Hello Team
How are we doing this “Sudden Stop” Wednesday, continuing onwards or slowing down under the mounting work load?
Since our last chat the west coast of Luzon has been true to form, with wind-holes and the forecast bearing no resemblance to reality. We did discover a positive fact then our boat does drift backwards more slowly than some of the other boats! Yesterday afternoon we were sailing in the company of Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam and GoToBermuda (Morning all and well played, see you tomorrow in Subic for a cold beer or two.) The wind veered nicely round and increased enough for a Code 2 hoist and off we all went. Then the wind died away on us as they continued onwards. We slowly ground to a bobbing around and WTC Logistics morphed from an AIS signal to a masthead navigation lights, then in the dawn to sails just behind us.
Having received amended course instructions giving 2 potential finishing gates overnight, I handed over to Number 1 at breakfast and got into my bunk after breakfast. At 10.30am local time, Lyndsay woke me saying: “Racing concludes at 12 o’clock.” I dived into the Nav to read the latest Race Course Instructions amendment, while Number 1 sprung back up into the blazing sun on deck to hoist the Yankee 1 drop the Windseeker and tack the boat. (That would allow us to point higher on the wind and more directly south.
WTC Logistics were 1.5nm to the north of us) We now needed to just keep further south than them for an hour and a half and we could hold our position, 10th and not come double first – 11th. Excellent fun this morning Capt’n Gould and crew, we managed to hold you off, just I think if it had been to Gate 1, it might have been a different outcome. Well done.
This is going to be the last blog for this race and in fact this Leg. So we’ll say goodbye to “Farmer Jane” who has been with us since Fremantle, Lauren and Bernie, who have joined us for Leg 5. On the next Leg, The Mighty Pacific - it's going to be my 3rd North Pacific crossing. My first was on iChorcoal on the 2015-16 race, so it will have personal significance. I am looking to do some fundraising on the part of our journey, as we race towards this team’s home port of Seattle, and will have more details in the blog on the next race.
Meanwhile thank you for your continued support and company, it is very much appreciated. As a bit of a bonus I thought I would leave you with a couple of jokes and some early “Fantastic Fizz Friday Facts”
Why couldn’t Dracula’s wife get to sleep? Because of his coffin
What can you see in all mirrors if you look really closely? Eyeballs
Did you know that, without zero, modern electronics wouldn’t exist. Also people who have their frown lines removed with Botox find it harder to read difficult sentences?
That's all for now,