Joyon chooses the south

Big trimaran ducks beneath Tasmania

Day 34
Position at 08:15 26 December: 44deg 44.00S 148deg 31.00 E
Distance from start: 13670.71 miles
Speed/course: 16.76 knots / 116°

In a change of tack Francis Joyon has (wisely) opted not to pass through Bass Strait and instead has forged south to head round the bottom of Tasmania and will continue further south still to get around the southernmost part of New Zealand.

The speed of his 90ft trimaran IDEC continues to be impressive having racked up 410 miles up until 0800 this morning and 420 miles the day before. He is currently sailing in 30 knot winds gusting up to 40 and a long large sea under three reefs and a storm jib and reckons he will continue in these conditions until he passes New Zealand.

Joyon said that he was missing his family and in particular his children as he spent Christmas day at sea. "All is not lost - I have received emails and I have found a small box of gifts on board which my wife had hidden on board board. I have even been able to decorate the boat with small fir tree branches and pine cones!"