Puma Leg Eight Day 4

We have been in a heavy weight prize fight for days now and fighting off blows to the head and sleep deprivation. 

Sailed back into third today and then amazingly blowing our big spinnaker up sailing downwind just after the Rotterdam loop.  Then the chain reaction occurred and the culmination of it all is a complete split from the fleet and hoping beyond hope that this new tactic works.

After the chute exploded, we had to put up small sails and, in turn, we sailed a higher course than the rest of the fleet.  We aren't allowed to carry extra big spinnakers and when that goes you are in trouble.  Just broke. Right below the head patch.  Absolutely no warning.  So, we simply lost touch with the rest of the fleet by sailing higher. 

We worked the boat all morning as hard as we could to stay in touch with the small storm spinnaker. Then all of a sudden the wind started to lighten.  A quick gybe to sail out of the light air and back into the pressure right?  No problem, still plenty of wind?    And actually a good shift to gybe on.  Wrong.  It got lighter. Then lighter.  And before you knew it, we were drifting. The centre of the low had engulfed us.  Unreal.

So now our best hope is to try and punch through the centre of the low and wait for the rest of the group to hit their light air eventually.  We simply can't get back to where the rest of the fleet is, so drastic action unfortunately is required.  It may work, it may not.  We will keep fighting though...

It is interesting how many times the most obvious tactical move may not be made by a certain boat, and almost always there is a good explanation as to how or why the decision was made.  And, most often, that decision is because there was something out of the ordinary that happened that simply changed the way you had to play the game.  We have had our fair share of tough breaks on this boat and they have routinely occurred at some pretty inopportune times.  And the team always rallies to make the best of all situations and we typically have our best legs at that time.

Just try to take it in stride.  Just hurts because this is exactly what we didn't want to do.  We had Telefónica Blue back in the fleet and we were making ground toward the front.  Ouch.

We have to try and make the best of this.  Sure the team is down right now, but all realise that we can't quit and need to press on.  Sometimes it just doesn't go your way.  Today may have been one of those days for us as time will only tell.

Keep fighting.

Kenny Read - skipper