Cold water, rough seas, and a rescued bird
As Lecomte's swim has progressed, the temperature, both in and out of the water, has dropped. This creates new challenges. In particular, he has found that he is more aware of cold water entering his wetsuit through small tears and that he is finding it much more difficult to get into a rhythm after breaks to sleep or eat. To combat these problems he is taking shorter food breaks to try and keep his muscles warm, as well as aiming to increase his overall speed.
The team have also been battling mechanical issues. The main support boat, The Seeker, had been without a working engine for a few days, forcing the team to use a sail instead. The faulty part was eventually found and fixed, a defective battery switch the culprit. However, electrical issues continued, with the damp, salty conditions playing havoc with a number of systems on the boat.
Lecomte's animal interactions have continued too. A huge sunfish swam alongside him on day 128, seemingly content to let Lecomte get a close look, before disappearing into the depths. The team have also managed to rehabilitate a storm petrol, the same species of bird they had attempted to rescue a few weeks previously, that time without success. On this occasion, after two days on the boat, the bird regained enough strength to fly away.
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