18.02.2008
Podium place for Temenos II
Deux co-skippers heureux ! |
At 1809 UT yesterday, Temenos II crossed the finish line of the Barcelona World Race, Michèle and Dominique thus completing the race podium. It was amidst rapturous applause from a throng of locals, out to welcome in the two co-skippers, that their steed was tied up to the dock after 98 days, 7 hours and 9 minutes at sea. Earlier in the afternoon, the sun and the moon were out together to witness the last few miles by the duo, who have shared with us their happiness to be on the water throughout the race.
Even with the leader Paprec-Virbac 2's race time of 93 days, this hasn't really been a record breaking first edition to the race, but certain numbers are indicative of the potential for speed of this new generation of Imoca 60 footers, such as the 501 miles covered by Hugo Boss in 24 hrs, which made its mark in this Barcelona World Race. Aboard Temenos II, the 27.4 knot average recorded by the race committee over a 30 minute period, not to mention the burst of speed in the Deep South of 35.4 knots, will remain in the log book as well as in the minds of the two co-skippers… doubtless with a host of other memories besides. After a circumnavigation of the globe you wouldn't expect it to be any different…
What frame of mind are you in today?
Dominique: “It’s a mixture of several very strong feelings, going from the relief to have finished, a sense of fulfilment and accomplishment at the idea of being on the podium, the delight of seeing your nearest and dearest, all that tinged with a little sadness at the idea of having to turn the page. We are keen to take a little time to benefit from the here and now and not let things move too quickly but the constraints of land are already catching up with us!”
How are you and your boat shaping up?
Dominique: “Physically it’s a very demanding race. Double-handed you put the boats under a lot more pressure than when you're single-handed, but nevertheless without the comfort and the possibility to recuperate that a fully crewed configuration would enable. There’s also a real psychic fatigue that sets in. The brain constantly has to be very alert to a whole manner of things, the way the manœuvres are performed, the tactics, the weather analysis, the noises, the search for performance... the mind is constantly stimulated and that requires a virtually permanent state of concentration and attention. From the moment that we crossed the finish line and the people climbed aboard the boat, we felt an overriding sense of relief and the ability to unwind.
Temenos II |
The boat is in great shape. We had very few repairs to make aboard during the race as Temenos II was very well prepared. It’s very satisfying to return to port with a boat in good condition. You have to know how to manage it, be sure to get it to the finish line, work it to the maximum but without risking breakage.”
Have you had a chance to assess this round the world yet?
Michèle: “It's still a little early to speak about assessing it but throughout the race we realised that we were learning a vast amount of things about the boat and how to drive it. We know it will enable us to improve on its performance. What we’ve learnt stems from over 3 months spent at sea, sailing around the four corners of the globe. It's a solid experience. After a race like this, you learn a huge amount and assessing all that will take a bit of time."
How was life on board?
Dominique: “Our duo worked on the basis of us having a complimentary nature and that held true throughout the race. In our manœuvres we realised that our roles were virtually set in stone, with everything being done in a complimentary and organised manner. In view of the Vendée Globe, I'll have to follow some specific training for solo sailing."
The lows and highs of the race?
Michèle: “Without question the Indian Ocean with our keel damage was the worst moment in the race. We thought we'd have to retire, which was really very hard to accept.
When you’re sailing, it’s unimaginable to be serene with the idea that your keel could break off at any moment. We sailed a little under-canvassed at that point, but in certain harsh conditions it remained dicey nonetheless.
Champagne |
Most recently the passage of Gibraltar was laborious, but that's mainly down to the fact that it came at the end of the race and that we were concerned about the equipment at that stage. In the end though, what stands out about a race are often the high points, which is one of the reasons we do them again. You really quickly erase the bad moments and they sometimes become the good memories.
The key moments are those where you become one with the boat; these are magical moments where you feel that the boat is good. There's something that happens between you and the boat, like a kind of symbiosis. At those points, you tell yourself that this is why you sail.”
Your feelings about this Barcelona World Race?
Michèle: “It really is a great race. It feels like we left Barcelona only yesterday. It doesn’t feel like I’ve experienced a succession of days but rather a slice of life, lived at 200%, a little away from the present. It's very different from a transatlantic race. You pass through a succession of oceans; you pass from season to season. It's very intense. It makes you feel like you've escaped reality and entered another world. It really is a very enriching experience.”
Next up on the programme for 2008?
Dominique: “We’ll quickly return to La Rochelle and put Temenos II in the yard for a general refit and set about with the optimisations, which stem directly from our experience in the race. These boats are very demanding and violent and it's very wet on deck. We're going to have to look into the ergonomics. These are all conclusions I was unable to draw from the Route du Rhum.
The next stage of the programme is marked by the Vendée Globe in capital letters. The start is in less than 9 months so between the session in the yard, training and validation, the countdown has begun!
17.02.2008
Final curtain for Temenos II this evening
THE END ! |
Barring mishap, Temenos II is set to cross the finish line this evening at around 1900 UT. With a lead of 237 miles over their pursuer, all things being well Michèle and Dominique are ensured of holding onto 3rd place, even if in sailing nothing is certain until the finish line is crossed...
We can well imagine that emotions will be running high in the minds of the two co-skippers on this rather special day; sentiments midway between excitement, impatience and happiness, the latter possibly mixed with a tinge of nostalgia.
The Mediterranean seems to want to leave the duo with a good impression after what Michèle humorously referred to as the "Land-based Gibraltar fury" and for their final night at sea they were served a calm breeze and smooth seas. Contacted early this morning, Michèle recognised that the night had been a rather remarkable one and admitted that she and Dominique had gently begun to close the door on this Barcelona World Race.
“We didn’t want to spend the last night without catching a glimpse of each other so we didn’t really sleep much and we did fewer watches than usual so the three of us could be together. We wanted to share the moment together on deck, watching the moon go down, keen for a little poetry in this cruel world! (laughs)
We didn’t really talk much. We looked at each other and said to ourselves that well, that’s that, we’ve done it. We left a little room for emotion and it was as if we were closing the door on the race.
Right now we’re concentrating on trying to go fast so we can rediscover our friends. Our minds are already on land with them and we’re in arrival mode. We're hoping to arrive at restaurant time this evening and we’re keen to indulge in the pleasures of land and above all see everyone again."
Last little message from Michèle
Derniers instants à bord de Temenos II |
A circumnavigation of the planet, 6 oceans, and only 200 miles of the Mediterranean before us... A trifling matter some would say, but for me, I’m keen to make the most of these last 200 miles, in the tradition of what will have been a circumnavigation in the search for adventure and performance.
I’m not letting anything pass by me unnoticed, and yet I'm already beginning to look further forward, keen to assess it all, draw the nectar from this adventure, but we have to remain in the race, 'connected' to my 'darling' counters and speed polars...
The analysis will be made on terra firma.
In this respect, I wonder if we’ll be victims of land sickness? Do others suffer from that, or do they simply reel under the effects of the first beer, or maybe both. Some landlubbers believe that land sickness was something invented by sailors, to conceal a state of growing intoxication! For my part it's nothing to do with alcohol I can assure you, so could it be psychosomatic then? In general, each trip lasting more than a week at sea causes this curious ‘illness’. At its base it’s not unpleasant; it’s a bit like walking on something soft, you zigzag about and you tend to take up the whole road or the whole pontoon at least!
After passing the straits, with a real land-based Gibraltar fury, we were happy to be able to come out of the survival-preservation mode, which we had adopted for this rather laborious passage slap bang in the middle of the cargo ships. The latter became almost ferocious in this 16 mile wide channel.
A gift from heaven, the following day has been calm and we've been able to recuperate and consolidate the small repairs, including a rip in the mainsail and a damaged batten car. As for me, well I've been able to rediscover the Mediterranean that I love so much...
According to the whims of the weather, the first day in the Mediterranean has been unanimously decreed as a day of minimum service. Our brief encounters on deck that day were very furtive, as were our dialogues which, for a spell of nearly 24 hours, went along the lines of:
Did you sleep well?
Yes
See you later, sleep well
Thanks
So, did you sleep well?
Yes
Sleep well…
The proximity of the Spanish coast is enabling us to close inexorably on the ‘exit’ and the reflexes of life on land, like charging mobile phones, are putting in brief appearances again. It’s a bit disconcerting to see the Spanish telephone networks flash up. They spotted us very quickly, which is reminiscent of "Big brother is watching you"! We’d lost the habit, although thinking about it maybe...
See you soon on terra firma!
Michèle , Dominique and Temenos II
Ranking 11:00
| Rg | Nom | Dist Arr | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to finish | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | ||||
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | ||||
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 99,4 | 39 53.78' N | 1 20.89' E | 10,8 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 336,5 | 36 23.70' N | 0 59.16' W | 9,3 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 1702,5 | 26 08.04' N | 25 00.77' W | 10,3 |
15.02.2008
**********
A harsh entry into the Mediterranean
Temenos II |
Though the weather forecasts can sometimes have some good surprises in store, this was not the case today. As the files indicated, virtually without transition, Temenos II left the calms for a strong gale, which set the anemometer spinning as the breeze went from less than 10 to 35 knots in the space of a few hours.
These harsh conditions were doubtless not strangers to the breakage of the monohull’s mainsail batten car at the end of last night. And even though they were able to replace it, Michèle and Dominique took this as a serious warning. Tossed about by chaotic seas, the duo didn’t have to think twice about getting out the 'heavy artillery', including the storm sail, in order to try to take the pressure off the boat a little.
At the approach to the Straits of Gibraltar, which they are preparing to pass through tonight, the winds remains steady and the duo is unlikely to see a real calm before tomorrow. And even though the wind is set to ease progressively during the course of the night, the big seas picked up by several days of rough weather on the trot, will take a lot more than a few hours to calm down.
The day’s frantic pace resulted in the need to wait until the start of the evening to have any news from onboard. The noise of the boat slamming through the waves resonated down the telephone handset and left no doubt as to the conditions encountered by the two co-skippers.
“We’re being ‘roughed up’, announced Michèle, “it’s the straits in all their splendour. The seas are messy and very short and we’re slamming dramatically. It’s a boat breaking sea. We cannot allow it to be fully powered up. We're hoisting less sail than we should so as to preserve the boat. We’re not going quickly. When you look at our trajectory on the computer screen it looks like we’re making no headway and this passage of Gibraltar goes on and on. Conditions are very laborious. Down below we're on all fours. We’re being thrown about and are having to cling on, unable even to eat. We got drenched on deck and our foulies are soaked. We haven’t slept since yesterday and we haven't rested at all today and tonight will be difficult too. We're looking forward to when today is but a distant memory. It’s not great having to face up to such conditions on the way back from a round the world. The boat is tired as are we. We should make it into the strait between 0300 and 0500 in the morning at which point the wind should at last ease.
