Good morning all.
We are slowly approaching the finishing straight and as usual, next to us is UNICEF. After approximately 4000nm they are still only about five miles from us. It is amazingly close and there is still everything to play for. Still haven't heard any fat ladies sing!
We have spent the night trimming the spinnaker and trying to get best speed out of the boat only to find that when our position report comes through we have either taken a little bit or lost a little bit to our closest rivals. Then comes a big wind hole and we slowly, slowly try to make our way out of it without stopping the boat.
We can’t see UNICEF on the horizon nor can we see them on AIS so have no idea if they have been trapped by the wind or not. We then have to wait nervously for our six hourly position report to see how we have actually faired, not only on them but against everyone else in the fleet. We feel like hunted prey.
Our next trial is an enormous fleet of fishing boats. I currently have 78 AIS targets on the screen in front of me. It’s like a nest of spiders and we are in the middle of it.
Hopefully we can negotiate the fishing boats and make our way into clear water and then concentrate on boat speed more than avoiding the boats around us.
The crew continue to work hard and with all the noise of continually working the spinnaker it makes for a fitful sleep when off watch. The joys of boat racing.
To make it all worthwhile will be the finish and a couple of beers, followed by a shower and food, to refresh after the three weeks of racing.
Love to those at home following our progress,
Phil and Henry