Friday, December 5 – A weekend in the Doldrums
As Alexia Barrier says: “The Doldrums are like a living animal: unpredictable, shifting, sometimes generous, sometimes unforgiving. The goal is to get to the right place at the right time, with the right angle. We know that this phase can make or break an attempt. So yes, we look at it as the judge it is.”
The Doldrums… the next challenge
The Intertropical Convergence Zone, that part of the globe just above the equator where the northeast and southeast trade winds collide, creates an area of great stormy instability, with sudden gusts of over 30 knots alternating with endless periods of dead calm.
Alexia and her funny ladies have their sights set on the narrowest possible passage, which we hope will stabilize and not swell as they approach. The verdict will be in tomorrow, Saturday.
Five contrasting days…
The first five days of sailing perfectly encapsulate the spirit of The Famous Project CIC crew, from their cautious start in rough seas and stormy squalls to the tricky crossing of an anticyclonic ridge off the coast of Portugal.
The eight sailors have since been gliding downwind in a trade wind that is true to its capricious and changeable nature. The maxi trimaran is shaking off the dust and lengthening its stride south of the Cape Verde Islands.
“Over the last 48 hours, I’ve finally been able to breathe. The sea has calmed down for a moment, just enough for us to catch our breath, for the boat to settle down, for everything to return to a kind of natural rhythm. Of course, there are still those squalls, always them, that come and tease us, sometimes even annoy us, but that’s part of the game. We make adjustments, we adapt.
Since Madeira, we have really entered the rhythm of the trade winds. We are picking up speed, looking for the right angles, experiencing squalls and maneuvers… The boat is flying, the transitions are smooth, and we feel that the crew has found its cruising speed. It’s a long, challenging leg, with the wind changing constantly in strength and direction: we have to be on top of it… We work around the clock, staying focused on the course and the small adjustments that make all the difference on a maxi-trimaran like IDEC SPORT. We are in a well-established trade wind, with winds ranging from 18 to 30 knots depending on the squalls. The sea is relatively manageable but still rough enough to keep us wide awake. The squalls still bother us from time to time, but that’s part of the game: observe, anticipate, react. The atmosphere is studious and serene: we know that every mile counts. Overall, these are ideal conditions for speed. “« Ces dernières 48 heures, j’ai enfin pu respirer. La mer s’est calmée un instant, juste assez pour qu’on reprenne notre souffle, que le bateau se cale, que tout retrouve une sorte de rythme naturel. Bien sûr, il reste ces grains, toujours eux, qui viennent nous chatouiller, parfois même nous contrarier, mais ça fait partie du jeu. On compose, on ajuste, on s’adapte.
Scientific mission accomplished for Alexia Barrier and The Famous Project CIC
On Wednesday, between the Canary Islands and Cape Verde, we were able to deploy a drifting weather buoy. A seemingly simple gesture, but one that is scientific, useful, rare, and historic. This is the first time that a buoy of this type has been deployed from a trimaran sailing around the world. These small, discreet but essential buoys measure atmospheric pressure, sea temperature and surface currents. They send their data every hour, free of charge, to the international scientific community. They are the eyes and ears of the ocean.
The eight women of The Famous Project CIC raise their game day after day, with no pressure other than the desire to do well, attentive to the boat and to themselves.
The first week around the globe is coming to an end. From Ushant to Cape Verde, we retrace our journey down the North Atlantic with images from on board!
Article by The Famous Project CIC
Follow the adventure on IDEC SPORT social media and via the comprehensive map =>> https://trimaran-idec.geovoile.com/julesverne/2025/viewer/
