Leg 3, Cape Town to Melbourne, day 01, on board Dongfeng © Martin Keruzore / Volvo Ocean Race
Famous for freezing temperatures, giant waves and epic sailing conditions, the remote Southern Ocean is the heart and soul of the Volvo Ocean Race.
At times during this leg, the crews were closer to the International Space Station than to any population centre on earth, making sailing across this part of the world one of the last real human adventures.
With regular wipe-outs in relentless, boat-breaking conditions, Dongfeng Race Team Skipper Charles Caudrelier described it best: Leg 3 was the 'toughest leg of his career'.
The race took a toll on the sailors both mentally and physically but despite being cold, wet, and occasionally scared, for days on end, the Southern Ocean remains every offshore sailor's ideal playground and we have the pictures to prove it.
For the 2017-18 edition, the Volvo Ocean Race has introduced up to three times more Southern Ocean sailing than in recent races - with the trans-ocean legs counting for double points.