A tour of Cape Horn with Sir Robin Knox-Johnston

this week Robin Knox Johnston is taking John Simpson and Ronald fines into his world the world of a professional sailor rounding the infamous Cape Horn the dogs have got six days to round Cape Horn this tiny island jutting into the southern ocean traditionally marked the extreme tip of South America the ocean here bottlenecks dramatically and prevailing winds and tides force billions of tons of water through a relatively narrow gap the result is a place that seafarers have feared for centuries and even today it's still the ultimate challenge for any yachtsman if coupon isn't the most dangerous place in the world it's one of the most dangerous if you've been around Cape Horn you're recognized as a proper seaman oh you guys is your crab crab pick it up here - cool you're that very sweet there are some purists you might say it was probably unwise before going through the worst sea knowdon't a man will eat a piece of of South Atlantic crab whose origins and age nobody knows that's destined so I think that's an extremely valid observation so are you gonna have some while John tucks into the crab ran opts for the safer option of a ploughman's lunch the former SAS man has a long-standing fear of seasickness with big seas ahead he's not taking any chances Robin you're not don't go easy what happened I'm sorry but to all that that may well turn out to be true of meat all the meat in the shoulders you look good the golden infuriator anybody else let's complete another full day's sailing before approaching the end of the Beagle Channel Robbin and skip make a final check of the latest satellite forecast they must decide if conditions will allow them to press on when he rounded the horn 40 years ago all Robin had was a barometer and gut instinct then we've got about 10 hours to get to thee here whom waited his new miles mm-hmm then we've now got racing about 105 miles to Cape Horn the forecasts looking hopeful so Robin makes the decision to go for it leaving the relative safety of the beagle channel they're about to head out into the southern ocean before turning East to Cape Horn [Music] my God thank you Oh the southern ocean is brutal and it's fast becoming too dangerous for John and RAM to move about Robin orders his novice sailors to take shelter back in the cockpit benign weather forecast calling for 18 to 20 to 25 day that's all if ever back in 30 to 40 I don't want to well you couldn't go out swimming Ronnie no way I think we're picking up down a full force of the go confess now day light the worst of the weather has passed and ran is finally over his seasickness for a man who has braved the planets wildest regions seasickness has been an unwelcome revelation if I was trying to describe this bout in a book I would know how to describe it in normal words I mean warden says infinitely worse than any experience I've had to do in my heart attack far worse and things to do with my cancer worse than vertigo and that's pretty lousy but how can you describe it it's just you feel like you want to be dead [Music] after sailing through the night finally their goal Cape Horn is on the horizon it's a site for the dogs very sore eyes [Music] look at the dolphin it's looks right here a fantastic way to greet us here [Music] it's almost a month short of 40 years to take those rounded bloody really Robin and I drifted past with the current looking at dark clouds all over the mountains and thinking this is one place I do not want to paper wrap up I mean it is such an awesome place here's this man yeah it really is at eight o'clock in the morning after five days at sea they round the most feared landmark known to seafarers Cape Horn it's really is one of the great places of the world isn't it it's their moment of triumph the dogs have traveled 300 miles braving strong winds seasickness and mechanical failure the bad weather has dispersed and the unusually calm conditions lend themselves to a rare opportunity and a first even for Robin landing on Cape Horn itself [Music] well boys we have sailed round k-paul not motored no good point Robin well done you got us round there well no your association I think you've you did a fantastic job place of legend and a place of romance and fear a lot of fear that's this wonderful wonder this is one of those great sights actually really Southern Ocean on a calm day [Music] they've rounded Cape Horn for Robin this is a trip he never imagined he'd be making again two years ago I went past this in a half Gale and I thought that's probably the last time I'm ever gonna see it and I suppose I felt a bit sad but you know being able to bring them here put them on Cape Horn Island say right guys you're amongst a very lucky few of ever managed to land on this place I think that's something we're gonna share something we deserve to share something we should be proud of together well robin knox johnson is synonymous as far as i'm concerned with number one world sailor the big wide ocean by yourself handling ropes on the left ropes on the right as soon as you let go this the boat goes wild huge wave comes over the side how he can cope with all that I just don't know but he does [Music] the experience has been one of the best I think I've ever had it's been exciting it's been quite nerve-wracking it's been very difficult I couldn't conceive of all the physical extremes that Robyn put himself through now I think is a superb superb character

Channel: CapeHorners

Views: 138,486

Rating: 4.8947368 out of 5

Keywords: Cap, Horn, Robin, Knox-Johnston, Beagle, Channel, Skip, Novak, IACH, yacht, Pelagic

Id: yRvV_3fwlp8

Length: 9min 42sec (582 seconds)

Published: Sun May 24 2009