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21/04/2010

Message from Ronan Treussart and Yannick Le Clech, on board the Lufthansa, April 21, 2010

Hello!

All is well aboard the Lufthansa. We are beating with 10 to 14 knots, gently rocked by a light head swell. The skies have cleared a little, and we’ve been able to remove our oilskins. Following a pleasant start, we encountered a few difficulties.

We picked up a UFO [an unidentified floating object] on the keel (probably a line with algae?) in the middle of the gulf on the second night… It was impossible to extricate ourselves; we had to haul down the sail and reverse into the wind, against the MS [main sail] (luckily we’re experts in this from the match race training :-)).

What’s more, we weren’t particularly fast yesterday during the day on the close reach, although these excellent conditions would have delighted Térénez’s windsurfers. We tried all the spinnakers (3 hoists and lowerings) and ended up resolving this problem, which would have cost us far too much time! An encounter with two huge dolphin pods comprising dozens of creatures was a real inspiration; we’ve caught up thanks to a course under the rain where we found more wind, as desired.

There are no longer any boats in sight; we face the sea alone. We are relaxed, yet at the same time focussed on the next hazard: the small depression that lies ahead.

Until next time!

Yannick & Ronan
Lufthansa Figaro Bénéteau – no.80
Monday, 21 April, 2010

Photo Cyril Folliot/AFP-Lufthansa

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