I woke up this morning to grey skies and lots of squally winds, with crew assembled off we went again to the start, this time I got it right and as the start cannon fired I was crossing at full speed. We had now been round the dock and ID'd the other boats in our class, but we hadn't spotted the one that came 1st on day 1, we raced the ones we knew about though, and left them behind in our wake. As the squally weather continued we got some exciting conditions, and soaking wet too, in torrential tropical rain. To give you a clue as to how hard the wind blew now and again poor 'Galatea' snapped her mizzen mast close to the deck!! Her crew worked all night repairing it!
The race covering helicopter buzzed us on the way round for what seemed like ages, so we knew we were being filmed blasting through the swell, one of the big one's 'Windrose' passed us at full tilt and full sail, no wonder she broke the 98 year old Atlantic schooner race record and won it in 2002, what a sight, she was only about 50 foot away and as she overtook us, well I for one was gob smacked! 'Yahooo', what a good days race, and wearing oily's as well. So after returning too the dock we waited with bated breath in the AYC for the results, having a few beers at the same time....and......
WWoooW!!!! we had come FIRST!!
Partying can't describe the celebration we did of that that night.
Roy