The cargo ships are being understanding. They change course fairly quickly once we signal our presence to them. The watch is assured by the AIS in the main. With the swell we're fairly low down on the water and the visibility is poor so most of the watch is done via the screens.”
The night aboard Temenos II looks set to continue at this frantic rhythm then, with the two co-skippers having to make a series of tack changes in what is a channel less than 14 kilometres wide in places.
Given the monohull's difficult headway over the past two days, Temenos II is not expected in Barcelona before late on 17th February.
Ranking 19:00
| Rg | Nom | Dist Arr | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to finish | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | ||||
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | ||||
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 569,8 | 35 51.38' N | 6 28.58' W | 8,6 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 762,4 | 33 37.56' N | 9 27.12' W | 6,3 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 2288,0 | 16 15.18' N | 29 57.77' W | 8,9 |
**********
13.02.2008
The calm before the storm
Temenos II |
Aboard Temenos II, the atmosphere has certainly quietened down. Caught in a zone of light airs but being knocked about by a very big swell indicative of the strong wind blowing over Gibraltar, Michèle and Dominique are striving to make headway. Taking it in turns to be riveted to the helm to try to get the most out of the slightest puff of air, the two co-skippers haven't been able to get more than 4 knots out of their steed over the past four hours.
Since last night things have begun to worsen for Michèle and Dominique, who spent a laborious night in a zone of squalls. From increases in wind force, to frank reductions in pace, the monohull has made ardous progress over the past few hours… Considerably slowed, the danger for the duo now lies in the movement of this windless zone. The latter has stretched out and is climbing northwards, where it is threatening to swallow up the monohull. The upshot of this reduced pace is that Temenos II is now not expected in Barcelona before the morning of Sunday 17th February.
Deprived of wind since this morning, there’s a risk that the transition will be more brutal for Michèle and Dominique, who could well be scooped up by a gale tomorrow. Strong winds of force 7 to 8, momentarily force 9, are forecast in the Straits of Gibraltar during Temenos II’s passage.
Contacted midway through the afternoon Michèle recounted: “we're making headway at 4 knots. It's horrific. There's a swell of over 2 metres so the seas are very short and are completely braking the boat's heading and preventing it from powering away. It’s the swell that is sending us the E’ly gale, which is blowing to the North of us. From time to time there are trains of waves hitting us one after the other. You see this wall of water rising above you and just behind them the boat slams back down noisily. These are laborious hours and the coming hours are unlikely to be any easier. The swell is already providing us with an idea of the strength of the gale over Gibraltar. The files are forecasting thirty knots, but we’re expecting more than that. It’s a veritable channel where some very large acceleration may occur without being forecast in the weather models. We’ve tidied the interior of the boat and we got out the storm sail this morning. It's strange to prepare for rough weather when you're making less than 5 knots! For the time being we're a long way from the gale. The skies are overcast, the clouds aren’t moving and nor are we. The situation is pretty motionless and it feels like we’ll just have to endure it.
We weren’t fast enough last night and we’ve ended up being a bit behind on our routing time. We had some big storms with lightning all around us as well as some calm spells, which weren’t forecast on the files. We haven’t made headway as we should. We hoped we’d be further North than that, which would have enabled us to get through this buffer zone more easily. It’s hard to say when we're going to escape it as the files don't correspond with what we've got on the water at the moment.”
Ranking 17:00
| Rg | Nom | Dist Arr | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to finish | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | ||||
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 128,4 | 39 28.18' N | 1 03.00' E | 10 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 727,4 | 34 28.88' N | 9 16.72' W | 7,4 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 1015,1 | 31 10.04' N | 13 30.54' W | 9,7 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 2471,8 | 12 18.76' N | 30 10.44' W | 9,2 |
**********
12.02.2008
An express front
Patches of blue sky announcing the end of the front |
With the passage of the front last night the atmosphere aboard had radically changed and the two co-skippers really had to put any thoughts of the glorious sailing conditions of recent days to the back of their minds.
Quickly, within the space of just a few hours, the front ‘flew over’ Temenos II, generating 25 knots of breeze and really spicing up the night aboard the monohull.
In the early hours, the blue sky was timidly breaking through, the wind dropping to below 10 knots for the duo, now out of the front. This situation is likely to continue until the boat reaches Gibraltar on around Thursday morning. In the meantime we can but hope that the duo manage to rack up a few hours sleep in advance. You have to do something special to earn your entrance ticket into the Mediterranean and Temenos II should be no exception. Like Paprec-Virbac 2 and Hugo Boss before it, some strong E’ly winds accompanied by some short seas are forecast in the strait during the boat’s passage.
Still battling for 3rd place, the separation of Mutua Madrilena to the East has not born fruit and the deficit of the Spanish boat has stretched to 266 miles. If we are to believe the latest developments in the weather, Michèle and Dominique could well cross the finish line between the evening of 16th February and 17th February.
Furtive passage of the front |
Contacted midway through the afternoon, Dominique recounted: “we had a tricky end to the night. The skies clouded over abruptly with the arrival of a front and from that point the wind began to fill in and be very shifty.
With the passage of the squalls, we had up to 25 knots under spinnaker. It was a pitch black night and when we switched on the deck lights, we saw some massive sprays of water at the bow. We had to gybe twice during the night. The wind shift wasn’t really clear so conditions were pretty sporty and you're always concerned about the gear in situations like that.
Since this morning, the wind has dropped and we saw a patch of blue sky appear behind us amidst the rain squalls. We escaped the front quicker than we imagined. It was narrow, about fifty miles wide, which is why it passed through so quickly. At the moment it's fairly light. We have around ten knots of breeze but we're on a good tack along the direct course. We will remain in this light air flow, which shouldn't exceed 15 knots as far as Gibraltar. Things are going to be lively in the strait so we're likely to get the same treatment as our playmates. We're expecting to make a series of tacks in a strong E'ly wind. As a result we're going to try and get in some sleep in preparation for this, as well as organising the deck properly and preparing the sails.”
Ranking 17:00
| Rg | Nom | Dist Arr | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to finish | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | ||||
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 315,9 | 36 46.33' N | 0 57.89' W | 10,1 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 923,6 | 32 44.14' N | 12 36.44' W | 6,9 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 1190,1 | 28 03.85' N | 14 44.16' W | 6,5 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 2659,6 | 8 30.35' N | 30 22.06' W | 9,2 |
**********
11.02.08
A short term reduction in speed for Temenos II
A slight pause in Temenos II' progress today |
Arriving level with the Canaries, Temenos II has seen a slight pause in her progress. This reduction in speed had been expected by Michèle and Dominique, but it should rapidly turn to their favour with the arrival of a new front at the end of tonight. Throughout yesterday, Temenos II continued to rack up the miles, increasing its lead over Mutua Madrilena to 244 miles. A substantial but insufficient lead in terms of preventing a comeback by her pursuer. On an E'ly heading since yesterday, the Spanish duo is continuing its tactical offensive, aware that a lot could still happen between here and the finish in Barcelona.
Whilst the leader Paprec-Virbac 2 is expected in the Catalan town late this evening, Michèle and Dominique don't yet have the finish line in their mental or physical sights. With 1,178 miles left to go, the duo isn’t likely to make Barcelona before 18th February.
And for the time being, between ensuring the weather strategy, the manœuvres and the trimming, as well as containing their adversary, there is plenty to keep them both busy and preoccupied aboard and prevent any wanderings on the Spanish coast…
“We’ve begun to hit some Wly, NW'ly wind" recounted Dominique when contacted this afternoon, “there’s a big, very long swell which is gradually moving in on us. These are the first signs of the low. We expected to be slowed more than this but we're managing to make headway and for the time being we're escaping this zone quite well. At the end of the night, a front will catch up with us. The wind will shift round to the South and we should remain in this air flow up to the Moroccan coast. There we are expecting to fall into a buffer zone with light airs and then we should reach Gibraltar on the 15th.
It feels like we're being rocked on this big swell. It's sunny and the temperature is still very mild with some idyllic living conditions. We’ve sent a message of congratulations to Jean-Pierre and Damian so as to share in this moment with them a little, before they’re caught up in the turmoil of the finish. Aboard, we're not even thinking about the finish. It's still a bit far off yet. We're so obsessed by the boat's performance, the rankings, the weather, the routing, that we're not yet thinking about the end of the race but instead what's in store for us in the coming days.”
Michèle indicated in her last message that the fleet aerial had broken with the immediate result being the deprivation of high speed transmissions aboard Temenos II. Now incapable of downloading large files, the duo is having to make do with reduced size grib files. However, thanks to some fairly laborious work collecting and assembling the weather information, the duo is managing to cope with this lack of data.
Message from Michèle
Michèle |
There are some magical mornings...
These last few days the way the watches have panned out has meant that I haven't been on deck to see the sunrises, moments which I love. (Well, you have to rest in your bunk a bit from time to time and indulge in the selfish, comtemplative pleasures of the solo sailor with my co-skipper).
It's been two days then that the sun has been frustrated about not having seen me on deck, and now it has invited itself into my bunk.
Here, abeam of the little starboard hatch at the chart table, just the time for a few furtive minutes, it is sending a few rays onto my face. I'm taking great delight in this magical, ephemeral moment which is all mine... whilst taken aback, my co-skipper ‘digitizes’ and immortalizes the moment, and the pilot busies itself with keeping course.
The race continues and though Temenos II has managed to work herself up a comfortable lead over her Spanish adversary, we are remaining vigilant and very active aboard and there's no question of us easing off the pace. The weather remains fairly clear as far as Gibraltar but after that... after that it’s the Mediterranean. Need I say more!
Over the past weeks, the living conditions aboard have been relatively mild. Our need for food and our appetites have been lower and we have also managed to save some food in preparation for this last round, which stands a good chance of being quite long. We have managed to put aside a whole week's worth of food, which we'll open tomorrow. We're already relishing the idea. Just a day to wait and salivate!... Roll on tomorrow!
