Groupama 3 Team On Deck Headed South (Photo by Team Groupama)
Off Salvador de Bahia this Friday afternoon, Groupama 3 is continuing her southward descent in search of a stormy depression system forming over Brazil. At an average speed of over twenty-five knots, Franck Cammas and his crew have a 680 mile lead over the reference time.
The videoconference organised at Groupama’s Race HQ in Paris wasn’t able to go ahead for technical reasons related to the faulty Inmarsat transmission, but Franck Cammas was able to participate in the radio session hosted by Stanislas Grenapin in the company of celebrated French weatherman Laurent Cabrol. Anticyclones, Doldrums, tradewinds, depressions… the skipper of Groupama 3 was able to explain the situation through which they have been navigating since crossing the equator in 5 days fifteen hours.
“It’s fine weather with a few cumulus reminiscent of the good conditions, with slightly shifty tradewinds on the beam. We’re having to manoeuvre fairly frequently, switching between the staysail and solent as the wind varies from 14 to 22 knots… We’re being forced to sail right around the outside of the Saint Helena High: we’re going to sail along the Brazilian coast for two days to gain southing in order to hook onto a depression, which is currently forming over the South American continent. This will then quickly push us eastwards… However, it’s important we don’t miss the ride as there aren’t any more after that! The encounter is scheduled for lunchtime on Saturday: after that we’re going to power away… For the time being, the weather sequence is pretty favourable with an anticyclone ahead of us, which the depression will push along. We’re going to have flat seas with downwind conditions! reported the skipper of Groupama 3.
Groupama 3 Crew (Photo by Yvan Zedda)
Southbound
Whilst Jacques Caraës had a chance to show his fellow crew members where he lived (Aber Wrac’h) as they passed close to shore before setting off from Ushant, it’s now the turn of Ronan Le Goff to pass in front of his Brazilian home in the bay of Bahia… Indeed the giant trimaran is following a course which is parallel to the coast, even putting a little SW’ly into their route in order to drop down to 22° South as quickly as possible. In fact, due to a different weather situation, Groupama 3 is positioned around 200 miles further West than the Jules Verne Trophy holder. This differential is linked to a passage across the equator which was further West (30° W compared with 26° for Orange 2) as well as the fact that the current priority is not to sail as close to the direct course as possible, but rather to position themselves ahead of the cold front originating in Brazil.
In fact the routes of the two multihulls, with four years’ separation, have been fairly similar since the Doldrums. Added to this the speeds are identical, which has served to maintain the stability of Groupama 3′s lead (680 miles) over the past two days. In view of the forecast weather conditions, Franck Cammas and his nine crew will bend their course in towards the Cape of Good Hope at approximately the same latitude as Bruno Peyron in 2005 (22° South). This big curve towards the Indian Ocean will above all determine at what latitude the long surfs around the Antarctic will begin. From that point there are over 9,000 miles to cover in the Roaring Forties!
The crew and organisation aboard Groupama 3
• Watch No.1: Franck Cammas / Loïc Le Mignon / Jacques Caraës
• Watch No.2: Stève Ravussin / Thomas Coville / Bruno Jeanjean
• Watch No.3: Fred Le Peutrec / Lionel Lemonchois / Ronan Le Goff
• Off watch navigator: Stan Honey goes up on deck for manoeuvres
• Each watch lasts three hours
• One watch system on deck, one watch on stand-by ready to help manoeuvre, one watch totally resting
The record to beat
Currently held by Bruno Peyron on Orange 2 since 2005 with a time of 50 days 16 hours 20 minutes at an average of 17.89 knots. Lionel Lemonchois, Ronan Le Goff and Jacques Caraës were aboard at the time.
Groupama 3 Off Ushant (Photo by Yvan Zedda)
Franck Cammas and his nine crew have crashed headlong into the Doldrums: since 0400 hours UT this Tuesday morning, the tradewinds have given way to stormy squalls. However, the first phase of this passage through the `tunnel’ is going rather well with the crew maintaining the same lead of 660 miles over the reference time and the exit from this zone scheduled for this evening
Already in sight of the Doldrums last night when the skies on the horizon were striped with lightning and the rolls of thunder were audible in the distance, Groupama 3 finally hit the zone around 0400 hours this Tuesday. At the time there was still a little crescent of a moon to light up a seascape in the throes of a major reshuffle: massive cumulonimbus heralding rains and gusts of wind, a short chop coming at them head on reminiscent of the first signs of the SE’ly tradewinds blowing across the equator, flying fish in search of a breath of air before getting caught up in the trimaran’s trampolines, a heavy, oppressive atmosphere coloured by a torrid, wet heat.. one can feel it approaching, one can feel it almost upon you and then already it is snapping you up! The Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone is an octopus playing with its prey, trying to ensnare you in its tentacles, alternating between calm spells and flurries of wind, harsh changes in temperature, torrential rain and blazing sunshine…
Bruno Jeanjean and Thomas Coville Enjoying Life Aboard Groupama 3
The way out’s over here…
However, the `dark side’ of the Doldrums has its weaknesses: in order to find the way out into the Southern hemisphere, it is necessary to compromise with the squalls, to momentarily distance oneself from the course, adapt the sail area to the erratic breeze and dodge the shaded zones and the areas without wind. Navigator Stan Honey, finally back to his old self after his migraines, has been racking his brains… in a tunnel along 29° West. Groupama 3′s trajectory has been incredibly pure from Madeira to the narrowest and least active point of entry in this mass of clouds. And so far this Tuesday afternoon, the results are conclusive: though she has indeed slowed, the speed of the giant trimaran has never dipped below fourteen knots!
