Skandia
VG Day 72: In To The Depths Of Exhaustion
'MAN WITH A MISSION': Nick Moloney attempts to
be the first to race around the globe in 3 disciplines,
crewed with stops, fastest non-stop, solo non-stop
RACE POSITIONS 0930 GMT: SKANDIA 7th, to north
east of Falkland Islands, 554 miles behind VIRBAC,
and with ARCELOR 8th 350 miles behind Nick. All
steady at the front as the leading trio sail fast
to the north in the South-East trade winds, PRB
131 miles ahead of BONDUELLE, who in turn is 98
miles ahead of ECOVER
RACE
UPDATE GOING IN TO 72nd DAY
EXHAUSTION
TAKES OVER IN POST CAPE HORN DEPRESSION: After
the relief of passing in to the Atlantic Nick’s
body and mind have reminded him that he hasn’t
rested enough for the past month, and Nick is
suffering from pretty extreme exhaustion. In fact
quite common for the sailors exiting the Southern
Ocean, hoping for an easier time, only to find
the unstable weather and new complications such
as tides, rocks in the way, difficult tactical
decisions, all combining to make the first part
of the trip up the South Atlantic far from the
relaxing ride north they had been dreaming of...
‘I'm
completely out of it, I don't know how I let myself
get to this point. Totally exhausted. I'm not
sure what I am doing, very frustrated, but I'm
wired and can't sleep, worrying about job list,
but everything I touch turns to rats'...excerpts
from a conversation between Nick and OC Mission
Control Sunday evening....
FROM
OPEN OCEAN TO SOUTH ATLANTIC: The first obstacle
for Nick has been the Falkland Islands [ http://www.falklandislands.com]
, scene of an unfortunate war between Great Britain
and Argentina over 20 years ago, and still patrolled
by Royal Navy and RAF forces. Only attacked by
fatigue, Nick was forced to take a very disadvantageous
gybe to the south east for a few hours yesterday
afternoon to pass around the eastern side of the
islands. Much of the morning he spent deliberating
as to whether he should wind in the sheets and
sail higher and around to the west – in
the end he opted for the safer option of bearing
away to the east, but could not make it one gybe.
He found it pretty depressing to be on that southerly
going gybe for a few hours, sailing away from
the finish line, but by this morning was sailing
well and at good speed to the north on the direct
route again, with the Falklands to his south west.
The relative stability of the wind today should
hopefully give him a chance to sleep, although
that will probably depend on whether the generator
charging every 90 minutes is not too disturbing...There
is a plan in place to rectify the battery problems
once Nick gets a calm patch and can completely
power down the boat for a few hours.
VIRBAC
BACK UP TO FULL SPEED as Jean-Pierre completes
his boom repair and gets going at 100% again,
back up to 600 miles ahead of SKANDIA.
ARCELOR
rounded Cape Horn, and Dunkirk Skipper Joe Seeten
very relieved last night to be once again in the
Atlantic Ocean – speeding in to the Horn,
he has closed up to 338 miles behind Nick.
9th
PLACED HELLOMOTO has had two terrifying and exhausting
days in a storm 400 miles to the west of Cape
Horn. He hopes to exit the south tomorrow.
