Solo sailor battles towards Southern Ocean

1:30 AM Mon 1 Aug 2011 GMT

'The calm before the storm - Bruce Arms solo Around Australia' Bruce Arms

Solo sailor Bruce Arms is battling gale-force winds and big seas off Western Australia at the completion of week three as he continues his world-record attempt to sail non-stop, solo around Australia in just 35 days.

At 12 noon on Sunday, 31 July 2011 Bruce was 75 nautical miles west of Fremantle, and 63 hours ahead of the existing record of 42 days 5 hours 33 minutes.

During week three of his attempt, Bruce has sailed 970 nautical miles down the Western Australia coast from Broome.

The two-time winner of the Solo Trans-Tasman yacht race has experienced conditions which have ranged from balmy, calm days in the north to the gale-force winds, cold rain, squally thunderstorms and large seas of last night and this morning.

Bruce said he was expecting strong westerly winds averaging 35-40 knots, and reaching 50 knots as he makes his way south to the next rounding point off Cape Leeuwin.

'Late last night I used a drogue (sea-brake) to slow the boat down as the highest wind gust recorded by my instruments was 52 knots.'

'I plan on taking a day and a half to get to Cape Leeuwin by which time the worst of the waves in that location - 15 metres plus - should have passed and the strong gale-force winds should have eased a little,' he said.

Once around Cape Leeuwin, Bruce and Big Wave Rider will be on the 1500 nautical mile leg across the treacherous Southern Ocean to Tasmania. This should take a week to complete followed by another week's sailing to his starting, and finishing point, at Mooloolaba, Queensland.

Follow Bruce Arms journey in Big Waver Rider via Addcom Contact Solutions Website: www.acssatellite.com.au/products/tracking-portal/bruce-arms-solo-around-australia.html63 hours ahead of the existing record of 42 days 5 hours 33 minutes.

During week three of his attempt, Bruce has sailed 970 nautical miles down the Western Australia coast from Broome.

The two-time winner of the Solo Trans-Tasman yacht race has experienced conditions which have ranged from balmy, calm days in the north to the gale-force winds, cold rain, squally thunderstorms and large seas of last night and this morning.

Bruce said he was expecting strong westerly winds averaging 35-40 knots, and reaching 50 knots as he makes his way south to the next rounding point off Cape Leeuwin.

'Late last night I used a drogue (sea-brake) to slow the boat down as the highest wind gust recorded by my instruments was 52 knots.'

'I plan on taking a day and a half to get to Cape Leeuwin by which time the worst of the waves in that location - 15 metres plus - should have passed and the strong gale-force winds should have eased a little,' he said.

Once around Cape Leeuwin, Bruce and Big Wave Rider will be on the 1500 nautical mile leg across the treacherous Southern Ocean to Tasmania. This should take a week to complete followed by another week's sailing to his starting, and finishing point, at Mooloolaba, Queensland.

Follow Bruce Arms journey in Big Waver Rider via Addcom Contact Solutions Website: www.acssatellite.com.au/products/tracking-portal/bruce-arms-solo-around-australia.html

by Suzanne Arms

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