Today
Sedlacek turned back
About the fact that the Austrian Norbert Sedlacek on the yacht AAL Innovation (class IMOCA 60) basalt fiber left Le Sables d’Olon and headed for the Arctic Ocean, we reported only five days ago. Nevertheless, the clouds were already gathering over the expedition.
In the literal sense of the word, they thickened: on the night from Wednesday to Thursday, AAL Innovation fell into a violent storm. During which a staysail blew off in a gust of wind, and he fell into the water and spun around the keel and steering wheel. Sedlachek managed to release them only after numerous attempts.
Moreover, when inspecting the yacht Sedlacek found several serious damages at once. First, he decided to make a stop for repair in one of the ports of Ireland (as is well known, the rules of single non-stop travel are not prohibited if you do not go ashore and do not receive outside help). But then he decided to return to Les Sables d’Alonne and, after repairs, start anew.
Recall, the goal of the Austrian – alone at AAL Innovation to describe the "eight" – to pass through the Canadian Northwest Passage in the direction from east to west, go down the western coast of the United States to the Horn, make a loop around Antarctica, rounding the menacing cape twice, then through Atlantic return to France. The length of the route is 34,000 nautical miles!
In Les Sables d’Olon, the Austrian is scheduled to come on Monday. His coastal team will immediately begin work that needs to be done as quickly as possible. So that the AAL Innovation yacht approaches the Northwest Passage before the ice rises.
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