It’s been a day when the rich got richer and the poor, poorer. MAPFRE is battling against an experienced fleet they know well. The position report shows SCA a few solid miles ahead, getting the new wind before us. It’s the same for Vestas – we had them in sight the entire day but they slowly disappeared after sunset.
Brunel, Abu Dhabi and us are all having a piece of the cake. We’re striking and living this like an inshore race in a river. Lots of tacks, tacking, light wind and no sleep. The wind conditions are shifty and everyone constantly expects a call on deck to tack or change a sail since the gusts are strong but short-lived.
The coastal option seems to be the most certain one – there is no wind in the middle and the other option takes you 200 miles away from land (impossible!). We’re encouraging each other and pushing hard.
Today is the birthday of the crewmember who has more years than any other onboard. Jean-Luc Nélias celebrates his 53rd birthday and we’ve celebrated it with candles, cheese and salami… the only thing missingwas the cake.
When sailing past Porto, two ribs came out and waved at us with a sign from their sailing club, a sign showing they share the same passion than us. They shouted “VAMOOOOOSSS MAPFRE”; it was a great moment.
“It’s always nice when boats come to support us, especially when it’s rough out here and when we have to push,” said Carlos Hernandez.
A beautiful sunset came when we crossed the border between Portugal and Spain, with the flight in sight and nervousness in the air.
The night went calmly in light winds. The forecasted breeze kicked in at 0200 UTC, progressively building up to 23 knots. We arrived at Finisterre in time for sunrise, very close to Abu Dhabi after a tight fight overnight.
It’s going to be a tough day here with the Bay of Biscay giving a lot to fight for.
Vamos MAPFRE!
Fran
