Yesterday the river authorities delayed the pick up time for the pilots until 1900 GMT tonight 10 March (0300 local time). Meanwhile all seven yachts are safely anchored in the waiting anchorage about 30 miles to the SE of the main estuary. The weather has become miserable and a cold NE force 6 – 7 has blown up. There is continuos drizzle, the sea temp is only 2.5 degrees C and the water is yellow. There are over 25 ships around them also waiting to go up river. Some are covered in rust and are listing and look as though they have been waiting there since the 1930s. In summary the Clippers are nicely sheltered but are more than ready to get up to Shanghai.

Alex Thomson in Ariel surprised everyone by finding out his mobile telephone worked out in the East China Sea.

Positions and points at Shanghai. On completion of Leg 3B 10 March 99. 9 out of 17 racing legs

1. Ariel Alex Thomson 9.5
2. Chrysolite Tim Hedges 28.5
3. Antiope Keith Harris 30 4
4. Mermerus Barney Sollars 31
5. Thermopylae Malcolm Tod 33.5
6. Serica Rupert Dean 36 7
7. Taeping Nick Fleming 39