Entering the iceberg area - Ep. 25
October 31, 2024 · 41 min · 20K views · Southern Ocean approaching the Pacific
What this video covers
Andre M Homem de Mello, currently 100 days into a solo circumnavigation, reports difficult sailing conditions while transiting the Southern Ocean toward Cape Horn.0:35 After enduring 53 hours of calm, the vessel faced three days of persistent headwinds from the east and southeast, forcing the boat to beat into 20–30 knot gusts and 3-meter seas.0:43 The constant pitching and heavy spray made life onboard uncomfortable, causing water ingress through the hatch and leaking oil from the heater tank. Positioned near 52°S, 175°E, the sailor crossed the International Date Line, resulting in two consecutive Fridays and aligning the boat's calendar with Brazil. The vessel transitioned from the Indian Ocean into the Pacific Ocean, where the crew maintains a reefed mainsail and full genoa to manage the heavy, beam-reaching conditions. Despite the fatigue and equipment strain, the sailor continues toward the final major milestone of the voyage, Cape Horn, while monitoring the barometer and managing the boat's motion in the challenging Southern Ocean swell.
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