Miranda at Cape Finisterre

This morning, Miranda leaves the Cape Finisterre Traffic Separation System to starboard, at the western tip of the Iberian Peninsula, this area of heavy cargo traffic prohibited to Vendée Globe sailboats.

The Bay of Biscay now offers itself to her, in all its tricky components for any sailor who has been at sea for 99 days in solitude. The sea is still rough, and the wind from the South West is strong. Miranda took the opportunity yesterday to climb north along Portugal, at nearly 13.5 knots average speed. She is certainly eager to arrive! In any case, she continues to leave emotions at bay, always so surprisingly serene, mastering her art of good sailing, which has so far enabled her to triumph over the worlds oceans. With humility, silent courage, the know-how instilled by partner on land and at sea Halvard Mabire, Miranda is on the way to achieving what only 8 women before her have been able to achieve, to finish a Vendée Globe. It’s most likely she will arrive Thursday morning and become the 5th British sailor to achieve the ultimate maritime feat, after Ellen McArthur, Dee Caffari, Samantha Davies and Pip Hare. Yes, more English women have completed a Vendée Globe than French women…

A word from onboard:

« Welcome sunshine after a rather busy, wet and very dark night with two consecutive cold fronts. I chose to go outside the verboten Traffic Separation Scheme as the sea state inshore must be truly impressive. Also, the wind accelerates significantly around Cape Finistere and there is enough here as it is, and the second front has stalled over the land 50 miles away – the sun has just risen above it.There are quite a few ships on this side of the TSS too. Short naps only to weave amongst the traffic. 
Now to work out the quickest, but not necessarily the windiest route to Les Sables d’Olonne…
Miranda/ Campagne de France »