Wind in the sails

We're back to our familiar old routine. A dark night, foulies done right up and Gitana 13 flying along on a reach at 100° to the true wind under solent and one reefed mainsail. The seas are still flat but the spray is already sweeping across the deck at a good lick. On the sheets, our hands are more active again, ready to respond to the slightest kick of speed, our maxi-catamaran adoring to play with the little veins of breeze. This change of pace came about shortly after sunset, a time when all kinds of schemes are hatched. Our scheme is widely known about: to shatter the current record. Prior to that, this Sunday has been coloured by fair weather and good seas. Slipping along gently under large gennaker and then changing down to the little one to accompany the wind shift. A perfect day with which to wrap up our first week at sea since the start.

The accounts are simple. With just 1,700 miles to go to make the port where our crew Kojiro Shiraishi lives, accompanied by a forecast more likely to serve up too much wind rather than not enough, we are unquestionably spot on with our timing. Aboard, we're all very much aware of that. The smiles are out in force but we're certainly not going to be easing off the pace, indeed Captain Lionel is keeping more of an eye on that than ever. We still have a good 3 to 4 days to go, with a very deep low to negotiate towards the finish. We certainly won't be lacking high points and our foulies are still due for a lot more soaking yet.

Until tomorrow

Nicolas Raynaud

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