Well, another interesting evening for the Circe crew. The forecast was 10 to 12 knots and by 5:30 it was gusting over 20. But the forecast was for it to slacken as the evening went on. And 20 minutes before the start it was showing signs of doing that so we opted for the heavy #1. A risky choice considering we were shot handed. Nansi had commitments elsewhere and Ryan was stymied by traffic again, so Kathleen was alone on the foredeck, Susan on main, Mike grinding and Pam tailing, and me trying to keep out of everyone's way.
The course was set up as a buoys to port four times around triangle with the first mark at Red Path, the second in the west bay and the jibe/start mark in the east bay. The line shifted between square and pin end favoured as the wind shifted back and forth.
At about 3 minutes to our start it piped up again to 15+ with a heavily pin favoured end. We went out the beyond the committee boat planning to scream in and down the line on starboard when at about 45 seconds left the wind died completely at our end and left us helplessly watching the rest of the fleet sail away at the other end. So we started a game of catch up. The wind continued to be puffy and shifty oscillating between 5 and 18 knots and shifting 40 degrees.
We never did catch Abra or Blue Streak but we gradually reeled in Veloche. At the third time around the third mark we rounded just behind her and slightly inside. We both hardened on to port tack and headed into the NE corner of the bay. I thought we were getting some backwind from her as we weren't gaining so tacked on to starboard about a third of the way to the lay line and Veloche followed suit behind and slightly to weather. We were ahead but I wasn't confident enough we would cross him if we tacked back as we got to the port lay line, so we hung on past the lay line waiting for Mark to tack. When he did we tacked too, so we were both heading to the mark on port with him slightly ahead but to leeward. As we approached the mark Veloche suddenly tacked for the mark and yelled "starboard!". We had no place to go but tack inside him but managed to squeeze past the mark and get ahead, where we managed to stay with an increased lead for the rest of the race.
It was a good exciting race with Veloche with Kathleen multitasking like crazy on the foredeck trying to complete several simultaneous requests emanating from the cockpit, and maintain her constant patience and good humour, but if looks could kill...Susan was great on the main dealing with underpowered/over powered wind oscillations all night. Mike was amazing cranking in the big jib in 15 knot winds and Pam kept her cool the whole night working seamlessly with Mike. Well done Circe Crew!!!
We finished 3rd ahead of Veloche. Blue Streak continues her win streak with her 3rd straight bullet, and not just by seconds - by many minutes. I'm not sure if she's beatable with her new rating.
So, who's up for next week. Are you putting in a special guest appearance Chris, as promised some weeks ago?
Skipper Ron