Vendée Globe Day 15 morning report: Charlie Dalin 'Reliving time in the Doldrums'
by Vendée Globe 22 Nov 2020 18:37 AEDT
22 November 2020
Charlie Dalin at 0400hrs TU on the radio call, "I felt like I was reliving time in the Doldrums it was even more bizarre. I got some pretty strange wind variations, sudden changes in direction and force. I really didn't expect that. I had to go through a lot of manoeuvrers and sail changes. I even got winds from the Northwest, squalls yesterday. This morning, the sea is flatter, there is a beautiful starry sky, it is beautiful."
"For Alex I hope it's not too bad and the extent of the damage is limited. Above all, I hope that this does not mean the end of the Vendée Globe for him. We have a great race with him, and this trio we are in is very stimulating ".
"The program of the day ? It's still light wind. We're going to work through this mouse hole, this tiny area of wind, with the goal of staying in it. We must avoid the edges. I'm going to try to stay here in this corridor and so I am going to watch the weather a lot, which is not very modelled. The information changes a lot depending on the files, but despite that, you have to try to stay in this area, in the middle of the corridor of breeze. We are here for a while: we will have this for several days and, at some point we will no longer have the choice but to cross an area of very weak winds to reach the southern ocean motorway ".
"I adapt to the situation I have I study the information given to me in practical terms and I compare it with reality. We have a lot of information tools, between weather files, satellite images... We have plenty to do. My goal has always been and remains to be in this leading group, to be in the right pack when we go into the south. First or third it doesn't matter: I just want to be in the right group. Apivia is doing well and is in very good condition."
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