Old friends

Happy first of December
 
Fantastic downwind conditions on BTP, as I gybe my way towards the first Ice Gate, now less than 1000 miles away. Behind me a front is approaching, and I will try to stay ahead of it for as long as possible. It will probably catch up with me in the morning tomorrow.
 
Yesterday I used mainly my repaired A3 to test it out,. and apart from one 400mm piece in the middle of the sail that opened a fraction, it is holding together well. It will be very hard to get to that middle section as I would have to drop the sail part furled, and it is too windy for that now, but it looks stable. And is held well on each side.
 
Then before sunset, I went to the big Kingdom of Bahrain spinnaker for the night, and as the wind built today I put a reef in the main to balance the boat with the masthead spinnaker.
 
Now its almost 25 knots of breeze and set to increase during the night, as the front approachesd, so I am on the fractional 0 and one reef in the main, sailing a little hotter angle but faster. There are some swells from astern allowing the boat to set off on some big long surfs. The A3 would be ideal now, but with this building breeze,  perhaps a little too over confident.
 
Last night I was having a nap when the iridium phone rang and it was Thomas Coville, about 20 miles behind me and going 22 knots on his round the world record multihull record attempt on Sodebo.. Thomas was a watch captain with me on Doha 2006 in the Oryx Quest and one of the nicest and most accomplished guys in sailing. He was calling to say hello and to make sure he did not run into me, as I travelled at 14 knots. We had a great chat and I wish him best of luck on his challenge. I am sure we will be talking more during the trip. Glad to see he was on my route, as he is allowed to have a dedicated weather expert guiding him around the world, so I cannot be totally in the wrong place..
 
Busy day again today with several gybes and a big headsail change, plus moving all the equipment from side to side for the gybes.
 
Had a wash today and put on some thermals, which feels very good. I was hanging on to the shorts and Tshirt look for too long!
 
Cabin temp 24 still, and water temp 14.2 at 39S 20W.
 
Quite a few petrels seen today.
 
All the best
 
Brian