Nick Pochin spoke last month about his voyage around Cape Horn And North To Alaska in a Discovery 55. The clubhouse at the Cruising Association as usual was packed to hear him.
I didn’t need to direct the Can Opener to take notes – he knows the drill. Legible notes scrawled on the pad he rested on my backside were double quick and with absolute precision. Well done, First Mate!
(Yeah, too bad this write up is weeks after the fact Furrball – because somebody shredded them while playing subdue-the fake-mouse games on his sofa cushion…
Like I said, Mate. You leave ’em on the cushion, you take yer chances…)
The Plan
In 2009, Nick said he knew of only 3 boats going this way at this time. He didn’t speak Spanish, his planned route was against the prevailing winds and current, and his boat was GRP (fibreglass) which many advised him against using for this project. Sounded like a challenge and fun to him ( to us too!), so he sat down and planned his voyage in detail.
He selected a crew with a mix of useful professional skills, that would get along well with each other. He bought a Sat phone, provisions, insurance and tools. He did extensive research with his reading list…
The Reading List
He read an astonishing number of books (many from the Cruising Association library), including:
- Brazil And Beyond, by Annie Hill
- World Cruising Routes, by Jimmy Cornell
- RCC Pilot, by Andrew O’Grady
- The Ice Master, by Jennifer Nibe
- A Voyage for Madmen, by Peter Nichols
- Rounding the Horn, by David Slavitt
- UK
- Madiera
- Canaries
- Cape Verde
- Brazil
- Falklands
- around Cape Horn
- Beagle Channel
- Magellan Straits
- Peru
- Galapagos
- Acupulco
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- Vancouver
- Alaska!
The Highlights
- scuba diving
- most officials very friendly – though not all that speedy.
- (One aid to speeding up processes is to have a Swiss crewmate on board if say, the spouse of the local quarantine officer is also Swiss. Somehow paperwork seems to melt away…)
- spectacular waterfalls
- beautiful easy weather window to get around Cape Horn!
- minke whales
- sea lions
- dreaded kelp
- williwaws
- Falkland Islands have 486,000 sheep and 1500 people
- spectacular scenery
- …aaaaaaaand they passed a Vendée Challenge boat on the way!
Would you consider such a grueling voyage? What ever would possess you to do so?
(transcribed by the Can Opener)
Destination Dreamin’
Previously: Bora Bora
Next: Cruising in Norway
The Cruising Kitty 
Most excellent Sir Cat!
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