Hiking up Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha. Photo: Amory Ross / PUMA Ocean Racing
This is the fourth in a series of articles that will follow the Volvo Ocean Race, focusing on its extraordinary aspects that will appeal to an audience unfamiliar with competitive sailing. The nine month race around the planet is the world’s toughest sailing competition.
Read Part I: What to Do When Your Mast Breaks in a Round-the-World Sailing Race
After the mast of the Mar Mostro snapped in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean, the Puma sailing team managed to reach the tiny island of Tristan da Cunha, best known as the most remote inhabited island on the planet. They had hoped for a quick pick up and journey to Cape Town, where they could repair the boat and prepare for the next leg of the Volvo Ocean Race. But when the ship scheduled to meet them canceled, they realized they were going to be spending at least five days on Tristan.
Enjoying a round of golf. Photo: Amory Ross / PUMA Ocean Racing
A Tropical Detour
The team, led by skipper Ken Read, anchored the damaged Mar Mostro to what is essentially the side of a cliff; Tristan is formed by a volcano jutting out of the water, so there was no hope of finding a natural port. With at least one sailor constantly onboard to keep the yacht from smashing against rocks, the rest of the crew set off to enjoy an unexpected vacation in a tropical paradise.
Read, discussing the detour in the Volvo Ocean Race podcast, said the experience was a surprisingly pleasant one. Media crew member Amory Ross said that all told, “it was actually really fun.” After a rotten few days of disappointment and danger at sea, the Puma crew was “force fed” by Tristan’s 264 welcoming inhabitants.
Touring the island
Lobsters, Golf and Cows
Read made a trip to the island’s tourism office to grab some brochures; over the next five and a half days they tried out everything Tristan had to offer. They hiked to the top of Queen Mary’s Peak, 6,759 feet above sea level, and toured the local lobster processing facility and a school.
The highlight of their stay may have been the golf they played on Tristan’s nine hole course, which doubles as a cow pasture. Although Brad Jackson lost a ball to a curious cow’s appetite, the unconventional game was a success. Given the surreal nature of their very presence on Tristan da Cunha, Read said, the team adopted a simple attitude: “We’re never gonna do this again, so you might as well enjoy it.”
Facing off against the crew of the Team Bremen in basketball. Photo: Amory Ross / PUMA Ocean Racing
On the Water Again
Finally, help arrived in the form of the cargo ship Team Bremen. It took five hours to load the stricken Mar Mostro on board, even though the larger ship was equipped with its own crane. Eventually the team won the battle against the swell of the ocean, tying the yacht down with 32 lengths of rope. From Tristan, it took four days and nine hours to reach Cape Town.
While on board the Team Bremen, the Puma men did what work they could to repair the Mar Mostro, pausing for nightly basketball games against the Russian crew. They arrived in Cape Town with just a few days to see their families and fix the Mar Mostro before the in-port race and then the beginning of the next leg. It had been a strange, challenging opening to the round the world race. Read summed it up: “It’s the old adage, either win or crash, and we crash with the best of them.”
Read More about the Volvo Ocean Race:
How to Avoid Pirates while Sailing in a Round-the-world Race (No, Seriously)
How Do You Prepare for the World’s Toughest Sailing Race? Volvo Ocean Race Sailors Explain
Unloading the Mar Mostro upon arrival in Cape Town. Photo: Amory Ross/PUMA Ocean Racing
Tags: Adventure, Adventure Activities, Tropics, Volvo Ocean Race, Water Sports
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