Around Alone Report for November 4

Rapscallion overtakes South Carolina, Cray Valley 400 miles from Finish

At the 400 mile mark from Cape Town, Cray Valley reports: "Cray Valley is looking fine and totally taking care of itself."  J.P. Mouligne has a 207 mile lead over Balance Bar and is looking like the certain Leg 1 Class II winner.  Cray Valley is expected to finish on Friday.

Balance Bar lies 2nd, 207 miles back.   3rd place Magellan Alpha is 236 miles out.  This means that Magellan Alpha has gained 29 miles in the last 24 hours.  Mike Garside seems to be experiencing good times on Magellan: "No report today - nothing to tell! I have spent the day mulling, sorting out reefing lines that had come adrift and keeping warm in my bunk with a hot water bottle under my toes. The last bit was bliss!"  It will be interesting if Magellan can catch Balance Bar before the Cape Town finish.

4th place is now occupied by Rapscallion III.   The rudderless South Carolina has a difficult time keeping speed up.  Robin Davie reports: "The boat is requiring a 24 hour  a day level of attention as every slight  change in wind strength changes the  balance of the sails on the boat, and  therefore the course and direction the boat sails. There are good spells when the wind is  fairly steady and i have got the balances  right, when we can go 2 or 3 hours without touching anything, and then there are  periods like today, when there is a constant changing of wind speed by 5 to 8 knots,  and I just cannot find that sweet level of  balance , so we have a boat heading up into  the wind with flogging sails, or bearing away towards a gybe and going slow, and sometimes shearing away between both extremes. Virtually constant attention is needed - set the timer/alarm for 15 minutes,  and the change of boat motion and boat  and sea sounds will probably alert you long before the bell goes off."  Although difficult it looks like South Carolina will be in Cape Town in time to affect repairs.

Next is www.no-barriers.com. Neal and Robin Davie have been in communication: "Robin Davies and I have been coming up on the radio regularly now twice a day. He is making good miles with his improvised rudder. He is not getting the weather maps (GRIB files) for some reason, so I have been relaying weather data for his area."

Wind of Change comes next, followed by Shuten Dojhi II.  Paladin 2 fill out the fleet and Neil Hunter reports: "All's well and am continuing the southward drive."