"Use it again!": Circumnavigators run aground in Cook Bay: "We're stuck in a mouse hole with rocks all around us!"

Horror scenario for the crew of the "Use it again!": Romain Pillard and Alex Pella ran aground with their trimaran in Cook Bay and have been through "sailing hell" once in the past day and a half. Their misfortune occurred in the early hours of 9 February. The French skipper and his Spanish co-skipper were uninjured, but had immediately put on their survival suits and expected the worst. Their "Use it again!" had drifted onto the rocky shore in the dark of night and was stuck there as if trapped. After initial investigations and contact with their shore crew, Pillard and Pella quickly contacted the regional authorities and asked for help. The Chilean navy sent a boat. After thorough planning of a towing attempt in the uncharted area, the trimaran was successfully towed free. "Use it again!" then motored under its own power south of Olga Island on course for the entrance to the Beagle Channel. The Chilean navy accompanied the circumnavigating duo for safety reasons. Winds of up to 30 knots and challenging swell prevailed in the unfortunate area.

"It's a real nightmare!"

"Use it again!" skipper Romain Pillard has published an initial report on the incident: "It was 1 a.m. local time when a loud noise woke me up. The boat immediately came to a standstill. I understood immediately... We had been taking turns at the helm until then, each on our own watch. We were still sailing in Cook Bay that night, wanting to be well prepared on 9 February to take advantage of the possible exit window to the Pacific on 10 February. The weather conditions were still good. We had reefed the sails and were making about six knots in Cook Bay. Alex was on deck and I was resting. After more than a month at sea, fatigue had set in. Alex ended up below deck and fell asleep. It's a real nightmare! I really have no words. I'm devastated. I'm trying to focus on the urgency of the situation. I can hardly believe what has happened to us. At this time of day. Under these circumstances. The trimaran is literally lying on the rocks, we are stuck in a mouse hole with rocks all around us. It's surreal to be here and experience something like this. And that's after everything we've already been through. We have prepared the boat to get out of here again. We sent a video to the Chilean navy so that they can get us out as quickly as possible in these conditions, before the storm hits and without damaging the boat too much. The area is not mapped, the exit will be complicated. We are unharmed. We'll get the boat out of here now, get it to safety and then see what happens."

The harbour of salvation is reached

The redemptive news came on Thursday morning under the happy headline "Safe in Port Williams!": Overnight, the team and their stricken trimaran reached the Chilean harbour of Port Williams under engine power. The crew reported from on board: "We would like to thank the Chilean navy, who did everything they could to get the trimaran 'Use it again!' and its crew back on track after this misstep. Well done. Thank you very much!" The team plans to announce further decisions later today after a short rest period.