Race 2 - Day 3
Skipper Report
18 September

Well, the quandary continues...

My gut feeling since starting this race has been to stay west of the Canaries when we get there. Every time I get to the Canaries on a passage, race or otherwise, I am tempted by the acceleration on offer in-shore and east and always badly disappointed when southeast of the island sting. My resolve was firm - if a little tested by 24 hrs of no wind. However, the weather forecasts have been pretty persuasive and as the Canaries approach, every route I run on TimeZero, our 'magic box of tricks', tells me to do something I am nervous about doing.

Being out on a flyer in a one design fleet is usually not a great idea. Especially when the downside is to drive into less breeze and stop, thus dropping into different weather systems. But going against one's gut feeling driven by past experience... well, that's hard to do too.

I am minded to present the weather and the facts as I know them to the crew later today. Then we will make a joint decision. Democracy is rarely a good way to run a boat but on tactical decisions like this, it makes some sense. Especially when my alternative is to sit in the nav station for hours and re-run scenarios in my mind. Various cliches run through my head. "The map is not the terrain" is one, which is certainly the case with weather forecasts. When is hard won experience a hindrance to the relative liberty of ignorance? When does the 'safe bet' become the tactically risky alternative? And when does clarity of thought and decisiveness become foolish pigheadedness.

A few days ago in Portimao, a very good friend of mine sent me a copy of the poem 'If' by Rudyard Kipling. At the time, it hit the spot perfectly. It has some resonance now also, when wrestling with this tactical predicament. But what a great way to earn a living... racing a 70ft ocean race yacht around the world in the company of a great bunch of people from all walks of life. The level of sailing experience here might be limited, but each of us has plenty of life experience to draw on in the weeks and months ahead. We just need to figure out when it is a help and when it is a hindrance - and there, my friends, is another quandary.

As I write this, the wind is veering and pushing us ever westwards. I shall wait for this morning's weather and present a case for discussion. On WTC Logistics, we win as a team and we lose as a team.