“Last night there was a lot of lightning in the sky and we saw the cloud masses on the radar. We didn’t suffer from too many gusts in the squalls: instead the wind eased slightly as it shifted round. The manoeuvres are simple, but we’re on the look-out and the stand-by watch is on deck… The weather window is proving to be more favourable than during our first attempt a year and a half ago. We’re set to have another three or four hours at a reduced pace of 15-16 knots, but we have just 3° of latitude (180 miles) to traverse before we hit the SE’ly tradewinds and hence a steadier wind, albeit it in close-hauled configuration… We’re going to exit the zone this evening!” confirmed Franck Cammas at the midday radio session.
Stifling heat
As such the Doldrums is proving highly cooperative and at this rate, the crossing of the equator may well be done and dusted before Wednesday 1550 hours UT, which would mean a switch of hemispheres in under six days… This would amount to at least six hours better than on Groupama 3′s previous attempt in January 2008 (6d 6h 24′), but above all a bonus of more than a day in relation to the reference time set by Bruno Peyron on the Jules Verne Trophy!
“There’s not too much cloud in the sky: we weren’t able to take a shower, but the crew is on deck in boxers! There’s an intense tropical heat here… We’ve changed season. This lunchtime we’re sailing under full mainsail and solent. Stan is looking at his charts and his satellite images in a bid to escape the Doldrums as quickly as possible: the forecasts over the medium term for negotiating the Saint Helena High have been fluctuating quite a lot over the past few hours. If we manage to maintain our lead over Orange 2, who had an exceptional run between the equator and the Cape of Good Hope, that would be superb in itself!” concluded skipper Franck Cammas.
Groupama 3 Crew After Arrival At Lizard Point (Photo by Benoit Stichelbaut / Sea & Co.)
Past the Cape Verde archipelago with a considerable lead over the reference time, Groupama 3 is now preparing to negotiate the Doldrums, a very cloudy, turbulent zone which announces the entrance to the Southern hemisphere. Navigator Stan Honey is fighting fit again and is working relentlessly to find a favourable `tunnel’ through…
Groupama 3 is ahead of schedule! The weekend proved to be a positive one with nearly 1,200 miles covered in 44 hours… As such, this average speed of 27 knots has reversed the trend: 115 miles behind at Cape Finisterre in relation to Bruno Peyron’s record, the separation has switched to nearly 450 miles this Monday afternoon, in favour of Franck Cammas and his men. A lead of over a day! Added to that, the next stage of the course also promises to be positive since the Doldrums is already practically within sight. Indeed it seems to be positioned at 8° North without being overly active, with the exception of some big clouds spanning less than a hundred miles. Furthermore the E’ly wind of around a dozen knots isn’t likely to drop off dramatically, other than for brief periods beneath the clouds.
Groupama 3 Heading Toward The Doldrums (Photo by Yvan Zedda)
Running smoothly
The harsh, headwinds from the first day at sea are already a distant memory: tropical heat, downwind conditions and smoother seas on which to slip along nicely, have this Monday enabled the crew a short spell of recuperation after the weekend’s supersonic speeds and prior to attacking the Doldrums. However, they are going to have to remain on their guard against variations in the wind and squalls…
“This lunchtime, we’re just a stone’s throw away from a squall which is about to hit… We’re sailing under large gennaker, staysail and full mainsail. We’ve performed a fair number of manoeuvres since gybing off Madeira. We’re staying on the same heading but constantly adjusting the sail area. Six or seven of us at a time are carrying out all the manoeuvres according to which sails need changing ; that way the resting watch can conserve their energy. The preparation we’ve been doing since the spring is bearing fruit: the manoeuvres are smooth and quick. Things are going really well amidst an atmosphere of total mutual trust. The only relative difficulty is getting to sleep in the intense heat” indicated Frédéric Le Peutrec at the midday radio session.
Flying fish
Since passing offshore of the Cape Verde archipelago, the NE’ly wind has eased slightly (around 16-20 knots), but Groupama 3′s average speed remains locked above 25 knots. This is set to continue as far as 8° North, which translates as the end of the night on the water, as the tradewinds back (become more E’ly than NE’ly). The upshot of this will be a beam wind enabling the giant trimaran to maintain her current speed before tackling the tradewinds of the Southern hemisphere which will shift round to the SE.
“Our navigator is a lot better this morning and has a lot on his plate monitoring developments in the weather: it’s reassuring to see that he’s better as he really wasn’t very well at all for the first few hours. We thought it was due to the violent introduction, but it was something else: after suffering with migraines and a fever, he’s fighting fit now… The point of impact with the Doldrums is something he’s been working on for what has already been two days, with Sylvain Mondon, our onshore router, but we’re having to adapt to the direction and strength of the wind. We hope it’ll be virtually inexistent!” added Groupama 3′s watch leader. In the meantime, a `plague’ of flying fish have been landing on the multihull’s trampolines: “However, they’re too small to even consider preparing them with lemon juice and a dribble of olive oil” concluded Fred.
The crew and organisation aboard Groupama 3
• Watch No.1: Franck Cammas / Loïc Le Mignon / Jacques Caraës
• Watch No.2: Stève Ravussin / Thomas Coville / Bruno Jeanjean
• Watch No.3: Fred Le Peutrec / Lionel Lemonchois / Ronan Le Goff
• Off watch navigator: Stan Honey goes up on deck for manoeuvres
• Each watch lasts three hours
• One watch system on deck, one watch on stand-by ready to help manoeuvre, one watch totally resting
