GOLD COAST 130600ZSEP11 SKED

LAT 28 14.0
LONG 3858.0
DTR 2980

Monday afternoon Goldcoast Australia hoisted their medium weight spinnaker
that was expertly repaired by UK Santa Cruz Sails and made best speed for
a small trough on the edge of the large high pressure system surrounding
the fleet. Goldcoast Australia had high hopes that this would be the run
we had been searching for that would lead us into the strong winds of the
south Atlantic. Two hours later our hopes were destroyed, as the wind
first backed around 40 degrees and then died all together. Goldcoast
watched helplessly as we drifted without wind as our nearest rival
Singapore only miles to the east, picked up some breeze and sailed across
the horizon and away.

For hours now we have been stopped still in the water. The rolling swell
of the south Atlantic rocking the boat and knocking the slightest bits of
wind that passes over our deck out of the sails preventing tbem from
propelling us foward. The swell passes and the sails invert, cracking like
a whip as the boat rolls the other way. The cycle repeats and repeats
with the constant shudder of the boom and sails haunting the crew below.
Its almost like the doldrums has been moved 40 degrees south. Yet only
30nm away, just over the horizon breeze awaits us yet we can not get to
it. Our only hope is that the rest of the fleet are also sitting like
ducks in a pond further inside the High pressure system.

Every whisper of wind is precious, and we trim our winseeker headsail and
our main sail to catch the slightest breeze to nudge towards the south and
out of this massive wind hole where we will find stronger winds to take us
East to Capetown. BT