For
Innovation Explorer's rounding of the Horn, the Chilean weather
services are forecasting 60 knots, with gusts of 80. Bruno Peyron
confirms it: "The wind is already rising to 45 knots, gusting to
50/55; bad news; I'm in contact with Innovation Explorer by Standard
C. It would appear that they're all set, just in case: drogue anchors,
ballasts and the "Explorer parking technique", let's hope it will
all be for nothing". The Explorer parking technique is what Bruno
and his crew experimented with when they had to face up to a huge
storm during their Jules Verne Trophy in 93, in these very same
waters: furl all sails, stop the boat beam on to the wind, and side
slip down the waves. It's a risky maneuver in itself, "a last chance
maneuver" said Elena, "when all other methods of slowing the boat
have failed, like sailing under bare poles and trailing ropes and
chains". On board, each one is also thinking about what this mythical
rounding represents for them and each one recalls his own experiences:
for Roger, 4 times round the Horn, only the safety of the boat counts
and never mind if you have to round the rock way off shore to avoid
the huge seaway whipped up by the rising seabed. But what frustration
for those like Xavier or Mouette who consider this isolated piece
of land as their Grail... Their stories, all different and yet so
similar...