received 20.12.08 0619 GMT
For the first time since we left the southern tip of India, we have seen land again. Even some hints of civilization were greeting our eyes this morning on the hills of the island of Palau We. Being the very most northern tip of Indonesia this apparently is a perfect place for antenna masts as there are more than a dozen scattered on the hilltops. Even some houses can be identified, and it makes us wonder who is living at this isolated northern tip of Sumatra? What is keeping them busy? Do they have any idea that eight boats in the Volvo Ocean Race have spent seven days beating upwind to pass by their houses? Can just imagine someone waking up this morning with the curious sight of some Volvo 70s at their doorstep!
Passing Palau We means passing the scoring gate as well as entering the Straits of Malacca. Traffic has tripled; there are big cargo ships everywhere, there are plenty of floating objects in the water, and the seas have flattened. What hasn’t changed is our wind angle. Uphill we continue with our 1000 NM beat from hell.
By the end of today that will come to an end. Reaching and downwind spinnaker sailing is on the menu, and we are all looking forward to a flat world. Living at 23 degrees of heel just makes everything rather inconvenient you see. Mugs and food bowls slide and tip. We go through life one handed as the other one is used to hold on, and the neck gets rather sore from being angled 23 degrees to one side all the time. No, downwind under spinnaker is the way to go for sure.
Over the last day we have closed the distance to the group considerably, and we have now all our guns pointed at the Chinese-Irish Green Dragon team. Although they are currently 30 nm ahead of us, we are on the verge of entering the fluky winds of the Straits in which such a distance can be eaten up in a matter of hours.
Spirits are high and we are hungry. Pirates, fishing boats, massive traffic? Bring it on; they are our passing opportunities over the next days.
Wouter Verbraak - navigator
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