Sir Robin Knox-Johnston speeds up in Bay of Biscay

Clipper Race founder and chairman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston has entered the Bay of Biscay on Day 3 of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe Race. He is currently making 10.7 knots and is in eleventh place in the Rhum class.

He sent his second blog at 10.45am GMT on Tuesday:

Getting around Ushant became a nightmare. We were tacking between 150 degrees in strong winds as we made our way west to go down between Ushant itself and the Traffic Separation Schemes.The wind was due to veer but that only happened after I was past.Ushant bore East at 1.65 miles at 2115 French time and was a justifiable reason for celebrating it as a Headland.Into the Bay of Biscay at last.

I should have set more sail, but there was a bit of a tangle of ropes on deck which was hard to see and the boat was bucking, plus I was tired, so we were not fast overnight.However I did manage to get some sleep between squalls which caused constant changes in direction. How nice it is to bear away in a squall knowing you have plenty of sea room!Now, just set more sail so we have speeded up.Plenty to catch up, but possible South West gales ahead once past Finisterre which will slow many of us.That was not in the brochure and will spoil my holiday, as I have to get energetic with the sails, but it is November in the North Atlantic after all.

All well aboard.Put up more sail this morning.Nice to be showing as much as 15 knots occasionally, but for an older boat she does drive easily on a reach. Not sure of the wind speed as the wind direction and course has given up but it does not look more than a Force 4-5 Beaufort and

It’s on the beam! That is the only breakage so far.

RKJ

You can track Sir Robin and Grey Power here on the official race tracker.

It will update every hour during the race.

The Clipper Race will continue to post his blogs here as well.