Now back to our regular programming…
There has not been any Daily Report since the 28th of April, but those were incredible days on the water and on land, between short nights, slippery ETAs and emotions! Simon’s arrival under spinnaker in the channel all the way to Port Olona, Kirsten becalmed and lighting up the channel in red, Abhilash in the early hours of the day. Also seeing Edward Walentynowicz, Damien Guillou and Ian Herbert Jones back in LSO, with thousands of fans to welcome the heroes, and finally meeting some of the FB followers in the flesh on the dock. Intense indeed.
While the three protagonists of the long weekend are recovering, others are still at sea, 339 days after the start, starting with Michael, 3rd and last ranked sailor in the GGR. Nuri, who is through the Azores between Flores and La Graciosa, has been downwind for a few days, finally in a more or less steady westerly flow depending on the Atlantic lows, but which will accompany him throughout the week. He is expected in Les Sables d’Olonne before May the 15th.
Jeremy, the second South African in the fleet, has passed the Cape Verde Islands and will find a high-pressure system in his path this week which could slow him down. As it moves east, the high will bring a south-easterly flow from Thursday onwards, offering Olleanna some downwind sailing towards the Azores. He did spend his first night at sea solo a year ago and is now at 330! Jeremy warmly congratulated the frontrunners, in particular his compatriot, who owes him an ice cream for arriving before him!
Guy Waites sailing on Sagarmatha has come full circle, crossing his own wake off the coast of Brazil yesterday with 4500 miles to go to Les Sables. He sent his congratulations to the early finishers and received encouragement from them in return. He is expected early June in Les Sables d’Olonne. Arnaud Gaist on Hermes Phoning is also approaching the Vendée coastline after an eight-month Atlantic loop that has taken him to the latitude of Cape Town. He is about 300 miles west of Brest and should arrive in a week’s time.
