Friday, January 9, 2026 – Ecuador in 10 days
The impressive progress made by the sailors of The Famous Project CIC since rounding Cape Horn last Tuesday has slowed somewhat this morning. Alexia Barrier’s crew is now facing the first challenge typical of this part of the South Atlantic, off the coast of Uruguay, where a high-pressure system is lingering.
They have begun to skirt around it to the east at a moderate speed and are trying to escape its windless center, which is also moving eastward and onto their course. The all-female crew of The Famous Project CIC has not been dawdling since returning to the Atlantic, often sailing at nearly 30 knots as they extricated themselves from the Roaring Fifties and the Furious Forties.
In the words of Alexia Barrier
“Since Cape Horn, we’ve immediately felt a change. The sea is gradually calming down and the movements are becoming easier to read. We’re leaving a very challenging playground behind and entering a more structured ocean. That doesn’t mean it’s easy, but we’re finding our bearings again and weather patterns that we know better.
The Atlantic is an ocean that is easier to ‘read’. We know its traps, its transitions, its calm zones and its systems. The vision is clearer, but it remains a very delicate strategy, almost like a game of chess. We are moving forward step by step. In the immediate future, we have to manage the passage of a high-pressure system. So a big slowdown. We know there’s another one behind it. Before we can reach the wind that will take us to the equator. So quite a few maneuvers…
The temperatures are slowly rising, and that changes everything. Less cold, less humidity, slightly more restful nights. Life on board is becoming more comfortable, even though we are still in a very demanding environment.
On paper, we can expect to reach the equator in 10 days. In reality, it will depend on many factors. The Atlantic can be generous… or very playful. We are not fixated on a specific number. The goal remains to sail correctly, to preserve the boat and the crew, and to make the most of every opportunity. “
The next milestone on their agenda is crossing the equator, which is planned for next Sunday.
Excerpt from an article by The Famous Project CIC
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