Sarah Mercedes - Day 15

The kite was once more the protagonist of today's activities. A hoist at dawn, despite knots and twists in the rope, was achieved and the light kite flew magnificently for the morning. With us using the kite supposedly beyond its limit (averaging 18 knots of wind speed), the crew were handed a difficult task of staying within a 4 degrees wind angle. And the crew performed. A morning of : skipping over waves, the kite man bellowing instructions to the winch man every few seconds, and the helmsman with squinted eyes and lines across his forehead from intense focus in the scorching heat. Graham really enjoyed the feeling of 'our 15 ton boat being picked up and launched forward'. Our fun did have to end, as the code 0 rope couldn't cope with the weight of the kite. The kite met the water for a third time this trip. With us being fairly experienced in kite recoveries by now, our skip on the helm had barely blinked before crew were at station getting the kite and sheets on the boat. We now find ourself, still 50 miles ahead of Blue Magic, but with only a mainsail, jib, and bad wind angle at our disposal. The mood has developed into a mix of ambition to win and melancholy of an incredible adventure. A lack of a full night sleep for over 2 weeks has left some of the crew tired. Even your blogger is experiencing some lapses in energy, accidentally deleting the entire first attempt at tonights blog, for example. Just under 300 miles until the fat lady sings.