Videocast 13: Thomson makes landmark turn for home

Time: 08.00 GMT

Latitude: 48 02.31’ S

Longitude: 51 28.06’ W

Position: Second

Average speed: 16.5 knots

The biggest milestone of the race is now past, we have rounded Cape Horn and boy does it feel good to be back in the Atlantic again. After what seems like an eternity, we have finally exited the Southern Ocean and for the first time in the race HUGO BOSS is actually pointing at the finish!

There is also a huge sense of relief for Capey and I, as it means a huge amount to us that we have rounded safely. The last time we rounded the Horn (my first, Capey’s fifth) we both sailed into Ushauia, southern Argentina, on two different boats with major problems.

Capey was sailing onboard Movistar during the Volvo Ocean Race, when their boat nearly sank a few hundred miles from the Horn. As for me onboard my old boat HUGO BOSS, we had been dismasted 2500 nautical miles west of Cape Horn and only just managed to limp into port.

Our rounding of this iconic landmark could not have been more perfect, with 20 knots of wind and a beautiful setting sun. We passed within five miles of land, which meant that we could see the Chilean naval outpost on what is known to many as the end of the earth.

Our course as we approached the Horn took us close to the western coast of Chile, where we could see glorious snow capped mountains. We did have a little incident though, with some islands that were out of position on the chart that we were using.

Luckily we arrived during day light hours, otherwise we could have had a rather embarrassing accident! The rounding of the Horn required a special celebration and so I dug out our well travelled bottle of Jonnie Walker Black Label. Capey and I toasted our steed HUGO BOSS with a wee dram or two and smoked a couple of Cuban cigars that I had been given especially for such an occasion.

It felt like we had been waiting for this moment to arrive for a long, long time, but you know what they say ‘good things come to those who wait’ and boy was it good!!

The Southern Ocean leg from New Zealand to the Horn had been kind to us. We had not seen the blistering speeds we are used to down here but we had also not seen the gale force winds, freezing cold temperatures, enormous waves and thankfully no icebergs.

On passing Cape Horn we reflected on how relatively easy it had been and consequently what great physical and mental condition we were both in; probably the best since the start in November. Our position had remained stable throughout our last leg in the south, with a gain on leaving New Zealand and a loss to the leader prior to the Cape.

Since re-entering the Atlantic, our fastest route home has taken us east of the Falklands, and now we are heading straight at the finish. We have been fast while the leader sails slow, and as I touch our lucky piece of wood, our routing projections show that they will continue to lose miles to us for the next few days.

By the time we pass Rio we could be as little as 200 nautical miles behind leader, which is pressure they could do without as that would put us back within striking range of the lead.

Our weather ahead will be rotten but fast, as we are expecting a deep low pressure to develop off the coast of Argentina and move directly over our track. The wind files say that we will experience 40 knots plus but we know that in reality that means 50 knots plus.

We are fortunate though that we will pass to the west of the centre, which will enable HUGO BOSS to sail downwind fast, rather than upwind in slow boat breaking conditions. We have had a few issues since Wellington, namely with the keel’s hydraulic rams, which had somehow rotated. We had to totally stop the boat and rig a system of ropes out into the cockpit to winch them back into position. The mainsail also had some damage to the head, which required us to drop it all the way down to make a minor repair.

As we were repairing the sail, one of the turning blocks on the running backstay (a wire that holds the mast up) failed, and we were lucky not to lose the mast. The ever present risk of damage preys heavily on my mind, and we are only too aware that there is a fine line between sailing fast and looking after the boat.

Unfortunately, that line gets thinner and thinner as the boat takes the strain of ocean racing; and after 20,000 nautical miles the line is less than the width of dental floss and we must always remain vigilant. For now though, the sun is shining and we make hay.