Things are finally looking up for Kingfisher2 as the wind fills in to propel the giant cat southwards at 20 knots. Frustratingly slow progress over the last few days has hampered Ellen’s efforts to gain on Geromino. But as the team reach into more southerly latitudes the wind continues to strengthen and give a much-needed boost to the boat speed and morale.

Kingfisher now needs to hook into one of the passing low-pressure systems and hitch a ride into the Southern Ocean. Geromino is now sailing east of the dateline and can begin counting down the degrees of longitude on her way to Cape Horn. Her lead over Peyron’s record has reduced dramatically to just over two days, after having to make her way south again.

Ellen MacArthur writes in her log:

“What a stark contrast from just hours ago… It’s now a black night – we are crashing through the waves making typing virtually impossible. It was Neal’s watch just before sunset – there was little wind, less than 15 knots – and the sea was as flat and quiet as it had ever been.

It was approaching 2100 hours – and the sun was beginning to set. There was a line of cloud in the distance which seemed to close on us very quickly… I called Meeno for our evening weather update – and incredibly within that one phone call where I was describing the new clouds – we were sailing in 25 knots of wind with a really lively sea… Incredible how things can change like that.

As Guillermo left his watch to hand over to Neal he looked into the distance seeing the clouds approcah. “Welcome to the gates of hell,” he proclaimed and retired below to his bunk.”