Third in the Atlantic: GGR member of UCU, Randmaa rounded Cape horn

December 19, 20184min read

Early in the morning of 19 December the third of five remaining in the race participants around the world non-stop regatta Golden Globe Race have rounded Cape horn. Estonian Uku, Randmaa (Uku Randmaa) passed this significant milestone after 17 days after Dutchman Mark Slats (Slats Mark).

“I can’t believe what I see Cape horn. I am filled with gratitude to the heavens,” wrote a sailor.

He had to slow down a bit on the last part of the way to the Pacific oceanto catch comfortable weather conditions, but we had to wait long. This little trick has completely justified itself: at the right time in the area of Cape horn blew a Northwest wind of 20 knots and the waves were only three feet.

“Now the conditions are very good,” stated Randmaa 40 nautical miles from the Cape.

Good weather will accompany the Estonian next few days, so he will have the opportunity to celebrate their achievement.

From the leaders of the race, Frenchman Jean-Luc van den Heede (Jean-Luc van den Heede) and Mark Slats, which are playing cat-and-mouse in Brazil, Randmaa separates a little over two thousand nautical miles.

the Gap between van den Heede and Slats dropped in the past two weeks from 1,000 to 770 nautical miles.

In recent days, main problems of the steel Slats for heat and hunger.

“The climate became 100% tropical. 30 degrees Celsius is not normal,” he complained, burnt down in the sun.

But if the weather does not influence, the experiments with food sailor suit on their own.

“I just caught the first fish! Delicious Dorado or Mahi-Mahi. It’s really good, because I didn’t have lunch today, intending to catch the fish. Yesterday I did the same thing, was sure to get caught, but in the end did not. But today, the fish finally in the cockpit, and it’s fantastic. I saved the oil, I still have four packs, so I’ll fry it. I’m hungry, and you don’t know how”, — said Slats.

Jean-Luc van den Heede concerns more serious. His fragile, damaged during a Pacific storm, the mast decided to crack stronger. The Frenchman had to repair and strengthen it. He is looking forward to the trade winds, in the area where the wind will come from the right side and the mast finally will be a little less protected from the pressure in a vulnerable area.

Meanwhile in the Pacific, American Kopar Istvan (Istvan Kopar) dodged one storm and is now hiding from the other, who earlier in the week, experts described as “perhaps one of the biggest in the entire race.”

Fortunately, the weather front was formed to the East of the place where Kopar, and the yachtsman can just continue to gradually descend to the South, waiting for the cyclone will go in the direction of Cape horn, which Kopara separated about fifteen hundred nautical miles.

Normally open racing fleet Finn Tapio Lehtinen (Tapio Lehtinen) is also not yet able to enjoy the good weather. He even has to help the wind the autopilot to steer the boat — alone system with a strong wind unable to cope. According to Lehtinen, because of the pitching he broke the seventh reading glasses.

“Vainly trying to see the horizon over the tops of the waves,” wrote a sailor.

Between him and Istana Komarom now less than two thousand nautical miles.

The Briton Susie Goodall (Susie Goodall), which on December 7 was evacuated with her remaining without a mast during a storm the boat of Starlight, December 15 arrived in the Chilean port of Punta arenas. Although she had mixed feelings due to the fact that she was forced to stop participating in GGR, she admitted that without hesitation would try to repeat this race, if she had the chance.

“You may ask: why?! Some people just live for the sake of adventure. Such is human nature. For me the sea is a place where adventures are waiting. Every sailor understands the risks that accompany the access to water, but it makes us stronger, helps to overcome the challenges that occur in life” — said brave 29-year-old Goodall.

However, for some adventure begin when others end. Leave the boat one of the retired participants GGR, Irish Makhalina Gregor (Gregor McGuckin), which is still running the tracker, the ocean was carried to the shores of Western Australia. Now it can be reached from Perth, breaking the 1200 nautical miles.

And, it seems, some adventurers may want to bring a boat to shore, the more that only need to capture emergency aluminum mast. Reward the heroes will be not only gratitude, but a barrel of Irish whiskey that remained on Board!