Sea Gypsies · video

What this video covers

A 120-foot ketch named Infinity sails 8,000-plus miles from New Zealand across the Pacific to Patagonia, with a stop in Antarctica, over roughly two and a half months.2:38 The vessel carries no ice reinforcement, no insurance, and no formal permits — a shoestring-budget operation run by German Captain Clemens Gabriel, who has raised children aboard, and a rotating multinational crew of volunteers.10:01 At 70 degrees south near Cape Adair, contaminated fuel — suspected seawater intrusion — repeatedly prevents the engine from starting while the boat drifts toward an iceberg in the dark; wind gusts eventually exceed 100 mph in a Force 12 storm.56:32 A newly installed central heating system fails to work in the approach to the Ross Sea.30:30 Food stores for the crossing include 150 kg of pasta, 2,000 eggs preserved in Vaseline and turned weekly to keep yolks centered, and 700 packs of ramen.17:39 Infinity intercepts Japanese whaling harpoon boats in Robertson Bay alongside Sea Shepherd's Steve Irwin, leading the harpoon vessel on a chase through iceberg-dense uncharted water.44:57 Sea Shepherd repays the assist with 2,000 liters of diesel.50:02 Contaminated fuel in iceberg-thick waters forces the crew to abandon deeper Ross Sea exploration and retreat to open ocean for repairs.59:59

From Sea Gypsies — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analyzed video.

The Sailing Directory Newsletter

One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.