The bad news this morning is that Alex has dropped to second place, some 24 miles behind Thomas Ruyant in Linked Out. That is just over an hour difference at the speeds these boats are currently making. It may appear significant but a few miles separation can make a difference in the wind and therefore the speed. Both are now heading down a corridor of favourable winds, between developing areas of calmer winds either side and may be able to hold the wind system until it joins the westerlies of the Roaring Forties. By Sunday night, this corridor will have largely disappeared but it looks as if the leaders will be through the high pressure system developing in its place which could frustrate the boats further astern.
Clipper Race Meteorologist, Simon Rowell, and I have been discussing the weather that lies ahead for the fleet. Simon says: "That corridor of wind is just ahead of a front stretching down from the South American coast to a S Ocean low well S. It's the only route to take but is a fine balancing act. If it passes over them they will wallow in the lighter wins behind. There's a secondary low moving with them down the front, the longer this keeps going the more secure their wind will be."
These areas move around so there is always a certain amount of luck involved, however accurate the weather information being received.
The speeds being averaged by these foiling boats is nothing short of incredible. The third boat, Apivia, Charlie Dalin, is 50 miles behind Alex and then there is a gap of 200 miles before Jean Le Cam who does not have foils but is nevertheless putting up a brilliant performance. Sam Davis has dropped to 10th place, some 400 miles behind the leaders, although she has averaged 18 knots for the past 24 hours. She reports having taken a shower in sea water of 27 degrees Celsius!
Life aboard at these very high speeds is not comfortable. Water is constantly flying across the deck and stings when it hits bare flesh. Any job that requires work outside means getting soaked, well as soaked as the clothing allows. Alex relies on cameras to keep him informed of what is going on outside which project in his control console and tell him what is happening outside. His “cockpit” is below decks in the centre of the boat where he can trim his sails without exposing himself. But not everything can be done from there. A headsail change, or reefing the mainsail requires deck work.
So now we watch the developments in the next 24 hours as the fleet flies south.