Splitting issues
With unstable weather patterns and a high-pressure system right in the way to Cape Town, it’s decision time for the front of the fleet, with little to no weather information, the sailors receiving as many weather charts from Cape Town as they do from Rio: none.
Simon and Tapio chose a northerly route, which will make them sail upwind most of the way, while Kirsten and Pat, splitting from his Finnish mate, are opting for a southerly route. This option proved a good move this morning, with Pat now in third place and Kirsten posting the best average speed of the fleet.
To their west, it’s a bit of a wait and see. Abhilash now 4th is north of the fleet on a SW course towards the centre of the high pressure, while Damien is doing well upwind in light winds, still 6th but catching up with the others ahead of him.
Behind them, in the barometric swamp, it’s not a happy time for Gugg and Ertan who have lost contact with the leading group, on a very southerly and slow route; as are Jeremy, Elliott, Ian and Arnaud further west.
More importantly, several sailors are barnacle victims, like Guy heading for Brazil, Ertan, Pat, Jeremy who still has to stop and clean, Tapio and Damien who have dived this week to clean up
