"A Lady Trip" sailing around the World with the World ARC 2010
A Lady
Stephen Hyde
Sun 16 May 2010 02:49
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FRIDAY 14th May
2010 ( presently in Bora
Bora )
Up , bright and early again, but , we had a lot of
rain over night again.
After a light breakfast, we raised anchor and set
off for the race area. Todays race is from Bora Bora to Tahaa, a
distance of 22 miles.
08.30hrs,, our start, and our group were last off
again, so we had all these slower boats to pass before getting clear
air.
The weather was beautifull as usual, but the wind
was light, so we sailed NW out the Pass and kept going ,while everyone
else
gybed and went south towards our next destination.
but in the long run, it paid big benifits and when we gybed , we had
clear
air and sailed past the whole fleet very
quickly.
When we cleared the SW corner of the reef, we were
looking good and trucking along nicely, the wind was now on the
nose
and we were obviously going to have to tack often,
the wind was shifty , like 30degree shifts in as many seconds
12.00hrs, we were well clear of the fleet, only a
few boats ahead of us. we had the Yanky, the staysail and main all
flying
and the boat felt and looked great, the wind was
building as we went further south, and reached 19 knots by the time
we got to " Tahaa" We finished 3rd over
the line, and 4th on corrected time.. we were very happy with that,
as we had a penel
handicap.
As we motored up the Lagoon to our designated
Mooring area, it was like picking our way through a Coconut
graveyard,
There were more Coconuts in the water than "
blackheads" on a PIG'S arse.
We dropped anchor by a Motu on the eastern side of
the " Tahaa " lagoon, and "Fats " put on the dinner before going for his
nap,
Dinner tonight is the Beef Bourginoun he made a few
days ago and kept safe and sound in the deep freeze since.
First, we had to clean up diesel from a leak caused
by the guys that cleaned the diesel tanks, they did not replace the cover
properly.
the FECKIN ARSEHOLES.... It seems that no one can
fix a problem these days , without causing another, often more
serious.
bahhhhhhh
After dinner we motered into the Motu, where the
prize giving was taking place, there we met lots of other competitors, including
this guy
called " John Tierney" from the cook Islands,
his granfather was a cooper in Midleton Distelleries many moons
ago.
Skipper mentioned that the son of friends from West
Cork called Rory Quirke had a restaurant in the Cook Islands.and we were
hoping to call there on our trip,
Well guess what, ( what a small world ) it turns
out that John Tierneys daughter is married to Rory Quirke,,
isint that just incredable........................
well blow me down.
Well we had a bit of bonding to do and after a lot
of scoops, we , as in Skipper, Fats, Snorre, & Stian, returned to the
boat
and dropped off " Vilde " and Lars to RONJA on
route..
A Great day in all, plus an email from " Siun" who
we last met in Rodney Bay, they are stuck in Panama, having been
struck
by Lightning...Ohhhhh how unlucky.
Thats it for now,
Signed :- Stephen
Hyde ( Skipper
)
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