The 1984 Vasco da Gama Race Recalled 40-years later

by Richard Crockett

I was very fortunate to compete in the very first Vasco da Gama Race from Durban to East London in 1977. I crewed for Brian Tocknell aboard his Miura ‘Outre Mer’.

”It was my very first major ocean race, having done several races and passages from Durban to Richards Bay and return. As a result I was well aware of what to expect during the race, including having experienced the Agulhas Current and a pretty full range of conditions.

That Vasco race in 1977 was the catalyst which gave me a thirst for ocean racing and passage-making, and as a result I did every Vasco Race from Durban to East London, bar one. It became one of those races that I simply had to do as the bug had bitten- a bit like those who run the Comrades Marathon year-in-and-year-out.

The 260 nautical miles was a good length race, there were plenty of tactical options, plus the people of East London Yacht Club were exceptionally friendly and rolled out the red carpet for competitors every single year.

Due to my passion for the race I was aboard ‘Assegai’ for the 1984 Race – which ultimately became known as the “Vasco Da-Drama” race.

The previous year, 1983, I was also aboard ‘Assegai’ with Terry Clarence as skipper, and we took both line and handicap honours. So naturally we were going all out in 1984 to retain the titles we won a year earlier.

With no gale warnings forecast in the build up to the race, and just one in excess of 35 knots broadcast at 19h00, some nine hours after the start, our crew knew that we were in for a long wet, cold and uncomfortable night. Little did we know just how bad it would become!

By late afternoon on the first day we could see the south westerly cloud line building, but having sailed the race on several occasions previously in such conditions we were confident we would be able to survive the night racing upwind, and pushing hard the following morning.

Out of nowhere, and very quickly the north-easter dropped, the south-wester hit for a short period, and then switched back. That was something none of the crew had ever experienced previously. Then, as it started getting dark, the south-wester was back, and simply kept building in strength, whipping up some big seas. We knew we had to get inshore as quickly as possible, and being one of the furthest boats out in the current, it would take several hours to close the coast.

The wind and seas built all night, and our wind speed indicator was pressed hard against the 60-knot stop for minutes at a time. It was difficult to estimate the height of the waves, which were simply very steep and dangerous. Some were breaking at the top, and the wind generally blew the tops off them anyway. There was white water everywhere!

That’s when the crew truly understood they were sailing along the “Wild Coast” as it was truly WILD!

Prudence and good seamanship saw us take the decision to retire from the race around midnight as conditions were not improving, and severe damage to the boat and crew was a real possibility if we pushed on racing. It was a tough pill to swallow at the time, especially as we were hoping to retain our Vasco titles.

It was only when we were nearing Durban the following afternoon that we heard on the transistor radio that the fleet had taken a battering, that boats had been dismasted, and that a full-on rescue operation was in place. We had not seen another boat during our passage home!

Later when we docked we heard of the true drama unfolding at sea, and it was only a day or so later that it became apparent that Siggie Eicholz and the crew of ‘Rubicon’ were not accounted for and were presumed missing.

This came as quite a shock to all, and especially to me as I had got to know Siggie quite well having first met him on the 1977 Race, which he won. Several times after that we would meet on Vasco Races. We also spent a pleasant day on a wine farm, with his crew, and the crew I was racing with to Uruguay.

The devastation of that 1984 race is still something people remember, and talk about today. It also very clearly brings that fateful night back to me as people ask questions. As a result I have been asked on occasions, too numerous to count, to write about that fateful race, not just for my magazine, but for the newspapers and individuals too!

Forty years after that fateful night I believe that I have the knowledge and sound memory of what happened, without over exaggeration or bravado, to recall the race, and provide facts and answers to questions commonly asked both then and now.

So as of tomorrow, 26 April, I will be publishing several features on this Blog about the 1984 race.

26 April 2024 is significant as it was 40 years ago to the day, that the racing fleet started the 1984 Vasco da Gama Race.

A Passionate Plea
Over the years I have been given a lot of material about the 1984 race, and in fact many other Vasco races, to have accumulated a burgeoning archive of material from newspaper cuttings, original photos, reports, magazine features and even personal accounts.

I cherish each and every one of these, and have sufficient to write a book about the 50-plus years of the Vasco da Gama Race – something I will ultimately do.

I already have in excess of 15 000 individual Vasco Race files.

But as always, there are gaps that need filling in terms of full results, photos, reports, personal accounts, scrap books, newspaper cuttings and basically “anything Vasco” that individuals, Clubs and organising authorities have on the race.

So I am making a plea to anyone, and everyone, who has any material on this tough ocean race to consider lending me their personal records of the race for digitising. My promise is that they will be returned in good order – and with digitised files of their material too.

From the files I have so far, I have been able to compile a results database, starting with the earliest races when the race was from Maputo to Durban.

I have a complete database of all the trophy winners in the Vasco da Gama Race.

Every single written word, every single photo, and every single memory of the Vasco race is important to me.

Should you have any material you would lend me, please contact me via email at: editor@sailing.co.za