Volvo Ocean Race: Team Brunel surfs towards Cape Horn
by Sail-World.com/nz 29 Mar 2018 10:17 BST
29 March 2018
Team Brunel pushed through a big one in the last 12 hours before rounding Cape Horn © Yann Riou / Volvo Ocean Race
It's been a wild ride for Leg 7 leader, Team Brunel as they surf through the Southern Ocean for the last day before rounding Cape Horn and re-enter the South Atlantic Ocean.
Skipper Bouwe Bekking writes from onboard Team Brunel:
Couple of exciting things happened today. We did three gybes, all in around 40 knots.
Big question is do we furl the gennaker and then gybe or keep it flying so that it is easier to get the mainsail through. But of course the risk of a massive wipe-out is there. We opted the three times keep it flying, the last one was in 43 knots. As I drive the bus in the gybes, must have been fun to see my heart rate. But they all went smooth, and every time we did one you could see relief on the all the faces.
But probably the most exciting thing was that we were nearly smoked out. Had an electrical fire in the media station, luckily the fire extinguisher didn't need to be used, Capey quickly switched all electronics off and that did the job.
The crew is very, very, very tired, even though we are leading there is no hurrah feeling onboard. I haven't slept since our early morning gybe, that is 14 hours ago and Carlo the same.
But as well the loss of John is sitting way deeper than people like to admit: I think of him several times in an hour.
Now quickly send this report and then hopefully in the bunk.
Roughly 12 hours to the Horn.
cheers,
Bouwe