Log date Friday 16 February 2007
Position Lat 55 49S Long 086 03W
Miles To Norfolk, USA 7,579 nm
Distance In 24 Hours 237.1
Average Speed In 24 Hours 9.88 knots

Sir Robin Knox Johnston has moved into third position in the Velux 5 Oceans race and is continuing to pull away. He overtook the Spanish sailor Unai Basurko last night and has since put a 41-mile gap between them. Knox-Johnston’s is still unable to download weather information so his tactics over the last few days have been to stick as close to Basurko as possible in order to keep in the same weather patterns.

Graham Dalton is behind Unai Basurko in fifth and 70 miles behind Saga Insurance.

Log
Got passed Unai at last, so am lying third, at least for the time being. That tough Basque won’t give up easily. We were only about 30 miles apart at one stage yesterday but nothing heard on VHF. Dalton said he had broken two fingers, which must be awful apart from reducing performance. He also said he cannot wear gloves as a result. I have not worn gloves as yet as I find if you don’t you hands seem to pump more blood to themselves and keep warmer.

Also it has not been as cold as I remember 38 years ago, but we are later in the summer his time. So Saga Insurance and I are now focused on the approach to Cape Horn. Wind up a bit, Force 7 with gusts to 8 so reduced sail.

RKJ