20.12.2007
Strange circumstances ...
Whilst the Barcelona World Race was announcing that the monohull Veolia Environnement had dismasted, the monohull DELTA DORE was mooring in the Cape town's marina in South Africa. It was at 9 h 20 French time on this Tuesday morning that the monohull DELTA DORE was welcomed after having been towed for two days and a half days in the Indian Ocean by the Ocean 7 catamaran. The rescue and towage, organised a few hours after the monohull dismasted on Tuesday the 11th of December by 47 degrees South, became a success thanks to an experienced and efficient Franco - South African team. The rescue operation is a great achievement considering the dangers that can be met in the Indian Ocean.
Since a few days, the rumours have been growing in Cape Town. Why did the Ocean 7 catamaran go to sea with its crew reinforced with the presence of the rescue station's Commander on board? Why is it daring to go below a latitude of 40 degrees South, into the roaring forties? Nobody adventures into those feared parts of the world. Yet this time it was to rescue the French dismasted monohull DELTA DORE. The Captain, David de Villiers, and his associate Bruce Tedder, exceptionally accepted the rescue operation considering that that it had been well prepared by DELTA DORE's sail team; and that the weather forecasts were fair despite a depression announced in the zone and whilst the boat was on tow.
Four days after dismasting, Ocean 7 met Jérémie Beyou and Sidney Gavignet. In less than one hour their monohull was roped up and being towed at a speed of 12 knots in a sea sometimes described as chaotic. It only took them 2 and half days to cover the 750 miles on tow.
At 10h20 French time on this Tuesday morning, the Imoca 60 monohull DELTA DORE entered the port of Cape Town and went past the Wing bridge and the blue tilting gates before arriving in the V&A Marina. They were escorted by the Rescue station's boat "NSRI Sea Rescue" that had sailed out to welcome DELTA DORE and it's two skippers. Other leisure boats also had equally sailed out to welcome them.
The team in the V&A Marina welcomed the monohull before mooring her next to Estrella Damm and PRB. The city of Cape Town welcomed DELTA DORE in the best of ways. It was a sunny day, very bright and hot, lightly refreshed by a southeasterly breeze. A lot of reporters from the press and television as well as spectators massed along the quayside for to welcome DELTA DORE.
For the Ocean 7 catamaran that did the towing, it was an exceptional mission. It was the first time it's Captain accepted to go under latitude of 40 degrees South for such a rescue operation. If it appeared to be a lovely summer's day in Cape Town you mustn't forget that the Indian Ocean surrounding it is feared. It's Alghuas current that lifts the sea against the wind and its frequent depressions can transform it into a hostile and dangerous place.
Jérémie Beyou, on the phone after arriving in Cape Town:
« Thank you all for your help that made it possible for us to comeback in perfect conditions. We are pleased to bring the back to shore. We arrived in between 8 and 9 o'clock (local time). It was really nice, there were a lot of people that came to welcome us: the people from the port, the journalists, the PRB team; Mike Gile and Yann Decker. Yann actually being our guide. Luckily he was with us for customs because it's a big building and the formalities are very complicated. He has also found us flats. He is a really cool guy! The crew from the catamaran was there with beers to mark an end to their mission. We were really well received. The fact is that coming off the boat means that it really the end of the race for us. It seems strange to set foot on land and to go to the restaurant with the PRB team. It's the end of the story! We have mixed feelings. We could have had another look at losing the mast and worked out reasons that might not have been the same as the ones we had thought of. Before going back to France, we must prepare the boat for it to be shipped back on a cargo. As soon as tomorrow it will be craned and the keel will be removed. I will stay to help Fanch with the paperwork. The cargo should leave for England on the 6th of January. We will then motor sail her from England to Lorient. She should be in the boatshed in Lorient for the end of January. »
About Veolia Environnement:
"We have just learnt the bad news... of course it affects us a lot. We feel solidarity for them. Thank you for telling them so. We wish them plenty of courage whilst getting to Australia, especially Bilou who knows the course only too well... It has been a shock for us. Jérémie"
DELTA DORE in the BARCELONA WORLD RACE
. Start on 11th November 2007
. Fastest time made in between the first gate in the Straits of Gibraltar and the second gate in the Canary Islands: on the 19th November at 19h35 GMT, in 4 days, 4 hours and 35 minutes
. Dismasted on the 11th of December at 2h20 TU by 47° South and 33°25 East
. Towed on the 15th of December by 42° South and 31° East
. Arrival in Cape Town in the morning of the 18 December
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