Fossett Challenges - Aiming To Reach Tradewinds Early Friday, Equator Late Sunday

Approx 900 miles ahead of Orange I (2002)
Thursday 25 March 2004 - 1710 GMT - 172 miles west of Ilha da Trindade (Br): It has been a slow day tacking NE and now N, with 95 miles net course distance logged over the past 12 hours, and with another 12 hours of work upwind to look forward to for Steve Fossett's crew aboard Cheyenne. But the prognosis is for the 125' catamaran to reach increasing tradewinds by early Friday. Lead over Orange I (2002) RTW position is still approx 900 miles, although differing courses make a direct comparison difficult.

Watch Captain Brian Thompson wrote earlier today: "We have just tacked over onto starboard to try to make some more miles to the north. The forecast is for tacking upwind today and then arriving at the trade winds early tomorrow morning, and these will allow us to close reach north up to the equator, and finally make some miles after 2 very slow days."

Tom Mattus of Commanders Weather: "Wind is still light for the next few hours, but will slowly begin to 'clock' to the East by 00z, building towards 0600z and reaching 15-20 kts later Friday. They should make very good time for at least 2 days, then will need to tackle the doldrums, fighting some squalls starting at 10S. Right now I look for them to cross the Equator late Sunday / early Monday (late Day 51 / early Day 52)"

(ed. Orange I crossed the Equator in 2002 early on their 54th day)

Ilha da Trindade is a rugged, arid mass of volcanic rock including several remarkable peaks, of which the highest is Pico Desejado (elevation 600 m - 1,965 ft). A 1958 'UFO' photograph taken over the island is an interesting point in its history.

www.confluence.org
Trindade

For further details and regular position updates, please see: www.fossettchallenge.com