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logbooks of the week
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2003-12-5
Hi there,
Yesterday was a great day with some fine winds from WNW, but everything changed during...
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2003-12-4
Hi there,
I’m down in the forties now. As if by chance, I saw my first albatross yesterday. See...
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2003-12-3
Hi there,
After the very weak wind last night, a front will be going over this morning with a str...
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2003-12-2
Hi there,
It hasn’t been a good day, as yesterday I was sailing close-hauled with the wind almost...
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2003-12-1
Hi there,
The monotony of the trade winds is well and truly over! Last night, with a strengtheni...
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2003-11-30
Hi there,
On Friday afternoon, I experienced what was really my first time being becalmed in heav...
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2003-11-28
Hi there,
I crossed the Tropic of Capricorn (23°30’S) last night and the weather has completely c...
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Logbook of 2003-12-5 |
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Hi there,
Yesterday was a great day with some fine winds from WNW, but everything changed during the night. The wind abated and came around to the SW, S then the E. Unfortunately at that point, the wind was all blown out, so we were becalmed for at least three hours, and found ourselves alongside two fishing boats. The wind slowly got up again, but head on, and now it’s strengthening!
I’ll spare you the details of all the work that went on because of this changing wind. Today is going to be very busy with communications, since the Paris Boat Show is opening its doors. There is a radio report everyday at 11.30 on the stand for Les Sables d'Olonne right up to and including Saturday the thirteenth. Besides that, this evening at 6 o’clock, I’ll be doing a video conference link with Catherine Chabaud and JP Raffarin. Finally, at 7.30 p.m. there will be another video link, once again at the same stand with my partner Celerant Consulting, who is organising a cocktail reception for the event.
So, in short, with the work on Adrien and the satellite communications, I’ll be keeping busy.
Hope those who attend will have a nice time at the Boat Show. See you on Sunday,
JL VDH
A day with a little mouse, Laure and Claire ROSELLO’s cuddly toy.
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Logbook of 2003-12-4 |
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Hi there,
I’m down in the forties now. As if by chance, I saw my first albatross yesterday. Seeing these birds fly is always magical. I can still remember the first I saw on Let’s Go during my first circumnavigation in 86. I watched it for quite a while. Even today, I still don’t understand how they manage to fight against the wind without flapping their wings...
Aboard Adrien, life goes on, and I am busy with everything on board, setting the sails, making adjustments, keeping watch, doing any maintenance, then there’s the weather, communications, mail etc. etc.
Yesterday, I tried to move some weight towards the stern to limit the amount of shock Adrien receives each time she slams down after a wave. Earlier this year I put as much together around the keel as possible, but I have just decided to remove everything that was still in front of the mast. I’m going to take advantage of being downwind to finish that this afternoon.
See you tomorrow,
JL VDH
A day with Clément PARIS’s cuddly toy, a stag with some fine antlers.
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Logbook of 2003-12-3 |
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Hi there,
After the very weak wind last night, a front will be going over this morning with a strengthening wind. The genoese has been changed for the solent, I’ve come around and taken a reef in the mainsail...I don’t have time to get bored.
After the clouds went over, the sky cleared up completely and there’s not a single cloud left in the sky. The sea became rough quite quickly and there are white horses on the crests of the waves. The only drawback with all that is that the wind has gone around to the SSW, which is the course I should be on, so I’ve had to head further west.
As you can see, the sea temperature, as measured by the detector underneath Adrien’s aluminium hull, has fallen very quickly. And on my chart of the Southern Atlantic, I’ve entered the zone referred to as « Ultimate limit of floating ice from 1947 to 1962.» But, even if last year, a little ice was seen off Mar del Plata, where I am, the risk of coming across any here is almost non-existent.
See you tomorrow,
JL VDH
A day with Bernard Jambert’s pink and white cuddly toy.
