Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Parked in the Indian Ocean


Groupama 3 is in a bizarre situation at 51° South, just a few hundred miles from Cape Leeuwin and unable to free itself from a strong, disruptive front... The N'ly wind has suddenly backed to the West as it eases and their lead over the reference time is melting like an iceberg in a tropical sea!
A chilly atmosphere and a rather morose ambiance with a colourless sky and moonless nights, make this a far from settling experience, as Frédéric Le Peutrec beautifully described during the radio session: "There is good humour aboard even though it's not easy to sail in the South at the moment. You have to know how to be patient and wait and see what the next day brings, hoping for better things to come: we still have a slight lead over Orange II and it's not a matter of life or death... The coming situation is shaping up and it doesn't look like it'll be very easy to negotiate either... In times of difficulty, you have to retain your enthusiasm and don't sink into yourself! We are ready to seize the opportunity which is bound to come along at some time or other." - Full Report