Newport to Bermuda Race - Challenging conditions for GryphonSolo2

by Joe Harris on 24 Jun 2014 Joe Harris updates on the progress of GryphonSolo2 in the 2014 Newport to Bermuda Race.

Hello sports fans-

We continue to face challenging weather conditions with squalls, rain and then long periods of light and variable winds. We are still 220 miles out from Bermuda and the forecast calls for continued light winds around frontal activity.

Hmmmmmmmm...

That Dark and Stormy I was thinking I was having tomorrow may be delayed. My wife Kim is flying to Bermuda today so I guess she will be entertained by the boys on the big boats who have already arrived at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club... so I got that going for me. Last night was a true study in contrasts as on my watch the wind blew up to 20 knots in heavy rain and squally conditions and we were flying along at 12 knots. Just as Rob came up to relieve me at 3:00 AM, the winds shut down under some big gnarly clouds and we spent about an hour together trying to keep the boat going in confounding wind conditions. I finally went below as I could not stay awake and had managed to slip while changing a sail on the foredeck and banged up my leg a bit- nothing serious, but I was out on my feet and needed a break. Rob struggled for three hours and came off watch completely burned out as well.

So here we are on Monday - day three - hoping the wind holds and we can make some progress but looking at a forecast that says otherwise, so girding ourselves for the challenge. Quitting and motoring in is probably not an option for us as we don’t have a lot of diesel fuel and we are still pretty far out. So we have to work hard and stick and stay and make it pay. Rob is an incredibly had worker so he is my inspiration. The 'No Whining Rule' is in full force and effect and violators will face serious consequences.

So that’s about it from our little floating eco-system in the middle of a great big eco-system..

Wishing all of you peace, harmony and great success on this Monday in June… and us too come to think of it!

Race Tracker available here

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