"It's going better, it's not bad! I am battered and bruised all over, on my thighs, calves, arms, hands... It's as if I'd taken a big ride on a metal mountain bike, with aches and pains everywhere and in my joints, but there's nothing serious! I'm just physically wiped out, but I have slept a lot and I'm going to get better.

 

I'm super happy that I went back up each time (his mast) and didn't give up.  I was on the verge of doing it, and I would have regretted it.

 

I've just changed my headsail because it's got light, and I'm about to send my mainsail up for the first time in a month. I've been waiting to do that in the lighter conditions. The repair is holding, for now. I've gybed, it hasn't broken. The piece is much stronger than the previous one. I really need to hoist the mainsail if I don't want to be late for the next system. Anyway, I'm happy, so very happy!

 

A depression lies ahead which I'm going to slip under, along the AEZ and then will have to sail upwind which will not be much fun, but that in 30 knots can be done. I am at less of an advantage in these rough conditions as the boat performs better in rough than in light conditions.

 

I'm reliving the same thing I had happen four years ago. Well, I was disguised as Santa Claus, but I was sailing upwind. Thanks to the Race Direction for opening the door of the ZEA!

 

For the moment, my automatic pilot seems to be OK. When it started to work again, I had switched to the back up rudder angle sensor. After that, I that I did not have too many solutions left... I steered for a long time, 15 hours, and when I switched back on the electonics on the autopilot it has worked. I have since been really protecting it from the humidity and looked after it as she was my wife and for now, all is working well.

 

My wife? She is amazing, incredible, and so is this team. I have their support day and night, it's super cool.

 

I'm missing the sensor, it's a five-year-old installation, the original one, and there are some outdated things, despite having done all the updates. The parts wear out...

 

The fact that it is not a single line treadmill for the leaders to Cape Horn is motivating. There isn't too much "reason" for those ahead to make a break. My brother Nelson reminded me that four years ago, there was an 800-mile gap between Armel (Le Cléac'h, who won on board the current boat Louis is racing on) and that it ended up neck-and-neck with Alex Thomson, who was missing a foil and had a problem with his J1 (headsail). I'm trying to believe that I'm moving forward and recovering at the same time. You lose a bit of ground when you sleep a lot, but if my mainsail holds up, I'll do everything I can to get back on track".