Trials and tribulations at 2023 Trans Agulhas
PLETTENBERG BAY - With some seriously tough and at times overly dangerous sea conditions, the 35th edition of the Trans Agulhas Challenge really lived up to its reputation as the toughest inflatable boat challenge in the world.
The conditions were however no match for veteran of the Trans Agulhas Challenge (TAC) and pilot of the overall winning boat, Eben de Bod, and his teammate Gerhard Fernhout. The duo finished in a time of 6 hours 24 min and 4 seconds and also won the Modified Class category.
De Bod has now earned himself some serious bragging rights, having secured a fourth consecutive TAC win in his 11th time competing in the TAC. "It's quite a process of recovery after every race – to the extent that you think 'this is it' when you're done," he says. "The Trans Agulhas Challenge is particularly hard on the body, so finishers can be excused for thinking 'never again'. But the bug has bitten, and two to three weeks after the race I'm already planning the next one!"
De Bod said highlights of the past event include excellent organisation by Stefan Lindeque and his team, expert support from local NSRI crews and police boats, and wonderful crowd support at the iconic Mossel Bay, where the tourism team ensured spectators were informed and entertained during proceedings on day one.
Over the years organisers and racers have come to expect that the TAC will be a serious challenge. But 2023's edition from 28 to 31 December really took the cake. From the word go on the first day, when crews set off from Hobie Beach in Plettenberg Bay, the weather caused headaches.
After an 08:00 race start, 31 craft sped towards Nature's Valley for the first leg, but swell and prevailing winds combined to create sea conditions judged too dangerous to proceed with day one's planned mission to Mossel Bay.
Boats and crews travelled from Plett by road and launched at the Santos Beach slipway around lunchtime – to the delight of spectators that had been crowding the Mossel Bay beach. The wait was not in vain, as ocean conditions were calmer in the bay and boats proceeded to make up the day's lost kilometres by completing laps between Santos and Klein Brak beach.
The issues on day one proved to be but a taste of things to come. Although the swell and wind ensured racers had their work cut
out, the route for day two – from Mossel Bay to Stilbaai, with a detour past Vleesbaai – could be raced according to plan.
With eyes firmly focused on the next day's weather forecast, it was decided to set off on 30 December (day three) at 07:00, an hour earlier than the normal start time.
Due to heavy fog in the morning, it was decided that racers would be accompanied by safety boats from Stilbaai to Witsand. Competitors then travelled by road to Struisbaai, where a short course was raced.
After a review of the final day's weather forecast it was deemed too dangerous for competitors to follow the planned route to finish at Strand Beach. Ultimately the call was made to finish the TAC at Struisbaai.
After an 80km stint in the morning, crews enjoyed a short break before tackling the last 80km required to finish day four, and final results could be decided.
"This TAC really showed us again that the weather is full of challenges," says Lindeque, adding that this year's winners really deserve respect from the global boating fraternity for holding their own, come hell or high water.
TAC 2023 winners in the other two classes were Boat Six Gun Grill 41 with skipper David Barnet and co-pilot Harry Erasmus (Pro Stock class), and Boat Rusgenot Transport S1 with Dylan Bamberger and Carla Engelbrecht at the helm (Stock class).