Erik Nigon (skipper Axa Atout Coeur Pour Aides): “A calm night of steady breeze but always with large stormy activity. We spend our time switching off the electrics for fear of a lightning strike, but – so far – the flashes remain above the cloud level. However, every time there is a flash, it sets the alarm bells ringing! Reeling in the thousands of miles in this race is becoming increasingly complicated since we lost our second spinnaker through stupidity, but at least we’re still in the top ten of the fleet…” 

Denis Lazat (skipper PLAN): “Obviously, all would be better if we had not just had the 12 the most difficult hours since the start. After being becalmed for most of the night, we were hit by some storm cells of exceptional violence. Several times, the wind went from zero to 35 knots in a few minutes, carrying out – and taking us with it - several complete rotations. This morning, the weather forecast gives us squalls with gusts of 40 knots…”

Damien Seguin (skipper Cargill-MTTM): "We’re off! Since 0500, stable wind has arrived from a good direction. I’ll give you the numbers from the readouts in front of me: windspeed 29 knots; boatspeed 18.75 knots! We don’t spend more than one hour on the helm before swapping as the level of concentration and the strain on our arms is just too great. The boat is safe and the sailing is fantastic with the wind between 25-32 knots which has given us a speed of 16.78 knots in the past hour! For the second day only since the start, we are really sailing the boat at its strongest point and to its full potential!”

?


Weather forecast
over race area of Solidaire Chocolat 2009



General synopsis by November 10, 2009 at 00h

High 1031 hPa 38N63W, moving gradually east, expected 1027 hPa 36N44W by 11/00UTC then 1021hPa 34N34W by 12/00UTC. 
Area low pressure about 1008 hPa 13N78W, moving slowly north Cuba at end. 
Low 1012 hPa 25N57W, moving west and deepening, expected 1004 hPa 25N64W by 11/00UTC, then 1003 hPa 28N67W by 12/00UTC. Associated tropical wave south of low over NORD ANTILLES with frequent thunderstorms, moving slowly west.   
Tropical storm IDA 997 hPa 29.3N 88.6W by 10/03UTC (wind max 55 nds) moving north à 11nds, expected moving inland today, then becoming low 1006 30N80W by 12/00 UTC.

Weather forecast from November 10, 2009 at 9UTC to November 12, 2009 at 00UTC

South of EST ANTILLES
South or southeast 15/20 kt, backing East or Southeast 15/20kt by 11/00UTC,then East 12/17kt at end. Sea moderate, cross by Northeast swell. Frequent thundersqualls avec gusts 35/40kt. 
 
East of NORD ANTILLES
South or Southeast 10/15kt backing East or Southeast 10/15kt by 11/00UTC. Sea moderate, cross by Northeast swell. Frequent thundersqualls with gusts 35/40 kt.
 
West of NORD ANTILLES  
Northeasterly 15/20 kt,locally 08/12kt in south, veering Easterly 05/10kt le 11/00UTC, then East or Southeast 10/15kt by 11/12 UTC. Sea moderate, locally rough by northeast swell. Frequent thundersqualls with gusts 35/40kt.
 
HISPANIOLA : 
East or Northeast 18/22 kt, locally 10/15kt in far southeast, veering East or Southeast 10/15kt le 11/12UTC, and veering Southerly 10/15kt in north of PORTO RICO. Sea slight or moderate, locally rough in far northeast by northeast swell. Showers and squalls. 
 
South of CUBA : 
East or Northeast 10/15 kt. Sea moderate. Showers and squalls. 
 
North of CUBA
East or Northeast 20/25 kt, decreasing 15/20kt by 11/00UTC, backing East or Southeast 08/12kt at end, becoming variable 04/08kt in west. Sea moderate. Showers and squalls.
 
North of YUCATAN 
Southeasterly 18/22kt, backing Easterly 10/15kt by 11/00 UTC, backing Northwest 12/17kt at the end. Sea slight or moderate. Frequent thundersqualls with gusts 35/40kt.

Further outlook for next 24 hours

Strong wind warning (> 33 kt) : None



Tropical activity

Tropical storm IDA 997 hPa  29.3N 88.6W by 10/03UTC, moving north, expected inland soon
and decreasing.


on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 08? UTC

Hervé Fortuny

Météo-France

Paul Worswick (co-skipper Keysource): “Been a very tough 24 hours, we peeled down yesterday morning from light kite to heavy kite to Code Zero. Even so, we got a squall come from nowhere in the rain and the breeze went from (I'm guessing) 15 knots to 50 and we got knocked down. The rest of the day has been getting stuck in thunderstorms with the wind from nothing to loads. Very nervous night as we try to avoid the worst of the lightning and we've had little sleep. Be really pleased when we get through this batch of weather. Otherswise, all well on board, really pleased to hear that the Finnish boys arrived safely in St Barts.”

Miranda Merron (co-skipper 40 Degrees): “After all the fun and games with squalls etc yesterday, we had a peaceful end to the day, surfing along in good breeze south of Puerto Rico. The night has been clear and full of stars, and we have not been attacked once by a squall (it's not light yet - I shouldn't tempt fate). After dark, we could see a the light of a yacht not too far away, and wondered if it was the Chileans, though we didn't think we could have made up our deficit that quickly, so we just assumed it was a cruising boat. When the wind died southwest of Puerto Rico, we decided that the light must be the Chileans, as a cruising boat would have put their engine on at that stage, instead of flogging sails in leftover swell. Several gybes later, and the position report has indeed confirmed that we have playmates. The race is on!”

