JANUARY 2005

Jan. 1 - Day 78
0730 Position: 50.04, 125.48W
Wind direction: W
Wind force: 12 70KTS of wind, storm
Heading: 40-50
Wave height: 10m

Sailing under bare pole. Knocked down just a while ago. Instruments are still operating. Damage to boat as yet unknown.

Jan. 2 - Day 79
0100 Position: 49.37, 124.43W
Wind direction: WSW
Wind force: 7 Gale
Heading: 090 Windvane (GPS 100-110)
Boat speed: 3.5-4KTS
Wave height: 7-8m
Barometer: 985 hpa

Bare pole, running with windvane since Autohelm doesn't work due to strong waves; rudder jumps up and sensor is not working well. Cold front seems to have passed.
Local time has become Jan 1. A Happy New Year 2005 to all who have watched Shutendohji 2 continuing on our non-stop, single-handed circumnavigation. From over the Southern ocean, Roaring 40s, Furious Fifties!
Shutendohji 2, Captain Minoru Saito.

(Weather chart can be seen at: http://www.bom.gov.au/nmoc/products/IDX0032_P.shtml)

1030 Position: 49.50, 123.53W
Wind direction: SW
Wind force: 8-9 Gale
Heading: 090 Windvane (GPS 100-110)
Boat speed: 3.5-4KTS
Wave height: 10m
Barometer: 985 hpa

Rough. Wind gauge at top of mast seems to have broken when boat was knocked down.
Continuing to sail under bare pole. Windvane steering assistance is weak. Rough weather continues at the beginning of the New Year in the Antarctic Ocean.

1500 Position: 49.53, 123.36W
Weather: Cloudy with occasional rain
Barometer: 984 hpa
Cabin temperature: 9°C
Wind direction: S
Heading: 100
Boat speed: 2KTS

Sustained second knock-down from starboard side. Mast-loop sensor is broken.
More than 60KTS, speed may not be correct, prevents developing the sails. Continuing under bare pole. Communications of both satellite phone and Fax not smooth. Skipper is all right!

Jan. 3 - Day 80
1030 Position: 49.58, 122.01W
Wind direction: SW
Wind force: 6-7
Wave height: 5-6m
Barometer: 1006 hpa

Communication limited due to successive days of difficulty for satellite phone comms.
Hope quick recovery of these.

2230 Position: 50.20, 120.39W
Weather: Cloudy
Barometer: 1005 hpa
Wind direction: SW
Wind force: 5-6
Wave height 3-4m
Cabin temperature: 8°C
Heading: 090
Boat speed: 6KTS

Tried again after poor daytime communication; this time it was fairly satisfactory, though noisy. Top 3 boats of the Vende Globe reported to turn at Cape Horn 5 days earlier than the previous record. Was told second, third, and fourth place boats' skippers all Ktsew me. Also was told now 3-point reefed Main and 30% of No. 1 Genoa, but thinking to change to 2-point.

Jan. 4 - Day 81
0130 Position: 50.26, 120.15W
Wind direction: WSW
Wind force: 5

Communications poor, unable to receive weather Fax.
Now going to change Autohelm unit. 

2200 Position: 51.42, 117.33W
Weather: Cloudy with occasional rain
Barometer: 993 hpa
Wind direction: NNE
Wind force: 7-8
Heading: 095 (GPS 120)
Boat speed: 7 KTS

Boat speed was about 8KTS until just a while ago, now Main is reefed to 3rd point.
First boat of Vende Globe reported passed Cape Horn 5 days and 10 hr earlier than the 2000 record. Fax not possible due to bad radiowave conditions. Told weather information only by voice. 

[For an idea of the conditions off Cape Horn in the Southern Ocean, click here for a graphic description from an account by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.]

Jan 5 - Day 82
2030 Position: 52.17S 114.06W
Weather: Cloudy with ocasional Rain
Barometer: 999 hpa
Wind Direction: W
Wind Force: 5
Heading: 040(GPS 070-080)
Boat Speed: 6 KTS

Radiowave condition poor, and Weather Fax unable to transmit, but report from Saitoh was received between 10 AM -11.

Jan 6 - Day 83
0500 Position: 52.21S 112.57W
Weather: Cloudy
Barometer: 994 hpa
Wind Direction: NNW
Wind Force: 4
Heading: 070 (GPS 100)
Boat Speed: 6.5-7 KTS
Temperature: 14°C
Wave Height 1.5m

Deployed Main with 2 point reef, No1 Genoa 80%. Passed 200 NM N of Halley Mitchel Point. Dedicated whiskey and bacon for a friend.

