“The closest I’ve ever been to mortality was the capsize at Cape Horn. That was just a horrific experience,” says American sailor Rich Wilson of his Southern Ocean sailing experiences.…
Southern Ocean
South Sandwich Islands sailing: Skip Novak on an ambitious scientific mission
The rule of thumb when doing these tricky inflatable beach landings is to hang in above the surf line for a good ten minutes to watch the sets coming through.…
The adventures of Infinity: Sailing to Antarctica on a 120ft handmade ketch
“When I say ‘Jump!’ y’all say ‘How high?’. If y’all don’t want to say ‘How high?’ you can pack your bags,” demanded the owner of the superyacht I was aboard.…
Uphill all the way – reliving a leg of the BT Challenge across the Southern Ocean against the prevailing winds
Most accounts of grim conditions in the Southern Ocean are written by skippers of race boats or owners of smaller yachts engaged in high adventure, writes Tom Cunliffe. Uphill all…
Skip Novak: Volvo Ocean Race CEO Mark Turner is off to a very strong start
I was very pleased to see the new course for the next Volvo Ocean Race. Looking at the map graphic, the course line is once again more or less a…
Dismasted in the Southern Ocean, with three small children aboard
It was early morning aboard Anasazi Girl. As I exhaled, I could see my breath curl like smoke through the cold air. I was lying with our three children in…
Southern Ocean storms are some of the most brutal forces in nature. Here is how sailors try to harness them
Solo sailors call it ‘the South’, as if to emphasise its alien difference. The Southern Ocean is a place most of us have never been to and never wish to…