Sam Davies in the Trophée BPE - Day 23

After a frustrating 48 hours of sailing in virtually no wind, the leaders are within 20 miles off the southeastern coast of Cuba. The fleet have continued to compress and now only 42 miles separate the top 10 boats. Sam is 4th place 3nm behind Gildas Morvan (CERCLE VERT) in 3rd, and 7nm ahead of Jeanne Gregoire (BANQUE POPULAIRE) in 5th.

"The last 2 days have been flat calm and so hot, boat speed has averaged no more than 2.5 knots. There is no steerage because the boat isn't moving so I have been on the helm all day. I'm feeling really tired - it's impossible to sleep in conditions like this."

With 400 miles to go and about 3 or 4 sailing days left, Sam has started to think about the finish, "I am happy to be here but I am looking forward to the finish now. For me the finish was when I when through the Turks & Caicos Island passage. Since then it's turned funny and feels like a completely different race. We knew that this race could finish like this all along but it is hard not to be frustrated by it. The leading boats who have worked so hard to get to where they are now being caught up by boats that were previously over 100miles behind. It just feels like all the work that has been done to achieve a good position has come to nothing."

Sam is not the only skipper feeling like this, when Sam spoke to Gildas Morvan (CERCLE VERT) on VHF yesterday, he mentioned that he and Charles Caudrelier (BOSTIK) were also talking earlier on in the day about the frustration surrounding the past few days of sailing. "Everyone at the front is in a grump!"

The wind is due to pick up later today and although this is only expected to be a few knots stronger, this will be a welcome sight after a painfully slow few days of sailing in no more than 4 knots of wind.

EMAIL FROM SAM (0120HRS)

Hello

The sun has just set over Cuba (yes - I can see Cuba) and SKANDIA is trickling along at 2.2 knots in 1.3 knots of wind (there is a bit of current)

That boatspeed and windspeed has been typical of all of today! With occasional 5 knot "gusts!" It has been shifty and really difficult to sail. A lot of the time I have been at the tiller to try to keep her moving. That is tough too because it is roasting hot (especially with no wind) and there seems never to be any shade in the cockpit.

It is difficult to concentrate for long periods of time too, so I have given myself "time off" to read my French comic book "Titeuf" that Caro gave me before the start - very funny! It is nice to have some light relief! (I have finished Robbie Williams!) It is almost impossible to sleep in the daytime heat, even though I know I am tired.

Also frustrating is that we can see (on the position reports) the boats behind zooming up on us in the breeze. I even heard Jeanne, Yannik and David talking on the VHF this evening, so I know they are not far. They were talking about how they had been stacking and filling their ballast - how depressing - all my gear is stacked forward and to LEEWARD to try to get some heel to keep the sails filled by gravity!

One bonus today though - I overtook Gildas! I was worried at how quickly he had got past me yesterday, and so it was a nice relief to reassure myself I am not slow, and just another proof of how fluky these conditions are. What a shame that this race is ending like this.

It was nice to see land - for the first time since the Azores - this morning I saw Haiti off to port. The visibility is impressive because it was over 20 miles away when I first saw it. I can still see it now... There was a paragraph in the sailing instructions that we should avoid the Haiti coasts because they are not secure - perhaps it is my chance to see Jonny Depp and his Pirates of the Caribbean..... I think I am far enough away to be safe!

Now there is even less wind. It is looking like a quiet night! The only trouble is that the pilot can't steer very well when it is so light and we end up doing 360 deree turns, so I need to steer.....

Better go......

Sam x

Communications thanks to BT Broadband

LATEST POSITIONS 1000 BST 25/4/05 (boat name / average boat speed /distance to leader)

1. CREDIT MARITIME - ZEROTWO / 0.6kts / 395.3nm to finish
2. BOSTIK / 1.8kts / +16.6nm
3. CERCLE VERT / 4.4kts / +24.2nm
4. SKANDIA / 1.9kts / +27.2nm
5. BANQUE POPULAIRE / 2.9kts / +34.4nm
6. ATAO AUDIO SYSTEM / 4.5kts / +35.5nm
7. AQUARELLE.COM / 1.9kts / +38.4nm
8. COUTOT ROEHRIG / 2.7kts / +38.8nm
9. GEDIMAT / 3.1kts / +40.2nm
10. TOTAL / 4.0kts / +42.2nm
11. ENTREPRENDRE AU PAYS DE LORIENT / 4.1kts / 134.9nm
12. LITTLE BLACK SHARK / 1.4kts / +256.6nm