Thursday 1st January
Position 41'23.478SA 91'08.988EWind 15.0 Knots 352 Degrees
SOG 9.3 knots COG 115 Degrees
Distance Covered 3,934 Nautical Miles
We have had the most beautiful day down here in the Southern Oceans with temperatures up around 25 degrees and hardly a cloud in the sky. it has been lovely to be able to take your boots and socks off, your foul weather clothing and even our mid layers - and let everything BREATHE!!! It was all capped by the most stunning sunset we have seen all trip. Wind has been a steady 15-20 knots meaning we have finally been able to get full main up and with some decent headsails and we have been making reasonable speed over the ground.
We have been running a pretty northerly course over the last day or two which has been slightly frustrating for us - but the alternative gybe would have meant heading far too much south. We know the wind is veering sharply over the next few hours and we will lose ground to the south quite quickly in the run up to the start of the ice gate. We have to stay well north of this line for a distance of some 650 miles - and often the hardest thing down here is to sail northwards. The penalties for straying over this line are severe!
Additionally, the next low pressure system coming through in a couple of days time looks as if it will pack quite a punch and although it is now tracking southwards, there is a secondary low pressure system associated with it that we still expect to give problems for the fleet later.
So, all in we are happy to be north - and it's a lot warmer up here!!!
We very much enjoyed our festive meal of duck once again and the little bottle of champagne went down a real treat - as did the Irish coffees afterwards (thanks for the bottle Josh!!). So, apart from the GPS going on the blink again, everything is well on the good ship Mowgli.
Thinking of you all at home.
Love from
Jeremy and David
Wednesday 31st December
Position 42'21.823S 86'11.849E
Wind 37.6 knots, 273 Degrees
SOG 14.1 knots COG 71 Degrees
Distance Covered 3,689 Nautical Miles
Well, it's been pretty stormy all day down here with winds up to just under 50 knots and pretty big seas once again. We've had three reefs in the main and the staysail up all day and have been averaging pretty good speeds whilst at the same time not pushing Mowgli too hard. The storm should pass through around midnight UTC and tomorrow should be a bit quieter for us until the next system arrives with us on the 2nd. Just one long processions of bleedin' storms down here!!!
With any luck we will have time for a good lunch tomorrow with our remaining little bottle of champagne - and we found a second tin of confit de canard and saved some potatoes from Christmas for roasting. Another feast day!! Altogether we have done much better with our food for this leg than we did on the first one - mainly because we are managing to steer pretty well clear of the freeze dried stuff and living off pasta and rice with sauces or tins of curry. Luxury indeed!
With an estimated leg distance of around 7,500 miles, we will pass the half way mark at some point tomorrow which will feel lovely for us! Still a long long way to go... Hopefully in New Zealand for around 20th January.
Given that we are almost due south of Calcutta, I guess our time zone is about GMT plus five and a half hours, so the privilege is ours to be first to say HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
With love to all.
Jeremy and David
Monday 29th December
Position 44'1-.295S 76'03.490E
Wind 356 Degrees 34.3 knots
COG 122 Degrees SOG 13.6 knots
Distance Covered 3,213 Nautical Miles
The wind has been steadily increasing all day as the next cold front and low pressure system overtake us to the East. The front itself is pretty much overhead as I speak and the wind should back again shortly giving us a more northerly course than we are able to maintain at present. The system behind it certainly appears to pack a punch with winds reported from Hayai of just over 60 knots. Mowgli is well prepared.
After several days of repairs and cautious sailing in lighter airs, it is a wonderful feeling to be getting back up to speed again - even with an extra reef in our mainsail. Already our boat speed has topped 20 knots in the last few hours and it should rise as the winds increase along with the sea state,
How we are enjoying the warmer weather up north! With the sea temperature now topping 15 degrees life below decks has become much more bearable. Not only is it warmer but we don't have the constant drip, drip of heavy condensation. Incredible what a northerly distance of just over 250 miles from our deepest south position makes.
We are heartened to hear that rescue is now not so far away for Nico on board Hayai and that the winds have now abated for him - the same pressure system we are about to experience has now overtaken him. It must be an extremely nervous time for Nico and for his family and our thoughts remain with them. Nico has enormous experience and is a fine seaman in every sense and will be well prepared for unfolding events. Not only has his dream of sailing round the world been shattered but we, and the other skippers, will miss him greatly.
Love to all.
Tuesday 30th December
Position 43'47.529S 81'04.787E
Wind 37.1 Knots 312 Degrees
SOG 11.2 knots. COG 82 Degrees
Distance Covered 3,443 Nautical Miles
We are delighted to hear the Nico Budel is now safely on board the container ship that came to his rescue. Details of how the transfer was done have not been released as yet but we can be sure that with 7 metre swells running it was an operation of great skill and seamanship from the skippers of both vessels.
Nico Budel is a remarkable man in every sense of the word and I hope will be an inspiration to many many people from all walks of life. Not about sailing - but about how to lead a fulfilling life itself. Whilst Nico has been sailing for a long time, he has never before attempted a southern ocean passage let alone on how own. To do this as a grandfather of five and at the age of 70 is incredible. For his dreams to have been shattered in this way is a tragedy and we feel for him and his family deeply.
Both Nico as a competitor and his wife and family as supporters, not only of Nico, but of all of us competitors, will be sorely missed by all of us. We very much hope that they will be able to be in New Zealand at some point before we start the next leg to Brazil.
We have had a gorgeous day down here in the Southern Oceans - almost wall to wall sunshine - after the front passed through during the night. Who said it was always just shades of grey down here?? We have however now moved into the following low pressure system and the winds have picked up to a steady 35-45 knots with heavy squally rain showers thrown in. This leads to very variable winds which in turn doesn't make for easy or comfortable sailing. The wind can vary from 20 knots to 45 knots in the space of a minute or so and at the same time change direction by 30 degrees or more.
We had a bit of a fright with our engine last night which suddenly stopped working during a charge cycle. We bled the whole system carefully and luckily managed to restart her first time. We are still not sure of what caused the problem but it was probably just a small particle from the fuel tank or a stray air bubble. We hope that's all it was and that it doesn't happen again! Without electricity, life on board Mowgli would become very tough indeed!
Apart from that, all is well and we are looking forward to reaching the half way point in a couple of days time!
Love to all.
Jeremy and David