BUENOS AIRES TO WELLINGTON

Saturday, 16th December, 2000
The spinnaker guys and sheets have been removed from the deck, the wind's on the nose and we are steering best course to windward. That means no more gentle rocking and rolling for the 'Isle of Man' as we run before the wind but the difficulties of 'life at 35 degrees' once more as we plough forward into the waves.

We have been at sea for over a week now and the real hardship is yet to come. At the moment we have the luxury of both heating and a watermaker. If you detect some scepticsm here it's because we don't expect them to last!  With the air temperature at 5.9 degrees C and the sea temp at 6 degrees, heating certainly makes life more comfortable.

A Hercules aircraft passed overhead this afternoon and requested a fly-by! It tipped its wings at us as it passed overhead! Brilliant - so far from civilisation as we know it. It was actually looking for Team Spirit as someone on board wanted to wish his sister a Happy Birthday.
            Jan Giffen on board the Isle of Man

Sunday, 17th December, 2000
Three times today we have been becalmed. This was not in the plan! We are in the 50 degree latitudes here - we expect wind! So once more, out came the spinny guys and sheets again and up again went the race kite, after we felt sure we had seen the last of it. Just in the last few hours we have seen Islas de los Estados, wonderful, spectacular islands,  jagged and serious-looking, rather grey rock with snow-covered mountain tops. Earlier, we could see a lighthouse in the distance even from 35 miles away. On our right we can see Tierra del Fuego so somewhere inbetween it and us are many of the other yachts. For our entertainment, the race is on to see which crew member will spot the first yacht. Mind you, as dusk is falling, we may not see them at all. On the other hand if we see a masthead light or two, we can be pretty sure that they will belong to the BT Global Challenge fleet. Who else would be crazy enough to be at sea under sail in these latitudes?

According to the Skippers' Chat Show, a few of the yachts are within sight of each other at the top of the Le Maire Straits. I wonder if they are flying their lightweight spinnakers as we are! How long will this near windless state continue? Which yacht will be first round Cape Horn? All will be revealed very soon.
            Jan Giffen.....on the 'Isle of Man' at 54 22S, 64 31W, close to Tierra del Fuego

This is really the Southern Ocean and a place where extreme sailing in hugewaves requires extreme equipment. The foredeck crew have had many chances to test out the drysuits in the icy cold water and the helms have sported their crash helmets complete with visors for clear vision in the face of driving spray. Many crew members have opted for ski goggles which have the same effect and everyone has had a chance to try out their balaclavas and hats, Goretex gloves and heavy duty thermals. All of this (and more) is needed in the face of freezing cold winds and the wet, wet, wet!

This is serious sailing! The angle of heel yesterday looked pretty perilous. Any moment, I thought, we might all slide off the deck into the water. Was I scared? Well, frankly, yes. Every moment on deck, we have to be mindful of how easy it might be to fall in in these conditions. Moving about the deck everyone helps each other as the need for safety is paramount. As we clip on and unclip to move elsewhere, it's not unusual to have the help of all others that you pass by en route! Strangely, when on deck, it looks so steep from the high side yet once down below it can seem relatively calm and peaceful. Perhaps it's just what we are used to by now. One thing I'm finding it hard to get used to, is when trying to sleep in my bunk, being thrown into the air as our 40 ton yacht flies of the back of a wave and is suspended momentarily in the air before crashing into the trough below. Phenomenal. So it goes on, day and night.

'Okay', another crew member has said with tongue in cheek, 'I've tried it and I don't like it. Can I get off
now?' Well, no, not for another 4,500 miles or few weeks at least!

Today the Xmas decorations went up.Yes, it's Christmas here too. It's quite a sight to see our tree with its decorative ribbons making the galley look festive. Yes, it's Christmas here too! Below the tree are small presents and the crew have been talking about that glorious moment when Santa will appear
on the Isle of Man. And appear he will, although how he will reach us has yet to be ascertained!

With only a few days to go before Christmas, I would like to wish all my friends and family at home in UK and in the far-flung, overseas, Brunei, the Oman, Australasia - too many places to mention - a very Happy Christmas and an interest-filled, Happy New Year. And to those whom I have half-promised a phone call from deep in the Southern Ocean here, be patient as our Mobiq phone may not be able to locate a satellite. You alone can guess how much I will be willing it to work. Have a great time everyone, I'll be toasting 'absent friends' too.
            Jan Giffen on board the Isle of Man at 57 48S, 78 10W

Read more at Leg 3 Missives (c)          See the photos of Isle of Man arriving 

Guestbook updated? Yes / Legs 1-2 updated? Yes / Legs 3-4 updated? Yes / Legs 5-7 updated? Yes


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