#TuksYachting: Tuks and Wits sailors win their Cape2Rio-category

Posted on January 28, 2020

Tuks and Wits sailors' grit and determination led to them steering their boat Ciao Bella-JMBusha 54 to victory in the monohull-category of the Cape2Rio Yacht-race. 

Equally exciting is that they are also third overall. South Africa's Craig Sutherland Love Water-crew won. 

The student crew can genuinely after more than three weeks on open sea claim they know now what to come, to see and conquer means. The "sea gods" made sure of that. The severe last test they had to face was Cyclone Kurumi which is named after a little boy. The crew, however, quickly realised that names can sometimes be misleading.  There was nothing little about the storm.

According to Emma Clark at first, things were quite serene. The waves had a sort of beauty to it. 

"You could see the wave in front of you like a wall, completely covering the horizon. The next wave looms behind your head, demanding your attention. The ocean was a dark navy blue, contrasted with the white horses beginning to show on the tops of the surrounding waves. As the waves broke, they turned a brilliant bright blue - almost the colour of a blue Energade-drink," she wrote in a blog post. 
 
She added as they are all speed junkies they assuredly were going to make the most of the opportunity.

"The 5-metre waves were doing wonders to our boat speed. It was the most magnificent surf I have ever experienced. Jono (Ham) thrashed our previous speed record with a whopping 20,2 knots. That, we all quickly agreed was the fastest any of us had ever been on a boat. We were all fully charged and craving our next hit, ready for the next massive wave.

"Our playtime, however, was interrupted when the rain started bucketing down. With the rain came more wind. All 35 knots of it. The ragged ocean state had changed completely. It was eerie.  All the small, wind-induced ripples that are always present on the ocean were wholly flattened out by the rain. I have never seen the sea so smooth in my entire life. Our attitude on deck changed as the increased in wind speed required in a deeper concentration from all of us."

For the next few hours, the crew had to keep their wits about them to ensure the boat remains afloat.  That led to some truly harrowing experiences. 

Clark remembers a moment on deck when she looked over her shoulder and saw a steep cliff of water towering over them. 

"It was at least eight meters tall. I held onto the kicker until my knuckles were deathly white. Ciao Bella built up power and began surfing down this mountain. Spray gushed on either side of the boat creating a mini fortress of water as we rocketed down the wave."

Jonathan Ham added that nothing strikes fear into once heart like the sound of a wave crashing behind you, causing the back of the boat to lift up. 

"As the boat accelerates, you have to hold the rudder steady. A little too much to either side and it's game over. You can hear the walls of water rushing past either side of you as the spray picks up off the bow and for a few seconds you're just holding on for the ride."

Michaela Robinson said there was a stage it felt like the boat got higher and higher. 

"I saw more and more of the ocean. The nose of the boat went down, down and down some more. The stern of the boat lifted up and up and up. And our boat just went faster and faster and faster! It felt as though we had just been pushed down a mine-shaft.

The student crew are Ryan Robinson (Wits -skipper and crew leader), Michaela Robinson (Tuks - skipper), Emma Clark (Wits - tactician and navigator), Tawanda Chikasha (Wits - bowman), Jonathan Ham (Tuks - trimmer) and Hearn Johnson (Wits - bosun).

 

- Author Wilhelm de Swardt

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