Looking back from the Equator.

Having crossed the Equator in record time, the Cap Gemini and Schneider Electric crew have been taking stock of this first leg of their record attempt.

The weather window has proved to be very good over the period, although it could have been better since Geronimo had the wind with her until she picked up the trade winds, with the window closing behind her and opening in front of her only at the very last moment. It was therefore impossible to go any faster between the start line and the Canaries. Once she picked up the trade winds, the trimaran was able to extend her stride, overtaking not only Bruno Peyron, but also beating Sir Peter Blake’s record time from the English Channel the Equator. The Doldrums are currently located some distance south of the Equator and cover the full width of the Atlantic.

The crew is becoming more enthusiastic about the boat with every mile she covers. Sharp, fast, light and responsive: all of these words are now part of the regular vocabulary of her helmsmen. The 25,000 nautical miles and more she has covered in the last year as part of her development are now beginning to pay off as Geronimo delivers impressive consistency. The boat is being managed with great care and very smoothly to minimise wear and strain: there’s no point in setting the world’s fastest time to Cape Town if that’s where the record attempt ends. These are the considerations the skipper has in mind when he refers to the freedom he has to retrace his own wake through the Atlantic and return to the start line if he is not happy with the entire voyage south.

Not only has the Jules Verne Trophy course retained all its magic, but it is also writing its own legends, with tales of extraordinary events and incredible experiences. We must spare a thought for the crewmember who will have to don the diving gear to inspect the underside of the hull somewhere in the calms of the Doldrums (probably tomorrow) to see whether the giant squid or octopus – whatever the beast may have been – has left any impression on the carbon fibre skin. It will surely be impossible for him not to imagine that the same creature or some of its relatives is sure to be lurking just a few hundred metres below him as he swims. Much as we may lament the lack of true adventure in today’s world, the Jules Verne Trophy reminds us that the sea remains our last frontier: a world without rules, measures or restrictions, where everything you do presents a risk. And these risks are completely unpredictable when you’re dealing with an environment as wild and natural as the great oceans of the world.

Geronimo has only just begun her attempt on the Jules Verne Trophy and still has six times as many sea miles to travel as she has covered so far. With all the oceans of the world to look forward to, the adventure may only just have begun, but it has certainly got off to an eventful start!

News
As previous weather forecasts have indicated, Geronimo entered an area of calm last night. We can expect the speed of the Cap Gemini Ernst & Young and Schneider Electric trimaran to reduce significantly as these conditions have their effect.

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Geronimo's position : Day 7
Geronimo's position at 03:00 GMT

The boat's position at 15:00 GMT today (16:00 local time)