DAY 13 AUCKLAND TO ITAJAI

CAPE HORN

It is the twelfth day of the leg 5 of the  Volvo Ocean Race -Auckland to Itaji.  The entire fleet is sailing around  the tip of cape horn  situated some 56 degrees South. Just above the ice exclusion zone a degree or two further south, the wind is merciless, the dark blue water is 3 degrees, everything is cold, and there isn’t a single inch of the boats that havn’t been touched with water.  Everyone has been sailing at 20 to 25 knots speed, through the surfs and at times it looked like they were submarines, sailing in the tube of a wave like a surfboard. There has been so much water coming through all the nooks and crannies of the boats that it seems as if it was  raining inside the  galley.

But with all the havoc, the Southern Ocean is a very special place, beautiful and breathtaking. Probably one of the most spectacular places on the planet.  Last night the Dongfeng team were sailing at a speed of 28 knots when they broke their  mast.  The  FRO is still intact horizontally, with the top of the mast is moving around and difficult to establish exactly what the problem is. Fortunately nobody’s injured, because at that speed the wind force can do tremendous damage. The sad thing is Dongfeng is now sailing towards Ushuaia at a speed of 7 knots and the question that begs t asked, is "Will they make it to Itajaí or at least be in time for the start of the next leg".  Black (Liu Xue) seems very disappointed but Kevin says no worries the boat is safe.

Dongfeng with a broken mast above the third spreader.

At least the broken mast holds no danger for the Dongfeng crew.

For the past few days its been bitterly cold, so much so that the water stings on contact and everyone is dressed in 4 to 6 layers of clothing.  Alvimedica  is in the lead and clinging to a three-mile on the rest of the fleet and is averaging between 25-30 knots and Itajai is their goal.

Brunel in the foreground and Mapfre in the rear the Cape Horn in the Distance

An overcast day in the Southern Ocean with Abu Dhabi passing Cape Horn.

Alvimedica is currently the race leader as can be seen from the above to pics its position relative to Cape Horn 

Weather and water conditions last night.

Mapfre inundated with water. Not a dry speck on the entire boat

Dongfeng bowman on the bow.

The Dongfeng Team scrambling to take the mainsail down  after the mast broke.

Spellbound by the surfs coming on deck.

Icy water covering the entire boat.

At 28 knots and leading the fleet, the mast gives up the gost in the dead of the night

The main sail flapping uncontrollably in the wind due to a broken mast above the third spreader.