Miranda Merron- UK (40 Degrees) : « Everything’s fine. Sunrise with a squall to windward. We’re in for 30 knots. Yesterday there wasn’t much wind ; more of the same tonight. It’s nice and warm here. We can’t complain! We’ve just sailed pas the Virgin Islands. This afternoon, things should settle and we’ll be getting a bit of sun again.The weather is going to be difficult with quite a few patches of light air. »

Bernard Stamm – SUI (Cheminées Poujoulat) : « The sun is coming up and we’ve just passed the island south of the Dominican Republic. One and a half miles off but as it was night time, we didn’t see it. There were dolphins around last night. We didn’t see them but we could hear them. Gybing is on the agenda. Since leaving Saint Nazaire, there have been very few occasions to sail a direct course, tacking or gybing all the time! We helm all the time and so are exposed to the sun when it is at its height, a real barbecue ! Our match race with the Italians is fun. Now you see them, now you don’t. It’s stressful but cannot keep on like that for ever. At worst, we’ll do a quick starboard to them on the finishing line! Initiatives – Novédia might be pushed out of the picture by light air in the tail end of the tropical storm, Ida.  »

Tanguy de Lamotte – FR (Initiatives-Novedia) : « We’re on our way up to pass Jamaica and then we’ll go up to the southern coats of Cuba and cross over the strait directly to Progreso. As we’ve not been here before, the element of doubt is present. We have to make do with the wind we have. We’re being careful with the difference between the weather reports and the situation out on the water. There was a lot of gybing to be done last night. There are islands all over the place. We’re not slowing down; dead ahead to make it to the finish as fast as we can, no doubt Thursday-Friday. »

Tim Wright – UK (Palanad II) : « We’re working like mad gybing in light air to try and come back on the guys ahead who have better wind. Gybing all the time means being woken up a lot. Sometimes we don’t know if we awake or asleep! We managed to use the water maker again and so we’ve beefed up the reserves as we’re using so much water with the heat. »

Arnaud Aubry – FR (Adriatech) : « One squall after another. But no squall, no wind ! We’ve done nothing but manoeuvre since last night in dismal skies and lots of rain. We’re in fine fettle but can’t wait to get through the gate ! »

Jean-Eduard Criquioche – FR (Groupe Picoty) : « We played pinball wizards last night between squalls. Once we were free of that, the afternoon went by with very little wind. The good news is that the weather reports had forecast calm and we had some wind, to give us a speed of 10-12 knots on a straight line towards the finish Suites us ! We’re making the most of it as there’s a windless zone after the Saint Barts gate. »

Miranda Merron (co-skipper 40 Degrees): "It has been yet another eventful day/night/day. Yesterday, we made it through the gate at St Barts, and carried on west in very little wind all day, and baking heat, trying to keep the boat going. In the second part of the night, a large cloud came over the area, and that was the end of the wind for a few hours, sails slatting in the swell, hugely frustrating especially when you think that you are the only boat being held captive. Eventually the wind filled in, and at dawn it was obviously a big squall system which we rode for a while. Everything was going fine until a particularly active part got to us, complete with lightning, thunder and torrential rain. So, everything electrical switched off, just in case, and 30 knots of wind plus a big shift. Now we were flying at serious pace, well off course, riding before it. When we eventually got a lull to furl the gennaker, the sheets came off, which makes for a potentially very exciting scenario, with large sail on bowsprit minus control lines. I steered, and Peter went to the bow with boat hook and sail ties, and managed to drop the gennaker onto the boat. Back on track again, and just waiting for the next event... no Caribbean holiday, this.."

Nicko Brennan (co-skipper Sail4Cancer): “It was very deep heading into St. Barts, downwind and gybing on the shifts. I can’t remember how many gybes we did. The breeze seems to have settled down a little bit. We’ve had quite a bit of shipping traffic and a couple of big ships have gone passed us, so we called them up to make sure they’d seen us. We’re now back in the habit of checking the radar and spending time up on deck looking out – you get a bit lazy about that in the middle of the Atlantic. We didn’t quite make it through the gate at St. Barts while it was still light, but a Zodiac came out to meet us and they seemed happy to see us! It looks like it’ll turn easterly or north-easterly and more downwind. We’ve got a strange situation at the moment with a big squall this morning and the wind direction is pretty much north, which wasn’t forecast and is very odd. We’re expecting more north-easterly wind as we head up passed Puerto Rico with a small bit of acceleration there and then up towards Jamaica it looks like there might be a light spell up there. We’ve managed to run the watermaker through using a bucket and we did this just before St. Barts to make sure we could do it as our water consumption has gone up in the past few days. We should be able to make enough to drink and cook.” 

Felipe Cubillos (skipper Desafio Cabo de Hornos): “It’s very nice here in the Caribbean! Last night there was no wind – nothing – and right now we’re right in the middle of a great big black cloud and we’re going at 10 knots. We were very surprised at St. Barts. We were quite confused as in the race rules, we had to put all the flags up in the middle of the night, but when we got to the gate there were guys on boats from the press who interviewed us. Our approach to St. Barts was great and it was something we had planned for a week. Unfortunately, we’ve lost some miles to Sail4Cancer, but we’re still ahead of 40 Degrees. It’s very strange weather as although you have the weather forecast from the GRIBs, sometimes it has absolutely nothing to do with reality. Today we’re expecting easterly or north-easterly 17-20 knots. I was expecting a lot of shipping traffic, but there’s nothing.”