(October 13, 2022; Day 40) – Following weeks of upwind sailing out of Europe, and a nerve-racking doldrums experience, the 2022-23 Golden Globe Race fleet was desperate for beam reaching trade winds in the South Atlantic toward Trindade Island off the Brazilian coast and on to Cape Town.

But instead, some have been sailing upwind in confused seas and cold temperatures since crossing the equator…not a friendly welcome to the south.

Simon Curwen (GBR) is holding his lead over the rest of the solo fleet, albeit with a broken genoa halyard that will require a stop at Trindade for repairs, since the sea state does not make mast-climbing a viable option.

The man of the week has been Abhilash Tomy (IND) in second place who has consistently posted fast speeds, including several best 24-hour distances, and taking the absolute 7-day distance fleet record, gaining 210 miles over Curwen.

The top five skippers will converge towards Trindade over the next few days, but they cannot turn left to Cape Town, blocked by strong easterly winds. To try would take them into headwinds for a slow and painful 2600-mile crossing to Cape Town.

Typically, the best route to Cape Town for centuries has been for a course along the South American coast to avoid the St Helena High and then turn left towards the Cape of Good Hope when the westerlies emerge.

However, the center of the current High lay today around 10°W 40°S, a whole 1200 miles south of Trindade Island and will…