Atlantic return journey

Way north blocked come Tuesday for the crew of the Banque Populaire maxi-tri

Chart above courtesy of Expedition/Tasman Bay Navigation Systems and PredictWind

Even if they are still in the depths of the Roaring 40s, the crew of Banque Populaire will be pleased that they have ticked off the Pacific finally. Since passing Cape Horn, the maxi-tri has been gybing northeast, downwind in 30 knots southwesterlies on a course that has taken her between the Falklands and South Georgia. The aim of the game at this stage of the course, returning up the South Atlantic, is to attempt to get east enough to round Recife, Brazil's most easterly point while avoid the clutches of the St Helena high.

However for Banque Populaire the issue looking ahead is when two areas of high pressure merge around the latitude of southern Brazil come Tuesday. It looks like there will be no way out of this with conditions remaining soft until Thursday.

Earlier Florent Chastel reported: "We've just gybed due north towards home! Here we go again, accelerating well at 30/35 knots. Gradually the sea will get better, it will be sunny and slightly warmer. But we are still South, it's still fresh. The gybe was done in a squall, with snow falling on the boat. In two or three days, we will begin to shed our clothes and maybe even think about taking a shower. At the moment the sky continues to be gray, which we have got used to. We look forward to the first real ray of sunshine."

"As for the Christmas menu, there is nothing special planned, but we will see if we can hack something, maybe cook some bacon ... but it will certainly be Spartan!"