Around Alone Report for October 20

MUH is Ok

At the front of the fleet, the order is unchanged.   Somewhere continues to lead Class I by a margin of 42 miles.   PRB is second.  3rd is Gartmore 130 miles back with Group 4 a further 10 miles back. 

At the back of the pack comes word that the Torresen Sailing Site sponsored Modern University for the Humanities is OK.   MUH skipper Fedor Konioukhov has been making slow progress and recently his boat did a series of zig zaggy 'S' turns in mid ocean.  The reason for these course alterations, is that Konioukhov is desperately trying to get out winds that have been right on the nose.  Seems as though the whole race has been one of either contrary or light winds for Konioukhov and MUH.  Still, all is well and with Fedor's years of adventures, he's probably better off than we think he is.

Class II is still led by Balance Bar. On board Balance Bar Brad Van Liew has switched his thinking from clearing Brazil (which he has done) to how to swiftly navigate the South Atlantic.   Also, Brad's back is acting so recently he:"took a literary holiday yesterday based on my need to catch up on sleep and take care of a sore back."  Cray Valley is 7 miles back and Magellan Alpha 152 miles from the class leader. J.P. Mouligne took Cray Valley close enough to Brazil that: "I have not seen land but you could clearly smell it last night." Magellan Alpha is still suffering keel problems.  As Mike Garside tacked Magellan away from Brazil: "[the] whole hydraulic system on the keel vomited oil again."   He sails on in a very oily, greasy and not as quick boat. 

Next in Class II is South Carolina who is 213 miles in back of Magellan, a gain of only 3 since yesterday.   From South Carolina Robin Davie comments on the Doldrums: "last night was a night to forget, everything seemed to happen, and we went virtually nowhere - most frustrating."  Rapscallion III continues to be next, 94 miles behind South Carolina.  Neal Petersen of www.no-barriers.com is also experiencing the Doldrums full on: "The wind died last night and I was up all night trying to get some movement out of the boat."  Neal is ahead of Shuten Dojhi II by 36 miles.  Neil Hunter on Paladin II is sailing the marvelously consistent trade winds.  This leaves him with moments like this:"I will have to ponder what to have for breaky. Hate these hard decisions."  Finally, comes Wind of Change trailing Paladin by 37 miles which is 21 miles closer than yesterday.

Weather wise the picture changes from north to south.   For the most northern boats good trade winds exist around 9 to 10 degrees north latitude.  Then from 3 to 8 degrees north you have light winds and frustrating conditions, squalls included.  Finally the leaders will have steady ESE trades down to 15 degrees south.  On the horizon for them is a high pressure system building at 35 degrees south.