We’ve had to dismantle the fleet aerial, which is the big round thing in the cockpit which ensures, when it's working that is, a high speed link with the shore. Despite several hours work and the replacement of the mother board our ‘dinosaur egg’ just didn’t want to know! As a result we will have to forego the video sends, the visio-conferences and more annoying still, the detailed grib files. Fortunately the low speed satellite phone still works so that will have to do.
I’d like to take this opportunity to mention the work of the shore crews. We try to be as autonomous as possible aboard, but there are a number of times where we have to call upon the technicians onshore to get some advice. Out of the spotlight, I’d like to thank them for all their enthusiasm and for making themselves available to us. We are essentially selfish sailors without compunction, who often call upon their services in the middle of the night and at weekends!
Thank you to Michel, Thierry, Mathieu, Mino, Alex and sorry to those I’ve forgotten!
Life aboard Temenos II is continuing to the rhythm of the watches. We’re soon going to step back into the winter climes. The temperature is being to drop and we’re having to wear a fleece or two or three at night now…
On board Temenos II |
 |
The sun has invited itself into Michèle's bunk |
|
| Temenos II close to Canaries |
|
| The gas stove is showing signs of weakness |
Ranking 17:00
| Rg | Nom | Dist Arr | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to finish | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | 53,4 | 40 31.28' N | 2 00.28' E | 10,3 |
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 457,0 | 36 22.88' N | 4 18.04' W | 10,5 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 1178,6 | 30 27.13' N | 16 48.89' W | 10,6 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 1423,0 | 25 38.39' N | 18 12.71' W | 12 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 2840,2 | 4 44.46' N | 30 07.38' W | 8,8 |
**********
09.02.2008
Temenos II hooked onto the right wagon
The happy period continues aboard Temenos II, which has been continuing to lap up the benefits of its E’ly positioning over the past 48 hours. With a lead of 202 miles over the Spanish boat, which is now in a different weather system, the monohull is displaying speeds in excess of 4 knots more than their pursuer and is making the most of the situation to stretch ahead.
By managing to hook onto the rear of a depression system, Michèle and Dominique have managed to climb aboard the right wagon and shouldn't have to get off it again before tomorrow. Level with the Canary Islands, the duo are expecting to be slowed prior to the arrival of a new low, which is likely to enable them to close on the gateway to Gibraltar, the final course mark before their arrival in Barcelona.
“We went quicker than forecast” recounted Dominique when contacted this afternoon, “and that enabled us to hook onto the depression system by making northing. We’re going to make headway with it as far as the Canaries, which we should reach tomorrow, where it will become stationary and fade on zone. We will be stopped in the high pressure during a weather transition, but we hope to get going again by catching up with the S'ly side of a new low, which is set to arrive on zone between Monday and Tuesday.
The seas are quite built up and a component of it is hitting us on the nose, which is making the boat slam, whilst another component is approaching us laterally, which is tending to make us roll. It’s not very pleasant to hear the boat slam, but everything's going well and we're satisfied that we're able to make good headway. The wind is gusting a bit so we're helming to try and relieve the boat a little.”
A little idea for shifting ballast aboard Temenos II |
Port side complete – even the skipper has been shifted across! |
Starboard side deserted |
Ranking 15:00
| Rg | Nom | Dist Arr | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to finish | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | 379,7 | 36 22.50' N | 2 29.90' W | 7,8 |
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 752,9 | 36 19.24' N | 10 15.32' W | 10 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 1716,4 | 23 58.52' N | 23 55.36' W | 14 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 1919,0 | 21 01.88' N | 25 56.89' W | 8,6 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 3120,1 | 1 33.86' S | 28 16.92' W | 7,3 |
**********
08.02.08
Temenos II increases its lead
Temenos II progress upwind |
Clear of the zone of high pressure, it is now the time of reckoning. Aboard Temenos II the strategic choices of Michèle and Dominique have born fruit. Abandoning its W’ly option, Mutua Madrilena has shifted back over to the East, behind Temenos II and 138 miles in its wake.
For the next two days, the monohull should continue its progress upwind full and by in a fairly shifty, disturbed N’ly wind. Going from 10 to 20 knots, these variations in the breeze require the duo to monitor the trimming constantly, but on reading Michèle’s message, this doesn't seem to be shaking the spirits of the troops.
During today’s radio session, Dominique recognised that the weather situation was going to become more complicated at the approach to the Canaries, but in the meantime the two co-skippers are fully intending to savour the fine sailing conditions.
Message from Michèle
Dominique |
"Our course in the high pressure has gone pretty well. We have been able to get a bit of distance between us and Mutua Madrilena. Snatching back the miles from a pursuer always makes you feel good. Equally when the reverse is true, you really get annoyed and I should know all about that! This annoyance is well contained and controlled aboard our ship nevertheless! In a race the rankings can rapidly become an obsession.
Every two hours, you have to count the miles won and lost, analyse the different strategies, comment on them, get more grib files, study the various possibilities, brainstorming guaranteed… Fortunately night-time comes along in the end and these 12 hours without rankings leave us to our tactics and our play, so we're finally free!
Back to sailing upwind, heeled over like a mountaineer in mid ascent, we make headway against the wind. Our summit isn’t far off now; we must get there! We are concerned about the gear, which is like a friend to us now, and we're doubling the tests again, in the knowledge that a part which breaks isn't necessarily going to be 'courteous' enough to warn us beforehand.
As far as our eyes can tell, Temenos II looks to be holding up well, but the wear and tear after all these miles, all these waves and these manoeuvres, is surely not to be ignored. You have to take care of your boat whilst continuing to demand so much of her. Doubtless due to a little superstition I won’t speak of such matters for concern after a circumnavigation.
We often hide this legendary ‘maritime superstition’, but aboard Temenos II, tradition is very often respected, considered and sometimes even adapted. It is in this way that for a very long time, we have banished the one which "alleges” that a woman aboard brings bad luck!
The library |
On the other hand, the animal with big ears (described in this way for years to avoid having to pronounce its name) is persona non grata aboard Temenos II. Those we've found have been merely pale representations of the animal, the majority of which come from what we call the library... a small box of pocket books, often damp. All have been destroyed without any formal ceremony!
In the form of photos or quotes, there’s no escape for these creatures. The skipper crosses them out with a felt pen whilst I choose a more radical solution. I rip out the page and toss it overboard! (the paper is biodegradable)
Last night was fantastic, just like the day which preceded it. There were some integral moments of happiness, without the need to explode the speedos necessarily; what counts is the harmony. A man or a woman, a boat perfectly trimmed which slips along within its speed polars, a deep blue, slightly rounded ocean, skies either filled with sunshine or flooded with stars, the shiver up the spine is guaranteed and happiness is assured! Rooted to the helm with the smile that comes with great days,
Temenos II au près bon plein |
Dominique sends me a discrete little, knowing glance.
And then splitting open the poetry of the moment with a great crash, these idiotic flying fish arrive on the scene, with landings which are at times funny, other times cruel and gory. They hit the deck of the boat at full tilt, or even land directly on the helmsman (and I know what I'm talking about!) Decidedly they still haven’t learnt how to avoid obstacles like this yet. It has the tendency to make me angry every time. I’m forced to switch the pilot on and rush to put them back in the water before they die, without being able to soap them down before! I know a flying fish can’t talk but maybe he can hear, can’t he??"
Ranking 17:00
| Rg | Nom | Dist Arr | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to finish | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | 531,0 | 35 53.92' N | 5 40.06' W | 6,8 |
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 876,1 | 38 44.16' N | 12 06.70' W | 8 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 1989,5 | 21 05.97' N | 27 45.06' W | 11,8 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 2127,9 | 19 27.14' N | 29 28.67' W | 9,6 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 3281,5 | 4 20.91' S | 28 36.40' W | 11,7 |
**********
07.02.2008
The high pressure provides a little respite for Temenos II
Michèle |
Back in the high pressure since yesterday evening, Temenos II is continuing its progress. The wind has certainly eased, dropping to 6 knots last night, but fortunately Michèle and Dominique’s biggest fear has failed to materialize and the boat has not come to a complete standstill.
As the barometer rises, the seas have become calmer and even though the manœuvres have been far from lacking for the two co-skippers in the light airs, they certainly have no regrets about leaving the hard, upwind sailing of recent days behind them that was putting so much stress on the boats. Tack changes, sail changes, trimming and sessions at the helm have been on the menu since yesterday evening. And with the changes of tack come the joys of shifting ballast once again, albeit a touch different, now that the massive bags of food have become part of the featherweight category after 89 days at sea.
Sailing level with the western edge of a zone of high pressure, which is shifting eastwards as the hours go by, the duo hope to be able to escape the influence of this high pressure from tomorrow.
For its part, Mutua Madrilena has opted to position itself to the West, a move Dominique was kind of anticipating, when questioned on the matter during today's radio session. However, the skipper of Temenos II was continuing to favour the direct course, and the control that such a position imparts. Inserted between the Straits of Gibraltar and the Spanish boat, seems to appeal to him. 2,219 miles from Barcelona, and with a 103 mile lead over their pursuer, Michèle and Dominique are on their guard more than ever.
“We entered the high pressure but without really stopping” recounted Michèle when contacted at the end of the day. “There were a few interesting little wind shifts to exploit. We followed them by making a series of tack changes, which were pretty successful. We played at being removal men, which reminded us a bit of the exit from the Mediterranean, where we had to do a similar thing practically every hour. It’s quite nice to shift stuff around and at least we no longer have enormous sacks to drag about since we've eaten nearly everything!
The seas have really flattened out and Temenos II can slip along again. It feels good to know that the boat’s not suffering. We know they must be tired, and this upwind climb over the end of the course is something we all feel a bit of trepidation about. The boats have given a lot and they've had a lot of pressure on them. We haven't been sparing on them so inevitably the gear is fatigued. During the winter work we’ll change a number of things, which are still working nonetheless, but they are worn.
We don’t really have a chance of hitting the low any more. When we get out of the high pressure we should get into a N'ly air flow and be able to head towards Gibraltar. We should be able to sail slightly fewer miles than the frontrunners, but unfortunately it won't be very quick.”
**********
Listen Dominique
dominiquewavre.com/p/fr/multimedia/video/070208en/index.php
Ranking 17:00
| Rg | Nom | Dist Arr | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to finish | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | 684,1 | 36 46.15' N | 8 43.68' W | 10,3 |
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 1071,6 | 37 19.07' N | 16 48.84' W | 13,5 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 2219,1 | 18 47.45' N | 31 01.41' W | 7,5 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 2322,4 | 18 02.99' N | 32 46.14' W | 9,4 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 3552,1 | 9 02.64' S | 29 32.87' W | 12,1 |
**********
06.02.08
Long live the high pressure!
