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Rhumb - Log Day 1



With the weather in Las Palmas much improved and a similar outlook, the ARC organisers declared a Monday morning start at 10.30 for the hares and 11.00 for the tortoises.

Ship board music and a brass band heralded our departure from the pontoon, with cheery waves from honorary 6th crew member Anne, and other well wishers. Spectators too on the harbour walls, clapping and cheering - quite one of the most thrilling and exhilarating experiences as we moved out into the waiting area with boats criss-crossing back and forth as they made ready for the start. Prompt at 11am, the committee boat fired the cannon, accompanied by more cheering and the sounding of boat horns we were off. With Lenny at the helm, we crossed the line at approx. 11.06 and out into the Atlantic to be met with some pretty strong swells - boat hulls disappearing as they dropped in to the bottom of the swell. Even a early VHF message informing the fleet of the landing on the first catch of the rally - a fairly substantial Mahi-Mahi.

Our initial course took a south easterly heading, keeping quite east of the pack, too far east as it turned out, before turning more south westerly once we rounded the south of Gran Canaria and past the wind acceleration zone which we were warned about. Wind direction was northerly and at speeds in the 30's, before dropping to the teens later in the day. A spectacular sunset brought an end to our first day, and we awaited with anticipation the events of the second, little knowing how cruel these would turn out to be.

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