A SLOW NIGHT FOR KINGFISHER2 BUT 24HR RUN FEW
MILES FASTER THAN ORANGE...
SUMMARY: 0700 GMT 11.2.03
Position: 22 19' S 34 46' W (Rio de Janeiro 370nm
W )
Ahead/Behind
the record: 12 hours 40 minutes behind Orange
Ahead/Behind Geronimo: 52 hours 12 minutes behind
Geronimo DAY 12 24 hour run (point to point) :
Kingfisher2 266nm, Orange 252nm, Geronimo 459nm
End DAY 12 distance to go (on theoretical course)
: KF2 20496nm, Orange 20294nm, Geronimo 19661nm
Click on POSITIONS link at http://www.teamkingfisher.com
to see graphic images comparing the tracks of
these 3 challengers at 4 hourly intervals.
Av/Max
boat speed in last hour: 12.61 / 16.8 knots Heading:
245
Av/Max wind speed in last hour: 8.84 / 12.5 knots
Wind direction: 125 Distance to WP4 35 00'S /
24 00'W approach to Southern Ocean : 948 nm (theorectical
shortest distance)
IN BRIEF:
*
WEATHER IS ALL THAT MATTERS TO ELLEN and team
on KINGFISHER2...and its not being very cooperative.
The overall weather pattern is dominated by several
high pressure systems across the South Atlantic
- high pressure generally means very light winds...not
what is needed to break records...
*
DESPITE A SLOW NIGHT, KINGFISHER2's 24-hour run
of 266 miles was a few miles more than Orange
achieved on day 12 of their record bid...
*
FORECAST WIND FOR NEXT TWO DAYS indicates nothing
more than 3 to 10 knots...bad news for the team,
however during the night they have been sailing
at over 12 knots for much of the time, so lets
hope that forecast is wrong!
*
EXTRAORDINARY PICTURES ON THE WEBCAM yesterday...check
it out at http://www.teamkingfisher.com...taking
you closer to the action (or lack of it in 2 knots
of wind) than ever before! AND LISTEN TO LATEST
AUDIO FROM NEAL, JASON and ELLEN... just click
on audio icon at http://www.teamkingfisher.com
*
ELLEN THIS MORNING: "Frustration has been
the word of the day and will be the word for the
next few days too... We are just dying to get
into some breeze and to feel KINGFISHER2 take
off beneath us but to sail round the world without
calms like this is impossible..."
*
GERONIMO HAS PASSED THE HALF WAY POINT and is
about to pass the southern tip of New Zealand
on her way in to the Pacific part of the Southern
Ocean on day 31. After three bruising days, she
has found near perfect conditions. http://www.grandsrecords.com
*
CREW MEMBER FOCUS: Kevin McMeel, assistant navigator
and qualified emergency surgeon, has raced over
87,500 miles but on board KINGFISHER2 for his
first circumnavigation...
Listen to Ellen's latest audio this morning PLUS
latest audio from NEAL and JASON... Visit http://www.teamkingfisher.com
and click on the 'Audio' icon on the menu bar
or download from http://www.ocftp.com/audio/em110203a_uk.mp3
(Ellen), http://www.ocftp.com/audio/nmcd110203a_uk.mp3
(Neal) or http://www.ocftp.com/audio/jc110203a_uk.mp3
(Jason)
Kingfisher operating company of the day COMET:
Comet is Britain's original out-of-town electrical
chain and enjoys the number two position in the
UK electrical market. http://www.comet.uk
ELLEN
LATEST LOG: (communications by BT [broadband users
check out video and other high speed content at
http://kingfisher.sportal.com]
An
unbelievable day once again... another painful
day where our speed was so low that I'm not evn
sure I want do the calcultion. This afternoon
we had no wind for about 6 hours - with a boat
speed of 3 to four knots... Frustration has been
the word of the day, and I know will be the word
for the next few days too... We are just dying
to get into some breeze and to feel KINGFISHER2
take off beneath us. Seeing her just sitting in
the water has been quite unnatural for her. Since
Plymouth she has not been so still - in fact,
I think we were sailing around more on our mooring
there than the we were yesterday in the light
winds. I guess at the end of the day we can see
the light at the end of the tunnel - and also
we can try to focus on doing all we do better
- so that everyone pulls together more and concentrates
on what is coming.
We
are still learning all the time, me especially,
and we are having more discussions together now,
where we are able to discuss our thoughts and
changes. As I sit here and type it is 5.30 in
the morning. The moon set about an hour or so
ago, after lighting up the horizon like it was
the only path to take in the world. There was
the odd star around but soon after, all was blanketed
with a layer of grey cloud... But it was not such
a negative thing because that's the sea. The air
warmed - the wind increased and we took off. A
real change from sailing slowly in 12 knots, to
helming a flying machine. I was driving as the
wind increased - all of a sudden with the new
wind we were at 26 knots! The power is awesome
- so much faster than the wind we had. Must go
now as very tired and lacking sleep! We'll be
heading south on the next low we can catch, then
I'll need that sleep. ex
JULES
VERNE USHANT (START) TO CAPE OF GOOD HOPE TIMES:
1993 Commodore Explorer (Peyron) 21 days 12 hours
48 minutes 1994 ENZA (Blake/Knox-Johnston) 19
days 17 hours 53 minutes 1997 Sport Elec (de Kersauson)
21 days 18 hours 17 minutes 2002 Orange (Peyron)
18 days 18 hours 40 minutes 2003 Geronimo (de
Kersauson) 16 days 14 hours 35 minutes 21 seconds
OMEGA
official timekeeper of KINGFISHER2'S Jules Verne
record attempt
CREW MEMBER FOCUS: Kevin McMeel (CAN) - Assistant
Navigator / First Aid Few days into this trip
and crewman Andrew Preece (in charge of Media
& Comms) mistakenly refered to Kevin as American...
100 emails later, putting Andrew right on Kevin's
nationality, we realised (a) how popular Kevin
is "back home" and (b) there is no messing
on the nationality issue! Kevin (44) has raced
over 87,500 miles offshore but has never done
a circumnavigation: "I wanted to do the Jules
Verne with the best team assembled - I had no
hesitation of signing up with this team when I
finally got the call," explained Kevin. "The
primary objective is to go out there and break
the record but we have to ensure everyone's safety
and get back in one piece. I specialise in emergency
surgery but, don't worry, I trained for 12 years
so the guys are in good hands!" Kevin joined
Assa Abloy's Volvo syndicate in 2002 to assist
primary navigator Mark Rudiger. Email Kevin direct
on board KINGFISHER2 at kevinrace@kingfisherchallenges.com
PARTNER OF THE DAY - UKSA: The UKSA provide watersports
training facility to Team Kingfisher and are based
right next door to the offices of Offshore Challenges
in Cowes, Isle of Wight so providing a close working
relationship. http://www.teamkingfisher.com/uksa