Michèle and Dominique |
Decidedly the tradewinds of the Northern hemisphere are finding it difficult to get their bearings, Michele already announcing a fairly shifty air flow yesterday. The situation has continued to worsen however over the past 24 hours. With the wind going from 8 to 25 knots in the space of a few minutes, with 50 degrees variation, we can well imagine that aboard Temenos II now is not the time for calming things down.
On the other hand, in contrast to the wind, the seas aren't in the slightest bit hesitant as they hold onto their tradewind standing. High, breaking seas are putting a lot of pressure on the boat; striking the gear a severe blow, which we can guess after 88 days of racing, must be the object of a great deal of attention from the crews. Dominique didn’t seem to be too worried about the boat during today’s viseo-conference though, which he deemed to be in good shape. We can guess that the duo won’t be unhappy to be able to escape the demanding conditions of this upwind sailing. This opportunity is likely to arise for Temenos II from tonight, and it is at that point that the monohull should enter into the high pressure zone. This same zone should once again enable Mutua Madrillena to make up ground, but it should in turn make the seas flatter and thus provide Temenos II and its two co-skippers with some milder sailing conditions.
“The night has been very laborious”, recounted Michèle when contacted at midday, “we had less than 10 knots with all the sail aloft when the wind rose steeply to 26 knots. I was sleeping in the bunk. We had to move quickly as the boat was over on its ear and we didn't know how much higher the wind could reach. I just had time to get out from under the duvet and climb on deck without dressing, so it was pretty full on. Barely had we begun the manœuvres when I got dumped on by a big and very cold wave. It was a rude awakening!
Throughout the night we had some massive variations. The wind varied between 8 and 25 knots and 50° in direction. It was a real rush on deck. We passed from an increase in wind force upwind to light airs downwind in the space of a few minutes. We ended up having to take in a reef, shake it out, constantly modifying the trim, the cars, the sheets, the ballast tanks, the daggerboards... Nevertheless, the files gave us a steady wind so it must have been a local phenomenon.
The seas are still built up, with each wave shaking the rig. Life aboard is naturally more laborious. You have to cling on constantly and even making a coffee gets complicated.
We should get level with the edge of the high pressure overnight. We’re expecting the concertina effect to come into play again with Mutua Madrilena, which will arrive with more wind behind and catch up with us, but there’s nothing we can do. For the time being we must negotiate the passage across the high pressure. We’re right up to date with our grib files, though we know that in the high pressure they’re not always reliable.
On the other side of the high pressure, we should be able to catch up with the low, but it remains to be seen if we'll get the right side of it and hit some downwind conditions. Nothing could be less certain given the grib files. It's likely to be a close call and we may end up in upwind conditions instead.
We’ll see how it develops over the coming hours. In the meantime, we're going to try to get through this high pressure and limit the damage.”
Classement 17h00
| Rg | Nom | Ecart | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to lead | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | 0,0 | 37 59.77' N | 11 41.36' W | 10,7 |
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 577,9 | 34 55.91' N | 23 50.11' W | 17,8 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 1520,0 | 15 57.06' N | 31 34.82' W | 10,7 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 1605,8 | 14 20.04' N | 31 57.73' W | 10,1 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 2962,1 | 13 01.31' S | 30 17.57' W | 10,9 |
**********
09.02.08
Fluctuating tradewinds
Capuccino on the helm |
Still upwind in the tradewinds, the fluctuating wind of the past 24 hours has prevented the monotony setting in aboard Temenos II. Successively heading, easing, backing, filling, Michèle and Dominique are following these incessant variations and adjusting their sail trim accordingly.
Since this morning, the duo have benefited from an air flow, which is barely any livelier than a slight fifteen knots, more or less established in strength but not yet in direction. Even though there’s still a ‘shaker atmosphere’ aboard, as Michèle confirmed when contacted this afternoon, the gain in speed in relation to last night has enabled the boat to slip along better in the big tradewind sea, which is still proving very demanding. The temperature is becoming less and less stifling as the monohull makes northing and living conditions are improving as a result.
In the next 2 to 3 days, the duo will have to cross a ridge of high pressure situated level with the Azores, where they hope to slip along to the South of a low, which is forecast at that point.
“We spent part of the night in an easing wind, which is oscillating at around thirty degrees. Once the boat has slowed a little, the seas on the nose have a tendency to brake its speed. This morning, the wind kicked in again but it is still oscillating at around thirty knots. The boat goes from upwind to upwind full and by, so we constantly have to mirror its whims with adjustments to the sheets, and that also forces us to helm a fair bit. For some hours now the wind has backed and the boat is accelerating. It goes through the waves better and aboard it’s still like being in a shaker but it's a little more pleasant.
It is still a similar picture as regards the weather forecasts. We are continuing to count on the arrival of the low to pick up the pace, but the most important move will be traversing a ridge of high pressure off the Azores in around 3 days time.
The skies still haven't cleared so it remains grey blue. We can’t see the stars anymore at night. It’s a shame as we’d hoped to see Jupiter and Venus. We’ve already been able to see them getting closer during our climb up the Southern Atlantic, but at the moment the tradewinds are too light to clear the sky.
Showers of flying fish come crashing down on the deck overnight. You can hear them hitting the hull and you really feel bad for them. Surprisingly there seem to be a lot less during the day, which makes you think that they must be able to see us in the daylight and be able to avoid us better.”
Ranking 17:00
| Rg | Nom | Ecart | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to lead | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | 0,0 | 37 46.44' N | 16 15.57' W | 12,2 |
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 681,8 | 31 42.64' N | 29 22.43' W | 12,8 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 1514,8 | 11 35.42' N | 31 53.10' W | 11,4 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 1608,0 | 9 58.65' N | 32 23.48' W | 11,2 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 2977,4 | 16 49.71' S | 31 02.11' W | 8 |
**********
04.02.08
Temenos II in the tradewinds
Temenos II |
Clear of the Doldrums since yesterday evening, Temenos II is now tracing a course through the tradewinds of the Northern hemisphere. Upwind in around 15 knots of breeze, the averages are naturally fairly modest. For at least three more days, Michèle and Dominique will have to get used to life heeled over.
The weather models suggest that there may be a change in pace possible thanks to the arrival of a low. For several days the duo has been carefully following its progress as it traverses the Atlantic and may, as the result of a fairly S'ly trajectory, extract Temenos II prematurely from this long upwind climb in the tradewinds, which often prove rather laborious for the skippers.
However when contacted this afternoon, Dominique was still expressing some doubt about the possible evolution of the coming weather situation due to the imposing presence of the high pressure off Africa.
“We escaped the Doldrums at the end of yesterday, the wind kicked in later than we thought. It filled in the first time early in the morning, but it quickly blew itself out.
At the moment we have between 12 and 15 knots. The sun is veiled by clouds and we haven’t yet got the beautiful blue colours that we usually associate with the tradewinds. Being heeled over doesn't make the boat very comfortable and with the seas on the nose we're being shaken about a bit so you have to hold on. We’re controlling the trimming and as soon as the wind eases we take the helm as we perform better than the pilot here. Other than that there isn't a lot else to do, which is often the case in the tradewinds.
A low is on its way and will disrupt the establishing of the tradewinds. It should drop fairly South so that we can benefit from its downwind conditions and climb with them for a while. The grib files are forecasting 25 knots, which should enable us to lengthen our stride considerably.
We’ve been watching this low move towards us for several days on our files, but we’ll have to wait and see if the ridge of high pressure situated along the African coast disturbs its arrival. This high pressure is threatening to complicate things a little, so we'll have to keep an eye on the situation."
**********
A squall onboard Temenos II (in french)
www.dominiquewavre.com/p/fr/multimedia/video/040208/index.php
**********
Ranking 17:00
| Rg | Nom | Ecart | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to lead | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | 0,0 | 37 05.60' N | 23 33.34' W | 16,4 |
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 526,6 | 28 03.41' N | 31 32.55' W | 9,8 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 1385,5 | 7 17.70' N | 32 13.44' W | 9,2 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 1477,5 | 5 42.06' N | 32 41.42' W | 9,4 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 2802,3 | 19 42.39' S | 31 17.61' W | 10,1 |
**********
03.05.2008
Temenos II in the Doldrums
in the Doldrums |
The speeds racked up by Temenos II over the past few hours leave no doubt that the boat has been caught within the clutches of the Doldrums since yesterday evening. At the cost of numerous manœuvres and trimming, the duo has attempted to get the monohull to make headway despite a light, shifty wind.
Contacted at the start of the afternoon, Michèle was banking on an imminent exit from the inter-tropical zone of convergence. Whether it be a question of weather models, the clearing skies or or even the wind progressively filling in, everything aboard Temenos II would seem to support this hypothesis.
“We have slept very little. We spent the night changing the headsails and changing tack to try to get the most out of the little puffs of breeze under the squalls. At times we manœuvred for an increase in wind strength, which often didn't exceed 10 minutes. It was fairly light and between the clouds there were long periods of calm. In short, a good old Doldrums!
There was a lot of stormy activity. We saw some great streaks of lightning split open the sky, but fortunately we were always quite far away from these stormy cells. I remember a Transat Jacques Vabre where you could see the lightning striking all around the boat, making electric arcs which we could hear crackling. In such a situation and with an imposing mast of some thirty or so metres, you're never very at ease. You've certainly nothing to lose by wearing rubber boots!
Michèle |
We got a good soaking last night. I remained on deck without my foulies. The rainwater is really cold but after a while it does you a lot of good to get rid of the salt on your skin. I also had a few emergencies to deal with as I threw flying fish back into the water, which were lost on deck!
We’ve just hit a bit of wind so we're approaching the exit. Furthermore, if we are to believe the grib files, there is a little exit passage ahead of us. We hope to be free of the zone at the end of the day. The large cloud masses are beginning to dissipate, which is a good sign. We’ve got our fingers crossed that we'll quickly find the way out and above all that it closes behind us. For the time being we're not heading towards Gibraltar but instead making northing to escape the Doldrums and hopefully hit the tradewinds as soon as possible.”
