Ellen Mac Arthur - Day 51 : No way to avoid high pressure 'Brick wall' ahead...

Lat/Long: 35 36 S / 042 59 W (600 miles E Punta del Este, Uruguay)
Average Boat speed: 19.85 knots (heading NE)
True Wind speed: 24.0 knots (direction NW)
Sea temperature: 20.5 degrees C
Distance sailed so far: 20,969 miles at an average speed of 17.5 knots
(data communicated by Thrane MiniC via BT Business Broadband)


Update based on data recorded 0710 GMT...check home page for the latest data updated hourly


IN BRIEF:

* B&Q CLOSING FAST ON THE 'BRICK WALL' of high pressure that is now stretching across her path from the coast of Uruguay - expect to see boat speed dramatically slow up through today and tonight when wind speeds drop to as little as 4-8 knots. There is no doubt that in the next 24 hours her time advantage on the record will be checked and start to slip away quickly as Joyon's virtual track, south of the Falkland Islands, continues to move quickly north as he maintains fast speeds. Through the night, Ellen managed to coax a 400+ mile day out of B&Q, heading north-east on a course close to the direct route, sailing fast in average wind speeds of 20-25 knots. The VMG (Velocity Made Good, ie the effective component of speed towards the finish) required to beat the record has dropped to its lowest so far, 10.0 knots. B&Q has sailed almost 21,000 miles through the water, having covered 20,969 miles at an average speed of 17.5 knots this morning at 0710gmt, and has reclaimed six hours of lead since 1310gmt yesterday. Her lead this morning of 3 days, 22 hours and 33 minutes represents over 17% of the time remaining for Ellen to break Joyon's 72 day record.

* MACARTHUR TAKING ANY OPPORTUNITY TO SLEEP in the aftermath of Cape Horn and the rough and fluctuating conditions north of the Falkland Islands, as she tries to recover from her state of critical and dangerous fatigue. Ellen had this to say yesterday: "The last few days have not been just testing, but have taken me once again a long way inside myself to find the strength to keep sailing safely. I'm not back at 100 percent, but I'm back." See below to read Ellen's email of yesterday in full.

* RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE EXPANDING EAST OFF COAST OF URUGUAY is presenting Ellen with her biggest weather obstacle today. She has got to get B&Q across this 'windless' zone - there is no choice, no other way to go - and the breeze is expected to practically disappear all together by this evening, just 4-8 knots are forecast. It will be frustratingly slow and Ellen will require all her energy to keep B&Q moving across the void to stronger winds on the other side - albeit temporary stronger winds. Click on LIVE DATA and use the '+' button to zoom in one level on the map. ENLARGE and check out what Ellen has to get across. The arrows indicate wind strength - and they are hardly visible - no wind ahead! See Commanders' Weather analysis below.

* ELLEN'S OC SAILING TEAM MATE UPDATE: Nick Moloney on Skandia, 7th place in the Vendee Globe, just passing to the north east of the Falklands Nick Moloney



ELLEN EMAIL 16.1.05

It's the morning here, and i'm feeling the most human i've felt for days.. Last night, after our gybe and third reef episode yesterday I, for the first time, had the boat in a configuration where we were safe for a few hours. The wind would decrease from it's 40 knot gusts - and the terrible sea conditions - should - in theory improve...

The last few days have not been just testing, but have taken me once again a long way inside myself to find the strength to keep sailing safely. Since Cape Horn which seems to me like weeks ago now I have had nothing but changeable conditions. We've had every sail up, bar the gennaker, and the mainail thourgh it's full range on several occasions. Yeterday I was more tired than I have been in the whole trip - and conditions worsening through the day. My body ached with the strain of the trip so far, my joints throbbed - together with the lump on my head, I just felt like I was empty. I have tried so hard to rest - but when things are changing with the weather and the boats safety is in idanger it's very very hard to switch off. Disconnecting the brain does not come easily. In some ways your body is exhausted, perhaps your brain ceases to allow itself to switch off...and though functions like eating, drinking, charging the batteriers, coiling the ropes, can become tasks forced by habit - sleeping is not neccessarily something that comes on demand. We had a terrible time - the wind building, the seas were horrendous, we needed to get east - but the waves were pushing us west. B&Q was suffering, and so was I. I made lunch albeit at about 1400 and after a frantic gybe in 35 knots, and seas breaking all over the boat (that ripped off the starbord mesh protection!) I climbed straight onto my bunk after putting on a new dry shirt - and thought "at least I've eaten" now sleep. Then I realised that I couldn't remember eating - and glanced over to the galley to see my food still sitting there stone cold. I ate it straight away anyway - followed with some sports drink - but that just shows how tired I really was.

But last night - with a short break in the weathers busy scehdule we were able to get some sleep - how much I do not know, but I forced it. I lay still I had to and I do feel a bit better. I'm not back at 100 percent, but I'm back, looking forward to gybing out of the horrible sea state, and pointing our bows once again to the NORTH!!