In the thick of it
Abhilash and Kirsten are now in the thick of the low pressure for the next 36 hours with winds gusting to 60 knots. Kirsten who broke one of her two spinnakers poles last week folded and stowed her fore twin sails, a truly physical feat alone on board in rough seas. She and Abhilash have prepared trainers and chains. The tracker is updated every hour.
North of the no-go zone, Capt Gugg and Jeremy who have covered over 130 miles each, are letting the fronts and low pressure escape to their east, although Jeremy will be caught by a calm overnight in manageable seas. Ian has spent the night stuck in a corner with no wind at all but will be moving in variable but manageable conditions all day.
Guy and Simon are preparing for their landing, with just over 100 miles to go to their destination. The wind is weakening for Guy who is going to Hobart to find a raft, unsure of the timing for the Horn, and strengthening for Simon as he heads for Puerto Ancud. The unfortunate leader of the GGR can count on his team arriving this afternoon in Chile with the support of his partner Howdens, and is thinking of repairing at the anchorage in Ancud and avoiding the long round trip to Puerto Montt.
UPDATE
Abhilash and Kirsten have prepared well for this storm. Here is the current forecast forwarded to both. Kirsten being a little further north has remarkably better outlook. Forecast Code is: date, time UTC or Z, wind direction and strength, gusts, sea height and swell direction, barometric pressure.
KIRSTEN: F7 1200Z N26 G35 S3.7SW B1000 1800Z NW38 G53 S5.2NW B 992 2400Z W32 G43 S5.8W B992 F8 0600Z W33 G46 S6.8W B996 1200Z W33 G46 S7.2W B997 1800Z W26 G38 S6.7W B999 Good luck!
ABHILASH: 7F 1200Z N39 G55 S5.7NW B982 1800Z W37 G55 S5.7SW B984 2400Z W39 G55 S8SW B988 8F 0600 W35 G49 S8.1SW B992 1200Z W28 G43 S7.7SW B996 1800Z W24 G35 S7.1SW B999 Good luck!