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Logbook of 2003-12-2 |
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Hi there,
It hasn’t been a good day, as yesterday I was sailing close-hauled with the wind almost head on. Then, this morning, I was completely becalmed after 6 o’clock. I brought everything down to avoid putting too much strain on the mainsail and the rigging.
I certainly had the right idea, because the mainsail halyard pulley had its sides damaged and spread open. There was the risk that the halyard would get stuck between the wheel and the sides of the pulley when taking in a reef and that I wouldn’t be able to lower everything.
I put in another pulley and above all, I found the cause of the problem. The mainsail made of spectra had stretched a little and the pulley had been rubbing against the head gear. With a favourable wind the pulley sides had twisted slightly. I lowered the tack gore a little and the problem should be solved.
As a consequence of these operations, the day’s average isn’t that good. But as Philippe Monnet only managed to do 96 miles in this zone, the difference between us increased still further.
See you tomorrow,
JL VDH
A day with the bright yellow Teletubby belonging to Valentin, Victor and Vincent. If I’m not mistaken I believe it’s Lala!
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Logbook of 2003-12-1 |
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Hi there,
The monotony of the trade winds is well and truly over! Last night, with a strengthening wind, I had to take in a reef, then two, then come around, let go of the second reef and finally let everything out....I don’t have time to get bored! And now the wind has gone around and eased off.
Between two manoeuvres, I am able to get a good rest, especially as the temperature has once again become very pleasant. It’s over for being covered in sweat under an overcast sky. During the day, a pair of shorts and a T-shirt are just right. At night, however, I have to get some warmer clothes on.
Adrien is in fine form and we’re more than a day ahead of where we were last year (and 2 on the previous year). It’s encouraging to get some days’ advance now, as that will allow me to take my foot off the pedal in the deep depressions ahead of me after the forties, which I hope won’t be roaring too much!
See you tomorrow,
JL VDH.
A day with the cuddly toy with the big ears from Melvin in Etel.
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Logbook of 2003-11-30 |
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Hi there,
On Friday afternoon, I experienced what was really my first time being becalmed in heavy seas, which were due to the 30-knot wind from the night before. The rigging took such a pounding with the mainsail banging violently around from one side to the other that I brought it in and waited for it to pass.
After waiting for four hours, a light breath of air picked up from the southeast, and I was able to hoist everything back up without any damage. I did however have to fix some screws in place on the ratchet gear and on the gooseneck, which were beginning to become unscrewed, when everything was banging around. I fixed them in place with a little webbing.
Since then, I’ve been making reasonable headway. Oh! It’s nothing extraordinary, as the wind isn’t blowing very strongly, but after a period like I went through on Friday, I’m happy just to hear the lapping of the water against Adrien’s hull, as she moves forward.
The nights are starting to get cooler, and I have to get some warm clothes on. Flying fish can no longer be found floundering on the deck, when I carry out my morning check, and I’ve just turned over my map of the Southern Atlantic to show the side with Cape Horn...
See you tomorrow
JL VDH
A weekend with Michel’s little white lamb from "La Fontaine aux Bretons".
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Logbook of 2003-11-28 |
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Hi there,
I crossed the Tropic of Capricorn (23°30’S) last night and the weather has completely changed: it’s goodbye to the steady trade winds and hello to the hard work changing the settings!
The sky is completely grey with the Sun hidden behind the clouds. It’s drizzling and only the temperature still remains tropical. We’re not yet into the forties, but already I’m going to have to get some clothes on at night.
As I announced yesterday, the wind has gone around to the north, and is too strong for the spinnaker on a single-handed race. But things aren’t going too badly, as I already have 3 days’ lead over my predecessor, so I’m quite happy and in the best of form, as is Adrien.
Now, things are starting to calm down, and tomorrow night, the wind will almost certainly abandon us for a while. But Philippe Monnet had the same problems in this area and the gap between us shouldn’t be reduced.
When I think it’s already been three weeks since I left...
See you on Sunday.
JL VDH
A day with "Boulgom", SIMON’s cuddly teddy bear from Languidic.
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