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Home arrow Latest News arrow Day 3 - Battling a 50knot Southern Ocean buster
Day 3 - Battling a 50knot Southern Ocean buster
Saturday, 05 May 2007
DateMay 5 2007 07:00GMT
Position54 28S  177 05E
Speed14.1 knots
Course76 Degrees True
Wind Conditions  NE 35-50knots

 British yachtsman Tony Bullimore and his 102ft catamaran Doha have been battered by strong winds and seas deep in the Southern Ocean for a second successive day.

"It is really rough down here." He reported overnight.  "The winds are gusting up to 50knots and the waves, which are running down from the north, are constantly hitting the boat broadside. At the moment, I have only the mainsail set and am trying to nurse the boat through without breaking anything. It is very difficult because it is dark for much of the time, and I simply can't see the waves coming."

His only respite has been that the winds backed round to the north east overnight just as predicted by weather router Lee Bruce, which has allowed Bullimore to head up from almost 56 South to 54 28S during the past 24 hours.  The downside is that his speed has slipped from 20 to 14knots.

"This is not the right weather for breaking records, but these conditions are forecast to continue for another day at least, so I have just got to make the best of it. But the boat is being tossed about so violently, I can't even type on the computer!" Bullimore added.

Cooking will also be extremely precarious on the small 2-burner stove situated in Doha's small central 'God Pod' where Bullimore eats, sleeps, navigates and communicates with the outside world.  The only good news to sustain him is Lee Bruce's latest forecast which predicts that the winds will back further to WNW and reduce to 25-30kt by 00:00 GMT tomorrow. Then perhaps, he can safely brew up a cup of tea!

To stay in contention for this Blue Ocean Wireless record challenge, and beat Dame Ellen MacArther's current 71day 14 hour solo non-stop round the world record Tony needs to round Cape Horn on May 17-18. Despite the strong winds over the past two days, he remains firmly on track.
 
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