Ranking 15h00
| Rg | Nom | Ecart | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to lead | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | 0,0 | 33 33.36' N | 26 33.02' W | 11,9 |
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 534,4 | 22 26.06' N | 31 45.30' W | 9,5 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 1385,3 | 3 33.48' N | 31 51.28' W | 9,2 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 1458,6 | 2 13.59' N | 31 59.52' W | 10 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 2851,8 | 22 18.52' S | 35 04.05' W | 10,2 |
**********
02.02.08
Back in the Northern hemisphere
Dominique surrounded by clouds |
At midday today, Temenos II crossed the equator. As a result Michèle and Dominique have been able to bid farewell to the Southern Atlantic, after crossing the virtual gateway at Fernando de Noronha last night, 13 days 13 hours and 34 minutes after rounding Cape Horn. In so doing they racked up the best time of the entire fleet over this latest timed section of the course from the Horn, enabling Temenos II to snatch back over 1000 miles on the leader Paprec Virbac 2.
Still a little way off the inter-tropical convergence zone, the duo aboard Temenos II are already feeling the early signs, the Doldrums now their primary focus. This tension is heightened by the fact that even though Temenos II had increased its lead over Mutua Madrilena yesterday, the 117 miles separation doesn’t protect them from a comeback from the Spanish boat. This is all the more true in a zone where success sometimes comes down to luck rather than a good weather strategy. However, the scenario indicated by Dominique when contacted at the start of the afternoon didn’t contain anything alarming, even if a certain eagerness to leave the pitfalls of this place was in evidence.
“According to the grib files, it shouldn't be too difficult to get through, but it is fairly spread out nonetheless so we are bound to be slowed. We can but hope that this will be for as short a time as possible.
We're hoping to be able to escape it the day after tomorrow at the latest. We’re already surrounded by beautiful clouds. The seas are confused and the wind is coming from every direction pretty much. It feels like the arrival of the Doldrums. We’re always keen to get out of this zone as quickly as possible as it's a hazardous passage where you need a certain amount of luck."
Michèle and Dominique are already feeling the early signs of the Doldrums |
**********
Last video onboard (in french)
www.dominiquewavre.com/p/fr/multimedia/video/020208/index.php
**********
Ranking 13:00
| Rg | Nom | Ecart | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to lead | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | 0,0 | 31 00.86' N | 30 34.23' W | 9,6 |
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 455,6 | 17 20.82' N | 32 05.64' W | 12,9 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 1231,1 | 0 12.53' N | 31 17.33' W | 12,8 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 1348,5 | 1 42.52' S | 31 52.98' W | 12,8 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 2696,9 | 25 25.70' S | 33 58.49' W | 8,9 |
**********
01.02.08
Approaching the Fernando de Noronha gateway
The onboard air conditioning: vaporiser and ventilator! |
It is hard to envisage any big upsets when sailing in an established tradewind breeze, and this consistency rather seems to have clinched the deal with Michèle and Dominique. Temenos II has managed to stretch out its lead over Mutua Madrilena in the past 24 hours, the Spanish boat now some 96 miles astern.
The wind has shifted round again today, the more favourable breeze now enabling the monohull to lengthen her stride and home in on the gateway of Fernando de Noronha, which it should reach later this afternoon at this fast pace. The two co-skippers are paying close attention to the latest evolutions in the Doldrums and the latter promises to be fairly inactive. Intriguingly, the current forecast shows a glimpse of a way out.
As Temenos II makes northing, now less than 300 miles from the equator, the heat is becoming increasingly stifling aboard. With 35°C down below, the little fan can do little for the two sailors and right now there is little evidence of rain clouds on the horizon.
Dominique get 10 litres from desalinator each day |
“We were slowed for a good while upwind yesterday, but the wind has now become more favourable and we've been able to ease the sheets again" recounted Dominique when contacted at the start of the afternoon. “
It's straight up now as far as the Doldrums! We should make it there in 2 days time. Given the current grib files, it will be fairly easy to get through but all that could still change. The following climb promises to be complicated with the tradewinds very far North, which means we won't be able to make a direct course.
We’re baking hot and we can’t get any air running through the boat by opening the hatch as it’s wet on deck. The seas are well organised but it remains a tradewind sea so it's quite built up. It’s like an oven. Our little fan is stirring up the hot air, which effectively means that it serves the same purpose as a hair dryer! When the time comes to charge the batteries, we become completely liquefied as the engine heats things up a vast amount. It’s a bit like having a boiler in the middle of the boat. We're drinking 10 litres of water, which we get from the desalinator each day.”
Ranking 15:00
| Rg | Nom | Dist Arr | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to finish | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | 1973,6 | 26 27.43' N | 30 49.81' W | 13,7 |
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 2435,4 | 14 07.22' N | 31 19.96' W | 11,3 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 3369,9 | 4 26.37' S | 31 54.84' W | 11,6 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 3466,4 | 6 06.27' S | 32 11.62' W | 11,2 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 4733,5 | 27 18.81' S | 36 44.82' W | 7,1 |
**********
31.01.08
Arriving in Barcelona already on everyone’s minds
Michèle et Dominique |
The tradewinds are continuing to falter, bringing about a number of changes of headsail. Since this morning, the breeze has filled in again, picking up fairly big seas, which are causing the boat to bury into the waves. The foulie jackets have had to put in an appearance again as Michèle explained late this morning.
“At the end of the night, the wind has filled in little by little and we have had between 16 and 20 knots over the past few hours. The seas have picked up and are coming at us head on. The boat has accelerated and is slamming more violently into the waves. The deck is wet once again as the result of a little fluctuation in the tradewinds, which wasn’t forecast on our grib files. We're likely to hold onto a light wind this morning, the files forecasting that the wind will strengthen but a little further to the North. It may be this zone, which has descended on us and if it is, that should last around fifty miles.
Normally it is set to ease a little as it hits Fernando de Noronha, but they are still established tradewinds. As regards weather strategy, for the time being you just have to avoid allowing yourself to fall back near the coast again as there is a large windless zone over Brazil.”
Michèle made the most of the peaceful tradewind atmosphere to sit at her computer keyboard and share with us a few scenes and worries about daily life aboard Temenos II. For several days, as the fleet gradually climbs northwards, both on land and at sea, we cannot help but think of the finish in Barcelona. Even though it’s quite early to say what the weather will do in the meantime, it would seem likely that the tail end of the race will be rather slow. This scenario is something that Michèle and Dominique are expecting too and they’re beginning to count up their food rations. More than the food boxes though, it is the deficit of their Spanish pursuer that is constantly being counted aboard Temenos II.
Dominique |
"Genoa jib genoa jib genoa jib, our hearts swing back and forth between the two… The hours go by and we unwind the two current most 'fashionable' models up forward.
Upwind, full and by, in a tradewind that is starting to alter direction slightly, Temenos II is spending its time changing her attire. There is a weak tradewind, which has been oscillating between 9 and 14 knots for the past two days. We're manoeuvring from one sail to the other in order to ensure the continuity with the range of these two sails.
For now we remain under full mainsail and doubtless it is mocking our incessant manoeuvres a little in relation to the ‘forward sail department"!
Each variation in the wind is therefore accompanied by a manœuvre, which we end up doing with our eyes shut almost. I surprised myself in the middle of the night, when I forgot my head torch, as I was trying to recognise the relevant sheets by touch! Less rapid, less efficient, I wouldn’t make it obligatory aboard, and in fact I'm not sure it would work every time anyway...
The nights are gradually drawing out and as we make northing, they are extremely dark at the moment. The moon rises increasingly late and is decreasing with each night that passes. We should finally decide to replace my favourite star with our head torches; excrescences which really are effective! We spend our nights with these lamps virtually attached to our heads. We sometimes end up falling asleep with them on in our bunks. Maybe unconsciously we do it to light our dreams?
Off the Brazilian coast, we passed the latitude of Rio yesterday, tomorrow Recife, then the Doldrums. And then it will be time to say goodbye to the Southern Atlantic, the fourth ocean of our planet upon which Temenos II has traced her wake.
A curious excrescence |
Even though it’s light sometimes, the tradewind should enable us to escape the Southern hemisphere without too much hassle as it looks like it's going to be a real meteorological brain teaser, at least that's the state of play in the current grib files.
We’re going to try to keep our ‘favourite adversary’, Mutua Madrilena, out of harm’s way. She is 90 miles astern so we mustn't make any mistakes. It's a close fought battle and it keeps up a certain tension, which is very motivating indeed. We’re flat out at 200% and aren’t easing off the pace.
The climb up towards the Med and Barcelona promises to be longer than expected. The race is extending to my great delight, though I’m also keen to return to land…
We are doubtless going to have to ration the food so as not to arrive in Barcelone with empty stomachs. I don’t think we’ll be alone in doing this. A lack, of food in particular, can very quickly become a disturbing element both on a physical and a psychological level on a boat (and indeed everywhere) but we haven’t reached that stage yet!
On this note, I’m going to have my breakfast: a sachet of freeze-dried "flavoured rice in milk", which I shall share with my co-skipper. One spoonful for him, one for me, one for him, one for me… oh damn, it’s all gone already!"
Ranking 15:00
| Rg | Nom | Ecart | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to lead | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | 0,0 | 20 49.32' N | 31 15.05' W | 10,4 |
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 459,0 | 10 03.72' N | 31 25.81' W | 10,3 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 1453,7 | 9 03.39' S | 31 52.35' W | 12,1 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 1543,7 | 10 34.88' S | 32 08.70' W | 10,9 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 2788,3 | 30 58.58' S | 37 33.35' W | 13,6 |
**********
31.01.08
Temenos II making headway in the tradewinds
Aboard Temenos II the tradewind pattern is slowly settling into line. The weather strategy was left to one side briefly as Michèle and Dominique were forced to make a long obligatory tack in the trades, but they are continuing to make headway, with an eye to their future passage of the Doldrums as they make their way up the Atlantic. Before this though, the duo will have to pass through another obligatory course gateway situated at the latitude of Fernando de Noronha
In contrast to the weather strategy, there is no respite as regards the battle with Mutua Madrilena. The latest tradewind developments have given the advantage to Temenos II, which has regained around twenty miles on its Spanish pursuer since yesterday.
The tradewinds are a bit jolty at times, filling in, tickling 15 knots for a few hours and then shifting again, forcing the duo to adjust the sail area. All of this is par for the course according to Dominique, contacted at the start of the afternoon.
