Captain's Log

March 03, 2003

Hello all,

It appears that the good news is that I have added 50 nm in the last day to the distance between my good friend Derek Hatfield on Spirit of Canada and myself. He is now 140 nm being after being about 90 nm to the NW. Day after day as he has relentlessly eaten into what was a 420 nm lead its nice to get a bit back. The weather files showed a short term gain by heading deep south, so that's where I went. Last night BTC Velocity was as far south as 56.40 which is further south than Cape Horn. Brrrr.

The conditions are amazing. 12 kts from the SW. Skies clear, but cool, apart from passing squalls about every hour. These squalls so far have had less than 20 kts and provide great wind shifts that enable BTC Velocity to head straight for Cape Horn. Then of course the squall is gone and it's back to gybing down wind. I don't remember how many gybes I have done overnight, but its more than 12.

So that is the short term situation; however, a low to the north is fast approaching and SOC will get this new wind first, question is, as the fronts move so quickly down here, how long will he have the new wind before me ?? Hopefully no more than 3 - 4 hours. I am sorry for Derek as he must be really frustrated with being basically becalmed in an area know for gales, that's normally what I do !!, but you never know he may come screaming down wind and pass me while I sit going no where.

Time will tell.

Alan
BTC Velocity