Tonight, under the full moon off Salvador, my thoughts turn to Ronan Legoff, a fellow crew member on the Jules Verne Trophy who lives part of the year on the island of Itaparica, which is a true haven of peace and beauty. He is one lucky man.
This evening Groupe Bel is gliding along at twelve knots of boat speed in twelve knots of wind. Yes, these days, monohulls fly along at the speed of the wind, which is incredible really, and they do so with such ease. For the past few days we have been enjoying sunshine, and pleasant conditions which are good for getting some rest, though the wind has been a little light. Much as we would like a little more breeze, once we have passed St Helena in ten days or so, I can assure you that we will have more than enough wind, and will have swapped shorts and T-shirts for warm drysuits.
Until then, we must be patient, and negotiate the approaching high pressure system, which is not looking that straightforward. One thing is for certain though: it’s great to be at sea on this proud vessel.