Jan 7 - Day 84
1050 Position: 52.02S 108.44W
Barometer: 998 hpa
Wind Direction: WSW
Wind Force: 9-10
Heading: 120-130
Boat Speed: 4 KTS

Bare Pole. Wind increased up to a little less than 70 KTS.

Jan 8 - Day 85
2110 Position: 52.35S 104.32W
Wind Direction: WNW
Wind Force: 6-8
Boat Speed: 6-7KTS deployed only a Storm sail.
Heading: 090-100 GPS
Weather: Rain
Barometer: 983 hps

Radio contact established with a line other than the Satellite Phone normally used for it was disabled; reported Weather. Passed a cold front line extended from a Low Pressure of 975 hps.

Jan 9 - Day 86
0730 Position: 52.39S 103.13W
Wind Direction: WNW
Boat Speed: 5 KTS (one Stormsail)
Heading: 080-090 GPS
Barometer: 979hps

2130 Position: 53.01S 101.44W
Wind Direction: WSW
Wind Force: 4
Boat Speed: 3KTS (one Stormsail)
Deployed No1 Jib 80%, will deploy Main from now.
Heading: 090-100 GPS
Weather: bc
Barometer: 969 hps

Repeating jibes to E to make way toward Cape Horn.

Jan 10 - Day 87
0640 Position: 53.24S 100.31W
Wind Direction: SSW
Wind Force: 9-11
Boat Speed: 6 KTS Bare Pole
Heading: 120-130 Wind Vane

Took down all Sails due to wind getting stronger 3 hours ago.

2100 Position: 53.25S 99.27W
Wind Direction: S
Wind Force: 6-8
Boat Speed: 3 KTS deploying Storm Jib from now.
Heading: 090 GPS
Barometer: 987 hps
Weather: Cloudy

Wave Height sometimes encountering 10m waves.
Wind coming down. And Wind Direction shifted S-SW-W-NW so may be passing a
cold-front line.

Jan 11 - Day 88
2300 Position: 53.47S 95.40W
Wind Direction: SSW
Wind Force: 6-7 (only Storm Jib)
Heading: 090-100 GPS
Barometer: 997 hps
Weather: Cloudy
Wave Height: 6-8m

Cold, foot frostbitten. Found water leak from stern pure-water tank.
No problem; have 180 bottles.
Hope to go to warmer north soon!!
It'll be unable to take photo of Cape Horn by passing within 2 NM.
It's on a continental shelf better not to reach closer when in bad weather,
need to careful due to the complicated current, though waves normally are under 10m.

Jan 12 - Day 89
0630 Position: 54.01S 94.37W
Wind Direction: WSW
Wind Force: 5-6
Boat Speed: 5 KTS only Storm Jib
Heading: 130-140 GPS
Barometer: 996 hps
Weather: Light Rain

Will make a jibe when wind shifts to NW.

Jan 13 - Day 90
2300 (Local Time 0900)Position: 54.08S 88.34W
Wind Direction: WSW
Wind Force: 8-10
Boat Speed: 6 KTS Bare Pole
Heading: 110-120 GPS
Barometer: 988 hps
Weather: Cloudy
Temperature: 8°C
Wave Height: 8-10m

3 boats of Vende Globe are near-by.
http://www.vendeeglobe.org/uk/classements

Jan 14 - Day 91
0630 Position: 54.21S 87.40W
Wind Direction: WSW
Wind Force: 6-7
Boat Speed: 5 KTS bare pole
Heading: 090-100 GPS
Barometer: 990 hps
Weather: Cloudy

Will hoist Storm Jib; wind coming down.

2300 Position: 54.29S 86.04W
Wind Direction: SW
Wind Force: 3
SPD 3KTS
Heading: 130-140 GPS
Barometer: 995 hps
Weather: Cloudy
Temperature: 9°C

High pressure extends and wind is weak for a while.
Going to open up the sails.
Tomorrow at Yumenoshima, the support crew's New Year's Party is planned.
Hello to everyone from Saito, he's quite fine.

Jan 15 - Day 92
0600 Position: 54.55S 85.20W
WInd Direction: N
Wind Force: 6-7
Boat Speed: 7 KTS
Heading: 120-130 GPS
Barometer: 991 hps
Weather: Cloudy with occasional light rain
Temperature: 9°C

Deployed Main with 2-point reef, No. 1 Jib 70%. Changed rope of wind vane. Had worn a lot.