| |
Looks like it will be one hell of a race from here to
the barn.
|
Day 8 - Dec. 20, 1997
Report #2
2258 GMT
39° 31'S, 145° 17'E
Miles to Sydney: 486
Place: 1st; distance ahead of 2nd-place boat: 10.6 miles
From: Paul Cayard, skipper EF Language
It is daybreak on Sunday and we can now see a few of our buddies.
Swedish Match, Silk Cut and Toshiba plus one other. Silk and
Toshiba have come up from behind on us and are still closing down
on us in more breeze. Seems like we are bumping into light air
ahead and the fleet is compressing. Swedish Match is coming from
the south.
Chart of SE Australian Coast
(Click on image.)
|
The wind direction is 250 now. There are forecasts calling for
northerlies and northwesterlies with lots of wind. We haven't seen
any all night.
We are reaching up, hoping to get the same wind as them before they
roll us. Looks like it will be one hell of a race from here to
the barn.
| |
We may have to tack for [King Island] and if we do, we will pay big.
|
Report #1
1109 GMT
39° 37'S, 143° 52'E
Miles to Sydney: 552
Place: 1st; distance ahead of 2nd-place boat: 6.1 miles
From: Paul Cayard, skipper EF Language
Twenty-four hours ago, we though we were set up perfectly for our entry into Bass Straight and convergence with the fleet. Every weather
map and satellite picture showed a high pressure cell to the north
right on top of Toshiba, Silk and Chessie.
Our friend Jules [Innovation Kvaerner], to the south, was under control. The wind was supposed to go to the
northwest in front of the cold front that was scheduled for mid-day
Friday. We would gybe on the shift and have a nice sail up to the
Straits leading the fleet.
Well, nothing could have been further from the forecasts. The wind
never shifted to the northwest yesterday. This forced us and
Kvaerner to stay to the south waiting. Finally the shift came
early this morning, but it shifted all the way to the north — too
much.
The high cell that was supposed to be a problem for Toshiba
and company to the north just upped and got out of the way. We
still have the lead but just now the wind has shifted to northeast . . . god knows why or what is driving it to do that. Now there is King Island, a 35 mile long piece of dirt right in our
way — not in Silk Cut's way or in Kvaerner's way, but our way. We may
have to tack for that thing and if we do, we will pay big.
Can I have a little cheese to go with my wine?
Needless to say, I am not in a good mood. This is one of the
tougher aspects of sailboat racing.
