After struggling to find a protected spot, Stamm is now moored in Sandy bay, south of Enderby Island, in the northeast of the archipelago. This has offered him protection from the 25-knot northwest wind. He has reported sightings of orca and sea lions.
The Auckland Islands were the Swiss sailor’s last place to moor
and repair ahead of the 4,000 miles crossing of the Pacific to Cape Horn. Stamm
probably has a job list of things fix, including his central winch column which
went against two days ago.
“Since he passed the coast of Portugal, several weeks ago,
Bernard Stamm has serious problems with his hydrogenerators,” the press release
on Saturday night from Stamm’s team, said. “The systems that provide energy on
board are damaged and no longer be efficient. Fuel reserves are dwindling day
after day and the batteries do not load anymore. Therefore, the possibility of
using the automatic pilot or the computer for communications and weather
forecasts are limited and makes life on board very difficult. All the repairs
made by the Cheminées Poujoulat skipper have not held and have forced him to
head towards the Auckland Islands today. The Swiss sailor will seek for shelter
to make the repairs which require stopping the boat temporarily.Indeed, it is essential to find a lasting solution to ensure sufficient energy production on board before entering the biggest ocean of the world. This is a complicated operation for a single man. His experience of two IMOCA monohulls construction (Superbigou and Cheminées Poujoulat 3) will be a valuable aid.
Before the Cape Horn, and before starting the difficult crossing of the South Pacific, this archipelago of seven islands attached to New Zealand since 1863, is the only place that can offer a safe shelter for single-handed round-the-world sailors without jeopardising their chances of staying in the race. Covering an area of 510 km ², the main island, Auckland, is quite mountainous and should provide the necessary respite to the sailor. A solution followed several times already in the history of the Vendée Globe, including Marc Guillemot in the previous edition.
In permanent contact with his shore team, Bernard keeps on looking at the race, but knows that the seamanship and safety require this suspension of time to solve these big energy problems. He will then be able to resume his journey with all the potential of his boat.”
The passage east across the Indian Ocean and into the Pacific have been free of such stoppages so far for the fleet. As Stamm’s team point out, they were more common in the last race, when Stamm stopped in the Kerguelen Islands in the Indian Ocean to make repairs to his rudders. That time he was unsuccessful and Stamm ran aground in difficult conditions and was forced to retire.
This time Stamm has found shelter and will be glad he did not have to stop at Disappointment Island, five miles from the northwest end of the Auckland Islands.
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