Another sunny day on Perseverance. Everyone is getting back into the rhythm of boat life. As we've turned the corner around Hainan Island, the race becomes a deep downwind angles race. From now, our job is to try and get to the finish playing each wind shift and outrun Punta Del Este and Dare To Lead. With the pack behind us going super-fast, we feel a bit like a fat rabbit being chased, not quite able to pull off the speeds of our pursuers. On the plus side, the vibe on board is good, music is playing and evolutions are going really fast. The whole crew is really taking ownership of the boat these days and they're developing into great sailors.
In terms of wildlife spotting, this has got to be my least favourite sea/ocean we've been in. Rows and rows of buoys marking fishing nets create a grid that seems to cover the entire South China Sea. It's nerve-wracking at night when you have to try and avoid them and it's generally depressing to sail through what is obviously an environmental issue. Multiple times a day I hear my crew debate whether another large chunk of Styrofoam is a buoy or a piece of rubbish. The only wildlife I've seen is the masses of flies that seem to have come from the fishing boats. There's a running competition on how many you can get. Steve got 20 yesterday. I'm really excited to get out into the Pacific, even though it's going to be the most challenging leg, we will be back in a barely touched wilderness again.
Joss, Ineke, and the worried about the planet seadogs