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Milanto - Nov 25th: Day two...



So, we were off then.

The 'powers that be' decreed that it was safe for the racers to race, and the cruisers to cruise should they wish. The latter also having the option to delay until Tuesday, we racers having to cross the start line.

'Safe but uncomfortable' is how it was described to us as we made our final preparations, but being in the racing division, we would be disqualified if we were not at the start at 12:45. The wind was coming from the South West, which meant an uncomfortable beat into 4m waves for a day or two. Force 6 with conditions to match is not what we had hoped for, but we were here to sail and that meant we would have an exciting start and a baptism by fire. Whats more, it was what the skipper told us we were to do.

Well at least that was the idea...

Yesterday the marina was a hive of activity with people tinkering, stowing and running last minute errands. Our course was plotted, re-plotted and plotted once more. We were still to have 'options', but as we would be obliged to pass the island of Las Palmas to the south, they would be limited. After this, we would have no more 'marks', just open sea until we reached St Lucia.

Our plan was basically to head into the low-pressure area and battle through until it passed in a couple of days and then, well then we would do something else.

So at around 11:00am we were royally sent off by the Las Palmas brass band, and a host of other well wishers and at 12:45 we crossed the start line to set off into the face of 30 knot head wind, and 4m waves. Alongside our fellow racing division competitors, we had a great afternoon's sailing. However, we made slow progress and the worst of the weather is set to come overnight and tomorrow. Our plotted path says that with the wind set to change in our favour on Tuesday, it means that on balance we were better to return to port and restart with the rest of the fleet, than we would be being battered for 36 hours, getting nowhere and then vomiting.

So now, back at the marina, with an early night ahead and our fingers crossed, we are hoping that our cunning plan is cunning enough.

But enough of weather and tactics.

So why do this? To sit in, or on, a 46ft by 10ft tube, with 7 strangers, being tossed around, without sleep, getting wet, and cold; what's not to like!? That's it though: What isn't there to like? How wonderful to be able to do this. The open sea; the last great wilderness. No roads, no street signs, the open sky, the stars, the magnificent horizons, and to share it with a group of likeminded people; on a very small scale to learn and to experience what it must have been like to travel in centuries gone by.

And we have all that still to come...


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