Scuttlebutt Photos:

Ellen MacArthur's Royal Navy Rendezvous

(December 7, 2004) Soon after Ellen MacArthur (UK) set a new time to the Equator of 8 days, 18 hours and 20 minutes during her quest for a solo circumnavigation record, Ellen had another extraordinary experience yesterday afternoon. The Royal Navy's frigate HMS Iron Duke and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker RFA Gold Rover, rendezvoused with Ellen just north of the Equator at approx 1700 GMT and a Lynx helicopter from HMS Iron Duke 'buzzed' past Ellen to take a few aerial shots. The two ships, enroute from the Falkland Islands via Brazil had been closely monitoring Ellen's progress, came within a mile of the trimaran B&Q and the ships company came on deck to cheer and wave.

Photos by the Royal Navy and Ellen MacArthur/Offshore Challenges