At sea (AFP)

The Englishwoman Pip Hare has successfully completed a breathtaking solo round-the-world race on an old boat for her very first Vendée Globe.

After braving the terrible storms of the southern seas, she is slowly preparing to go "home", as she recounts in her logbook for AFP.

The 46-year-old sailor and her boat Medallia, which sail in the South Atlantic, are in 17th place on Saturday evening, while the head of the fleet is expected in Les Sables d'Olonne (Vendée) on Wednesday.

"There is clearly a change aboard Medallia. The days are warmer, the weather is less terrible and I can feel like a little air coming home. And I have finally extricated myself from this hellish cycle in which I I was and where I was constantly preparing for a storm, facing a storm, recovering from a storm, and repairing damage from a storm.

Yesterday marked a big milestone - I took my first shower in two weeks!

I just didn't have time (or temperature) for a real shower, so this was the first on a long to-do list.

And it made me feel good - it's amazing what two buckets of cool water can do for you.

I feel brand new.

And I needed it.

Last week I experienced my most terrible storm to date.

I might be done with the Southern Seas, but it reminded me that there was still a long way to go.

After making an unfortunate choice of navigation, I ended up in the heart of a low pressure area, in which the winds were reaching 50 knots.

But what was really difficult was the state of the sea after the depression had passed.

It was messy and steep and Medallia looked like she was falling off a cliff as she had just crashed on top.

It was on one of those shattering descent that the keel line broke.

So I spent a few hours changing it - it's not a particularly difficult task but everything is done in the dark, in a cramped shell with water squirting all over me.

But I have been well rewarded these last days by sailing in a completely pleasant way.

Medallia and I are happily progressing north and we can even catch up with the group in front of us.

Now that I've showered, I continue my to-do list, starting with replacing my J3 with an adorable, fresh and brand new J3.

I knew this sail would wear out in southern seas and had long planned to change it for the last stretch of the course.

So making this change means I'm really on my way home. "

Interview by Sabine COLPART

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