Mark Sofer - Ph.D. (“Interestingly about rivers, lakes, swamps”), “Entertainingly about the weather”, etc. I visited all climatic zones, on the banks of hundreds of rivers. In the USA since 2004. Lives in Brooklyn.
We are not talking about the thirties, forties or fifties of this or that century. Once, in adolescence, while reading novels about pirates and sea travelers, I noticed the name of some vast areas of the ocean: “Furious Fifties”, “Roaring Forties”, “Horse Thirties” ...
They sounded solemn and incomprehensible. Later, I learned that these oceanic latitudes bear romantic-tragic names due to ancient maritime traditions associated with the inexplicable fate of many sailing ships.
Meteorologists gave an explanation of the reasons for these names.
At all times, the life of a person at sea, especially far from the coast, was completely dependent on the vicissitudes of the weather. Even today, when steel ships are equipped with powerful engines and space navigation aids, she plays an important role in the success of navigation. Needless to say, what role the weather played in the life of sailors several centuries ago, in the era of wooden sailing ships. For success, a good navigator was obliged to know what kind of temper certain areas of the ocean have. Knowledge went through difficult experience and risks, mistakes were expensive.
For example, the waters located between 50 ° and 60 ° south latitude, not far from the coast of Antarctica, received the unofficial name of the “Frantic Fifties” for their malevolence. Breath icy antarctica, cold hurricane winds, giant floating iceberg islands - all this threatened any ship that was within these latitudes.
The reason for these harsh names will become clear if you look at the map of the hemispheres of the Earth. Moving along these latitudes, you will not meet any large land masses - continents and even islands. (In American schools, this subpolar water area is usually called the Southern Ocean). The absence of obstacles that slow down and slow down the speed of the winds allows them to roam up to storm strength, acquiring special strength and danger and threatening sailors. Along the shores of the sixth continent - Antarctica - at 55 ° south latitude, the conditional southern boundary of this stream passes, and the northern one runs along the 40th parallel. At the junction of cold coastal waters from the ice-covered southern mainland and heated southern ocean margins, the strongest winds of the southern hemisphere are born.
No less ominously called the sailors sailing ships and the spaces enclosed between 40° and 50° south latitude - the "roaring forties".
Looking at the map of ocean currents, you can see that this zone is under the influence of two opposing water-air currents (currents): Westerly winds (cold) and South subtropical (warm). Their "interaction" causes the strongest instability in the atmosphere and, as a result, unexpected gusts of wind of storm strength and unpredictable direction. The latitudes along which the largest cold current flows have been assigned several extreme names.
The "roaring forties" surround the "howling" and "raging" fifties and the "piercing" sixties. The average wind speed in this area is 7-13 m/s. On the Beaufort scale, such a wind is called fresh and strong, and a storm and a strong storm (25 m / s) are a common thing. A powerful subpolar cold current, strong and constant westerly winds made these latitudes the shortest route for sailboats. Here lay the "clipper route", named after the type of ships valued for the fastest delivery of colonial goods from India and China to Europe. The famous "tea" clippers set speed records in the 18th-19th centuries. Of course, if they managed to successfully go around the southern tip of Africa and South America, because for all the ships of that time it was a difficult test.
These dangers have not been forgotten for centuries and are reflected in art. At the end of 1967 American rock band The Doors released the album Strange Days. One of the compositions, which tells how sailors in the "horse" latitudes were forced to throw horses overboard, was called Horse Latitudes ("Horse latitudes"). What caused this and why did such a name arise?
The fact is that in the ocean waters located between 30 ° and 40 ° north latitude, the other extreme reigns - calm, calm. The absence of a single driving force for sailing ships heading from Europe to South America forced them to stand idle for a long time waiting for the wind. Sometimes the air was so still that the ship could not move. A long lull in the atmosphere sometimes delayed sailors on their way for several weeks. Meanwhile, fresh water supplies were running out, and sailors were forced to throw overboard dying horses that were being transported across the Atlantic from the Old to the New World. And the sailors could only wait and hope that the god of the wind would have mercy and finally straighten the sails! Superstitious sailors claimed that the ghosts of horses appear at night in those latitudes. From here, apparently, the name came - "horse latitudes", or "horse thirties".
What explains this climatic feature?
It is known that the calm zones are located in both hemispheres between 30° and 35° latitude. These are areas of high pressure - huge subtropical anticyclones, which have amazing stability and encircle the entire globe. Thanks to this constancy, subtropical anticyclones even got their own names. In the Northern Hemisphere, this is the Azores anticyclone over the Atlantic Ocean and the Hawaiian anticyclone over the Pacific Ocean. In the Southern Hemisphere, the Mascarene anticyclone is located over the Indian Ocean, and the South Pacific is located over the Pacific. And over the South Atlantic Ocean lies the anticyclone of St. Helena, on which, by the way, he spent his last years life of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Why is this high pressure belt formed? The thing is that the equatorial and tropical regions receive the most solar radiation, so the air there is very warm. Becoming lighter when heated, warm air rushes upward, and in the upper troposphere spreads towards the subtropics. As the rising air cools and becomes heavy, it sinks into the subtropics. In this case, additional pressure is created on the earth's surface, i.e. an area of high pressure occurs.
