Up Another Notch?

Another upbeat day for Team Delta Lloyd. We passed Telefonica Negro in the dawn hours and moved up to fifth.

Next target, the Green Dragon.

Right now, 90 miles of leverage separate these two boats, but their lead over us is only 10 miles. We are in a race to the 1018 isobar line, and I did my best to help with that, during my time at the wheel.



North of the 1018 line we have 15-18 knots of wind; to the south there is 20+. The fleet spent today's daylight hours north of 1018 (a circulation around the high that is centered to our north west), but we are just about to cross into the breeze; Green Dragon is 100 miles above it. That gives us a chance to move up another notch on the leader board. Puma and Ericsson meanwhile are doing well in front of us and continue to set a quick pace for the rest of the fleet.

Expect Delta Lloyd to continue to sail down the coast of the Western Sahara tonight on port tack. In the early morning we'll be banging the beach. Then we'll gybe back to starboard and head west. The big strategic decision that I need to make tonight and tomorrow morning is whether to take one more short hitch south. The alternative is to strike out westward on the trade winds.

I'll let you know when I know. Take a look below.

Matt out.





Editor's note: Delta Lloyd is the former ABN AMRO ONE, winner of the last Volvo Ocean Race. Skipper Ger O'Rourke has this to say today: "I am excited to say that "Betty," the only grandfathered boat in the fleet, is holding the pack, and as well as enjoying the race, I enjoy the challenge of this project—the first generation, low budget campaign—and taking on the big budget campaigns. The next-smallest is four times our budget and the largest is 20 times ours. I hope this brings more first and second generation boats into the race in 2011."