Sam Davies in the Trophée BPE - Day 20

TACTICAL STAKES ARE RAISED AS LEADERS NEAR LAND

SKANDIA is still in 3rd, 30.3nm behind leader CREDIT MARITIME-ZEROTWO and 14.8nm behind BOSTIK in 2nd place. Gildas Morvan (CERCLE VERT) in 4th is closing down on Sam fast and is now only 11nm behind. As the wind lightens for the front runners the boats behind look set to catch up, arriving with a new and stronger breeze: "It could almost be like a new race". Frustrating and nerve-wracking times for the leading skippers who have dominated this race so far. As the leaders get closer to land, the vagaries of the 'local weather' will come into play combined with a forecast of lighter winds will make the next stage of the race highly tactical and nerve-wrackingly exhausting for Sam.

Earlier this morning, SKANDIA was on a dead downwind run to the next waypoint south of the Turks and Caicos islands but in her 1000hrs (BST) daily phonecall with her shore team, SKANDIA was in the midst of a thunderstorm sailing through rain and lightening in pitch darkness making only 2-4 knots of boatspeed : "It is really difficult to tell which shift is going to last, and which shift is just for 5 minutes."

At 1000 BST SKANDIA was approximately 66nm away from the entrance to the passage that marks the compulsory waypoints. The reason behind these racemarks is to keep the fleet north of Haiti and to ensure they pass safely through the unmarked rocks and shoals surrounding the Islands. The passage itself is approximately 25 miles and Sam expects to go through later tonight around 2000-2200 BST. Once through this passage, Skandia will cross Guantanamo Bay rounding the south coast of Cuba before heading towards the finish port of Cienfuegos.

This passage marks the end of the Atlantic crossing for the 12 skippers as they enter the Caribbean sea. Still another 600nm to go to the finish line and this race is far from over.

EMAIL FROM SAM (0700HRS)

Hello

Today has been the first day where I have been wondering which way to go! As we approach the Turks passage, we are running downwind and I have been gybing with the windshifts since last night. It is really difficult to tell which shift is going to last, and which shift is just for 5 minutes. So I have been watching the wind and attempting to keep SKANDIA on the favoured gybe.

Another first for this race - the wind has been light today! I think I have made a few miles up on BOSTIK, but I know also the others behind are making big gains on us three, as the closer we get, the less wind there is.... It is frustrating for the leaders, but it will make for good racing all the way to Cuba!!

I did my horrible job with the cheese today. (And yes, I did eat a bit - right from the middle of each cheese!) and jettisoned it, then double-wrapped the cling film and ziplock it was in, in 2 more ziplocks and into the rubbish bin! POOH! It really was ripe. I couldn't get rid of the smell, so in the end I had to have a "shower"!

But, due to the law of Sod, in the middle of my shower, along comes the next windshift, and it's a big one - I can't wait, I have to gybe. So, naked (apart from my harness), dripping wet, with shower apparatus in the cockpit, I gybe Skandia! (Must have been a funny sight!). Can a girl not have any peace for five minutes? Once settled on the good gybe with sails perfectly trimmed, I managed to get my rinse, and now I feel (and smell) great! I even put on my new shorts (bought for 5 Aus$ in Geelong (you will see why!) and a clean Musto dry-fit shirt to keep the sun out!

Now, as my pilot does an outstanding job of steering, I am studying all my notes on the approach to Cuba and light wind/sea breeze sailing, from the lessons we had at Finistere Course au Large. I have begun to make notes for myself, so that I can get the best possible route through the islands, and if things get tough, and I am tired, I will have my notes already prepared and hopefully it will be easier to understand.

Next time I write, I will no longer be in the Atlantic, but entering the Caribbean! Wow - I can't believe I have sailed all that way already!

Sam x

EXTRACT OF AUDIO WITH SAM (1000HRS)

What are the conditions like at the moment?
"I'm in a really big thunderstorm, it's been brewing for the last 3 hours and there's just started to be bolts of lightening going from the clouds in to the sea which is quite scary! It's difficult knowing when the wind is going to shift next and trying to decide when is a good time to gybe - especially for the last approach which is going to be in quite light winds. It will be nice to be able to come in at a good angle but it's really difficult to predict that. It's a bit like cross your fingers and hope it's ok..."

What is your ETA for the passage through the Turks and Caicos Islands?
"I have no idea how fast I'm going to go today so it's about 10-12 hours away, which is late afternoon/early evening today for me, I should be going through there. It's quite a wide passage and we have to leave 2 points to starboard and 2 points to port, so there are 4 points we have to make sure we sail the correct side of. Then we're free again to head over to Cuba."

The boats seem to be closing in on you, how are you feeling about that?
"I expected it to happen. The people behind are in strong winds and we are sailing out of it first. Actually, the wind is coming back and they will bring the wind back with them so they won't even stop as quickly as we did. It will definitely concertina and it will almost be like a new start for probably about 6 or 7 boats at this passage so there is everything still to...it's still quite a long way to the finish so anything can happen."

Communications thanks to BT Broadband

LATEST POSITIONS 1000 BST 22/4/05 (boat name / average boat speed /distance to leader)

1. CREDIT MARITIME - ZEROTWO / 9.0kts / 661.5nm to finish
2. BOSTIK / 8.1kts / +14.8nm
3. SKANDIA / 6.7kts / +30.3nm
4. CERCLE VERT / 6.5kts / +41.3nm
5. BANQUE POPULAIRE / 5.8kts / +79.9nm
6. ATAO AUDIO SYSTEM / 7.3kts / +91.1nm
7. GEDIMAT / 6.5kts / +92.5.5m
8. COUTOT ROEHRIG / 8.3kts / +98.2nm
9. AQUARELLE.COM / 9.7kts / +102.7nm
10. TOTAL / 8.6kts / +124.1nm
11. ENTREPRENDRE AU PAYS DE LORIENT / 5.8kts / 184.5nm
12. LITTLE BLACK SHARK / 9.3kts / +313.5nm