In anticyclones, the pressure changes little from the center to the periphery, so the winds here are also weak. In the central parts of the anticyclone, the weather is generally calm. It was this atmospheric passivity that delayed sailing ships for many weeks, thereby dooming living beings to death in " horse latitudes Oh"…
Experience of non-scientific observations.
In the southern hemisphere, the forties mark oceanic expanses with steady winds that give rise to sea storms of such magnitude that since the first clippers trying to make regular flights, they have been called Roaring Forties - roaring forties. Shipwrecks, mysterious incidents and tragic stories in the literature are described in great abundance.
In the northern hemisphere, the fortieth latitudes encircle the globe mainly by land, but ...
Almost all, to varying degrees, preserved mountains and even the highest mountain ranges mark precisely these latitudes with their ridges. And everywhere in these latitudes of the northern hemisphere, even in the most inaccessible mountainous areas, people live.
People who consider themselves peoples, speak their own languages, but do not have statehood, have the status of nationalities inhabiting one or another region of this or that state, which in no way detracts from their role and significance in history and does not reduce their love of freedom.
I will give a few facts that can be considered as reference points of a certain geographical trend.
The rebellious tribes that once inhabited the mountainous regions of the present-day Chinese province of Henan, preserved in memory thanks to the martial arts of the Shaolin monks - 40 degrees north latitude.
The Uighurs, now inhabiting the Uighur Autonomous Region of China, but who once gave birth to the Horde, with all the known consequences of its transformations and conquests - 42 degrees north latitude.
The Caucasian peoples, the only ones who received statehood, albeit quite recently by the standards of history, among all these freedom-loving highlanders. The city of Grozny - 43 degrees north latitude.
Kurds living outside of time, but mostly in the Turkish space, with all their national ideas. Modern Kurdistan is from 34 to 40 degrees north latitude.
Basques, who do not leave hope for independence from Spain and self-determination of their Basque Country - 42 degrees north latitude.
The Gascons are practically the same Basques, although much more integrated into their French reality, but no less proud and freedom-loving, like their ancestor D'Artagnan. Gascony - 43 degrees north latitude.
And if we turn the globe, then it was at the fortieth latitudes that the conquest of America began and the sad story of the proud Indians from the Appalachians and the Cordillera, of whom today there are only one and a half million for their entire former country. The restored herd of recently almost completely exterminated bison may be more numerous, but the Indians are still fighting for their reservations!
The Bermuda Triangle, again, with one vertex pierces into the same fortieth latitudes ...
These are, it is not clear what, forties-fatal as a whole.
But in the northern hemisphere - a trend, however ...
The name of the 40 x (and 50 x) latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere, where strong steady westerly winds blow over the ocean, causing frequent storms ... Modern Encyclopedia
ROARING FORTIETS, a name given in sailing times and still extant, for the area between 40° and 50° south latitude in the southern hemisphere, which is characterized by constant strong winds. They are called constant ... ... Scientific and technical encyclopedic dictionary
- "ROARING FORTY", the traditional name for oceanic spaces at 40 latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere, where strong and steady westerly winds blow, causing frequent storms (see STORM (storm)) ... encyclopedic Dictionary
roaring forties- A belt with a predominance of westerly storm winds at latitudes 40 50 ° of the Southern Hemisphere, where a barrier arises in the path of oceanic water masses, causing stormy weather, cloudiness and sea waves, so that these latitudes turn out to be difficult and ... ... Geography Dictionary
roaring forties- the name of the 40 x (and 50 x) latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere, where strong and stable westerly winds blow over the ocean, causing frequent storms ... Marine Biographical Dictionary
"Roaring Forties"- “ROARING FORTY”, the name of the 40 x (and 50 x) latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere, where strong steady westerly winds blow over the ocean, causing frequent storms. … Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
- (“Roaring Forties”) is the traditional name for oceanic spaces in the 40th latitude of the Southern Hemisphere, where strong and stable westerly winds and frequent storms are common. Similar climate features are noted over the oceans and in the 50s ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia
The traditional name for oceanic spaces at 40 latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere, where strong and steady westerly winds blow, causing frequent storms ... encyclopedic Dictionary
The traditional name of the ocean. spaces in 40 x latitudes South. hemisphere, where strong and steady app. winds causing frequent storms… Natural science. encyclopedic Dictionary
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Endless expanses of water cover our land along the fortieth parallels of the southern hemisphere. English sailors called these latitudes Roaring Forties - “roaring forties”. These are the most stormy and restless areas of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. Throughout the year, out of 30 days of each month, 20-27 days a stormy west wind blows there, and the waves of the raging ocean are higher and longer than anywhere else. The first who ventured to cross these waters alone on a small sailing ship was the Argentinean Vito Dumas, whose extraordinary voyage we want to tell you about.
Even as a child, Vito went to sea with his parents more than once and made small voyages along La Plata. The love of the sea made the boy take long walks to Vosa, the port part of old Buenos Aires, where he saw the high masts of large sailboats proudly rushing into the sky and the mysterious web of rigging. Vito greedily swallowed maritime literature. The adventures of pirates and travelers fired his imagination.
At fourteen, the boy went to work. He changed several occupations, but the dream of long voyages did not leave him.
In 1931, Dumas bought the Leg-1 yacht in France, on which he set off on his first solo voyage at the end of the year. Taking the general direction to the Southern Cross, in 76 days he traveled 6270 nautical miles from Arcachon (France) to Buenos Aires.
