Day 40, Wednesday March 17, 1999

© Photo Richard Konkolski

Petersen was steadily gaining on Saito who dropped back to 180 miles behind him. By the end of the day Petersen was only 790 miles from Punta and making 5.4 knots. Within day or two, retired Fedor Konioukhow should round the Cape Horn and a day later so should Neil Hunter.

Neil Hunter was reporting a bumpy ride with wind of up to 45 knots. Despite the building sea he had a bit of fun: "I cast adrift all my empty bottles yesterday. All 14 at the one spot and with numbered messages inside them rolled up in aluminum foil to protect the writing from the sun and with the corks sealed with grease. I thought it was best to release them then rather than wait for the Horn and have glass bottles being thrown inside the cabin if the breeze and seas pick up further as predicted. They will now drift past Cape Horn and circle the globe in the Southern Ocean current until one day sometime in the next millenium washing up on some distant shore. So tell your future grandchildren to look out for barnacle encrusted bottles washed up on the beach. There may be a message inside with a treasure map. 270 miles now to the "rock" so a couple of days should do it. So... Till tomorrow, have fun and keep smiling."

© Photo Richard Konkolski

Positions:

Class 1

Class 2

Copyright © Richard Konkolski
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