On Tony Bullimore’s website the following news story reports 30 knot head winds and sharp 4-5metre seas running off Western Australia which has caused his team’s delay towards Cape Leeuwin.

Here’s the latest report from www.teambullimore.com:

Bullimore and his crew on the 102ft catamaran Doha 2006 have been out of contact with the outside world since November 7 when their satellite phone went down, four days after leaving the Maldives bound for Hobart Tasmania

Lee Bruce, Tony’s weather router, had expected the crew to be off Western Australia today at the latest, but now believes they could be delayed by a further day or two
Bruce explains: ‘Two primary weather systems are affecting the region from Madagascar to Australia.A frontal boundary (dashed line) is moving eastward, and a centre of low pressure is drifting westward off southwest Australia. The front is expected to slow, and one or more low centers may develop on it over the next few days.

Of more immediate concern is the Australia low… By 14 Nov 1200UTC, the low is expected to be offshore and drifting southward, followed by a turn to the southeast. If Tony and crew are making an approach off south-west Australia (Cape Leeuwin), they will be met with headwinds in excess of 30kt. By late on the 15th their time, the low should be far enough to the south-east to allow a more favourable run over the north side of the low.’

Barry Pickthall, running Team Bullimore’s control centre in the UK, said today. “There is no concern for the crew at this stage. We know that their satellite communications system has gone down, so Tony is unable to contact us by phone or e-mail. We expect the crew to make a stop at Fremantle or another port to get the system repaired, and since the catamaran should be close to the shipping lanes by now, have asked the Coastguard to alert vessels in the area to report any sightings.”