Last days preps and first 24hrs at sea

Juniper
John and Sally
Mon 25 Nov 2024 11:38
26:16.251N 016:03.519W
 
The final days in Las Palmas saw separate deliveries of dry, fresh, frozen, chilled and pre-cooked stores. We were very well served by all suppliers, with each delivery arriving on the dock as ordered.  Considering there were some 180 boats doing the same thing, the local suppliers rose to the challenge admirably.  But the biggest accolade must go to Sally: it was she who converted the crew's chosen menues (we each came up with three) and associated ingredients into an orderly grand shopping list, and then broke this down into the above categories for the suppliers.  Not only that, she oversaw the stowage on board, with Bill building the all important stowage plan.  A huge thank you Sally; without your unstinting attention, we would be eating far less adventurously.
Sally departed pm on Saturday; well done to Easy Jet for getting her back to Bristol around midnight despite the worst efforts of storm Bert. We now hear she's 'flooded in' due to the submerged lane at home, and with no food in the house.  Sally, we told you you should not be leaving!
Sunday was rally start day (remember: it's not a race!).  The morning saw Juniper's top up of water tanks, ditching of the last of the gash and a final secure for sea.  Then it was time to relax in the cockpit drinking coffee and enjoy the spectacle along the dock as other boats attended to their own departures.  Two starts were scheduled before our 1300 off: catermarans at 1230 and the racing division at 1245.  Along with the entire fleet we duly slipped lines and proceeded out of the marina - quite a scrum as all obligingly formed a disorderly procession out past the signficant crowd assembled at the breakwater lights.  It was as lovely send off.
The skipper promised to keep his horns at bay, but it was not to be: as the final minutes counted down, we joined the 80+ boats in our division jockying for pole position - all the while on port tack - yes, port tack: the line was heavly biased.  Come 30 seconds to go we were closing the pin end of the line, with enough space to luff up briefly to kill some speed before accelerating just before the gun fired.  We reckon we hit the line some 5 seconds later, and were the first boat across.  Of course, it's not a race...
A sea breeze from ESE got the fleet away, with the boats furthest from the shoreline (including us) benefiting the most.  But by 1430 the local effect had died, and we made use of the cruising division's allowance for the use of engines (hours to be submitted at the finish, with an associated adjustment to elapsed time). By 1600 we were feeling the gradient wind (SW 3), and the iron genoa was stowed.  For the next 6 hours we were on the wind, some 50 degrees off our ideal course (225); but as forecast, the wind started to veer, and by 0340 on Monday morning we were able to lay our planned course - making ground to the south of the rhumb line to avoid a windless hole forecast just north west of us for the next few days.
According to Wiggy.