Finally we are pointing north. We have been knocking on the exit door of this front for the past few days, and have now managed to squeeze through. Amazing that we have been at sea now for just over a week and we are not far above the latitude from which we started on in Cape Town. However from what I gather, the trades in the Indian Ocean are quite illusive this time of year, and are often offset by cyclones.

Though we have seen no sign of this current cyclone yet, we should be entering the first wind fields during the early hours of the morning. Looks as if the northerly’s will keep us busy for the next two days pounding up wind, before the trades pick us up and we can crack sheets again. “Honestly it doesn’t matter what direction the wind comes from at this point – just as long as there is wind,” Jutty (Justin Slattery) announced on deck this morning. Everyone chuckled and agreed; the past few days had become quite difficult to stay motivated.

Especially when the fleet was starting to spread more and more, and other teams were doubling are own schedules in completely different weather systems. Nevertheless we pushed through, discovered some new culinary delights, got some rest, and are ready for the upwind trek.

Bubs repair on the dagger board up/down shiv seems to have done the trick. Although we did have him convinced for a little bit that his resin mix ratio was off and the carbon laminate was still soft hours after it should have gone off. The rest of Azzam is holding together nicely (knock on wood). Yesterday’s sunny flat spell of wind allowed everyone to get there kit on deck and have a bit of a dry out.

Judging by the look of a few of our shirts and pants, we are on par to discover new life forms in them within a week’s time. So we better hit a rain cloud soon. Heaps of albatross spotting yesterday as well! Royal Albatross to be exact.