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Monday January 12, 2025 - Last tack before the equator...
Day 44
And before Ushant? Perhaps! Having spent the last two days sailing up the north-northeast wind generated by the western edge of the Saint Helena high, the sailors of The Famous Project CIC are preparing to make what could be their last tack before the equator, the Doldrums, and the weather systems of the North Atlantic that will bring them back to Ushant and Brest in about a dozen days.
Alexia Barrier, Dee Caffari, Annemieke Bes, Rebecca Gmür Hornell, Deborah Blair, Molly LaPointe, Támara Echegoyen, and Stacey Jackson, once they'll have rounded the center of the high pressure system, will be able to change tack and point their bows straight north, sailing into a wind that is expected to gradually shift to the rear of the boat. This will significantly increase their speed on course, and the women of The Famous Project CIC will be able to refine their crossing point back out of the Doldrums. They can look forward to some beautiful, fast days in the equatorial heat typical of Brazilian waters, on a very manageable sea.
See you in three days at the equator.
Alexia Barrier:
"We're finishing up a short period of upwind sailing. It has been a long time since we've done that. It is not the fastest configuration for a giant trimaran. The boat is responding very well. She'i solid and stable. The sea isn't difficult. Things are going pretty well. Obviously, we're not moving as fast. We're adjusting to the different variations in wind strength and direction. We have one more tack to make. I think it will be our last tack before we arrive in Brest.
The wind is currently fairly moderate. We have between 12 and 18 knots, sometimes 20 knots of wind. Yesterday, we were on the verge of taking in a reef, but as it is always complicated for us to do so, we held out for three hours while the wind picked up to over 24 knots. We played around with the headsails, the J2 and the J3.
The temperatures have risen significantly. It certainly changes life on board. It allows us to dry out the inside of the boat and our belongings. Everything was completely wet. It's more comfortable now. We've brought out the sunscreen and are hydrating more. We've brought out our hats and sunglasses. It's good for morale.
For now, we're alone in the world. That will soon change, because we are getting closer to the Brazilian coast. We're getting closer to the equator. We'll surely see a lot of traffic again soon, and a lot of fishermen too. Right now, we're still enjoying the solitude.
As for crossing the equator, we'll be there on the 15th. Normally, everything is going according to plan. The models have been fairly accurate for the last 2-3 days. That hasn't always been the case in recent weeks. It's been extremely, extremely fluctuating.
We took 49 days' worth of food. Obviously, we'll take a little more, just in case. Three more days. There are some small appetites on board, Tamara, Dee, and me. We'll have enough food to last us to the end. Enough energy too to run the water maker. What we'll be short of is more supplies like toilet paper, soap, things like that. We've already been in rationing mode for the last 3-4 weeks."