Hi,

Wrote this yesterday so a bit out of date ..

About yesterday morning we moved from a land with no wind to a land with some wind. A transitional place where slowly ‘wind’ v ‘no wind’ becomes more wind and slowly builds and builds. There are no lines or signs between the Doldrums and the ‘real’ world, just a slow transition.

At first the crew doesn’t quite believe it but constant winds reassure us that we have. We now live in a world of 30 degree angles. The wind is coming over our port side and will continue that way for at least 4 days. This is a topsy turvy world with what was floor in the doldrums is now wall and things that used to be above your head are now right in front of it.

Simply moving across the boat requires heroic acts of mountaineering. You daren’t let go of the boat even for one second, if you do you are throw to the other side of the boat in an instant.

Crew ‘belay’ themselves about the boat and a web of ropes that appeared magically. The only thing missing from this mountaineering scene is ice picks and sherpas!

I have a 5 hour shift rest, but I just can’t sleep, I just get pinned in a ‘v’ between my bunk and the wall, it used to be 90 degrees now its around 50. Surfaces that appear to be horizontal aren’t, it’s a trick of the eye, you put something down on it and it’s gone!

Still, we’re out.. !! and our strategy is working, us and the 2 other boats that followed us out East are now at the very front of the race.

We’re now getting 24 knots of wind, those to our West 10 -15, they must be mad as hell to see their lead evaporate and ours increase, now stars the straight drag race to Rio via the Equator, don’t think we’ll stop there for a swim though!!

Love

R/Tr/D xx