BT Global Challenge - Approaching Cape Horn
by Dickon Purvis 19 Dec 2000 20:29 GMT
Go to an atlas. Put your finger on the US and then drag it all the way down the American continent until you run out of land. We are there... Cape Horn. Or the Straits de la Maire, to be precise.
I can’t believe that I am almost at Cape Horn. It seems unreal. I had always
imagined it to be somewhere cold, harsh and distant but it’s not. It is
utterly majestic. Huge, jagged mountains dusted with snow, reach up into the
sky. It is a very personal experience to be here and you have to take a
couple of moments to make yourself realise that you ARE here and that you’d
better soak it all up. I will never be able to look at an atlas again
without thinking about how I sailed around Cape Horn. I can’t begin to put
into words how chuffed I am to have got here even though it has been
relatively easy this far. I shall always remember this with pride and
fondness.
The experience has been further heightened by the fact that we are here with
4 other Challenge yachts: CGU, Spirit of Hong Kong, Compaq and Quadstone.
Nearly 2000 miles since Buenos Aires and we are all within about 2 or 3
miles of each other - incredible. It really brings alive the race to the
crews. For once you can really tell whether a sail change was a good one or
not or if you really are as fast as you think you are. Regardless of that
though, it just nice to know that there are others experiencing this with
you. As each boat arrives in Wellington, I’m sure we will be greeted with
new respect by our new, fellow Cape Horn-ers
Sadly the still winds and pale green, Constable sky of the Straits de la
Maire have left us and we are racing to the Horn in strong winds. The
Southern Ocean has decided to give us a taster of the trials ahead and it
looks like it’s going to be hard work. Oh well, at least there are only 3
and a half weeks more to go.
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