More photos

Some more photos. This time from Terina.
After removing the bimini, Julie doing tactics.
Bandana boy, one of the many looks Mal sported during the week. This was the Nepalese houseboy.

Very close sailing

Boats in front of us
Boats behind us
Mathilde keeping a close eye on us
Mountaineers Mal and Terina. Sometime it felt like climbing a mountain. This was Mal's sherpa look.
Julia and Terina take turns to hold the jib out with the boat hook.
Our Samoan Princess Julia
All dressed up for the Prix D'Elegance sail past. Haitham refusing to put on his tiara.

Results

Oh and I suppose the results are in order. We came 19th out of 26. (19,20,[22],15,13,16).

More racing

Wednesday was another race day. This time the course went out past Surprise Rock, the rock we missed completely as we sailed by in the maelstrom that was Saturday. With our GPS working, and the sun shining we found the rock and managed to round it without mishap unlike about 6 other boats, mainly the big expensive ones. The radio on the way back was full of requests for the travel lift. Luckily it was a lay day on Thursday because the boat repair guys were flat out fixing keels and rudders.

This is us passing the rock. You can see why it's such a surprise. It's tiny.




The yacht passing us is much bigger than us.

And we saw the whales on the way back.

It was another lay day on Thursday but we all decided to forgo the Whitehaven Beach drink-a-thon. The day saw the Julie/a's flat out horizontally, Terina and I did effluent duty in the afternoon after a pleasant lunch and Mal and Haith went shopping.

Friday was not a good day for us. The start was plagued by the tide sweeping boats towards the line an 3 knots. We had a small collision with a guy who refused to give us water in spite of us calling for it repeatedly. As he was the windward boat and also the overtaking boat he was in the wrong on three counts but it didn't help morale.

The course took us round the bottom of Pine and Long Islands at the height of the tidal rip. It looked like rapids. Luckily we had tacked up the side of Pine Island out of the current and when we saw boats moving sideways and backwards at the rate on knots (sic) we were able to keep in shore until we could get across the flow at its narrowest point. It still took several tacks to clear the island as each time we thought we had gone far enough - or even too far- we were pushed back towards the island. Then we ran down the far side of Long Island, which is well named as it took forever. With no pole to hold out the jib the crew took turns to hold it out with the boat hook. Finally there was a reach back to Hamilton and another seemingly endless beat up the channel to the finish line. The only consolation was that a number of boats in our division pulled out because they didn't think they could finish on time. So we were pretty proud of ourselves. But it was a long day (6 hours).

The final icing on the cake was the race jury foreman waiting to tell me there was a protest against us for the collision. As the other boat had not done anything to indicate they were going to protest and as we believed we were in the right I was outraged. I also banged my head and crunched my shin getting off the boat so was not a bit happy. Eventually the protest was thrown out but it wasted valuable drinking time. And we were all desperate for a drink.

Saturday looked like being another very long race but the course was changed to a very short one at the last minute. But it did mean another rounding of Pine Island. In great trepidation we headed out but it was much earlier so the tide was, if anything pushing us away from the start line. This time we decided to tack back towards Hamilton rather than cross straight away to Pine, then we were able to sail right across the bottom of the Island in one tack. Luckily the tide was just starting to seriously rush north so we didn't have the angst or the multiple tacks. Then a much shorter run between Pine and Long Islands and a fast tack back after a short becalming at the northern end of Pine. Again we passed lots of boats in other divisions.

The best bit was the finish when we did a couple of really long tacks right to the edge of the safe water and managed to cross the line without too much effort. Boats behind us being more cautious took about 10 tacks to get there. As I had failed to alert John in Mathilde of the course change it was only near the end that Mal rang them and they sped back from where we were supposed to be at South Molle to watch us finish. Absolutely the best support team in the race!! Then we motored around at the finish to watch those behind us and the big boats on other courses cross the line - and to gloat a little at how clever we were!

And so it was all over. We put the boat back together, dismantled the down haul we had rigged up, took down the rainbow flag and went drinking.

Whales

Did I mention the whales?
We have had whales on the course twice and yesterday we saw one off the apartment in Dent Channel. And we have also seen turtles and the occasional dolphin.

Of course it could be the Loch Ness monster on summer holiday.

Day off on Tuesday

The lay day gave some of us the opportunity to visit the famous Whitehaven Beach without 200 other boats and drunken sailors. That is not to say we weren't drunken sailors but that is another story.
Here are the masters of the best support team in the regatta, Michael and Peter. Even if they do refer to us as sticks and rags sailors. And they generously took us out for the day.

And this is part of the support team with Mal at Whitehaven.

In the jet boat heading for Whitehaven Creek. Very pretty. And very wet on the way back as Captain Harris does like a bit of speed.