In 1934, Dumas ordered the Leg-2 yacht. on which he made several long voyages alone. In 1938, financial difficulties forced Dumas to sell the yacht.
With the money he received, he bought a tractor, cows and began the life of a farmer. Several years pass... But then one day Dumas packs a sea suitcase and goes in search of his old comrade - Leg-2.
It was not so easy to return the sold ship, to equip and equip it. Only with the help of his comrades did Dumas manage to buy Leg-2. Naval engineer Manuel M. Campos, who built the ship, now personally supervised the repair of the yacht. Most of the work was done by Dumas' former schoolmates.
Nothing was forgotten: airtight metal bins for food, a well-stocked first aid kit, a supply of vitamins A, B, C, D, K, glucose, which were scarce at that time, 400 bottles of sterilized milk, a large supply of concentrates, various canned food, 10 kg of South American tea and battery of bottles with alcoholic drinks. In tanks - 400 liters of fresh water and 100 liters of kerosene for lighting and cooking.
The Leg-2 hull was built with cedar cladding. The greatest length of the yacht is 9.55 m; width 3.30 m; draft 1.70 m. The stern is sharp, whaleboat type. A ballast lead keel weighing 3.5 tons gave the yacht sufficient stability.
"Leg-2" was armed with a Bermuda ketch with a bowsprit with a total sail area of 42 m 2. A spare set of main sails, storm trisails and a balun staysail made of light canvas complemented the sailing economy of the yacht. All sails were hand-sewn from the finest canvases.
The ship turned out to be quite fast, well kept on course. The successful layout of the premises made it possible to correctly place food supplies, sails, clothing, supplies, equipment and various materials. To protect the cabin from the waves, a special strong cover was sewn, so that water almost did not penetrate into the cabin.
The oldest part of the ship was the mainmast. She stood still on the Leg-1 yacht built in 1918, on which Dumas once made a solo transition from Europe to Argentina.
On Saturday, June 27, 1942, after a farewell dinner at the Argentine Yacht Club, Dumas's escorts gathered on the club's harbor embankment, where the Leg-2 stood on a barrel, ready to leave. Mother with tears in her eyes, brother, friends... Last farewell hugs. Dumas escapes down the stone stairs and jumps into the waiting boat. A moment, and he is already on the deck of Leg-2. Quickly given bow moorings. The fresh midnight wind fills the sails. The yacht moves away, listing slightly to starboard. The ships escorting Dumas are gradually falling behind and returning back.
Having traveled 110 miles, 20 hours after the start of the voyage, Leg-2 entered Montevideo. The capital of Uruguay cordially welcomes the brave sailor. Uruguayan yachtsmen invite Vito to visit, present gifts, vied with each other to invite them to their place for the night.
The next day, a red storm flag fluttered on the mast of the Uruguayan Yacht Club - a strong pampero blew from the shore, from the pampas. The harbor captain forbade ships to go to sea. But Dumas has not an hour to lose. He should come to the shores of Africa in the spring. Only in this case can he avoid an unpleasant encounter with floating ice.
On July 1, the northeast wind reached 7 points. The sea is restless and formidable, but Dumas manages to get permission to leave. At noon, he stood on a buoy and set all the sails, which were much flapping in the wind. The yacht was dancing on a short wave in the harbor. Here the bow end is given and "Leg-2", picking up speed, passes the gates of the port and enters the expanse of the open sea. Dumas heads south.
Sailing on a backstay course in a strong wave requires full attention from the helmsman. For the first 40 hours, Dumas did not let go of the steering wheel for a minute. Only on the morning of July 3, he with difficulty removed the mainsail, lay down in a drift and went down to the cabin. Having scooped up water from the hold, Vito collapsed on his bunk and slept a heavy sleep until noon. Meanwhile, the weather kept getting worse. Waking up, Dumas decided to continue on the same course, but only under the staysail and mizzen. It was only towards evening that he was able to go back to his cabin; the yacht sailed without a helmsman.
Huge waves attack the ship from all sides and from time to time crash heavily onto the deck. The hull of the yacht trembles and groans. The wind intensifies: its speed reaches 100 km / h (11-12 points), Dumas is worried that water has reappeared in the hold. He can barely stand on his feet, but there is nothing to do: moving chests, boxes, cans, Dumas carefully examines every centimeter of the skin. Strong pitching makes it very difficult to search for a leak. Finally, at the level of the waterline, a plating belt cracked along was found. By the faint flickering light of a dangling kerosene lamp, the hard work begins, during which Dumas repeatedly hits his fingers with a heavy hammer. Finally, the gap is caulked and covered with a piece of board.
After a week of sailing, Dumas was 500 miles southeast of Montevideo, approaching directly the formidable fortieth parallels. The crippled hand was swollen, every movement was worth a lot of effort. The temperature has risen. With great difficulty, Dumas, struggling with the strongest pitching, made himself three injections with his left hand.
The howl of the wind in the Roaring Forties was like the groan of a saw cutting into a tree. The ship alone struggled with the waves - Dumas lay in the cabin. The aching hand dangled helplessly down. He even had the idea to amputate his hand with a knife or an axe. However, on July 12, a crisis came.
The next day the sun came out for a short time. After a forced two-day break, Dumas went on deck and sat behind the wheel, holding the tiller in his left hand. A few hours later the wind roared with renewed vigor. Wave height reached 16 meters.
