Fresh from the fleet...

• NEWS
• 29 Dec, 2003 12:59:00 PM

Fresh from the fleet...

"The highlight of the night was a dolphin escort. Their phosporescence as they charged at us made us think of torpedos": Degrees of Freedom skipper

1245 hours report from Alex Whitworth, skipper of the NSW boat Berrimilla, which is currently at the tail end of the fleet:

We are doing 13 knots in a 25-30 knot nor'easter - the boat has never reached these speeds before.

The boat is scooting off the tops of waves.

0845hours report from Mike Reynolds, skipper of the WA boat Degrees of Freedom

This morning we're charging along at between 9.5 and 15 knots under chicken shute and full main.  Rockin and rollin.  The chef is being challenged by the conditions but is working on our morning omelettes.

Yesterday evening we finally had breeze aft of the beam.  We sailed under the asymmetric for most of the night.  Initially it was slow
going in a very soft breeze and left-over slop.  Gradually the wind
filled in and by morning we were moving along well.

The highlight of the night was a dolphin escort.  Their phosporescence as they charged at us made us think of torpedos.  They were obviously having fun.