Hello Tristan and Hello Roaring Forties of the Southern Ocean | Dr. Stanley Paris – Kiwi Spirit, a custom designed 63-foot yacht

Tristan Da Cunha is the mid south Atlantic island aka St. Helena to which Napoleon was exiled.  It is on the same latitude as Cape of Good Hope.  Stanley Paris - who is in his 70's - is 1/4 of the way on his second attempt at a solo Bermuda to Bermuda circumnavigation.  I envy his cardiac strength, though I have never wanted to sail single-handed for more than a day.



- GWC

Hello Tristan and Hello Roaring Forties of the Southern Ocean | Dr. Stanley 

Paris – Kiwi Spirit, a custom designed 63-foot yacht: "Good to see an old friend. Yes I am passing by Tristan da Cunha again, a towering volcanic island looking very much like a nuclear power station’s cooling tower. Tristan along with the associated islands of I’Isola Inaccessible and le Isole Nightingale are home to very little other than birds of which I have seen quite a few these past days. They come very close to the boat flying effortlessly rarely flapping their wings. The giant albatross with its seven to nine foot wing span is the most gracious and majestic. The strange thing is that the birds here never seem to plunge into the water to gather food. They just fly and swoop often with their wings tips almost touching the water. They may stop and alight but they don’t seem to gather food. How do they survive and on what?

I am now at latitude south 39 and tomorrow no doubt south 40 – known as the roaring forties. Here I can experience winds with an average strength of 22 knots from predominantly the NW, W and SW. Of course, some winds will be weaker and others stronger. Hopefully we (Kiwi Spirit and I) are ready both mentally and physically."



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