Friday 26th of October

We are already talking of D Day-4 for Brian. Hervé was yesterday in 10th position, still a the same place. Today is it's 15th day on the boat and we can say that he will spend around 20 days for the second leg. It's really quick when we think that he took with him for 30 days of food!

But what did Hervé eat? As you would have guessed, there is no fridge on board. And in provision of the coast it is going to be quite hot in the cabin. Fresh food will not last longer than one week. And then? Depending if they sail a prototype or Pogo the skippers have more or less luxury goods at their disposal. On a prototype, the camping gas is hanged from the ceiling and the kettle is welded to the camping gas so that no water can come out of it. This however limits a lot the kind of food that you can eat as the only thing you can do eat. The prototype skippers therefore eat at 90% dehydrated food.

In the contrary on the Pogo, you have a more classical camping gas inside an universal giant. This allows to use on top of the kettle also a frying pan where you can eat up meals prepared in advance. You can even eat pasta with dehydrated parmesan (Hervé's menu for the crossing of the Equator)!

And Herve then what is he going to eat? During his qualification course (La Rochelle light ship Conningbeg in Ireland and back) he had lost 4 kgs in ten days. He would then have to make an effort if he does not want to arrive looking like a skeleton in Brazil.

In the morning, he eats cereals with a fruit juice. At lunch, there are biscuits with parmesan cheese or saussages (at the beginning) and a big choice of tuna boxes (there was not a lot of choice in Lanzarote). In the evening, the basis of his alimentation is dehydrated food

The big problem of a dehydrated food is that it costs a lot and it can vary between 8 and 9 CHF a meal (£3 to £4 , $5 to $7 ). If you multiply that by 30 days and by two meals a day just 500CHF only for the dehydrated food. Therefore a lot of people just buy pot noodles from the supermarkets which is less than 2CHF per meal. Even Muriel tasted that for you during the delivery from Douranenez to Portsmouth (at least when you are on the boat and that you are hungry). To have an idea these are the different meals you have... in french:Jambon purée, Poulet exotique, Paelle océane, Couscous berbère, Brandade de cabilleau, Canard au miel, Pâtes aux crevettes, Piperade au basilic, Pâtes océanes, Canard au pruneau, Pâtes au curry légumes et Poulet mexicain!

To have a proper alimentation is very important for the long ways and the best example in that respect is certainly not Yves Parlier but Michel Desjoyaux who gained one kilo during the 3 months that lasted his victorious Vendee Globe.