Certain competitors in the Vendée Globe fleet have been subject to a very strong depression since 13th December 2016. Jean-Pierre Dick, who was in sixth place south of Australia, has chosen to put the race on hold to ensure his safety and that of his boat.
Given the weather conditions expected on his route, the skipper of St-Michel Virbac has chosen to turn due north-east to pass through Bass Strait to avoid the violent storm forecast.
Last night (night of 13th to 14th December 2016), he thus became the first skipper in the history of the Vendée Globe to cross Bass Strait, an inlet around 300 km long that separates the Australian continent from Tasmania. "There will be a lot of wind in Bass Strait* (situated between Australia and Tasmania), but the sea will be navigable," explained the sailor.
" I'm moved by my passage through Bass Strait last night, it's incredible to experience this during the Vendée Globe!" jean-Pierre Dick said this morning.
Early this morning, StMichel-Virbac left the strait between Australia and Tasmania. The Côte d'Azur skipper "now begins the descent to New Zealand to find the Deep South Seas."
"I'm just in the Barren Island Passage, it's very impressive with the wind which has risen to 40 knots. The sea is steep. I decided to furl the headsail, as it was hot with the sandbanks all around. I'm now starting the descent towards New Zealand to find the deep southern seas again. I've been quite absorbed in the last 24 hours by the sailing, so I had to spend some time at the chart table. This cocktail of emotion, when you see land again, and concentration, to deal with the wind and the waves, is something you only experience in the Vendée Globe! I've had a good look at the coast of Tasmania and Clarke Island, it's really pretty. There are a lot of wind turbines, which shows that it's windy here. It's always strange to go back to "civilisation", to see the land and to think that we were in the Roaring Forties a few days ago. Suddenly you're back to civilization and it's a shock!"
This passage close to land made it possible to produce a magnificent video of the IMOCA sailing at full speed in clear weather. It was an opportunity to get very close to the monohull and to see the waves covering the roof...
* Bass Strait is an inlet that separates the Australian continent, specifically the state of Victoria, from Tasmania. It is named after the physician George Bass who accompanied the British explorer Matthew Flinders, who crossed it in 1798 proving that Tasmania is an island isolated from Australia. It connects the South Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean.
