Race 2 - Day 1
Skipper Report
16 September

Ben Keitch
Ben Keitch
Team Seattle
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Our stay in Portimão brought some much-needed Portugese tranquillity. The town has a beautiful beach and the buildings along it reflect the sun and the ocean.

One thing I really noticed in Portimão was just how clean it was kept. For a busy tourist resort, the streets and beach were immaculate. The number of rubbish

bins lining the streets may have helped with this, and for a team that wants to protect the ocean from plastic, this was a very welcome sight.

On the last night our hosts took us to a lovely little cliff side restaurant in the sandstone caves that the Algarve is famous for. The addition of live music to the soft crash of waves and soft lighting made this a very romantic spot.

However, the Seattle team had plenty of work to do and were kept busy repairing the boat after quite a brutal first race. We think we've managed to get everything done that we needed to.. The lesson learnt is how important checking everything and looking after gear really are, on a race boat that punishes both people and equipment.

Now we are out in the ocean again. This leg is much more serious, I briefed the crew about what four weeks at sea would be like, especially in light airs and tropical humidity. We can already feel the heat, as we turn our back to Europe (not to be seen for another 10 months) and look toward Africa on our left and our destination across the water.

Just before we left, we received a very warm and poetic letter from Punta del Este . It felt like a very kind and genuine invitation to come and visit them.

The racing started really well. Despite a rather rushed hoist on the start, we got across the line in the front half of the fleet. Some very close jostling with our rivals saw us round the last inflatable mark in the top five. But alas, a yankee sheet got loose and we lost ground as we had to re-run it. This cost us dearly and left us at the back of the fleet.

As the wind has dropped through the night, we have been focused on trimming. Everyone is out looking for wind and the fleet seem divided over the best place to find it. We are all looking at the same GRIBS but some skippers seem to prefer the African coast and some of us are staying deeper into the Atlantic. You just never know how accurate the forecast is going to be. We are using the old school methods - feel the wind on your cheek and watch the sails!

We have several more days of these conditions, then things may get interesting as we approach the Canary Islands. At least for now I can rest in a bunk that is nearly horizontal.