At midnight, taking advantage of a brief lull, Dumas put the ship adrift, went down to the cabin and lay down on the floorboards, wet and sick. Dumas' loneliness was complete.
The Leg-2 had neither a radio receiver nor a transmitter: the radio equipment on board in wartime conditions could create an unnecessary complication.
On July 13, Dumas crossed the Greenwich meridian. Part of the Atlantic, the entire Indian Ocean, the Tasman Sea and considerable expanses of the Pacific Ocean now separated it from the 180th meridian. Is there something ahead of him?
After a stormy night from 17 to 18 July, the exhausted Dumas fell asleep like a log. Suddenly, he was awakened by a loud siren. A hundred meters astern, he saw the tall forecastle of a fast steam vessel. The howl of the ship's siren repeated. Officers and sailors crowded on the bridge and decks, gesticulating. It was the Brazilian ship "Payretini", which was cautiously approaching the "Leg-2". Dumas asked the captain by megaphone to give his coordinates and received an answer that, due to hostilities, ship captains were forbidden to give such information. Then Dumas himself gave the coordinates of his proposed place and asked simply to confirm whether he was right.
Your course is correct! Keep going the same way! - answered from the ship. Dumas asked the captain, upon arrival at the port of destination, to send the following telegram to the Minister of Marine of Argentina: "Leg-2" continues to sail. There is nothing important for the message."
Mutual greetings, wishes of a good journey, and "Pairetini" quickly disappeared over the horizon. On the morning of August 24, Leg-2 was stopped by an English warship. Convinced of the correctness of Dum-sa's answers, the British left, wishing him a happy journey.
Cape Town was only 50 miles away. The sun, previously low in the north, now leaned to the west. A dark outline loomed over the northeast horizon. Earth! After 55 days of sailing, Dumas sees her for the first time. He takes the bearing of Mount Dining Room and plots a course for the gate to the port.
"Leg-2" moored at the high side of a large cargo ship. People descended onto the deck of the yacht to help stow the sails. Goes down staysail, which stood continuously for 55 days.
Repair of the yacht, replenishment of supplies, rest ... On September 17, Dumas leaves Cape Town, heading for New Zealand. Pilots, maps and other manuals, which collect centuries-old experience of sailing in the fortieth latitudes of the Indian Ocean, indicate that in the period from September to December, 27 storms with winds over 8 points fall on 30 days of the month. Between the 100 and 175 east meridians, cyclones often pass, the speed of which is often about 160 miles per hour. In addition, navigation in these places is hampered by strong magnetic storms and sharp fluctuations in the magnetic declination. On the route taken by Dumas to cross to New Zealand, there were no points by which one could determine one's place, no ports to shelter from storms.
For the first two days, a fair wind blew, and Leg-2 went abeam the Slang Cap lighthouse. Ahead, far out to sea, was the Cape of Good Hope. Dumas veered somewhat south to get around the menacing cliffs at a safe distance. Soon the line of the surf was clearly marked on the beam of the yacht. "Leg-2" headed east. Dumas glanced at his watch: 10 o'clock, September 16th. Now you can go closer to the mainland. Dumas did not want to veer too far to the south, as in this case he would have to go against the current, which in this area reached 4 miles per hour. Dumas had to be on the steering wheel all the time.
The fire of the lighthouse at Cape Agulhas sent him a last farewell greeting from the African continent: the Atlantic remained behind the stern, the Indian Ocean lay ahead. Nothing stands in the way of the winds blowing over the South Atlantic and the South Indian Ocean. Nowhere else there are such huge waves as here. Their height reaches up to 1V m, and their length is up to 300-400 m. From the sailing directions, maps and other manuals, Dumas knew what the conditions for navigation in this area were, but the reality exceeded all expectations.
Dumas describes his struggle with the Indian Ocean thus:
“I go out on deck, sit on the steering wheel and see that the wind subsides. Cloud cover is low. With anxiety I look at the horizon, to the north, from where three tornadoes are approaching. Clouds swirl as if boiling in a cauldron. According to my calculations, the height of each tornado is about 100 meters. The tops of giant water columns merged with low clouds. The sight was terrible, but magnificent. The tornadoes were fast approaching. I tried to change tack to avoid them, but the wind was so weak that the maneuver failed. I was lucky - all three tornadoes passed approximately 500 meters from me. Happy denouement. Death was very close."
After many hours of battling the storm, Dumas finally went down to his cabin and found the hold filled with water. While scooping it out with a bucket, he noticed that it did not look like a sea one. Indeed, the water was fresh. From the impact of waves on the hull and from strong pitching, a leak opened in the bow tank, and 200 liters of drinking water poured into the hold. After that, only 160 liters remained in the tank.
10th of November. The barometer was steadily falling. The night passed very restlessly. Finally, through the porthole looked day. Dumas dozed off briefly. When he again went on deck, there was a strong dead swell on the sea. The sky was grey. There were clouds in the west; they seemed to be preparing for an attack. Soon "Leg-2" was in the center of the strongest cyclone.
Here is a giant wave crest picks up the yacht, then throws it into the abyss. An incredible roar comes from the cabin. Dumas rushes there and sees that the firmly fixed library has been thrown from its place. Shards of glass, scattered books, things, but there is no time to put things in order. Only at midnight does Dumas have the opportunity to remove the storm grotto and go to the cabin for a well-deserved rest. Another battle won!