“All’s well aboard. We’ve still got some very fine sailing conditions today. It is very hot but the small onboard fan is aimed towards us and is freshening things up a bit. It’s indispensable for sleeping. The tradewinds are beginning to stabilise and be steadier, with fewer and fewer wind holes. The second part of the night was more difficult. The tradewinds became very shifty, changing course and being very light. It was more difficult to make good speed and we had to helm and trim continually. The wind still drops from time to time. The cloud passages modify the strength of the wind, but we should keep hold of a fairly established tradewind until the Doldrums. We’re still too far away to decide where we'll pass through. This zone is evolving very rapidly, but we are already watching the grib files. We're also looking at how the climb up the North Atlantic is going for the 2 frontrunners. Evidently the situation isn't easy. It's interesting and instructive to see how they negotiate it.”
The day is drawing to a close and the sun is setting, providing Michèle and Dominique with a beautiful spectacle |
Conditions are calm but require the duo to trim continuously
|
The spirits onboard, like the weather conditions, are in fine fettle
|
Special guest aboard Temenos II |
Ranking 15:00
| Rg | Nom | Dist Arr | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to finish | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | 2328,8 | 17 37.69' N | 32 16.19' W | 10,2 |
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 2761,7 | 6 11.31' N | 29 59.54' W | 9,8 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 3868,9 | 13 49.74' S | 32 19.53' W | 11,8 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 3949,6 | 14 54.94' S | 32 13.99' W | 9,1 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 5135,0 | 34 00.99' S | 38 16.62' W | 7,1 |
**********
29.01.08
Temenos II out of the woods
TEMENOS II |
Aboard Temenos II, Michèle and Dominique welcomed the arrival of the tradewinds with a mixture of delight and relief. Still fairly light, their encounter with these winds has nevertheless enabled them to definitively extract themselves from this chaotic zone, which has constantly set their nerves on edge for more than 2 days. And though Michèle yesterday described the past 24 hours as being perhaps the worst since the start of the race, today was quite the contrary, with what may well have been one of the finest nights of their voyage. In the space of a day, the tone and the discourse have radically changed and all it took was a little boost from the weather.
For the Spanish monohull, the passage of this Brazilian front will doubtless be a very different memory as its crew benefited from a little support from the wind Gods to reduce their deficit on Temenos II by half. Now just 64 miles behind, the battle continues, and there's still everything to play for to gain some separation between the two boats.
“We finally and definitively escaped the front yesterday evening. Little by little the large clouds have dissipated, the wind has kicked back in and we have changed tack to track down a favourable breeze. To start with it was a slightly erratic wind, but since then we have had a gentle, established breeze of around fifteen knots. There are still some light patches though and we got stuck under a cloud for nearly 2 hours this morning.
Last night was really fabulous, the stars replacing the clouds. It was mild, the sea was calm and the wind steady; perfect conditions for the pilot. After a night like that I wouldn’t think twice about signing up for another circumnavigation!
Since yesterday, we have been able to catch up on our sleep deficit and we had a good pasta meal at lunchtime. With the way things have been over the past couple of days, we hadn't slept and hadn't taken the time to really eat either.
It’s a bit like an oven down below as it’s 32°. It’s bearable on deck though with the wind, but as soon as you expose your skin to the elements you can straightaway feel the sun attacking you. The tradewinds should stay with us for a while now, which is excellent news!”
Ranking 17:00
| Rg | Nom | Ecart | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to lead | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | 0,0 | 15 06.58' N | 33 22.44' W | 10,7 |
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 457,6 | 2 45.25' N | 29 55.55' W | 10,6 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 1622,6 | 17 24.37' S | 32 45.94' W | 10,9 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 1686,7 | 18 36.31' S | 32 37.31' W | 8,3 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 2842,9 | 36 49.70' S | 39 50.20' W | 9,8 |
**********
28.01.08
Surreal!
Michèle |
Once the finish line is crossed, the memories certainly won’t be lacking in the minds of the skippers in the Barcelona World Race. Already though it would seem that for Michèle and Dominique, the past 24 hours have meant that they are on the point of receiving the unenviable prize for worst day in the race. In contrast to the perception we may have on land, for the sailors there is nothing more laborious than a lack of wind.
Yesterday, to the detriment of their sleep, the two co-skippers were already being forced to make a series of manœuvres at a virtually military pace, but at least they had the satisfaction of knowing they were making headway. Very quickly though, the small salutary puffs of wind vanished, abandoning Temenos II to a very strong swell, braking their progress as well as knocking the boat about violently. A prisoner in a zone of calms off Brazil, the crew were thrashed about, all their efforts in vain until the morning. Since then though, the monohull has been making headway at a reasonable pace once again, Temenos II managing to make around ten knots of boat speed upwind, hoping that the high pressure to come will prove to be a little gentler on the crew.
Contacted late today Michèle had this to say: “The wind completely died on several occasions and we were stuck fast without even a sniff of air. There was a 2 metre swell and we couldn't work out where on earth it had come from. It was very violent, the boat slamming every which way, to the extent that I felt bad for it. With each wave, the mast vibrated; the mainsail flogging from one side to the other. In this situation you can't block the boom off completely otherwise you don't make any headway as the sails simply flop across to the other side. I think that these are the worst 24 hours I've experienced since the start. The wind was coming from every direction and we found ourselves upwind and then downwind. It was changing the whole time, it was just surreal. We were manœuvring constantly and changing sails. It was a very thankless task struggling to get the boat making headway without any result. We stayed with the same cloud, which blocked our way for several hours in a row. It would send us a few little puffs of air so we could start moving very gently at 5, 6 knots, but as soon as we escaped its influence the boat would stop dead in its tracks as if it had hit a wall. We had to wait for it to catch up with us so as we could get going again. This all took time though as it couldn't have been moving at more than 2 knots. There was certainly enough in all that to lose your cool! We haven't stopped. We haven't slept a single minute. The nights are really very black. We were watching for the arrival of clouds on the radar. You see if they are moving quickly or not, but that doesn't really give you any notion of how much wind there is below them. Since this morning the wind has established itself to the North and we're managing to stay on course, heading upwind with an average of just ten knots of boat speed. It feels good even though we know we'll have more high pressure to negotiate before we stand a chance of hitting the tradewinds.”
Ranking 19:00
| Rg | Nom | Ecart | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to lead | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | 0,0 | 10 58.94' N | 32 48.40' W | 11,3 |
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 531,2 | 1 05.54' S | 30 54.01' W | 10,7 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 1643,1 | 20 38.02' S | 32 35.71' W | 8,5 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 1686,9 | 21 23.16' S | 32 36.23' W | 8,3 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 2915,1 | 40 05.50' S | 42 23.45' W | 10,9 |
**********
27.01.08
Amidst the squalls
Squalls behind Dominique |
Aboard Temenos II there have been repeated squalls virtually the whole time since yesterday evening and Michèle and Dominique have been forced to make a series of manœuvres in line with these. The fatigue is evident after most of the night spent on deck adjusting the sail area and the trim to the rhythm of the passage of these clouds. The weather activity is particularly intense off the Brazilian coast and in the space of a few days Michèle and Dominique are expecting to have to negotiate a front and some high pressure.
For the time being, thanks to the influence of the clouds the monohull is still managing to make headway, though Michèle is expecting the boat to slow dramatically over the next few hours.
“The skies are really very disturbed. We are surrounded by squalls. You can see them coming and it's all black on the water, the rain falling at 45°. One minute you end up upwind, the next you're downwind. Sometimes there is no wind and other times it's the very opposite of that with some almighty gusts. Each squall is different and as the clouds closes in on you, you soon see what it's going to be like. We’ve been making a number of manoeuvres and that's set to continue! The night has been fairly tiring. With the arrival of each squall we wake the other person up so as to be more effective and not lose ground. We were expecting this situation though and we got some good rest beforehand.
We're approaching the zone of calms situated in the front off Brazil so our pace will be slowed again soon. It’s a windless band of around sixty miles, which should take about 24 hours to cross. Each time we get a grib file, the passages are different, a little more to the East on one, a little more to the West on the second, so it’s difficult to grasp exactly what the best strategy is for us. We'll simply have to make northing and good speed so as to extract ourselves from this zone.
The sea water is warming up and we’re beginning to find a fair number of flying fish on deck.
As soon as a good rain squall comes along today I intend to get out the shower gel. Aboard we’re drinking sea water and we’re washing with water from the sky!”
The sky is very disturbed |
Temenos II is surrounded by squalls
|
Ranking 13h00
| Rg | Nom | Ecart | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to lead | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | 0,0 | 5 33.30' N | 31 51.72' W | 11,6 |
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 661,9 | 7 01.48' S | 32 15.48' W | 12,9 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 1593,9 | 22 49.00' S | 35 04.56' W | 13,1 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 1688,7 | 25 08.83' S | 33 15.37' W | 13,1 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 2998,4 | 44 44.17' S | 45 15.43' W | 11,2 |
**********
25.01.08
Temenos II picks up speed again
Temenos II has gradually been escaping the zone of high pressure |
Since this morning, Temenos II has gradually been escaping the influence of the high pressure, the boat picking up speed once more. Michèle and Dominique shouldn't have too much difficulty racking up more than the 160 miles covered since yesterday.
The first to enter the zone of high pressure, Temenos II could but watch as Mutua Madrilena ate into their lead throughout yesterday. Today though the reverse is true with Temenos II the first out of the zone and able to snatch back sixty miles from the Spanish boat by the 1500 hour ranking.
In a wind now established at around 13 knots, the duo is once again making headway under spinnaker according to Dominique earlier this afternoon.
Under spinnaker Michèle and Dominique stay on the helm |
"We didn’t hang around! We stayed on the helm the whole night. It was very calm but we held onto a little wind throughout the night of between 6 and 8 knots, which meant that we were never at a complete standstill.
This morning, we hoisted the spinnaker twice before conditions were right. The first time, the wind dropped again and the swell on the nose meant that the sail wouldn’t carry properly; it did work the second time though. We gradually hit a little air after that, which enabled us to get to the other side of the high pressure.
Now the wind is established, we're managing to distance ourselves from this zone. The barometer has dropped back down now so we're clear of it. The wind is set to fill in slightly towards the latter part of the day. We mustn't hang around here too long as the high pressure is increasing in size behind us as it climbs northwards.
There are some clouds in the sky. It feels like there is the possibility of squalls on the horizon but the weather is still fine. The skies are cloudier today but the shade won't be a bad thing. We have a steady 12, 13 knots, but the wind is still shifty in direction so we're on the helm the whole time. It's a little tougher with the heat; we're getting fried by the sun. The pair of us are not far off consuming 10 litres every day and a half. We have air though and we’re making headway so we can't really complain."
