sea conditions inspecting the board is not possible. Joyon has all the necessary gear on board to fix it, but the problem will be getting the resin to cure on a trimaran speeding through the Southern Ocean.

"A number of sailors in Cape Town have warned me to pay attention because several cargo ships have been lost around here because of the bad weather". It is likely the collision was with a log.

Of the present conditions Joyon says there are squall and the wind is becoming more violent. It was enough to take out the antenna for the Iridium phone.