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logbooks of the week
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2003-12-25
Hi there,
Father Christmas really spoilt me! Cd’s, DVD’s, books, a few jars of food and some ni...
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2003-12-24
Hi there,
I’ve done it! I’ve got 10 days’ lead over Philippe Monnet thanks to a nice day with s...
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2003-12-23
Hi there,
The weather for Christmas seems quite clement. Yesterday, before nightfall the WSW win...
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2003-12-22
Hi there,
The lead over Philippe Monnet is widening. His aim was to head a long way south (down ...
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2003-12-21
Hi there,
A difficult Saturday for Adrien, not really because of the wind, which got up to 40 kn...
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2003-12-19
Hi there,
Finally, I ‘ve found some wind. Yesterday was a very tough day. For the second time s...
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Logbook of 2003-12-25 |
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Hi there,
Father Christmas really spoilt me! Cd’s, DVD’s, books, a few jars of food and some nice bottles... certainly enough to keep me going until the end of March!
Besides all that, the weather is great! The wind continued coming around towards the west, then the south west at 20 knots, and I’m more or less on a direct course west for the moment, which isn’t something that often happens. In short, a wonderful Christmas Day!
My little Christmas meal went as planned, and I still have half the starter left, some dessert and some wine for this lunchtime. On the other hand, the wind is going to continue to strengthen to reach 40 knots tomorrow. After all, we are in the fifties, and we mustn’t forget that. I’ll set Adrien’s sails according to the strengthening conditions and I hope the waves will be wide enough apart for the boat not to come slamming down!
See you tomorrow,
JL VDH
A day with Véronique Brousse’s cuddly toy, a pretty little cow with clothes with the nice name of Mauricette.
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Logbook of 2003-12-24 |
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Hi there,
I’ve done it! I’ve got 10 days’ lead over Philippe Monnet thanks to a nice day with some favourable winds. The sea got up a bit, and we once again did some surfing along at more than 20 knots.
It’s really pleasant to be scooting along downwind after a few days sailing close hauled with the wind head on. It reminds me of some great moments from the Vendée Globe, when we were going in the opposite direction! Unfortunately, that only lasted for a dozen hours or so, as very quickly, the wind backed northerly then NW and abated, but it’s still better than nothing!
I’m already licking my lips thinking of this evening’s meal: as a starter I have some foie gras, then some duck «à l'orange», some camembert and to finish off some chocolate almond dessert. And of course, I’ll be opening one of the fine wines from my cellar! I’ve chosen a 1997 Saint Julien. I’ll also be opening all the parcels that Father Christmas left me before I set sail from Les Sables d'Olonne.
I wish you all a merry Christmas.
See you tomorrow,
JL VDH
A day with the angel musician, Suzanne’s figurine... Quite appropriate for Christmas to have an angel!
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Logbook of 2003-12-23 |
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Hi there,
The weather for Christmas seems quite clement. Yesterday, before nightfall the WSW winds, which were forcing me to head north, disappeared. Then, gradually, after the inevitable 6 hours of being becalmed, the wind got up nicely again from the east. That’s great! I’m sailing downwind!
It will gradually back to the north then NW, but all the miles I cover downwind in the direction I’m heading are something to be very grateful for.
I have got my Christmas decorations ready: garlands and baubles are hung around my Simrad counters. With the time difference (tomorrow, I’ll be 9 hours behind French time), I’ll be celebrating Christmas after you and will even be among the last people to take part in these festivities.
I’ve prepared a little video and some photos, but I’m having a bit of a problem getting the satellite up, and I haven’t managed to make contact yet.
See you tomorrow,
JL VDH
A day with Patrick Durand’s cuddly toy, a little mouse.
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Logbook of 2003-12-22 |
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Hi there,
The lead over Philippe Monnet is widening. His aim was to head a long way south (down to 70°) to position himself to the south of the low-pressure areas and pick up some favourable winds, while at the same time taking a bit of a short cut. The only problem was that once he reached 110° W, he found himself in amongst the icebergs and growlers.
He came across around fifty of them in less than a week. He even thought about turning around at one point. So he headed up a long way to the north, and in so doing on some days, he only managed to achieve a few miles towards the west. That’s why the gap between the two of us can vary so much.
I never ever thought about going so far down. Just like last year, I’ll stay around 50° S. The risk of finding an iceberg here is small, and I haven’t seen any this year or last.
I prefer to spend my time admiring the albatrosses, who follow me sometimes, rather than watching the incredible light shining out of these blocks of ice that I often came across during my first Vendée Globe, when I went down to 62°S!
It still sends a shiver up my spine...
See you tomorrow,
JL VDH
A day with the Russian dolls put together by Sterwen Thao.
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Logbook of 2003-12-21 |
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Hi there,
A difficult Saturday for Adrien, not really because of the wind, which got up to 40 knots, but largely because of the seas, which became quite heavy. It’s all down to the length between the crests of two waves. With some waves, this distance means that Adrien doesn’t have time to come back down, before the next wave arrives, and so there is a big shock to the front section of the hull. Everything vibrates, the mast, the sails, the keel and the speed falls to two knots with water sweeping over the deck. Adrien shakes herself off, before gradually picking up her speed again.
The main difficulty is that this length cannot be foreseen, and with millions of waves, around a hundred or so smash into Adrien, and of those two or three are responsible for a more violent head on crash.
What can be done to avoid this? Yesterday, that was the case, and I tried to move away slightly from the angle of the waves...but that just wasn’t possible. The angle isn’t always the same, and some time or other, Adrien comes crashing down. So I slow down, which limits the shock somewhat. But each time it happens, I can’t stop myself or Adrien from suffering!
For the time being, everything is holding out...but sometimes it’s a little tough.
See you tomorrow,
JL VDH
Weekend with Valentin de Crac'h’s cuddly toy, a sandy-coloured teddy bear.
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Logbook of 2003-12-19 |
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Hi there,
Finally, I ‘ve found some wind. Yesterday was a very tough day. For the second time since rounding the Horn, I was sailing downwind, except that last time I had a 40-knot wind, while yesterday I only had an average of 5 knots.
The sails can hardly blow out in such little wind downwind, and the swell, which made Adrien roll made the sails bang around from one side to the other. I even took out the light spinny made by Pechiney Marine, but even that was no use, as it wouldn’t stay in place with the rolling, and I need to make sure it’s O.K. for the return trip up the Atlantic.
It was however fine and warm...19° in the cabin, and the sun was shining so much that I put back out the solar panels to charge up my batteries. But when I look at how far there is left to go and at my slow headway in the last 4 days, all I want to do is get a move on.
Finally, after coming around at around 3 this morning, what a pleasure to hear the lapping of water on Adrien‘s aluminium hull, as she started to move forward again.
Now, I’m sailing close to the wind (close-hauled), but I am advancing.
See you tomorrow,
JL VDH
A day with Monique from Port-Louis’ cuddly toy, a smiling tiger.
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