Thomas Coville: “We’ve just gone through a shift in sea currents, with water temperatures rising by 6° in the space of 50 miles, and a very quick change in wind strength and the state of the sea. The wind has settled, the sea’s quite flat, and we’re back at a speed of 25 knots that matches Groupama 3’s potential. It’s very well balanced, all sails on, the central hull is just brushing against the water. The boat’s between air and water, it’s magical, and we delight in these rare moments. Starting from Cape Horn, the race against the clock began. The objective’s no longer to go around the world but to win. Before, we had to maintain the boat, to get through to the end and show that this type of boat, light and not very big, could go around the world. We’ve proven that by doing Cape Horn and now we want to go all out and win. The conditions that we’ve had in the last 24-36 hours haven’t been great but when we get the wind again, we’ll be smiling. In a few days’ time, at the transition around Brazil, we need to be at 100 % of what we’re capable to giving.”
Archives: Log
Log
…When we get there
“Things aren’t too bad, we’ve put the solent up again, the wind went up just after, and we’re almost over-sailed, but it’s fine. It’s not very easy to estimate our arrival time, and it’s not that important to us. We’re trying to advance and we’ll get there when we get there. We can’t linger too much because there’s a ridge behind us and our pace risks falling, so we want to stay roughly in the good wind without forcing the boat too much. Things here are a bit bumpy but it’s fine, and if we want to gain a few minutes, then all the better. That’s what we’re doing at the moment because we’re going quite fast in relation to the routing. But above all, we need to get there in one piece.”
Cargo ship
Our Sunday was marked by a few unexpected encounters. First, that great big cargo ship in the parking area, fixing a defective part, blocking our path. Not exactly fair play! And what about that poor flying fish that spotted the magnificent black, orange and white body of the maxi-trimaran slicing through the wind, and that said to itself: “What better way to go than to crush myself against the side of this extraordinary machine!” We restored it to its natural element…
Jean-Baptiste Epron
©Photo Jean-Baptiste Epron
Little surprise
Where should I start today? After 14 days at sea, I can say that:
1.- There’s at least three times this to go. 2.- The boat’s going fast, it’s safe. 3.- The team’s at its best and is getting ready to face this second round in ideal conditions, the coach has rounded up some young fighters ready to go for the blood and guts… We’re more motivated than every to face this hell of a mountain.
(…)
I’ve often shown you the lines at the front of the action – and aren’t these lines behind us gorgeous? These traces or rather these prints in the enormous sea.
(…)
It’s Sunday and Jaco has a little surprise in store for his friends. Bread that we’re going to break together and share with the elements so that they’ll be gentle with us.
..
Jean-Baptiste Epron
©Photo Jean-Baptiste Epron
Look out my boy!
It was my turn to go on the lowered solent, stuck between the stay and the martingale, hooked up with the harness, and to look out, look out my boy! It was while I was looking out that I fell upon this baby, we rolled up the gennaker, luffed to move away and avoid the growlers, we took out our video camera and camera and bam!, when it was far behind, we hoisted the sails again…
Jean-Baptiste Epron
©Photo Jean-Baptiste Epron
Damage
Damage:
regarding the drift, we don’t see anything for now. As for the starboard rudder blade, the black bits are the zones stripped by the collision. (…)
A successful crossing of the trampoline! To pull off this exercise when you haven’t got all your gear on, you need speed and steady feet in order to avoid many obstacles, and above all a big dose of luck…
Jean-Baptiste Epron
©Photo Jean-Baptiste Epron
Dead calm
Last stop before the beach… A day of dead calm, a complete check of the rigging and hull, ready to attack the north if the wind deigns to come back …
Jean-Baptiste Epron
©Photo Jean-Baptiste Epron
Northern hemisphere
Radical transition: in the south, downwind conditions and sun. We passed the equator last night. Then came rain, grey sky and… upwind conditions! We took in a reef. We replaced the blade with the solent, then the staysail and took in a reef again. We’re on for going upwind, we’re loving it…
Jean-Baptiste Epron
©Photo Jean-Baptiste Epron
A beautiful night…
It’s a shame that we’re in a hurry. There’s been an incredible sense of calm since the end of yesterday. The sea is practically flat, there’s almost no noise, the warm, dry air caresses our skin, colors soothe our eyes, and last night, the stars were reflected in the Atlantic lake. It was devastatingly beautiful. This morning, the wind seems to want to come back and then we saw a white bird. Is it a sign?
Jean-Baptiste Epron
©Photo Jean-Baptiste Epron