77 days, 08 hours, and 35 minutes. That’s the time it took Alexia Barrier to pass Cape Horn. A moment full of emotion for the native of the French Riviera, who received a warm welcome on the land of fire.
Slow and steady wins the race, as the saying goes, and sure and steady reaches far! The essential is there; the Pacific and the successive depressions are behind. For the past few days, it felt like it was dragging on for the skipper from the Alpes-Maritimes: “My first Cape Horn is behind me. It marks the end of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific, which have been so difficult these past days after ten days of battling. I was really eager to get here even though I know the rest of the journey will still be challenging. It signals the promise of better days and a route that will take me to Les Sables d’Olonne,” reassures Alexia Barrier, visibly very tired from her last few days of racing.
In addition to the emotion of the moment, the woman from the French Riviera received visitors at the edge of the land of fire: “There was a huge crowd on the rock. Our partners, my family, and my friends gathered. No more curfews, no more lockdowns…” she explained, deeply moved by this strong gesture, proof of unwavering support in this extraordinary adventure.
Now, the road should gradually clear, allowing her, with Capt’n Planet (her mascot) and the Penguin, to take time to admire the landscape: “The wind is stable, and the boat is advancing well on a calm sea, the sun is there, and it feels good. I crossed paths with a cargo ship with whom we could chat a bit. And in the water, there are huge seaweeds, the Kelps. Some breezes are coming down from the Argentine mountains without too much hassle. I will take this opportunity to sleep and recover from these last few days spent in the skirts of the devil.” According to her calculations, she should reach the finish in about thirty days. Courage, “there are only” 12,500 km left to cover on a sea she knows well, to finally be able to embrace her loved ones.
