16:53.88N 48:02.72W

Friday 2^nd December – 0730 GMT; 0530 ship’s time

Just a quick note to say that:

1.                    We cracked over 200 NM in the last 24 hours.  That’s a well known sailing benchmark (from the tea clipper days) and this is the first time anyone aboard has managed it.  We knew we’d done it by 1900 ship’s time yesterday (2000 GMT) because Chris had been tracking it on his GPS.  He made it 205 NM from 1900 to 1900.  The 0400 GMT ARC fleet e-mail position report yesterday showed that we were 997.38 NM  from St Lucia.  This morning’s 0400 GMT report shows us having 795.24 NM to go. So, a little over 202 NM completed in that 24 hours.

2.                    As at 0400 GMT this morning we’d reduced Cochise’s lead from 18 NM yesterday (and 25 NM the day before) to 14 NM. That’s kinda positive.

3.                    Having now crossed the 45ºW meridian we’ve put ship’s time back a further hour to two hours behind GMT.

4.                    The weather just east of St Lucia looks set to present the fleet with a number of challenges.  There is very little wind.  So, heading straight for St Lucia is probably not the right answer.  A little guile will be necessary.