Start Delay - with pictures
Harmonie
Don and Anne Myers
Sun 6 Jul 2008 02:57
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This version has pictures attached.
We received a weather update this morning
(Saturday) before the rally start at 11am and it said there would be no wind for
the first twelve hours, followed by very changeable and gusty winds with
thunderstorms throughout the night tonight, then steady robust tradewinds
filling in after the thunderstorms. We decided it was silly to motor
for twelve hours, then endure nasty thunderstorms throughout the night when
we really didn't have to, so we elected to miss the rally start, stay anchored
near Musket Cove and leave for Vanuatu tomorrow (Sunday) instead.
After we announced our plans to delay to rally control over the radio this
morning, six other rally boats followed suit. Not only
is Don's judgment well respected among the fleet, but others were
probably feeling the same way, and were just waiting for someone else to
make the first move to delay.
The rest of the rally boats took off on their way
to Vanuatu a little later than the planned 11am start due to rain showers
that began right about the time the twenty-odd boats were trying to find
their way through the reefs (not easy with no sunlight). A couple of
local boats led the rally boats safely through the reefs as we watched from
our anchorage. This is the first official rally start we've missed
and we decided it was good practice for when we leave the rally in
Vanuatu and will have to watch sadly as our friends sail off to
Australia while we stay behind in Vanuatu. The attached picture shows
the rally boats motoring in single file into the gloom, led by the
local boats around the reefs.
More on Monday when we should be well on our way to
Vanuatu with strong tradewinds pushing us along.
Anne
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