Yesterday evening Enda O'Coineen reached the first major milestone in the Vendee Globe by crossing the equator. This is the first of many milestones in the solo non-stop round the world sailing race considered the Everest of the Seas. The boat is in fantastic shape and as you'll see from the video Enda is in 'exceptional' form as he settles into this 100 day solo challenge.
“I'm doing very well – I've got a very stable weather pattern. I'm looking forward to crossing the Equator and getting back in the fleet. I went very far east when I should have followed the old rule of staying west. I thought I could get back but it didn't work.
“But I'm on great form, my daughter delivered my granddaughter, my first granddaughter, yesterday, so that's very good news. I'm not ready to be a parent yet let alone a grandparent so I shudder at the thought! Maybe this will make me a better parent when I get back. I've got very tolerant and understanding children. It was a difficult pregnancy for Roisin, she was long overdue and it was quite a reasonable concern.
“I think the emotion is more amplified. You think an awful lot more and it's more intense because of the isolation. You think through life and all the details 24/7, and that's combined with the physical and mental activities. It is more moving – on land you've lots of other things going on so the brain doesn't have the same ability to focus. The emotional part is much deeper.
“Whether it's driving me harder or not I don't know - in fact, I'm being more careful to tell you the truth. Every time you get up and walk on deck you're putting yourself at risk. These boats are machines and you've got to keep them turning over. Fortunately the boat is in good shape and so am I. My shoulder is still a bit sore, it's taken me two weeks to recover, but I'm in better shape now than when I started. I'm really looking forward to getting into the Southern Ocean, just for a day! The idea of being there for a month.... the cold will get into you. It's easy to say that sitting here on the Equator in warm conditions.
“15 days in and like everyone else you wonder how I ever talked myself into this one, but it's a long road ahead and there are some very high moments and some very low moments. At the moment it's good, it's all very solid, just trotting along at about 10 knots at an angle of about 80 degrees. The wind is freeing slightly so that's great.
“We'll have a little bottle of champagne and a big fat cigar [at the Equator], and I've made special arrangements to have an appointment arranged with King Neptune himself. He's going to come and visit and I'm going to ask him to bless my new granddaughter. We'll have a chat and share some secrets, and I'm sure King Neptune will look after us all. I think that's very important, so I'm looking forward to that appointment. It's the equivalent to the appointment at the Pearly Gates at Heaven – or Hell! - but I think it's going to be Heaven this time. I'll probably cross the Equator later on this afternoon or tonight. It might be more like tonight. We're making 10 knots so it will be some time later today.
“I wouldn't say my spirits are high but I'm in good solid form. You have to manage yourself emotionally through the ups and downs but with this extreme sailing in lovely warm tradewinds I'm happy on my boat. I can't complain!”
