Location: 1020 nautical miles to Cape Horn Approx 4000 miles from Auckland
Day's Run: 199 nautical miles
Friday December 1st, 2000
1000 hours: I jumped into my bunk last night knowing that there was a good chance of a long sleep and it nearly worked out that way. But by 0400 we were rolling a lot as the strong wind swung into the west and we had to alter course across the big seas to keep the sails filled. So, on with the Musto gear complete with harness, whistle and emergency strobe light in the pocket, and up to the pilot-house for a discussion with Captain Rabbit and Ollie. Then call most of the crew, some of whom hadn’t been long off watch and were very fast asleep. The wind suddenly squalled to 40 knots as we rolled away the headsail and set the still reefed foresail up for a gybe, and with Trevor on the helm and communications to those of us on deck through the mast-mounted intercom, we did the manoeuvre. Wham! Across went the boom as the wind caught the opposite side of the sail, then quickly down with the traveller and on with the new preventer ropes to control the boom. That was the foresail attended to. Now the very big waves were directly behind us again and the motion was much improved. But we were moving a little slowly at about 7 knots so needed more sail to keep good steerage and avoid getting side on to the seas. The next hour and a half were spent getting the big spinnaker boom across from the port side of the deck to the starboard side then connected to the mast fitting, followed by various braces, fore-guys and topping-lifts. The end result being that we now have the headsail poled out on the opposite side of the yacht to the foresail, we are "wing and wing" and are starting to enjoy the ride as we slither down the face of some of the waves that at times tower way above the stern. Sometimes we wonder if Seamaster will rise as the big waves (maybe 10 meters high) approach, but apart from the odd hard bash and some surface water that fills the cockpit and sweeps the decks, once or twice right over the pilot house and saloon (thank goodness for the closed door), all is well. We have just re-lashed the inflatable dinghy strapped in its cradle on the stern deck to make sure it stays there. The albatross are back and we are starting to see patches of blue sky from time to time. So conditions must be about to improve. I am sitting, once again ("does he ever leave there?" I hear you mutter) in the communications room in just an Icebreaker skin top and my Musto trousers and sea boots. And I am very warm in the weak sunshine penetrating the clouds directly overhead. On deck the scene is quite wild. Down here, out of sight of the ocean, it is quite the opposite.
Sir Peter Blake
"Having vision is not enough. Change comes through realising the vision and turning it into a reality. It is easy to espouse worthy goals, values and policies; the hard part is implementation."
Learn about Sir Peter Blake and his journeys around the globe
