ITAJAI

SIX HOME ONE TO GO

Team SCA  has finally arrived in Itajai and is being escorted by several speed boats as can be seen in the image below, even though its a whole two days later than the first arrival - Abu Dhabi. Some 40 Nautical miles downstream some flotsam hit SCA's rudder which took a good two hours to repair and not long thereafter another hit, but this time the keel. Its been the longest leg for the girls and all of them are tired and look forward to sunshine of Itajai Brazil after their icy experience with hail storms in the Southern Ocean, Cape Horn and the Le Maire Strait where 4 layers of clothing was the norm.

Meanwhile Team Dongfeng is still enroute, and as I said in a previous blog, I sincerely hope they make it to the start line in time for leg 6.  The good news is that Team Vestas Wind is back in the race.  They will be  taking part in the In-port Race in Itajai and should Team Dongfeng make it in time, we will once again see the Volvo Ocean Race as it was meant to be seen, 7 Volvo 65's on the horizon racing towards Newport.  

The final image below shows what Vestas winds looked like after it struck a reef in the St Brandon atoll in the Indian Ocean on the 29th November 2014. It is  catching a ride to the boatyard in Italy on a container ship.

With our Windpower, we are  still faster than all you petrol heads. 

There's is nothing that compares to 40 knots on a Volvo 65.

Finally we are in Itajai Brazil

Just a few hundred meters to go then we can rest hand a good meal and enjoy the sunshine.

Go Team SCA go.  Team SCA get great coverage after spending 22 long days at sea.

The hubbub in Itajai when Team SCA arrived.

I missed you so much and I am o happy to see you... love you lots.

Vestas Wind without a keel and a mast with a gaping hole in its stern.