Meanwhile Julia, as the HalfWhitsundaes designated driver of the Audi R8. Remembering everything Top Gear said about the car she went for it to win the car for us and gain us points in the series. The test was to drive two times around a course on the airstrip without hitting any cones and making both laps the same speed. Tricky. She channelled Stig and we have high hopes of succcess.

And here are all the HalfWhits at the Audi bar celebrating Julia'ss driving.

Too many rainbow flags is never enough

The sail past competing for the Prix D'Elegance.

Haitham came on board to be yellow for our rainbow.
John and Jenni came to collect Haitham and take our bunting to Mathilde. They are now wanting to do the racing next year.

This is the start on day one. Just a few of the 200+ boats.
And we're off on the first race. Cautiously reefed.
Race 2. We are sailing better now we've taken down the bimini. Some boats have emptied their water tanks, taken everything off their boats to keep them light. Given how high the winds have been I am not sure why.

STARBOARD!! Condor keeping out of our way before she ran aground.

Happy sailors after race 4. We sailed much better, got a great start in spite of the three knot current pushing us across the line and finally satyed ahead of many boats in our division. And then two killer tacks on the finish line to complete a fabulous day.

Not exactly like the photos

Day 1 of racing dawned windy and cloudy. Very windy as it turned out. 25 to 30 knots for the sailors reading this. Our intrepid team headed out to the start line off Catseye Bay with white caps everywhere and 200+ boats all jockeying for position at the start line. Julie took the wheel for a while and seemed very confident although later confessed to feeling a bit scared. 3 general recalls made the start very confusing but we got away OK and discovered that the boat sailed quite well although it is not the racing machine we had hoped. But the team did a great job and none of them 'fessed up to the fear until days later. Talk of 10 metre waves are seriously exagerated but we did see a whale and a turtle along the way. And we finshed. In fact we found our way round the course and got to the end without mishap. Mathilde was on hand to cheer us away in spite of the rough seas. And then they were there again as we sailed up Dent Channel to the finish.

And we came 14 out of 24. Almost but not quite last, at least of the boats that went out. There are several boats too chicken to brave the conditions. We are rafted up next to a boat that hasn't been out once.

Hamilton Island Marina is chock-a-block. where normally there would be two boats there are now three. All squished in but generally amicable. On the first day we were nose in in a middle spot. not ideal as we had to get off over another boat. The second day someone had taken that spot so we ended up nose in next to Manly Too. The third day we were back early and found a spot next to a finger empty. Hooray we said and tied up. Then the previous occupant arrived and made a big performance about it being their spot. Although everyone said don't move and John Harris established with the marina manger that no-one has a reserved space we decided to move to keep the peace. It turned out that the skipper was cranky cos he had just trashed a second spinnaker in two days. We have all become friendly since and we now park rear in which makes it easy to get on and off without climbing over other boats and he gives us plenty of space.

Day 2 of racing was almost as windy but was a shorter course. Due to even more confusion on the radio we started terribly late thinking we had minutes tto go when the race had already stared, but we passed a few boats along the way. Getting to know how to sail the boat and then sailing over another boat full of girls gave us a thrill. And we were glad of our reefing even though John Harris thought we should have unreefed for the reach. We were balanced most of the way while many other boats broached terribly.

The crew on the rail got drenched but didn't complain more that was expected and everyone worked together like a (sort of) well oiled machine.

Again we are the boat with the best support team as Mathilde came out with us. But we came last. The late start could be to blame.

Day 3 was the sail past for the Prix D'Elegance. Our boat was gorgeous and the support team was on the dock to cheer us on. It seems many boats thought they were the judges. We also created much comment as we had gone to a lot more trouble than almost anyone else. Nothing like 40 metres of rainbow flags to make a statement. Apart from one homophobic comment everyone else seemed either impressed, amused or indifferent.

However, another day of high winds was predicted and a mutiny was threatened. A little cajoling convinced the team to at least start. Once out in the water it was easy to just keep going. And going we did. Julie made some great tactical decisions that had us passing boats and screaming across the finish line on a very fine starboard tack. The rail sitters kept the water off those of us up the back of the boat and winched like mad every tack to keep us moving and in contention. Mathilde came out to meet us but there were two routes home from Invisible Rock and unfortunately Mathilde was waiting on the one we didn't take.

We still came last which is a mystery to us all but we had a great day and the would be pikers all agreed that it was worth it. They have also promised not to whinge ever again although I think they had their fingers crossed.

And Mario arrived which means the support team is now Helen, Haitham, Peter and Michael, John and Mario, Jenni (here til tomorrow) and three very nice boys staying with Peter and Michael and taking heaps of pictures. And Mathilde of course. I think a lot of people are baffled by the fact that a rent-a-boat from the Whitsundays' reputed rent-a-wreck is so well supported.

I hope to get some pictures tomorrow but for now you'll have to just believe me that the seas are rough, the wind is high and that we are having a great time. But the sun does come out from time to time and then it is magic.