The crew of Liverpool enjoying life at an angle

With Equator crossing #1 complete we head for Salvador

En route to Durban with Salvador five days behind us; we start to experience the South Atlantic rollers that would produce the most testing conditions of the race so far.

With Durban behind us the South Atlantic really starts to show what it is made of.  We spent most of the journey to Australia with the wind forward of the beam.  This is typical of the conditions we experienced for the entire voyage to Australia from Durban.

 

The sea temperature drops and crew begin to use dry suits.  Fall overboard here and the chance of surviving is minimal

 

Finally, we reach the Southern Ocean and conditions are about as far from the downwind sleigh ride we expected as is possible.  Everyone is using two clips when moving around the boat.  Noone is ever unclipped.  I find this the most enjoyable leg so far.  There is something quite solitary about being on deck.  Even when there is a crew mate sitting beside you, it is almost impossible to hold a conversation due to the wind and the waves.  It’s hard to photograph the waves because if I choose to hold the camera whilst a wave is crashing over the boat there is a real risk of being washed across the deck.  

 

The skies begin to brighten as we approach Rottnest Island off the coast of Perth.

Christmas Day on Cottesloe Beach, Perth!  I arrive in Australia and spend three wonderful weeks relaxing and enjoying the fantastic weather.  Now its home to Blighty for three months before I head out to San Francisco.  Only as I lie on the beach is it possible to begin to comprehend the fact that it has taken 13,500 miles of hard sailing and three months to reach Australia. It will take 18 hours to get home!