Ranking 15:00
| Rg | Nom | Ecart | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to lead | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | 0,0 | 0 01.39' N | 31 16.79' W | 12,6 |
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 865,6 | 15 18.12' S | 32 59.24' W | 11 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 1875,3 | 32 46.11' S | 34 11.64' W | 8,9 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 1976,9 | 34 10.46' S | 35 31.18' W | 9,9 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 3189,6 | 50 24.47' S | 53 33.60' W | 9,8 |
**********
24.01.08
Snail’s pace
Under spinnaker yesterday |
Temenos II has hit the high pressure and the average speed of the monohull has plummeted. Michèle and Dominique are trying to extract themselves from this zone of calm, but at a snail’s pace this isn’t going to be an easy task. The glimmer of hope which was to enable them to round to the East of this zone has vanished.
With their eyes glued to the instruments, concentrated on getting the boat to make headway, the two co-skippers hope to rapidly escape the clutches of this high pressure, which is threatening to expand out even further.
Aboard, the duo is getting a taste of the summer temperatures of the Southern hemisphere and have finally been able to peel off their foulies.
“It is really hot today. We have 24° down below and the water is at 20°. I woke up in a sweat earlier, this heat is wearing as we’re not used to it anymore" said Michèle. “We have 6 knots of wind at the moment. We have had to drop the spinnaker as with so little wind it was impossible to carry it any longer. We switched over to a code 0 last night. It’s not really a surprise as we knew it was going to be difficult. The routing at midnight tonight gives us just 3 knots.
Temenos II yesterday |
Yesterday the grib files gave us a little glimpse of a passage along the Eastern edge of the high pressure but the situation has changed since then.
The high pressure is set to increase still further so we really have to get out of here before it stretches even more. We have 150 miles to go. At 6 knots you don't have any choice; you just have to endure it more than anything else. We’re trying to go as fast as possible to make good our escape. We’ve gone back to the automatic pilot as it helms better than us in these conditions. With so little wind we're not really having to trim. We're just on top of the pilot to follow the slight variations in the wind. We're being careful not to destabilise the boat as we don’t want to take the power out of it as it tries to make headway.
Miracle! We have a 'gust' of 8 knots! I get the feeling this is going to be a very long day.”
Ranking 17:00
| Rg | Nom | Ecart | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to lead | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | 0,0 | 4 46.55' S | 31 27.32' W | 13,7 |
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 819,1 | 18 51.20' S | 33 25.59' W | 7 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 1785,1 | 35 32.37' S | 34 51.58' W | 7,5 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 1829,3 | 36 13.07' S | 35 13.38' W | 6 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 3100,7 | 52 14.37' S | 57 09.85' W | 6 |
**********
23.01.08
Under spinnaker
Michèle and Dominique |
It’s been a long time since the large spinnaker has been hauled out of the sail locker aboard Temenos II. However, the series of helming sessions during the descent of the Atlantic, with Michèle and Dominique transformed into helming metronomes, are still in the back of our minds. The scene is repeating itself now and under large spinnaker since this morning, the two co-skippers are shortening their watches in order to link together some demanding helming sessions with as much freshness as possible.
Still battling hard with Mutua Madrilena, Dominique was hoping during today's radio session, to find a way out a little sooner than their Spanish homologue thanks to their E'ly separation. However, for the time being, it isn’t the exit but rather the entry into this high pressure which the sailors are more concerned about. From tomorrow the situation will become more complicated. Like Hugo Boss ahead of them, the two boats will encounter light winds, which will slow their progress, making things far from restful as Dominique explains. “The wind is easing and the barometer is climbing so we’re gradually going to stumble in the high pressure. We hope to be able to get out of it as quickly as possible by passing to the East of it. We should remain under spinnaker in the light winds but there is likely to be a fair number of manoeuvres and trimming in store so conditions won’t be exactly relaxing.”
Contacted later this afternoon, Michèle confirmed this: “The wind has continued to shift round and we made a number of sail changes overnight, ending up sailing under spinnaker. The wind is gusting to 25 knots so we are having to remain on our guard with so much sail aloft. The seas are fairly organised, which is enabling us to do a spot of surfing, but they are also fairly short and the boat is burying into the waves quite a lot, which isn't too pleasant.
The further up the Atlantic we go, the less wind we’ll have, the breeze beginning to ease off from this evening.
We have said goodbye to the forties and the albatross and today three little new birds came to see us! There are lots of little prawns in the cockpit, the largest measuring 5 millimetres. I was clearing a bit of space amongst the sheets when I spotted one, which was really struggling for life and I simply had to pick it up very delicately and put it back in the sea.
In a corner of the cockpit we still have a mass of seaweed, which we freed from the rudders in the fifties and I may well bring it back as a souvenir. We’re keeping it in case we are lacking food over the last days of the race as we can always make a salad out of it.” (laughs)
Message from Michèle
Temenos II is really enjoying itself today in what is a rather bottle green sea, which contrasts with the limpid blue sky, which a few clouds are only now beginning to mask.
Aboard we’re making pretty good speed, racking up an average of over 17 knots at the latest ranking. Our steed is showing off its full potential and providing us with training along the way.
We’re linking together the helming and the sheets as the waves are picking up. As we’re getting in a bit of northing, the waves are abeam of us now, disrupting the regular schedule we had at the start of the day a little. With each wave Temenos II inevitably ends up on her side, which is why we’re clinging onto the sheets, ready to ease them and haul them back on again if one of the wild surfs looks like it's going to wipe us out: the boat is in command and we simply obey...
We’ve already made two sail changes this morning, not to mention shaking out and putting in reefs… After the more ‘tranquil’ days of late, it feels like a Monday today and we are back at work after a long weekend beside the sea…
Cape Horn is far behind but still in our minds. I already think of the Deep South with an air of nostalgia... how incorrigible we are!!
I had thought about bringing back a bottle of sea water from this magical place in order to give my friends 'little glasses' of it. I forgot all about it though, which is doubtless a sign. You can't bring snow back from Everest, particularly in a plastic bottle. I'm ashamed of myself to have had such a thought!
I don’t know how many days we’ve been away now. Time has stopped ticking by like it does on earth, with its mass of calendars, timetables and other meetings, and so much the better.
We’re continuing our race, trying to make as good speed as possible, not letting a mere tenth of a knot slip by unnoticed and the finish line still firmly in our sights. On the other hand though, I don't really want this to end. I'll have to tune myself up and take a step back and assess all of this... it’s not easy taking a step back though when you only have 18 metres to play with!"
Ranking 17:00
| Rg | Nom | Ecart | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to lead | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | 0,0 | 10 02.14' S | 32 54.06' W | 12,8 |
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 650,3 | 21 33.53' S | 33 30.14' W | 9,2 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 1674,8 | 39 20.35' S | 34 31.87' W | 15,7 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 1737,3 | 39 52.57' S | 36 39.12' W | 15,4 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 2958,7 | 54 18.12' S | 60 50.06' W | 6 |
**********
22.01.08
The battle intensifies
TEMENOS II |
Catching up in a stronger wind, Mutua Madrilena is continuing to threaten Temenos II and the battle between the two boats is becoming increasingly intense. After making difficult headway last night due to light winds, at midday Temenos II had also been joined by a more feisty breeze and Michèle and Dominique were clearly hoping to reverse the trend.
18 knots for Temenos II, 16.1 knots for the Spanish boat, the pace is fast aboard the two boats, both duos constantly at full tilt, Temenos II seemingly regaining its advantage during the course of today. A relentless rhythm that solely the high pressure, set to obstruct their course, will manage to influence. Climbing up the coast of Brazil, the boats are unlikely to encounter this zone of light winds for another 4 to 5 days and the weather may well have a few surprises in store for the crews in the meantime.
“We have finally hit steadier breeze, but it took a while coming. Last night was very light and we had less than 15 knots for several hours" indicated Michèle when contacted earlier this afternoon. “Since this morning the wind has filled in gradually and we've had between 20 and 23 knots for a few hours. The wind is on the beam and conditions are quite uncomfortable as we're being shaken about a lot and it's very wet on deck. The boat is heeled over well and it’s slamming in the waves. We’re already missing the downwind and yet we’re not sailing upwind yet! (laughs)
The wind is likely to be fairly steady for the next couple of days and then it will gradually ease as we approach the high pressure. In the latest grib files this zone had climbed northwards and looked a lot bigger. It is currently situated off Brazil so we've still got a while to go yet before we get there. This effectively means that these are long term forecasts right now and the situation could evolve very quickly.”
Ranking 17:00
| Rg | Nom | Ecart | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to lead | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | 0,0 | 14 53.34' S | 33 45.36' W | 10,8 |
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 573,2 | 23 58.58' S | 37 01.14' W | 13,6 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 1767,1 | 45 08.96' S | 37 52.48' W | 18 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 1826,2 | 45 22.46' S | 40 50.20' W | 16,1 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 2893,8 | 55 55.05' S | 66 55.50' W | 9,8 |
**********
21.11.08
A tactical climb
Magnificent sunrise for Temenos II |
For the past 3 days since Temenos II’s return to the Atlantic, the sun has been continuing to pierce through the clouds. At 51°S, living conditions aboard are far from tropical and Dominique recognized a certain impatience at the idea of ‘being able to remove a few layers of clothing’ during today's viseoconference (see link below).
The battle with Mutua Madrilena continues, the two boats heading towards the high pressure, which is barring the route off the coast of Uruguay, by adopting different strategies and thus adding to the suspense of the race.
Though Temenos II is continuing to shift eastwards, the Spanish boat is now luffing and closing on the direct course. The consequence on the ranking is that Temenos II, by distancing itself from this route has conceded a few miles to its pursuer, but for the time being the speeds of the two boats and the number of miles covered are fairly similar.
Whatever the strategy adopted, the two monohulls should be severely slowed by this high pressure in around 3 days time, so the focus will be on trying to be less affected than ones neighbour…
Albatross always alongside Temenos II |
“It is still chilly” said Michèle earlier “the water is still cold. It fell below 6° overnight, which must explain why the albatross are alongside us. The seas aren‘t very big so sailing conditions are fine.
There aren’t many changes. We’re still close reaching in a wind that comes and goes. It is easing. We have between 15 and 20 knots and we're trimming a huge amount in order to follow the wind. We're not being worked too hard on the helm as the automatic pilot does very well in these conditions and leaves us time to do the weather analysis.
