Day 23, Sunday February 28, 1999

© Photo Richard Konkolski

Soldini was only 500 miles from the finish line off Punta and making 6.9 knots. Class II leader J.P. Mouligne had 1,078 miles to go and he was making 8.3 knots. At the same time Marc Thiercelin was just miles away from Port Stanley. He radioed the harbor authorities to inform them that he was in fog not far from the rocky coastline with limited maneuverings ability.

Garside's Magellan Alpha © Photo Billy Black

Magellan Alpha passed the Cape Horn. Garside reported: "Well, the routing plan to Cape Horn, much to my pessimistic surprise, worked. With the 0700 local dawn I fell, cross-eyed with sleep, out of my warm bunk and tried to focus on the misty horizon and there, on the port beam was Cape Horn. I had planned on a 1200Z arrival, and, blow me down, we made it. Forgetting breakfast, I toasted my arrival instead with a glass from a bottle of red wine - a gift from Katie Comchick - and did my best with the video camera. Though I don't hold out much hope that the grey smudge that was the mystical rock will win many awards for artistic film production."

© Photo Richard Konkolski

The happiest skipper to see a drop in the wind was Brad Van Liew. Up to now he had the worst weather conditions for whole fleet. He reported: "I lived and so did Balance Bar by some miracle! The weather we confronted in the last 48 hours that has now eased for a relaxed rounding of the infamous Cape was the worst I could imagine. The winds were so high that bare poles was way too much sail area. I don't know how to judge seas that big but they were the size of buildings with whitewater tubes significantly bigger than the boat. We were knocked down dozens of times and significantly a few. What I mean by significant is that I was looking at the depths of the blue Southern Pacific Ocean through my cabin window. How the mast still stands is an amazing accomplishment in engineering!"

Brad Van Liew © Photo Billy Black  

"I am exhausted and am numb to the whole experience. I am bruised and very stiff from being tossed throughout the cabin but basically in good health. I feel like I was given the opportunity to see exactly what has killed so many sailors and crushed so many boats and be permitted to move through it. I can't imagine a boat of lesser strength and stability surviving such a scenario. I am now enjoying a relaxing evening in preparation of rounding Cape Horn..."

Victor Yazykov, only 122 miles back behind Balance Bar, suffered the same conditions more optimistically, as he described in his email: "Everything is ok out here. The wind is pretty strong, but we carry inner jib and speed is around 7 knots. It seems a bit warmer than at the second leg or I have got a habit to cold. During this leg every morning I go outside naked for few minutes wash myself a little. It seems to be important for a good feeling and health. It is gusting like mad, but the air pressure just starts to grow up. Should be ok."

Minoru Saito © Photo Billy Black

Further back Minoru Saito still had some 3,050 miles to go. He was remembering his friend Harry Mitchell, who was lost at sea during the last BOC Challenge. Tomorrow Saito will try to divert to 56S, 114W, the last known Harry's position. Saito was carrying two earrings with him. He was planning to drop one in the sea in the Southern Ocean and bring the other one around the Horn and then home to Harry's wife, Diana."

© Photo Richard Konkolski

Positions:

Class 1

Class 2

Copyright © Richard Konkolski
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