Vendee Globe 2016

Doug Lord said:
Bad night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SasufTwlRc
Click to expand...

Glad there is at least one sailor posting updates in English! Alex has his own news channel going on...very much appreciated. His accounts of the Southern Ocean remind me of many books I've read as well as my own experience. I nick-named it the "Spitting Ocean". Why? No matter how well you keep your head on a swivel and tell yourself "I know where the next wave might come from", the Spitting Ocean will almost always find a way to send a sneaky wave right into your face each day.

Another aspect of the Southern Ocean are the squalls. They are ever present and despite having the best Polaroid sunglasses...they are often times IMPOSSIBLE to see. Your Doppler radar unit IS your best friend 24/7 down there. You had better peek at it every 10-15 minutes as that is all it takes for the gremlins to sneak up on you. It's a game of dodging the squalls all the way around.

Still, I wouldn't trade the violent, psychotic waves and the overall experience for anything.
 
Vendee

Thanks for that Joseph-kinda puts an exclamation point on Alex's video! My ocean cruising was in a powerboat when I was very young-the only "ocean race" I was in was when I was about 14 and it was short-but I got to do the bow and it was very wet and great fun.
 
Ruyant's words from his ordeal:

"The last few hours were not easy. The conditions were harsh. I have several times had the finger on the button of the beacon.

"This is my first big damage at sea. It's violent, I do not wish [it on] anybody. It will take time to digest. I had a lot of damage but in my head I was always racing."

Well he's a baptized storm trooper now. The notion of sailing a cracked egg shell of a hull back to port through heavy seas is a feat in and of itself.
 
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