There is a tricky zone off Uruguay with 5 knots of wind, if there's any at all. This high pressure is on our course. We're hoping to have the benefit of the wind being on the right to be able to cross the light zone at a point where it won't be so wide. All this is a more or less long term forecast, so it’s not always very reliable.
We’re keeping a very close eye on the evolution of the grib files, as when you see what lays in store for us further down the track, you really feel the need to keep the pressure on.”
**********
Regardez Dominique à la visioconférence du jour ( first part in french - second in english)
www.dominiquewavre.com/p/fr/multimedia/video/210108/index.php
Ranking 17:00
| Rg | Nom | Ecart | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to lead | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | 0,0 | 18 49.28' S | 33 21.74' W | 9,7 |
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 533,3 | 26 16.02' S | 38 57.32' W | 5,7 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 1918,0 | 49 53.74' S | 44 02.92' W | 16,1 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 1989,3 | 50 09.00' S | 47 32.07' W | 15,7 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 2973,4 | 55 40.48' S | 75 27.72' W | 13,5 |
20.11.08
**********
Back to a life heeled
Still some albatros in Atlantic |
With their return to the Atlantic Ocean the crew aboard Temenos II are back to a life heeled over once more. Close reaching in bright sunshine, the duo are beginning their climb towards the next course gate of Fernando de Noronha. As regards strategy, the direct course not always being the best option to make headway under sail, the monohull is currently bending its course towards the East in order to round a zone of high pressure. Though they’re adding to the miles to be covered, the two co-skippers are hoping that this course will enable them to avoid the calms closer to the Argentinean coast.
Save for a bank of seaweed which caused them no end of trouble last night, on this 71st day of racing, all is well aboard the monohull, as Michèle and Dominique were able to observe in a thorough check-over yesterday on entering the Atlantic.
“It’s a fine day. We have 15 to 20 knots of wind and are making good speed" indicated Dominique, contacted late morning. “At 50° to the breeze, on deck the apparent wind is stronger which increases the chill factor. The water is 7°C and that really chills you when you make manœuvres. Last night we got caught up by a mass of seaweed to the South of the Falkland Islands, where the sea bottom climbs from 4,000 to 50 metres. Each time the keel started vibrating. The banks of seaweed were very big. When hooked around the keel they were still strung out for 4 metres behind us. We had to stop the boat and go into reverse to get clear of it.
We didn’t see Cape Horn and we won't see the Falkland Islands either. We haven't seen land since New Zealand. It's reassuring to know they're there, but we can't see them!
At the end of the day we should hit a little more wind and be able to pick up the pace a bit, but nothing like the average speeds we achieved in the Pacific. The only thing we've kept from the Southern Ocean is two albatross, which have been following us since yesterday.”
Message from Michèle
“The first day in the Atlantic has been sunny and windy, and we’ve made the most of the conditions. Temenos has managed to trace a route towards the NE in order to round the vast zone invaded by high pressure the length of the Argentinean coast. We’re extending our course but we’re going faster, reducing the risk of coming to a standstill in a windless zone.
Apparently this is the same option as our closest rival, Mutua Madrilena. We were fairly satisfied that we were able to hold off her comeback yesterday. They made the Horn with a front whilst making headway on a direct course, which is something we weren't able to reap the benefits of. Meantime we were forced to make a series of gybes and cover more miles.
We left the Pacific with a slight lead over them, which is clearly a more comfortable position to be in and one that suits us well. We’re ready now for a fresh start and a new ocean.
We have made the most of this fabulous day to devote a large amount of our attention to technical details. This has meant a review of the boat giving rise to the "deal of the day" aboard Temenos II: “me I’m controlling the deck and you are down below!” A few little lashings to redo, the steering cable to tighten and the drying out of the wet zones. All in all the technical testing was performed fairly quickly. Temenos II is in good shape.
Two albatros have been following Temenos II since yesterday |
For climbing the mast, there was no need to draw lots. Things are clear between Dom and I. For the obvious reasons of weight it is only logical that he 'hoists me aloft'. These mast climbs at sea are always a little chaotic and reaching in 15 knots of breeze is pretty sporty too! We bore away a little as it slams you around up there. The descent was careful and as I cling on I realise that I have more strength in my arms. It has to be said that the physical training has been intensive for some time now!
The sun is already beginning to skim the horizon and it’s been weeks and weeks since we've had the opportunity to see a really good sunset. Perhaps we'll be lucky enough to see the green flash? Apparently you have to be in love to see it…
The boat is flying along. We’re watching the speed polars and going for 100% at the moment. My co-skipper and I are trying to outdo each other in the bid for the best performance during a watch. The competitive spirit is alive and kicking and the dialogues go along the lines of: "yes, but you had more breeze" or "we had to manoeuvre during my watch" or even "the waves weren't coming from the right direction”, and even end on a bitter note sometimes with "these polars don't mean a thing!"
I’ll have to give cruising a try one of these days!
Michèle"
**********
Ranking 13:00
| Rg | Nom | Ecart | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to lead | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | 0,0 | 21 59.06' S | 34 30.98' W | 9,7 |
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 542,6 | 30 47.52' S | 37 08.49' W | 8,1 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 2079,7 | 53 24.89' S | 54 36.29' W | 16,7 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 2165,4 | 53 35.98' S | 57 56.09' W | 15 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 3206,2 | 55 44.31' S | 88 25.59' W | 15 |
19.01.08
Temenos II back in Atlantic
Last hours in the Pacific |
It was in the early hours of this morning at 0315 GMT that Temenos II rounded Cape Horn. The final austral front never really caught up with the monohull with the exception of a few rare gusts as they made the Horn. Though the beginning of the day was rather laborious, with some very disturbed winds, Dominique confided earlier this afternoon that this flow seems to have established itself now, enabling Temenos II to pick up the pace again.
With a 100 mile deficit and accompanied by the front, Mutua Madrilena remains a threat to Michèle and Dominique. Ahead of them lays a brand new playground, that of the Atlantic. The long surfs and the company of albatross are over. In the Atlantic the sailing will be milder and more respectful of the organisms which await them, but it's unlikely to be any easier. An often more intricate and more complicated navigation, the possibilities presented by the meteorological chessboard are numerous.
“The front was making slow progress at around fifteen knots and never managed to catch up with us” analysed Dominique. “We never really saw the barometer drop. At the start of the night the skies cleared a little and we saw the line of blackness behind us, but it didn't come any closer to us. We rounded the Horn in downwind conditions with the wind rising to between 20 or 25 knots at most and the seas picked up when we hit the continental shelf.
We had a few technical issues to resolve overnight with the furler and then a breakdown in the automatic pilot. Everything has now been sorted but it certainly kept us occupied. At the point where we rounded the Horn we were making repairs and all of a sudden a small slice of moon appeared between two clouds just above water level, as if we'd crossed a finish line.
Since then the wind has been very shifty. It's a very unsettled zone with the coast causing considerable wind shadows. The wind switches from 10 to 20 knots in brutal fashion so we're really having to have our hands on the sheets.”
Message from Michèle written overnight
"With a night passage, Cape Horn was to remain under the cover of darkness for the three of us. I remember this imposing rock and I am naturally a little disappointed not to be able to treat our two pairs of eyes to this rare spectacle, but for our two hearts the moment will remain just as magical.
It was doubtless not the right time but I couldn't stop myself from taking a few shots. All these unforgettable moments experienced since our entry into the roaring 40's, all these emotions, these exaggerated sentiments, these pleasures, these pains, these frights, all mixed together in harmonious sharing, this magical osmosis, her, the boat, me.
Double-handed sailing isn’t necessarily better than single-handed sailing. Both can be selfish, but today it's the contrary. We cannot pass to the ‘the other side’ without a thought for our sponsor, our partners and all those who have played a part in this project, thanks to whom this stage of the dream has been achieved. Today, they are all here with us near this big cape....
As tradition dictates, we raise our glasses, or our goblets at least, to the health of Neptune and Aeolus, sharing our meagre vintage with them. The cellar of our race steed being decidedly poorly stocked, we made do with finishing off our 1/4 bottle of Sauternes, left over from our meal on New Year's Day. We kept it aside, without its cork, nicely upright in a vulgar rubber boot transformed into a wine cellar for the occasion! (sorry George, sorry Valérie!!) We will add a few squares of chocolate to the offering.
Here we are then, ‘confirmed’ Cape Horners! In fact, we’ve already been here but I quite like the idea of a new decoration with each passage. That said, with 7 passages Dominique is going to be weighed down by medals!
Dominique and even Michèle respect the tradition to 'piss into the wind’ |
If we believe in tradition, of the list of privileges acquired (the formula is fashionable at the moment) comes the right to 'piss into the wind’ (see photo). This should only be attempted at your own risk and peril if you don’t have your diploma… and indeed even if you have!
To be a Cape Horner also gives you the right to sport a ring in your ear, and I can't help thinking about the consternation of my co-skipper at me having 7 rings attached, like the little crab earrings she’s wearing!! I’m not really the type, but it would be a shame to see traditions lost...
On the final descent southward, Temenos II set its GPS and kept a close eye on its position for its final day in the South Pacific. We had to go beyond 57, before a final gybe which enabled us to make headway towards the Cape.
Prior to completing this second act and hitting the winch handle three times to sound in the next act, I must first tell you some of the names, which are inscribed between the lines on my map of the South Pacific, enabling you to continue dreaming for a little longer about the abyssal plains, great sailors and adventurers.
Mornington abyssal plain, San Martin sea mounts, Belligshausen abyssal plain, De Gerlache sea mounts, Shackleton fracture zone, Drake passage, Pactolus bank
Sweet dreams…
Michèle, Dominique andTemenos II back in Atlantic "
**********
Ranking 17h00
| Rg | Nom | Ecart | Lat | Long | Vit moy |
| Rk | Boat | Dist to lead | Lat | Long | Average speed |
| 1 | PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 | 0,0 | 24 26.04' S | 34 18.25' W | 10,9 |
| 2 | HUGO BOSS | 613,6 | 34 14.77' S | 37 44.68' W | 6,9 |
| 3 | TEMENOS 2 | 2195,7 | 55 05.31' S | 62 15.47' W | 17,4 |
| 4 | MUTUA MADRILENA | 2295,9 | 55 35.38' S | 65 13.34' W | 14,7 |
| 5 | EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS | 3367,2 | 54 43.31' S | 96 49.54' W | 13,9 |
