After two weeks of relative comfort in Auckland, Volvo Ocean Race sailors are headed to one of the most isolated and challenging places on the planet.
After over 20 days at sea, Peter Burling arrives in Auckland aboard Team Brunel on 28 February Photo: Photosport
When the seven competing yachts - all but one of them with a Kiwi crew member on board - head to the Southern Ocean on Sunday, the nearest man-made structure will be the International Space Station.
There will not be much time to contemplate their isolation and place in the universe though - the crews will be too busy managing giant waves, raging gales and bone-numbing cold.
Skipper of second-placed Dongfeng, Charles Caudrelier, had done the leg two times before and never come back with a mast in one piece.
"Sometimes you have to forget the race and just have to take care of the boat and the crew," he said.
Despite all the scary stuff, New Zealander Peter Burling, who was racing for Dutch team Brunel, was excited.
He had never been anywhere near that far south before.
"This is pretty much the most iconic leg of the race.
"It's probably where the race gets its DNA of being a little more extreme in terms of the environment we race in," he said.
Burling's usual team mate, and fellow Olympic gold medallist, Blair Tuke, has turned rival, racing on the Spanish boat Mapfre, the current leader.
Tuke said he had loved been part of the Spanish crew, which had a great sense of teamwork.
"A lot of the guys came over from the last race so the preparation was pretty high.
"We gel well and we know how to push the boat and enjoy close racing. It's been good so far but we're going to have to keep pushing if we want to win this race."
Tuke was squeezing in a friend's wedding tomorrow before setting sail about Sunday lunchtime.
Bianca Cook is the only New Zealand women participating in the race, aboard Turn the Tide on Plastic Photo: RNZ / Rowan Quinn
The only New Zealand woman in the race, Bianca Cook, who is part of the boat Turn the Tide on Plastic, loved the welcome she had received in her home city.
Like all the crews, she had been recharging during the extended stop of about two weeks but could not wait to get away again.
"I'm a little bit nervous but more excited than anything.
"I'm really looking forward to getting out there again but also going round the horn is one on the bucket list that everyone wants to do," she said.
After they round Cape Horn, the crews will head to their next stop, Itajai in Brazil, with the leg expected to take about three weeks.
