Despite rumours of tropical storms threatening the rescue attempts of the vessel, the forecast remains fair for the next 10 days with reducing wind and swells.

The project’s official meteorologist, Dr Andrew Eccleston from the University of Plymouth’s School of Earth Ocean and Environmental Sciences who is a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological society, a Chartered Meteorologist and a Member of the Nautical Institute says:

‘Gipsy Moth IV is aground at the North West corner of the Rangiroa Atoll and it is very important that the weather stays quiet over the next few days whilst the recovery operation is completed.

‘The good news is that the easterly breeze of 10-15 knots should ease off gradually, so the waves caused by the wind will be very small. As is often the case, the swell is coming from a different direction to the wind, and for the next few days it is forecast to be mainly from the south and between 1-2 metres in height. As Gipsy Moth is on the north side of the atoll this means that she should get some protection.’