Sailboats Buffalo River Safe Haven Wild Coast

Vasco da Gama Ocean Race finishers safe and snug on the Buffalo River at East London Yacht Club in the tiny harbour of East London, only safe haven along South Africa's Wild Coast between Durban and Port Elizabeth. I took this photo several years after surviving the tragic 1984 Vasco da Gama Storm. A strong cutoff low connected with a coastal low, setting off a bomb; a Roaring Forties storm between Gough and Marion had triggered long waves days before, inbound and running headlong at a continental shelf steering the 5-knot Agulhas Current. We were racing south along the Wild Coast, in the warm current for maximum assist, when all of these forces collided around us causing one of the worst storms ever, and wrecking the fleet. Fighting 60-foot seas and eight hours of Force 12, I spent a long night doubting we could survive. Somehow, we did. This is how I like to remember the Buffalo River and the warmth of the East London Yacht Club. Fujichrome 50 PRO RFP.

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Filename: AJH_13234.jpg
Copyright: © 2007 Andrew Haliburton, All Rights Reserved
Image Size: 3952x2588 / 14.7MB; https://www.photoshelter.com/support/license; https://www.andrewhaliburton.com/contact; Andrew Haliburton Buffalo River Compass47 East London Eastern Cape Farr38 Film Fujichrome 50 Pro RFP Harbor Harbour Lavranos26 Lavranos34 Lavranos36 Marina Maurice Dibb Nikon AF Nikkor 28-70mm f/3.5-4.5D Nikon F90 Offshore Peterson33 RCOD Refuge Reversal Film Safe Haven Sailboat Sailing Shelter Slide Film South Africa Vasco da Gama Ocean Race Wild Coast Yacht Race Yachting
Contained in galleries: Sailing

Vasco da Gama Ocean Race finishers safe and snug on the Buffalo River at East London Yacht Club in the tiny harbour of East London, only safe haven along South Africa's Wild Coast between Durban and Port Elizabeth. I took this photo several years after surviving the tragic 1984 Vasco da Gama Storm. A strong cutoff low connected with a coastal low, setting off a bomb; a Roaring Forties storm between Gough and Marion had triggered long waves days before, inbound and running headlong at a continental shelf steering the 5-knot Agulhas Current. We were racing south along the Wild Coast, in the warm current for maximum assist, when all of these forces collided around us causing one of the worst storms ever, and wrecking the fleet. Fighting 60-foot seas and eight hours of Force 12, I spent a long night doubting we could survive. Somehow, we did. This is how I like to remember the Buffalo River and the warmth of the East London Yacht Club. Fujichrome 50 PRO RFP.