Horse Latitudes - "horse latitudes" call the area of the Indian Ocean between the southern border of the southeast trade wind and the area of \u200b\u200bwesterly winds in the "roaring forties". Sailing ships that came into this area encountered only occasional weak, unsteady winds there and were calm for weeks, or even months. The horses transported on these ships were the first to not withstand the lack of water during a long voyage and died. Their corpses were immediately thrown overboard. Hence the name. It is quite easy to recognize the southern border of these latitudes by the high clouds driven by the westerly wind.
A strong headwind from the southeast drove Dumas into the region of "horse latitudes". After many days of continuous pitching, the Leg-2 landed on calm water. The albatrosses are gone. From time to time groups of dolphins appeared. On the night of November 15-16, a diving 15-meter sperm whale appeared near the yacht. Twice he quickly approached the ship, as if intending to attack it, but both times he turned away in time.
It has been 65 days since leaving Cape Town. There was little drinking water left and it became dark, like from a swamp. Dumas felt pain in his gums - the first sign of scurvy - despite the fact that he regularly took vitamins. The sun began to warm, and Dumas was able to dry his wet clothes on deck. The boat's speed dropped. I had to remove the log, which hung uselessly behind the stern. The 60-meter balun did not help either. Complete calm ensued.
By the end of the second week of calm, the potatoes in the crates had taken on long white roots. The rest of the canned meat spoiled. November 22 Dumas crossed the 120th meridian east - the opposite of the meridian of Buenos Aires. From that moment on, the distance separating him from his homeland will decrease.
Finally, the wind came. And not any, but a hurricane Australian "willie-willie", blowing from the northwest. Leg 2 was rapidly approaching Tasmania. 85 days have passed since Dumas last saw the earth.
In the early morning of November 3, the earth appeared in the darkness to the left along the bow of the yacht. Dumas checks the calculations and accurately plots his coordinates on the map. He spends the whole day rounding the cape of the island of Tasmania. Only 60 miles separate it from the capital of the island. Before the goal - New Zealand - there is still ... 1200 miles.
You can't linger for a minute. The period of cyclones in the Tasman Sea begins in January. At any cost, you must come to Wellington before the end of the year.
On December 13, the barometer began to fall again, and soon a cyclone swooped in. Subsequently, Dumas recalled that he no longer had the desire or strength to clean the grotto; he left all sails. About what happened next, he tells in his diary:
“The first blow of the hurricane threw the yacht so that there were fears for the safety of the mast. I looked anxiously at the sails. Will they survive? The crest of a huge wave hit the deck, filling the entire cockpit with water. The ship floated slowly. The water hissed as it escaped through the ropes. Despite the fatigue and cut hands, it was necessary to pump out the water from the hold.”
As night fell, Dumas struggled to overcome sleep. He did not dare to lie down. Fantastic pictures arose before my eyes, some buildings collapsed. Sometimes it seemed that he was falling from the scaffolding.
The whirlwind tore off his southwester coat and cloak.
“Endless days of swimming took a toll on my condition,” says Dumas. - Sleep was necessary. I decide to remove the grotto. Sick, with bloody hands; with great difficulty I succeed. On a tilted yacht, which is hit by a wave, I dangle like a doll, every time I hit something. It is hard to imagine how I managed to bleed the mainsail, roll it up and fasten it to the boom. Then I went down to the cabin and literally collapsed into a corner there.
"Leg-2" goes without lights. Only the faint light of the light bulb illuminating the compass suggests that there is still life on these miserable boards, constantly swaying on the waves.
Subsequently, daily passages in the Tasman Sea were 150, 160 and even 180 miles. "Leg-2" quickly went to the south.
On Christmas Eve, the shore appeared in a haze. This is Cape Farewell - the northernmost tip of the southern island of New Zealand. The shore seemed gloomy and empty. Christmas night was approaching. Dumas moved away from the coast, removed the mainsail and lay down to drift. Then he went to rest. It was necessary to gain strength for the upcoming difficult voyage in the Cook Strait, unknown to him.
On the night of December 25-26, the lighthouse on Stephens Island became visible - the first fire on earth after the Cape of Good Hope.
A gusty north wind is blowing. The port is about two miles away. The distance is not great, but you have to maneuver in the channel. A ship passes by the yacht. The officers on the bridge look indifferently at the helmsman, giving some signs; some local yachtsman escaped on the second day of Christmas at sea and is now tacking home! The ship goes on; the small catch makes a turn and lays down on the next tack.
Dumas is trying to complete the tack and enter the port as soon as possible, but at every tack the current carries him to the south. Dumas is desperately convinced that after 103 days of sailing alone, he must give up the idea of entering the harbor and is forced to wait many more hours until the wind changes. The night is coming. Dumas keeps checking his location. Finally, on the morning of December 27, the wind set to the south.
"Leg-2" in the backstay enters the channel. Abeam Worcez Dumas approached the patrol boat and presented his papers. Delighted sailors invite him to their deck, treat him with hot tea, cigarettes, ask endless questions. For the first time in the history of navigation, a single man sailed the 7,400 miles separating South Africa from New Zealand.
Sanitary inspectors, journalists, newspaper correspondents make continuous visits to Dumas. He asks the local port authorities to put the yacht in a place less accessible to unauthorized persons. After some time, he is towed to Boat Harbor, where he moored next to a warship.
