2004-2005

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Ocean Planet Vendée Globe Update:
Friday, January 21, 2005
Position 49 36S, 63 18W, @ 20:14 UT

Get Me Outta Here!

Aaaarrrggghhh! The conditions in this area of the South Atlantic have been as frustrating as the entire Southern Ocean. We have had everything from 40kts on the nose to light downwind against a heavy chop. I am exhausted from changing sails or reefing or unreefing every two or three hours ever since the Straits of Le Maire.

Smashing upwind last night, and the boat was dropping like a rock and landing with resounding crashes. To move around was very difficult, as I almost had to crawl everywhere. Then of course the wind shut down this morning leaving a heavy slop directly from where we want to go. The bone crunching landings continued for hours even after the wind was light.

The weather files have been nearly useless. I am now just going off the barometer and the wind direction has given me just a good deal of information as to the approaching low. But it is all a roll of the dice for the next 24 hours.

So I am on the hunt for wind, and have been forced to head west hoping to get it sooner when it finally comes in from where it should. I just hope we get it and can head off towards the NE before we run into Argentina!

Thanks for all the great emails everyone; sorry if it takes me a while to get back.

Tired and frustrated,

Bruce Schwab, Skipper
USA 05/Ocean Planet