Leg 3 has been a voyage not without incident
In a matter of hours, the first of the Exercise TRANSGLOBE yachts will be arriving in Cape Town and the lead crew will be mightily relieved to step ashore after a 3,270nm crossing from Rio de Janeiro that included their yacht suffering a fractured Vang and damage to the mainsail.
The three Challenge 67ft yachts ADVENTURE, DISCOVERER and CHALLENGER are approaching Cape Town in that order with the Royal Navy leading the Royal Air Force and then the Army. The passage from Rio De Janeiro has been at times challenging and not without incident. Commander Nick Trundle, the skipper of the RN yacht Adventure, has had to contend with a fracture of the Vang and damage to the mainsail. Despite these problems, his tactic of heading further South than his fellow skippers has paid off and he is due to arrive at the finish gate later today, Friday 18th September.
The finish gate has been set as a line due south of the Robben Island Light House, with the skippers providing their time of crossing back to the Project Office in the UK. From there it is a short distance to the haven of the Royal Cape Yacht Club who have graciously offered berths for the crew changeover period. The crews are eagerly anticipating hot showers and fresh food. The blogs sent back during this stage of the Exercise have reflected the thrill of the journey combined with how large their respective bruises are and the quality of food being served up!
The two other yachts, Discoverer and Challenger are scheduled to arrive early Saturday having followed a more northerly track. For the entire passage, the Army and RAF have been in close proximity and have swapped over the lead place on a couple of occasions. Their skippers, Becky Walford and Jon Greatorex, are highly experienced sailors and have led strong crews from the respective Services.
All the crews have had to contend with winds of over 50kts and steep sided waves but can now reflect on their achievements and enjoy their final week off to sample the sights and sounds of Cape Town and its environs before flying home and returning to their day jobs as serving personnel.
The 13-leg Exercise TRANSGLOBE is a major Tri-Service Adventurous Sail Training Exercise open to all UK service personnel, Regular and Reserve. The guys and girls who have signed up for TRANSGLOBE will experience the extremes of ocean crossings from the heat of the Tropics to the extreme cold of the Southern Ocean. TRANSGLOBE will test their physical and mental stamina whilst building confidence in themselves and their fellow crew members.
The next stage, Leg 4, will see the fleet sail from Cape Town to Perth on one of the longest stretches undertaken so far on this Exercise, 5000 nautical miles all the way to Perth, Australia. The yachts will depart from Cape Town on 7th or 8th October and should reach Perth in mid-November.
Tracking and position reports as well as more details about Exercise TRANSGLOBE are on the official website at:
www.exercisetransglobe.com.