Another even closer contest in the Cape to St Helena Yacht Race
by Vince Thompson / St Helena Independent 9 Jan 2023 00:21 NZDT
Rocket passes the Cape to St Helena Yacht Race finish line © Vince Thompson / St Helena Independent
We previously reported that on Friday, 6th January, Banjo, the regular Farrier trimaran entry owned and skippered by Keith Webb almost flew the last miles of the 1,700 mile Cape to St Helena race after breaking away from Tin Tin the JPK 10:10 owned and skippered by Di Hutton Squire. Tin Tin crossed the finish line 6 and-a-half hours after Banjo, improving on its own previously estimated finishing time by more than 4 hours.
On Saturday Dale Kushner's Fomo arrived in the early hours. Dale is the chairman of the 2022 race committee and skipper of the Sunfast 3300. In early afternoon interest peaked once more when Rocket a Simonis 55 and Compromise a Du Toit closed in on St Helena almost alongside each other. Rocket crossed the finish line as Compromise entered James Bay; there was only 5 minutes between them after 1.700 miles of racing..
While Rocket and Compromise head for the moorings some of the Tin Tin crew prop-up the bar in the St Helena Yacht Club. From right its Di Hutton Squire the skipper, Nick Leggatt who became a fully paid up member of SHYC and Graham Stuart. With them is Iryna Piddubna a driving force in SHYC. Iryna is one of the Ukrainians who has made St Helena a temporary home.
Outside the yacht club Nick and Graham together with Alex Botha (right) chat with Susan Howard - the one in the diving suit and broad smile. Sue also arrived at St Helena in her yacht but was not part of the race. She lives near Lake Erie on the US side and is thrilled with the diving in St Helena. Unlike Lake Erie, Sue said St Helena waters are warm and clear with so much to see. Sue mentioned the shipwrecks but was more excited at seeing devil rays and whale sharks. "I've seen whale sharks in Tanzania and the Seychelles but here is best" is Sue's Judgement.
Twelve yachts started the race in Cape Town, two retired and the first five are safely moored at St Helena's West Rocks. There is now a week of socialising, tours and events while the following yachts complete the race and then have a chance to see what Nick Leggatt from Tin Tin describes as the many things to see and do in St Helena. Nick is a regular visitor and has one or two of his own stories to tell about his time in St Helena. Having got to the furthest point on a hiking route too late in the day is one of them. On the return he had to walk along a narrow path which is halfway up a cliff face - in the dark. One or two St Helena walks are not for the feint-hearted. Nick seemed very calm and matter-of-fact about his experience. The final event is the trophy presentation at Plantation House, the spacious home of the Governor of St Helena.