Brunel

Volvo Ocean Race

Southern Ocean

53°25,35 S, 78°00.12 W. Four hundred nautical miles to Cape Horn. 30 to 35 knots of wind, 5 to 6 meters waves. Brunel is leading the leg. The last 48 hours have been brutal. Most of my equipment is either damaged or drowned. Condensation is everywhere: Camera housings, viewfinders and even lenses! I have two drones onboard, a dji Mavic pro which I have used several times to produce video in the southern ocean, as well as a brand new Phantom 4 pro. With its 1 inch sensor, the Phantom 4 pro is the only drone I can use to produce "proper" still pictures, so I decide to use it, before we get to Cape Horn. As soon as I get on deck, condensation spreads into the lens. Because of the spray, I can't stay on deck holding the drone so I decide to take off , hoping that the problem will go away after a while. I have to wait until the last couple of minutes of flight to get a lens almost free from condensation, and to shoot this picture. Landing is always challenging, but fortunately I can count on the help of the crew, and especially Kyle Langford who manages to catch the drone at the aft of the boat.

Phantom 4 pro, 24 mm, 200, f9.0 , 1/500