I kept an eye on it this morning to check if it would be light enough wind for my J2 repair. But no. It wasn’t just quite right. Still 20 knots every few minutes. Drops to 13 but very short...

Now we are back in accelerating breeze which is stable at 20-22 knots. Boat speeds up to 32 sometimes (which is not intended as it adds a lot of stress for man and machine and there are no gains - taming the beast ...! Somehow next will be to go back to J3).

During the night I had to furl the headsail twice. Take a reef. Squalls. So a fragmented sleep but still a good night after all. From now on the wind will increase and only ease off in 48 hours 800 miles east from here. It will be the strongest depression so far. I am fine with it.

My next inner milestone is the gybe Thursday - then I know I made it through the worst and have easier conditions for the next 1600 miles to Cape Lieuween where I expect to be on the 13th.

The other major milestone will be this Friday the 11th, when for the first time since entering the southern ocean the wind should drop below 15 knots and I can take off my J2 and other repairs. Gaining the J2 back will be a boost in confidence as I am lacking the sail for an entire ocean. It had made life more difficult and costs lots of miles. Something really to look for.

After that I will close my navigation program and restart it in anti meridian view - with New Zealand in the center of the chart and the pacific to the right of it. Europe at the border of the chart then ....

I haven’t looked on the tracker in quite a while I was fearing it could demotivate me. Anyway I'll do my best and my focus is 100% on the race.

Thank you all for your compassionate messages and support.

The Vendée Globe is such a unique challenge !

Video sent yesterday - 12/07/2020