A five-week stop in the capital of New Zealand went unnoticed. Hospitable hosts helped Dumas make minor repairs to the yacht and prepare it for further sailing. Traces of scurvy disappeared, mood improved, faith in one's own strength strengthened.
On Saturday, January 30, 1943, a strong wind was blowing up to 10 points. Around noon, Dumas took in a tugboat from the American patrol ship Vagabundo and set mizzen, mainsail and staysail in succession. The Vagabundo turned into the wind. Dumas raises his hand and hands over the tug.
"Leg-2" runs like a stagnant horse. A steep short wave gradually becomes longer and higher; the wind sings in gear. Warships and merchant ships anchored in the roadstead salute Dumas: they wish him a happy voyage.
In the open bay, the wind is already blowing in full force. The crests of the waves, no, no, and they will fall on the deck. At 17 o'clock, Leg-2, flying through the waves, passed traverse of Cape Palliser - the southernmost tip of the northern island of New Zealand.
The morning sun is low on the horizon. A huge three-meter shark swims along the starboard side of the yacht. Right there, near its dorsal fin, a small striped pilot fish keeps nearby. Here the mighty ruler of the ocean dives under the keel, and in a minute the beautiful body of the shark is already shown from the port side. All this is so close that Dumas cannot resist and shoots at the predator. It can be seen that the bullet hit the back, the shark went to the depths with lightning.
On February 1, Dumas crossed the 180th meridian. This meant that he had re-entered the western hemisphere, which he said goodbye to in the South Atlantic in mid-August last year.
One day Dumas wrote in his diary:
“I cut off a piece of black New Zealand bread and return from the cabin to the steering wheel. Coming out on deck, he was petrified with surprise: “Leg-2” is on the rocks!? No1 The yacht is trying to make its way between two huge whales! She takes a run, tries to climb the ridge of one of the whales, slides back. The seconds are endless! Will the whales forgive such impudence? Maybe the one who feels the yacht on himself thinks that this is his friend? They seem to be dozing. I'm afraid to move. Finally, this extraordinary obstacle remains behind the stern. I breathed a sigh of relief."
On March 28, Dumas began the last leg of his voyage. Before full circle- 360 - it remains to go around the Earth by 30 °. Only 15° separate it from Valparaiso. The "Roaring Forties" make themselves known here as well. Strong westerly winds force Dumas to storm under the trisails for three consecutive days.
In the first days of April, "Leg-2" left the fortieth latitudes, heading northeast. Here, closer to the mainland, the Humboldt current carries the yacht north.
On Sunday evening, April 11, Dumas, leaving the cabin, saw the lights of the Guraumillas lighthouse, at the entrance to the port of Valparaiso, to the left of the bow.
The shores of the wide bay shone with thousands of lights. A hundred-meter strip of perfectly smooth water separated the yacht from the land. The sails hung sadly. Complete calm. In the silence of the night you can hear the noise of illuminated cars going along the highway. Someone whistles on. shore. For hours, Dumas yells into a megaphone, hoping to be heard. No success.
The clock is running. Suddenly Dumas hears the splash of oars. Indeed, a boat is approaching.
Ahoy! Are you drifting here this morning?
Yes Yes! It's me!
The lighthouse keeper told us about you, so here we are!
A minute later, a Chilean naval boat approaches the board. Her crew - young sub-officers - find out who they are dealing with. They then enter the yacht and shake hands with Doo-mas. The yacht is being towed. Dumas at this time removes the sails. At 22 o'clock "Leg-2" moored at the side of the whaler.
Sailors help clean up the yacht. Everyone wants to put their hands to help a brave man. Finally, the yacht is in full order. Navy sailors and whalers invite Dumas to shore. That's the way it is - in a raincoat, waterproof trousers and rubber boots! Of course, after a 72-day transition alone, it is very difficult to refuse such an offer. And so they go along the narrow streets from the tavern to the tavern.
Parking in Chile was quite long. Dumas intended to round Cape Horn when the sun was low on the horizon, during the southern winter.
According to Argentine instructions to sailors, less strong, non-stormy winds blow in the Cape Horn area from early April to mid-July. At this time, Dumas planned his transition from Valparaiso to Buenos Aires.
During the parking "Leg-2" was raised ashore. The ship's hull was thoroughly inspected. Damaged rigging was replaced with a new one. Repaired navigation devices and instruments.
Yacht clubs, other organizations, as well as individuals like hot cakes invited the brave traveler. Dumas' intention to circumnavigate Cape Horn in the winter caused extreme surprise and was regarded by many Chileans as an extremely risky undertaking. So far, only the Norwegian El Hansen has circumnavigated Cape Horn alone, but only from east to west. Chilean friends delicately hinted to Dumas that he should leave his diaries and notes for safekeeping. But he, as always, was sure of success.
What does it mean to round Cape Horn from west to east? This means that the navigator must travel 3,200 miles from 50° south latitude in the Pacific Ocean to the same latitude in the Atlantic, bypassing the notorious cape from the south. Many ships, large and small, have been wrecked along the way.
After a holiday in Valparaiso and the experience gained in crossing three oceans, Dumas was well prepared for the risky voyage. Leaving Valparaiso, Leg 2 followed the path that the old clippers used to take. Dumas knew well that between the 37th and 50th parallels of the southern hemisphere, near the Chilean coast, there is a westerly current, which in this region is divided into two branches: one goes north, the other south, both along the coast. A navigator who is close to the mainland and has fallen into a many-day strong storm that occurs during westerly winds has every chance of being thrown ashore.
