"A Lady Trip" sailing around the World with the World ARC 2010

A Lady
Stephen Hyde
Sun 16 May 2010 02:49
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 )