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Velux 5 Oceans
Sir Robin rounds Cape Horn 37 years after his first time
"Yipeeee ! Cape Horn bearing north at 8.2 miles. Major Headland declared !"
lundi 19 février 2007 –
Yesterday was a tense day for Team Saga Insurance as they waited for news from Sir Robin who rounded Cape Horn in strong winds gusting at 40 knots. He stayed in regular contact throughout the day with email updates. Cape Horn is an enormous milestone both physically and mentally and represents a small private members club that only sailors that have first sailed round the bottom of the world can belong to. Not only did Sir Robin have to round The Horn yesterday, but he also had to rendez-vous with a local team south of the Beagle Channel in gale force winds.
Simon Clay, Sir Robin’s shore team, flew to Ushuaia to join him and had the panic of arriving in Buenos Aires only to discover that all the entire flight’s baggage had been left in Madrid, including all the boat spares. The team would like to thank Saga Insurance for their sterling efforts (over Saturday night) of using their travel contacts in Argentina to help rescue the parts, which have now thankfully made it to Ushuaia.
Yesterday morning was the first time Sir Robin had seen another boat for many weeks. “A ship passed just now, tried calling, no response. 16 miles to Diego Ramirez Isles, wind building, glad I got some southing in overnight. Well done with chasing up the parts. We never expected this sort of challenge, the elements are enough, but when the going gets tough....”
At 1030 yesterday morning Sir Robin enjoyed his first glimpse of land. “Land Ho ! That is a headland. Diego Ramirez Isles at 13 miles and where they should be so the GPS is almost as good as a sextant ! Cape Horn 65 miles to ENE. RKJ”
And six hours later he rounded the Horn. “Yipeeee ! 1626 GMT Sunday 18th February 2007, Cape Horn bearing north at 8.2 miles. Major Headland declared. Cut Aileen’s cake, delicious. Lit Sharpey’s large cigar. RKJ”
37 years ago, when Sir Robin rounded the Horn on the 17th January 1969, his log book read “Yippee !!!” Later in his book (A World of My Own) he wrote, “We’ve passed it !!! Spliced the mainbrace and broke out Aunt Aileen’s fruitcake. I carefully removed the foil Foil #foil wrapping and the aroma hit me. The flavour and taste are even better than the smell. I’ve cut a reasonable slice, as I’ll make it last a bit if I can. It has withstood over seven months in its tin magnificently. To add to my pleasure there is a piece of The Times in the tin so I have something new to read as well.”
His now 100-year-old Aunt Aileen and 85-year-old sister Maureen made him another fruit cake and wrapped it in a page from The Times once again. When Aileen was asked if she worried about her young whipper-snapper of a nephew being at sea again, she answered “No ! He said he was going to get it done, so I just expect him to get out there and get it done !”
And the latest contact with the UK team was confirmation that Sir Robin has officially suspended racing and is en route to Ushuaia. “Engine started at 2146 in Posn 55 08.2S 066 28.6W Tow taken at 24:00 off Picton Island. RKJ”
The tow to Ushuaia will take approximately 8-10 hours where SAGA INSURANCE will be met by Simon Clay and he can get to work on fixing several problems, not least the system that allows Sir Robin to download weather information and the issues with the mainsail. Both these repairs alone will ensure that this pit stop is an efficient one enabling Sir Robin to race more competitively in the remaining 7,000 Atlantic miles of the race.
Press info Sophy Williams / www.teamsagainsurance.co.uk
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