"Last night, as we approached the Canary Islands, we decided to put on the right turn signal and head for Guadeloupe along the remaining great-circle route." It's a colorful way of putting it, but behind this decision lies some thorough weather analysis. The trade winds are particularly far south this year, and heading down to Cape Verde could lead Skiboo 2 into vast areas of light winds, with the risk of losing several days.
Conversely, forecasts suggest favorable winds along a more northerly route between the Canaries and Guadeloupe, with no identified threat from low-pressure systems at this stage. Weather models even suggest a promising route for nearly two weeks, bringing him to within a few hundred miles of the finish. An appealing prospect, although the Atlantic could still have plenty of surprises in store!
This option was chosen in consultation with Pierre, Éric's shore-based weather router. Each studies the conditions independently before the two compare their analyses and select the best course. It's invaluable support for the solo sailor, who has nothing but praise for the quality of his router's work.
Pierre has also shared a technique to help optimize his upcoming gybes. On this route, simply holding a heading won't be enough: Éric will need to constantly monitor the wind angle and decide on the right moment to change tack. Even variations too subtle to show up clearly in weather models can affect both speed and distance sailed. "Now I'm the one who's going to be calling the shots," explains Éric, determined to put this advice into practice throughout the crossing.
The latest routing forecast places Skiboo 2 approximately 600 miles from Grande Vigie on November 1 at 18:00 UTC. That would leave around four more days of sailing, not forgetting the need to sail around Guadeloupe. In other words, completing the crossing in under 30 days is going to be tight!
Théo Lelay, who has been closely following the adventure, jokes about the possibility of Éric arriving as early as November 1, his birthday. The skipper's response is immediate: "I'd have to throw everything overboard to lighten the boat, climb the mast to make it taller, and make a sail out of the bedsheets!"
Behind the good humor, however, one concern remains: the announced navigation ban in the Canal des Saintes, which Éric fears could complicate the final leg of his voyage. For now, though, spirits are high. Éric is savoring every mile and makes no secret of how much he enjoys sailing his production catamaran: "The Excess is absolutely fantastic. Sailing this boat is pure joy."
He's obviously looking forward to arriving. But not so much that he's forgotten to enjoy every single day at sea!
