Skipper's log: Samantha Davies (Britain), Initiatives-Cœur (IMOCA)

At last! We’re free from the Doldrums and VERY happy to be in the SE Trade Winds. In just over 1 hour we will cross over into the Southern Hemisphere. 
It is SO HOT and we are going SO FAST that life is a bit uncomfortable with all the hatches closed, and a violent motion that makes anything other than lying down impossible when off watch. As I write this I am lying on the bean bag in a dark hole in the aft section of the boat. It is about 40deg Celsius and 100% humidity. Like sleeping in a sauna. Oh, a sauna that is attached to a roller coaster!! I’ve got my noise canceling headphones on and I’m listening to classical cello music on Deezer !! Paul has just taken over on deck. 
The good thing is that we are going REALLY FAST and our old boat is definitely very happy with her new foils ????. We’re in the lead pack, albeit at the back of this pack, but we’re happy where we are, maybe we can gain a place on the run into Salvador... we’re certainly doing everything we can to try!
Clothing call is a difficult one - stay cool? Stay dry? Sun protection? Bruise prevention? You can’t cover all the options and all I can say is we’re lucky the fashion police don’t patrol the Atlantic Ocean because we would get some heavy fines, and I’m certainly not sending all the photos -haha. Just one attached to this message to show that I have found the wind speed  limit for the Musto wide brimmed sun hat! 

See you soon in Brasil - we’re coming in fast!! 

Sam