Vendée Globe 2016-2017

NormanB said:
I do not disbelieve you at all and it probably is very grim, certainly extrapolating on from Conrad's situation with raiding the life raft stores - but where have you been reading about Seb's actual food situation - link?
Click to expand...

No specific data on Sebs food situation sorry, but he's taken to FB to seek advice on fishing https://www.facebook.com/VendeeGlobe/videos/10158336300900187/ so who knows what's actually left considering he's been rationing since January. Couldn't be alot? I also think he looks extremely tired and his videos are becoming increasingly eccentric which could be a symptom of lack of food?

I just don't understand why these guys don't provision for every eventuality. If it were me I'd want at least 115 days of food.
 
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Agreed the provisioning does seem a bit ' lean' for an 'unassisted' race and maybe the organisers should specify 120 days + 10% so that no competitor gets a payload advantage by going lean.

I will link that video in tonight's update.
 
Vendee Globe 4 Mar
Day 118

Better progress today!

Sebastian Destremau (18th) passed to the West of Flores and is now clear North of it doing 9 (uncomfortable) knots in 4-6 metre seas. He is is currently experiencing 25-30 knots of SW wind, has covered 241 miles today and is now 1319 miles from the finish. If the sea conditions allow he could have a higher mileage day tomorrow, but in the evening will have to cope with a transition zone with the winds backing SE, but should be set fair in SW winds by Monday morning for the Bay transit. The VG website is still indicating an arrival date for Seb of 10th March, but it is feasible (with fair winds) for him to get back on the 9th.


Welcome to the Office:

Only available in French (his irrepressible spirit needs no translation)

 
Vendee Globe 5 Mar
Day 119

And MUCH Better progress today!

Sebastian Destremau (18th)

After rounding Flores last evening Seb struck out East and has since been sailing in strong SW winds in downwind conditions with 5-7 metre swells for most of the day and has achieved good speeds and ground covered. But he has now entered the expected transition zone, where the winds have dropped wind and will veer to the NW and these may persist for most of tomorrow. Currently at the latitude of Fisterra, he is currently doing 6 knots and has covered 251 miles in the last 24 hours and is now 1068 miles from the finish. He is unlikely to make as much progress tomorrow as he climbs North looking for more favourable winds. The VG website is still indicating an arrival date for Seb of 10th March, but it is feasible (with fair winds) for him to get back on the 9th.
 
Vendee Globe 6 Mar
Day 120

A very good day and less than 800 miles to go!

Sebastian Destremau (18th)

Seb is still sailing in 20 knot SW winds in downwind conditions, with 4-5 metre swells and has achieved good speeds and ground covered. Currently just North of the latitude of Bordeaux, he is currently doing 10 knots, has covered 278 miles ( average 11.6 knots) in the last 24 hours and is now 790 miles from the finish. It looks like he will have another high mileage day tomorrow. The VG website is still indicating an arrival date for Seb of 10th March, but it is still feasible (with fair winds) for him to get back on the 9th around midday.

From the Office

He could really do with a Burger or two.
 
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Vendee Globe 7 Mar
Day 121

A good day, not much food and less than 600 miles to go!

Sebastian Destremau (18th)

Seb spent most of the day making good progress East towards the target but did head North for 4 hours at around 1700 to position for better winds. He is still sailing in 20 knot SW winds in downwind conditions with 4-5 metre swells. Currently a tad North of the latitude of Les Sables, he is currently doing 13 knots and has covered 225 miles ( average 9.4 knots) in the last 24 hours and is now 565 miles from the finish. It looks like the wind will start to tail off at around 1800 tomorrow but with reducing seas during the course of the day he could achieve a 280 mile day. The winds are then slated to fall away (to around 5 knots) early on Thursday morning. The VG Website is still predicting a Friday arrival date for Seb March, but it is still feasible (with fair winds) for him to get back late evening Thursday. Judging by the above video and his limited menu choices I guess Seb would much rather hit the Burger Bar on Thursday!
 
Vendee Globe 8 Mar
Day 122

An excellent day and less than 280 miles to go!

Sebastian Destremau (18th)

Seb has made excellent progress East towards the target covering 289 miles in the last 24 hours (average 12 knots). He is still sailing in 18 knot SW winds in downwind conditions with 3-4 metre swells. He is currently making good 11.4 knots and has 276 miles left to run. The next chapter is just 'all about the wind', which will start to reduce by 0800 tomorrow and significantly so by midday, when it will fade to around 4 knots (fortunately still from the SW), effectively putting paid to a Thursday arrival. So sadly, it now looks like a Friday finish (around midday) for Seb (Favourable tide for entering the canal 1100 - 1800).

From the Office (In French only) - Talking about women and hoping they will participate in VG2020.
 
