I was not only extremely tired this morning but very nervous as trips up the mast were first on our list of jobs. I winched Si up first feeling very uneasy as we had no safety line. We hadn’t been up this mast yet and I haven’t been up any mast for a very long time so it was comforting to know I am strong enough if the need arises at sea. Si taped up the rigging screws and pulled a spare halyard through so at least when I ventured aloft I had a safety line. I know conditions at sea will be much more rolly but quite happy at the second spreaders I didn’t feel the need to go to the top and took photos of all the boats we knew in view.

The Hallberg Rassy reps paid us a visit just as we were finished and tomorrow will check our steering.

   There was an amazing air of excitement all around by now with crews in matching shirts emerging from boats along the pontoon. How can you ever capture the atmosphere in words? We quickly donned navy Brindabella/ ARC shirts, cream shorts and Tilley hats and assembled in the car park at the end of the marina, rather drab compared to Shu and the Irish participants who really went to town with green leprechaun hats with attached ginger beards. Another crew were all in skin tight gold numbers, I suspected ready for the dinghy race afterwards. The sun shone down on us and the brass band played enthusiastically while we congregated behind volunteers holding the flags of 32 nations. Poor Si was torn between his Australian roots and mates and his British registered boat. ‘Roll out the Barrel’ boomed from the brass band at noon as watched by locals along the marina wall we marched all round the marina to the fuel dock while chatting to so many new friends.

   The atmosphere was electric at the other end where on the roof of the fuel dock a DJ hyped up spectators. On the water war had broken out. Dinghies disguised as Viking ships with crews in armour fought against pirates and pink mermaids, while the sea turned fluorescent green and an orange smoke flare went off. A solo Aussie on surf board dodged water bombs from a sinking rib overflowing with golden rowers and children. On the dock a cameraman and elegant news reporter in high heels and worries of a soaking interviewed the rider of an inflatable jet ski. Chunky men in wigs and tutus performed pirouettes before jumping into their warship. It was a hilarious sight. It would have been great to have joined in but we had decided that it was a lot of work to inflate the dinghy and get it dry and packed to stow below again together with the risk of poorly tummies falling into what must be extremely polluted water with so many boats moored. We wondered how or if there would or could be an actual race, but sure enough all the participants slowly worked their way to the start line and the race was on. We decided the winner must be the one who was still alive by the end of the afternoon.

   From Brindabella the music was feint as we ate lunch and after a clean up I finally got round to making Simon’s coconut and lime cake which I started a day or so ago. Jobs continued on the boat as well as the fancy dress costumes. Simon seeing a few odds and ends from my materials thinks he may be going as Fred or Wilma Flintstone……………..We will see!

   The trusty Remoska worked hard on the cockpit table this afternoon baking our cake, roasting a chicken and then baking potatoes. It was actually lovely to have a night off organised social events although there was no break for our livers with G&Ts before wine with our roast dinner. Young Nicky next door on ‘Sunboy’ had also been busy in their galley and Al invited us over yet again to share their scrummy Aussie damper with golden syrup. We took our Madeira to accompany it and had a lovely chilled evening.