Light airs lottery

@Hamish Hooper all photos Camper ENZ

Light airs lottery

Hamish Hooper blogs from on board CAMPER

So this is it, this is where the race pretty much restarts and quite possibly will be won and lost in the next 100 miles of high pressure, no wind

Just prior to midnight we were in about 6 knots of breeze. At 0045 we were in 1 knot of wind, it had been steadily dropping all day. Not quite the abrupt windless wall that I pictured but nearly.

After doing two 500+-mile days you notice every knot less boat speed. Even going 8 knots feels like we are stopped. And believe me when I say we would be more than happy to make it through these painfully light miles doing just 4 knots, at one stage we were doing 0 knots.

The stack of equipment and sails which has been packed as far aft as could be for the past few days has migrated forward to the bow of the boat above and below deck to get the bow in the water and the stern out to reduce drag as much as possible. My bunk has been moved into my second bedroom, avec ensuite with no door, the same bog that is used by all of the crew each morning. I haven’t been woken by the stench or groans yet.

All day yesterday we were tracking along side-by-side Telefonica, just managing to edge in front of them slowly before they changed mode headed off to try their hand at crossing the ridge with a more southerly route.
The fleet has compressed a lot, I think prior to sunset Abu Dhabi was some 20 miles ahead, Groupama 13 miles, and Puma only 10 miles ahead.

Will has been staring at weather maps, satellite weather pictures and just about any information he can possibly access like a teenage boy would look at glossy magazines. It’s all about discovery… discovering our best path over the next 300 miles to the finish line.

I can now hear the agonizing slap of water on the hull- it’s a terrible sound, and one you just hope all of the other boats hear for longer than we do.
Hopefully we will sneak our nose out of this no wind pain shortly, and in front of all of the other boats would be nice.

The 0400 sked just came in and it wasn’t what we had hoped. It looks like Groupama, Abu Dhabi, Telefonica and Puma are near breaking through to the northerly winds on the other side. We still have a bit to go.

Time to steel the nerves I feel, and once we get through be ready to give the last 250 miles everything we have.

Ginger spice left the spice girls on this day in 1998- Mike Pammenter was shattered, how could she? But I’ll tell you what I want what I really really want…

To win this bloody leg!

GOLDEN QUOTE: “This could be the longest most painful and intense 260 miles we have had in the race so far. It is not going to be easy.” STU BANNATYNE

@Hamish Hooper all photos Camper ENZ