This week must have been exhausting for the skipper of TSE-4myplanet. The succession of two depressions almost back to back made her spend more than six days in extreme conditions.
“After a depression that lasted a bit too long, here I am on my way to Cape Horn. Last night a front passed through, which required some maneuvering to try to gain ground because the wind was shifting and we still had wind speeds up to 35 knots,” explains Alexia Barrier, who has just passed Point Nemo. This location, found on nautical charts at 48° 52′ south latitude and 123° 23′ west longitude, is simply the most remote place from any land on the planet (nearly 3,000 km away). It’s better not to encounter any incidents in the coming days to get closer to South America.
Meanwhile, the Azuréenne is not alone as she can count on the support of another skipper who continues the adventure out of competition: “I think we can call ourselves, along with Sam Davies, the Queens of the Breeze, because right now the wind is really blowing. Everything is fine on board, less than 2,000 miles from Cape Horn, that’s the good news. Outside it’s cold as a storm. I’ve just hoisted the sails again.” she rejoiced, enthusiastic about the idea of being able to move forward in healthier conditions.
Now, they need to make the most of the favorable conditions in the coming days to catch up on the delay accumulated this week, with the goal in mind of completing this Vendée Globe in about 28 days. Although the operation seems delicate, it remains feasible. They will need to slightly increase the pace to allow the “Penguin” to achieve this new feat.