Vendee Globe 9 Mar
Day 123

Bugger all food and bugger all wind

This is almost too much to bear - less than 118 miles to go and one final night of racing - but with a real risk of a further night at sea waiting for the tide.

Sebastian Destremau (18th)

Seb has made decent progress East towards the target in declining winds, covering 158 miles in the last 24 hours (average 6.6 knots). He currently has 6 knot SE winds and 2 metre swells. Positioned to the SW of Les Sables and now heading 043 degrees, he is making good 5.2 knots and has 118 miles left to run - with a massive wind hole between him and the finish.

If the model is correct the hole should fill with SE 4-6 knot winds overnight and into tomorrow and maybe a 1400 finish. His latest time to enter the canal is 1715 - so not a lot of margin if the promised wind does not arrive.

No video today but a Q&A session with Seb from the VG website:
- Sébastien, when do you think you’ll be finishing on Friday?
“I’d like to arrive early or mid-afternoon to be able to make my way into the harbour before it is too late. I’d really be annoyed if I missed the tide tomorrow evening, but the timing is tight. We’ll see.”

- How do you feel at the moment?
“I am in great physical shape. I have lost a lot of the muscles in my legs. It’s incredible. The lack of food has weakened me considerably, but after one or two meals, it should be fine... But we’ll be pleased to finish and get some food we can chew and bite into rather than just swallow.”

- How will you be spending your final night at sea?
“Like last night. Remaining alert, watching out for fishing boats… I went by a lot of them last night. It’s impressive to speed along at 15-17 knots in the middle of a fleet of fishermen. The final night will be different with calms forecast just before finishing. It’s a bit frustrating, but we’ll have to make do with that.”*

- How do you imagine your entrance into the harbour in Les Sables?
“I haven’t thought about it. I loved reading about all the tulips for Pieter’s finish. I’m guessing there may be quite a few people to celebrate the end of the Vendée Globe. Who knows? They may all start singing our song or waving keys around, like the one I’ll be giving to the Race Director. I don’t know what it is going to be like. We’ll see. The only thing I’m looking forward to is hearing over the VHF the Race Directors announcing “the arrival of TechnoFirst-faceOcean .... Stand by ...... STOP.” Everything else will fall into place after the watch is stopped. We’ll be able to breathe and enjoy things.”*

- What would you like to tell the crowds who will be there in Port Olona?
“Looking forward to seeing as many people as possible to prolong this Vendée Globe, which we so enjoyed throughout the winter. Give me the chance to thank you one by one individually for all your support in this incredible event. Without you, the Vendée Globe would not exist. So thanks and see you tomorrow.*There’s no one left after me. I’ll be closing the doors behind me for the next four years. So don’t miss this final opportunity.”
 
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Stop Press

This just in from the VG website:

Sébastien Destremau is less than fifty miles from the finish in Les Sables d’Olonne. But he is not expected to finish before 1800hrs UTC, as the wind is set to drop away forcing the skipper of TechnoFirst-faceOcean to tack in light airs. He will therefore not be able to enter the harbour today because of the tide and now intends to make his entrance tomorrow from 1200hrs UTC. The final competitor in 8th Vendée Globe can look forward to huge crowds welcoming him.

Windy TV appears to be indicating winds that do not match the reality of the conditions Seb is experiencing. He should (according to the model), be able to track direct to Les Sables but is currently heading further North than that. Currently 35 miles to the finish.

Seb has just uploaded a very emotional video ( in French only) - it is emotional to watch too.

 
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For those of you who don't speak French, he wanted to thank people for their support.

Seeing how much people like him here, I just thought I would let you know. He is sorry for the people who won't be able to make it to les Sables to party with him and close this edition of the BdG. But he was very honest about the fact that without people following this event, there wouldn't be any VdG.
 
Vendee Globe 10 Mar
Day 124

Probably the most frustrating and hungry day of the race.


I was always hopeful to report that Seb had crossed the line with this report, sadly that is not the case.

Sebastian Destremau (18th)

Very low winds (4-5 knots) and from exactly the wrong direction has seen Seb spend a significant proportion of today almost 'paralleling' the French coast. He has covered about 104 effective miles today and is currently 14 bloody miles from the finish, but cannot enter harbour until midday tomorrow.

Hopefully the local restaurants are innovating to ensure he has a substantial hot meal delivered to the boat within minutes few of him crossing the line.

He is currently proceeding at 0.2 knots made good heading almost due North, in whatever wind is available (windytv does not seem to square with what Seb has to do) - so maybe midnight or beyond to cross the line and midday to enter harbour (tide), where the good weather should help to encourage large crowds to celebrate a fantastic achievement and the closure of VG 2016.
 
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