MacArthur has wind in her sails

Map: Ellen's route

British sailor Ellen MacArthur has moved out of danger and is enjoying fast sailing as she makes up time in her solo round-the-world record bid.

She was 21 hours, 19 minutes ahead of schedule on Tuesday afternoon as she chased Francis Joyon's mark of 72 days, 22 hours, 54 minutes and 22 seconds.

Conditions are rough but the strong wind is keeping her boat's speed high.

MacArthur is expecting to maintain her speed over the next few days as she rides a cold front.

"I think I must be the luckiest person in the world to be here seeing, feeling, smelling and touching all this with my own eyes and senses - I feel alive," she told her website.

"Though it's quite frightening being here and feeling poor B&Q (her 75ft trimaran) being literally hurled down the waves... winds gusting not to 40 but over 50 to 55 knots in the squalls.

"I feel this is not so far from the end of the earth, we are isolated, but on the other hand completely free."

MacArthur has regained four of the six hours she lost to Joyon's mark in bad conditions on Sunday.

Waves in excess of 30ft forced her to abandon her more southerly route.

I am getting launched sideways down waves, like falling off the edge of a cliff on skis, boat heeling at 35 degrees Ellen MacArthur

"Every few minutes my heart ends up in my mouth as I feel the boat suspended above a wave trough, then we come crashing down. At night it is something else," she said on Monday.

The boat-breaking seas are being created by the collision of two depressions - one to the south-east and one to the north-west.

"Gusts of 53 knots and mountainous waves - the further south I go the worse the wind is getting," the 28-year-old told her website on Monday morning.

"I am getting launched sideways down waves, like falling off the edge of a cliff on skis, boat heeling at 35 degrees."

MacArthur, who is on a more direct course approximately 370 miles south of Frenchman Joyon's record-setting track, expects wind speeds could drop as low as 20-25 knots.

But she will aim to stay below the band of high pressure that is sitting north of 43 degrees south for the next few days, until the wind turns north west.

The North African Rise - where the water depth changes from 2km to 200m - is preventing her heading north east.

"It is bound to be a real cauldron there," she added.

MacArthur is also expecting a torrid time on board her 75-foot trimaran B&Q over Christmas.

A huge low weather system, capable of generating 50-60 knot winds, is developing east of the Kerguelen Islands, which she is due to pass towards the end of the week.