Becalmed

VDH wallows in the Indian Ocean

Day 74
Position at 1300: 38°28 S / 95°14 E
Wind: 2 knots from SE, calm sea.
Temperature: day 19°C / night 14°C/ sea 14°C
Distance covered in the last 24 h: 146 miles.
To the Cape of Good Hope 3,718 miles.
Lead over P. Monnet 18 days and 12 hours.

Hello

We're completely becalmed. We're going through a high-pressure area, where the wind is very weak and also very variable. That is forcing me to set the sails and constantly carry out adjustments to the course I'm trying to follow in Adrien.

Tonight, the wind should finally start blowing from the north and as usual back westerly then southerly. When I started up my Volvo motor to charge up my batteries (that's all it's used for, as during the attempt on the record I don't have any propellers), I thought it was making a funny noise. I was right to worry about it. As it only runs at slow speed, the vibrations loosened two of the fixing bolts. Everything has been fixed now, but it's once again the proof that you have to be vigilant all the time, and keep your ears open.

I'm waiting impatiently for the wind, even if as far as the record is concerned, everything is going well. It's always frustrating to progress at a snail's pace!

See you tomorrow,

JL VDH

A day with the Equatorial Trio looking at an erupting volcano, a little medallion from Odile Deb