[Here’s another update while Linda is off the grid. Don’t forget to donate!— Doug]

Happy Birthday Linda!

I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the day than in the Roaring Forties, filled with 300 mile days, Dolphins, Albatrosses, and steering the 70-footer to a very impressive 20.6 knots surfing through the Southern Ocean. Way to go! I’m thinking you could do without the wet and cold, though.

For me, it’s an extra special day. You see, 25 years ago today Linda had the foresight and kindness to play Cupid and introduce me to my wife! At a J24 regatta, of course.

Cape Town to Australia – Day 17

Linda’s ClipperTelemed+ team is now two-thirds of way through the 5,575 mile leg from Cape Town to the southwestern tip of Australia, the third leg in the eight leg round-the-world race.

The 12-boat fleet is starting to curve back north after nearing the desolate Port Aux Francais in the Kerguelen Islands and is expected to finish in Albany Australia around Nov 24-26. Check out the live Race Viewer for the latest.

Here are a few recent  highlights from the skipper and crew logs:

The spinnaker drop was our best yet in 30 knots of wind so it looks like the training talks, as well as the hard work of the crew, have really paid off. This front should be a relatively punchy one and there is expected to be wind speeds of up to 80 knots ahead of it. – Race 3 Day 17 Skipper Report

Just never seen such raw beauty. It is as if earth is out of control and we are witnessing it first-hand. As a crew we can’t decide what is more scary, night or day…the other night we were hammering along heeled over and just screaming…the waves would pick the stern up and swing us to windward the boat would seem to giggle as the helmer drove the boat and sails back on course…you could not see the waves…but you sure could HEAR them…WHOOSH…CRASH.. – Race 3 Day 17 Crew Report

Night sailing…still cannot ever describe what it is like at night…we can see the sea spray as we move along at speeds exceeding 20 knots… Race 3 Day 17 Crew Report

The wind had continued to build and we were sailing with a deep reefed main and Yankee 3 in 50 to 60 knots of wind with a very large swell, at times tipping the 8 to 10 metre mark. The crew handled the conditions admirably and kept the good ship ClipperTelemed+ pointing in the right direction while surfing at speeds in excess of 20 knots pretty much every wave. – Race 3 Day 15 Skipper Report

Linda has been a very busy bee these last few days and she is in no doubt the strop queen. She hasn’t been moody you understand, she has been making lots of strops! We have changed the configuration of how we attach our headsails onto the bow to a way much more to my liking so she has been very busy helping to do that. – Race 3 Day 14 Skipper Report

This evening tells a much different story and as I write at 0200 boat time there is a heavy cloud layer and a constant wind of 35 to 45 knots. We are absolutely smoking along with one reef in the main and our Yankee 3. She is a bit of a handful and the boom is making some creaking sounds in the gusts so once I close this I think I will put the second reef in!- Race 3 Day 14 Skipper Report

Breakfast got off to a bit of a rough start when Stefano [from Italy] could not locate the espresso machine to whip us all up a shot and lattes. He was flabbergasted all we had was this contraption called a French press, I think he refused to use it for that reason… – Race 3 Day  13 Crew Diary

…if you want to experience what we did last night in 40-50kts of wind on deck…have someone you trust with your life, tie you to the hood of a car and get behind the wheel, then go down a steep full of curves no sides mtn road in darkness and rain with someone throwing buckets of cold sea water on your face…fun…the race of your life.  – Race 3 Day 11 Crew Diary