|
|
2008/02/17 - 09h09
Take off!
|
| Jules Verne Trophy |
| On the approach to New Zealand, Groupama 3 is still benefiting from a steady SW'ly breeze behind a low, which should carry
them at least half the way across the Pacific! Some big inroads into the Pacific chart look likely then for this Sunday and
the start of the week...
|
Flying along at Stewart Island, Groupama 3 has finally regained its cruising speed of 650 miles a day and has inevitably
reconstructed its lead over Orange II: over 560 miles this Sunday morning, whilst adopting exactly the same track as
its predecessor! Over 22 hours ahead now, the giant trimaran is continuing due E in a 25-30 knot SW'ly, which is set to become
more meaty over the coming hours. In fact, the large low upon which Franck Cammas and his nine crew are currently surfing,
will slow its progress and the multihull will therefore be able to catch up with this disturbance. The breeze is then set
to fill in to over 40 knots, on seas which will become bigger as Groupama 3 will also be tackling the shelf of New
Zealand, where the sea bottom goes from over 4,000 metres to less than 1,000 metres...
At 0600 UT, Groupama 3
was only around 200 miles from Auckland Island (166° E - 51° S) and is set to pass the longitude of Stewart Island around
noon. All that will remain then is Antipodes Island and Bounty Island prior to Cape Horn: indeed there is no more land until
the coast of Chile, over 3,000 miles ahead of their bows...
Logically it should be a rather more upbeat tempo then
today, but the miles will continue to be devoured at high speed and the giant trimaran's lead over the maxi catamaran will
probably stretch to in excess of 600 miles from the start of the week. Franck Cammas and his crew can fasten their seatbelts:
the flight will last at least three days yet!
|
|
|
|
|
