The Great Rescue
The only thing I am sure that has been on any of our minds overnight has been the rescue of Kevin Escoffier and it was with thanks and relief I read the message in the early hours of this morning that he had been once again found and was safely on board with Jean Le Cam.
We all enter this race knowing there is risk. Any time you take a sailing boat across an ocean there is risk, crewed or solo, there is risk. You are stepping out of an environment where people and rescue assets are within easy reach and traveling to some of the most remote areas in the world. All of us understand this risk but that does not mean we take it lightly and a huge amount of training, planning and preparation has gone into both everyone of our race entries, but also the work of the Race committee in managing us on the water. Among other things we train in personal survival techniques, we carry equipment to prolong our survival in a marine environment and to aid our location and recovery, the race management also have a huge amount of training and experience in rescue co-ordination.
It is testament to this training and experience that Kevin has been recovered and I am humbled and thankful for the actions of the race committee and these skippers in his rescue.
I have had many messages overnight from friends and family, wishing me to stay safe and with underlying worry and concern. It has been a horrific few hours for everyone and something like this certainly brings this risk that we have chosen to take into sharp reality. I won't say that I am not shaken but every time I have crossed an ocean I have implicitly understood I am stepping out of the safety net of quick rescue and so this is a risk I am familiar with. Medallia is a strong boat and we have spent a lot of time and effort preparing her for the worst conditions. I have great satellite comms on board to help me monitor the weather and to keep me in touch with my shore team and the race committee. I have trained and trained to keep myself safe and well on the ocean and to preserve my life should things go wrong. I love this sport because it pushes us to the limits as human beings. none of us go into this wanting or expecting to end up in a liferaft but should that happen we are ready for it.
The fact that we are racing actually brings some security to this situation. Kevin's rescue is testament to this and I look at the pack around me in this part of the South Atlantic and I know they will be there for me and I for them should we need it. The only thing left to say is I will look after myself, Medallia will look after me and this morning I have nothing but respect and thanks for Jean Le Cam, Jacques Caraes (Race director), Boris Herman, Yannick Bestaven and Sebastian Simon, all of whom worked tirelessly to rescue Kevin.