Image: Co-skipper Marco Trombetti loving life as he helms within 0.5 miles off Cape Horn. Credit: Translated 9 / OGR2023
Translated 9 ITL (09), the Italian 65-foot Swan formerly known as ADC Accutrac, passed Cape Horn at 10:29 UTC on February 6th. With 15kn winds from the north, gusting 20 and 2-metre seas they sailed just 0.5 mile from the coast of Cape Horn giving them a perfect view of the iconic rock.
Their satellite pictures and video just arrived in the OGR office. Click here
Leading in IRC, they were just beaten around the horn by Pen Duick VI, who completed the passage at 04:51 UTC.
The crew, who’d just experienced their first ‘real’ Southern Ocean weather, were naturally ecstatic about their achievement.
“It was magical. We were sleeping and Ezgim called us and said we’re at Cape Horn, Cape Horn! At first, I thought aaaaah no, we’re sleeping but then realised AHHHH CAPE HORN! We have to go up! We put on our full weather gear and when came out we saw the beautiful rock that everyone dreams of. The feeling of accomplishment is over the roof.”
TURKISH CREW MEMBER DERIN DENIZ
He admitted that the days leading up their achievement was challenging weather-wise.
“It was quite scary at times. It was a big storm, the waves were huge and the angle was not so good so it was tough on the helm. There were 40 to 50 knot winds and you think oooh please just go down! But it was fun and we were surfing quite fast. We’d 21.5 knots of surf. We got the full Southern Ocean experience.”
A letter of congratulations from The International Association of Cape Horners, the OGR patron Sir Chay Blyth, and the association’s President Sir Robin Knox-Johnston was read out by OGR founder Don McIntyre to Translated 9 during their satellite call. The crew become members of the association once passing 52 degrees South, which they have successfully done by passing the horn.
Translated 9 skipper Simon Curwen is no stranger to Cape Horn having sailed there last year during the Golden Globe Race. He said how nice it was to renew his acquaintance with the lighthouse keeper, who was starting his second year on the job! Simon admitted the lighthouse keeper still has his email address from last year (there are not many sailors who can make that claim!).
Simon agreed that the achievement feels even sweeter after the tough few days leading up to the passage.
“It feels particularly good considering the weather we had on the approach when eventually the Southern Ocean came alive and delivered what it would be normally.”
SIMON CURWEN, TRANSLATED 9
Translated 9 now continues her epic battle with Pen Duick VI up to the coast to Punta del Este where they are due to arrive on 13th/14th - just in time for the Yacht Club Punta del Este 100 year-anniversary.
Yacht Club Punta del Este
The Ocean Globe Race (OGR) is a fully crewed retro race in the spirit of the 1973 Whitbread Round the World Race to mark the 50th Anniversary of the original event. Starting at MDL’s Ocean Village Marina, Southampton UK on September 10th, 2023, the OGR is a 27,000-mile sprint around the Globe divided into four legs, taking in the Southern Ocean and the three great Capes.
The fleet is divided in three classes for a total of 14 entries. Stopovers include Cape Town in South Africa, Auckland in New Zealand, and Punta del Este in Uruguay, before finishing back to the UK in April 2024. For more information, visit www.oceangloberace.com.