Charlie Dalin Prepared for the Initial Violent Southern Storm in the Vendée Globe
by IMOCA MACIF Santé Prévoyance 4 Dec 07:31 PST
4 December 2024
Charlie Dalin aboard MACIF Santé Prévoyance – 2024 Vendée Globe © Charlie Dalin
The massive depression, spanning 1,800 km long and high, has made news in the Vendée Globe since early this week, starting to sweep across the head of the fleet, affecting the Indian Ocean with gusts surpassing 40 knots and waves nearing 4 meters.
In just 48 hours, it will peak with winds of 60 knots and waves reaching 8 meters. Charlie Dalin, leading the race, decided to maintain his course eastward in hopes of keeping ahead of this depression. In a conversation this morning, the skipper of MACIF Santé Prévoyance expressed his awareness of the situation and rationalized his decision. After extensive weather analysis at the chart table, he embarked on a strategy that could potentially turn the tide of the race…
Yesterday, Charlie enjoyed a final day with calm winds and sunshine followed by an enchanting night, refreshing after his rapid charge to the roaring 40s. “Last night was remarkable; I had never seen so many stars. The starlight was intense, reflecting on the ocean,” he shared this morning, pleased to have adequately rested and readied his boat for the challenging hours ahead. “Yesterday was especially nice, it wasn’t cold, and the sea was tranquil; I took full advantage of it. This allowed me to check the boat and prepare for the depression’s approach,” he continued. Thus, calm before the storm, which is expected to start affecting the Le Havre sailor and his vessel this evening.
Slower progress than anticipated
While his closest rivals have taken a northern route to avoid the storm’s height, Charlie has maintained his eastern trajectory for two days in hopes of staying ahead of the depression. However, this decision was not straightforward, as the skipper of MACIF Santé Prévoyance faced hesitation regarding the evolving weather data. “When I chose this path, the forecasts seemed somewhat optimistic, but the latest ones are looking tougher. Honestly, it won’t be easy. The plan was to remain ahead of the depression. I hesitated a long time, even up to the last minute. The final forecasts I used weren’t overly strong, and I managed to catch up only at the very end when the depression began weakening. Unfortunately, our eastward progress was slower than foreseen. The light winds yesterday turned out to be more significant than expected, especially for tonight. The later forecasts present a harsher outlook,” noted Charlie.
“Not alone in this mess!”
With Sébastien Simon trailing less than 50 miles behind, the skipper of MACIF Santé Prévoyance feels less isolated, especially since the majority of the fleet is now over 280 miles away: “I’m not alone in this battle; at least there’s Seb (Sébastien Simon) close by, which is comforting.”
This lead should widen further if the two solo sailors endure the impacts expected within the next 48 hours. Until then, Charlie doesn’t hide his unease: “The day before yesterday, I spent 10 hours at the chart table looking for the best solution. I initially planned to head north but changed my mind. Currently, conditions are favorable with 18 knots of northern wind, sunshine, and a calm sea. The wind will gradually increase; the seas will build, with the peak hitting in 48 hours.”
Now the decision is set, and as a seasoned sailor, the skipper of MACIF Santé Prévoyance will navigate with caution.
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