Clippers went far from the treacherous shores of Chile. This is the way Dumas went. Passing close to the island of Juan Fernandez, he headed northwest and, moving to a safe distance from the mainland, headed for the formidable southern latitudes. The winds here were almost the same as in the Roaring Forties, but the waves were more erratic. Thick fog enveloped the yacht, a large hail hit the deck. On July 14, Dumas crossed the 47th parallel and decided to go further south.
Soon, a cold headwind forces Dumas to remove the grog and storm for two days under the trysel in the direction of the southwest. Cape Horn is still 600 miles away. Dumas soaked his cloak and mittens in drying oil. In case circumstances did not allow a long departure from the helm, I prepared and put chocolate, sugar and canned food in the cockpit. He dried his high boots by placing kerosene lamps in them. The air temperature has dropped. In the cabin, it barely reached + 5 ° Celsius. The changeable wind was blowing at a speed of 80 km/h (9 points).
On June 18, Leg 2 traversed Cape Pilar, leaving it 100 miles to the east. This cape opens the entrance to the Strait of Magellan. From there, Joshua Spokham went out to the Pacific Ocean, the first time he went around the world alone on a sailing yacht.
June 22 is the shortest day in the southern hemisphere. On this day, Dumas saw Tierra del Fuego in the northwest. At night, reflections of the ice of Antarctica could be seen in the southern part of the sky. The raging wind drives the Leg-2 east along the crazy waves.
Here, at last, the border of two oceans is passed.
Midnight, 24 July. The wind is strong, the sea is rough. Cape Horn should be on the left abeam. By the light of a small kerosene lamp, Dumas tries to fix a broken magnetic compass. A swift jolt throws him forward against the porthole. Stunned, he falls into a corner of the cabin. His face is smashed into blood, his hands are cut - Dumas decides that this is a rather modest payment for the passage around Cape Horn.
On the morning of June 25, the wind weakened and went to the southwest. The South Atlantic met Dumas calmly and made it possible to pump out water in the hold. But soon squalls come from the west again. Snow and hail reduce visibility to a minimum. Under such conditions, Dumas cannot decide, cannot “catch” the sun, which at this time rises only 12 ° above the horizon. This forces Dumas to be very careful and attentive. He takes a course to the north, with the expectation to get away from the dangerous island of Estados. On the last day of June, Dumas finally succeeds in finding his place. At noon he crossed latitude 49°55". Cape Horn bypassed!
When Dumas arrived at Mar del Plata on July 7, congratulatory telegrams poured into that Argentine port from all directions. During a month and a half stay in Mar del Plata, he was in the center of attention throughout South America.
He decides before Buenos Aires to go to Montevideo: the capital of Uruguay is about 200 miles away.
Upon leaving the harbor, a headwind forced Dumas to go to La Virose. Two hours later, the first turn. New tack. The night and the next day passed in continuous maneuvering. "Leg-2" with tightly selected sheets and a fixed rudder goes well, sharply to the wind. The calm sea makes it possible to relax.
The next night comes - August 23. At 22:00, Dumas goes on deck to make another tack, after which he returns to his cabin and lies down. An hour and a half later, a strange sound of waves made Dumas jump out onto the deck. The wind stopped completely.
Approximately 100 meters from the yacht, the surf line was visible, in which the waves roared.
Dumas rushed to the helm, but it took some time to free the fixed tiller. Here the rudder is free and put on board, but ... the yacht does not react to this. There is no wind. The inexorable current carries the ship to the shore. A strong wave makes it impossible to turn around or make any other maneuver. The high hills are getting closer and closer. Foam bubbles under the stem. Here is a big wave lifts the hull, then lowers it. The bottom of the ship creaks against the sand bank. The next wave hits the deck and floods the cockpit. Dumas sees the only way to save the hull of the yacht from the destructive action of the breaking wave in the fact that the yacht is washed ashore as far as possible. To this end, he began to unload it. Waist-deep in water, he hardly carries property ashore. Gradually and quite calmly, Leg-2 crawled onto the beach shore and, finally, lay down on the sand behind the surf line.
On Sunday morning, Dumas met a rider bound for Mar del Plata and handed him a note to his friends asking for help. On Monday afternoon, a minesweeper and an Argentine Navy messenger ship anchored near the accident site, and a tugboat arrived the next day from Mar del Plata. The crew of the minesweeper's boat spent several hours bringing the towing line from the yacht to the ship. The length of this end was about 1000 m. The towing cable was attached to the braga, which was strengthened around the hull on special slings. The minesweeper began to pull the yacht. The “small forward” was carefully given - the cable was pulled, then the cars were transferred to the “stop”. This maneuver was repeated several times. "Leg-2" smoothly crawls along the sand closer and closer to the water, then it straightens up, stands on an even keel and, finally, easily floats up ...
The yacht returns in tow to Mar del Plata, where Dumas anxiously inspects his vessel. He does not believe his eyes: the yacht did not take on a drop of water, the hull and rigging are in perfect order. Another dangerous adventure ended happily.
On Thursday, August 28, Dumas said goodbye to Mar del Plata for the second time. A fresh fair south wind quickly carried the yacht north. By evening, Leg-2 passed the unfortunate place.
