Skiboo 2

“Officially, after around 90 hours, we’re out of the Bay of Biscay!” says a delighted skipper. The Bay of Biscay is now behind him, and his next objective is Madeira.

The route from La Rochelle has been anything but direct. Forced by the weather to head a long way northwest before turning south, Éric eventually took advantage of some challenging conditions to pick up speed. And the result speaks for itself: 170 nautical miles covered in 24 hours, a new record for him aboard the Excess 11, compared with his usual target of around 120 miles per day.

The downside has been rather spartan comfort for more than 24 hours. “It’s still perfectly manageable. The boat, even though it’s creaking everywhere, is safe. And nobody forced me to come out here!” jokes Éric. And it’s not quite over yet: winds of nearly 30 knots are expected again before conditions improve on Friday morning.

With Cape Finisterre now in his wake, the question is choosing the best route south. Éric is working with Pierrot, his shore-based weather router, on two scenarios: “Either we try to squeeze through a tiny gap, or we head south in search of some light trade winds!” The decision will, of course, depend on how the weather forecasts evolve.

In the meantime, Skiboo 2 continues south off the Iberian Peninsula. After four particularly demanding days, Éric hopes the forecast lull will finally allow him to enjoy life on board at a more relaxed pace.

Follow Skiboo 2 here