In Montevideo, Dumas was given a solemn welcome. A week-long stay here was an uninterrupted triumph for him.
Leaving Montevideo, "Leg-2" in tow made the transition through the mouth of La Plata, which separates the capitals of Argentina and Uruguay. Before entering his native port, Dumas sets sail and releases the tugboat. There are thousands of cheers on the shore and on the water. Sailing around the world is over!
14 years have passed. In June 1957, Vito Dumas read with excitement a letter from the United States. It said:
“It is with deep satisfaction that I inform you that the Slocum Society has awarded you its highest award. According to the regulations, this award may be awarded to a sailor who, in the previous year, made the most outstanding ocean voyage alone. This year, the Society decided to make an exception to this rule in honor of the sailor who made the most difficult solo voyage around the world. Please accept our heartfelt congratulations on this occasion."
Dumas was rightfully awarded the title of the best single sailing ship.
“At dawn, in the east, the earth appears in the gaps in the fog. Tasmania?!
Hobart is only sixty miles away. Swimming day. Port, fresh water, fresh food, fruits.
But a man with a steel character pulls himself together: “No, I will not stop. Another effort."
Another effort is one thousand two hundred nautical miles, more than two thousand two hundred kilometers at sea, severe cold, storms, "roaring forties", purple-black evening skies, cyclones and a dangerously creaking mainmast ...
Georges Blon, Indian Ocean
The area of the World Ocean in the southern hemisphere in the area between 40 ° and 50 ° south latitude has long been called by sailors the roaring forties.
They (brave sailors) prefer to bypass these latitudes, although some even more courageous sailor girls rush straight into fierce storms (details -). And for albatrosses the best place on the planet, a kind of "roller coaster", where you can tirelessly fly, snatching fish from the waves.
It is not too hot here, the humidity is high and it is always windy.
Western winds are steady and strong, blowing at an average speed of 7-13 meters per second - there is almost no land here that could impede their movement.
And still lies here Tasmania, Tassi, withstanding the fiercest storms and winds on the planet. The small island, which can be traveled by car in a couple of days, changes four times a day: there is either a heavy downpour or a bright sun.
He also has waves.
How to get to Tasmania:
on the daily ferries Spirit of Tasmania I and II From Melbourne to Devonport (10 hour journey, from $120, http://www.spiritoftasmania.com.au/)
or from Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Perth, Brisbane to Hobart airplanes airlines Qantas, Virgin Blue, Jetstar, Regional Express and Tiger Airways.
Tasmania is close to Antarctica best time to travel- local summer (December-February).
spend the night can in hostels(all over the island, from $20 to $50 per night)
More fun - in caravan parks(from $18)
And even more fun - go on a trip to Tasmania together with a surf tour one of the many Tasmanian schools (from $210)
At the most extreme SOUTHWESTERN point Tasmanian located South West Cape, and it is here that some of the biggest waves of the Roaring Forties crash against the shores.
From Hobart, located 140 km from here, you can only get here by water or by air. There is a rather deserted area around and little has been studied by surfers.
And in total in Tasmania, surrounded by waves of “various degrees of severity”, there are more than 60 official surf pots and even more unofficial ones for brave enthusiasts.
On the SOUTH COAST to a place called Devil's Point in Tasman National Park lying between Cape Raoul and Tunnel Bay broken wave comes from Antarctica Ship Sterns Bluff, which is better not to fall into the pipe - hidden bubbles and steps come with the waves, plus, great white sharks swim from time to time, and there are no first-aid posts in the vicinity)
Still on the South coast, on the shore of a large bay is located main city Tasmania - Hobart, the beaches around which are very revered by surfers, although storms sometimes reach here.
In the area, surfer waves can be found in the area Port Arthur, - the city-ancient prison - 100 km from Hobart, on the beaches park beach(Park beach) and clifton beach(Clifton Beach) and beyond, on the isthmus Eaglehawk(Eaglehawk Neck) tasmanian peninsula(Tasman Peninsula).
little-studied WEST COAST, occupied by impenetrable forests and picturesque rivers, is revered by surfers in the town Marrawah on the beaches Ann Bay, Mawson Bay and Green Point(the nearest relatively large city is Smithton, 40 minutes away)
NORTHERN COAST lightly sheltered from storms, and long periods of flat water occur, especially in summer.
And here is the water Bass Strait(Bass Strait) are very active, and storm processes here generate waves high enough for surfing.
Beaches are suitable for skiing and admiring Tam o'Shanter(Tam O'Shanter) in the northeast Launceston and beaches at the mouth the Mersey River near Devonport + beach British Admiral beach and beaches Fitzmaurice Bay islands King Island(King Island) on the western edge of the Bass Strait (you can get to the island by plane a / k Tasair from Hobart)
Most opportunities for surfing of any level on EAST COAST where the waves that form in the Tasman Sea come.
In St. Helens and there are about 15 official spots in the district, and further south along the coast towards Hobart - even more unofficial ones.
Of the must-have spots on the East Coast:
discovered back in 1773 by Captain Tobias Furneaux Bay of Fires - Bay of Fires 30 minutes north of the city of St. Helens (the captain decided that the lights on the coast are a city, but it turned out that the red mosses that live on the stones along the coast glow like that) + the nearest surfer point overlooking the lights - Binalong Beach
and bay wineglass bay in the national park Freycinet National Park(how to get there - look)