Starts at Windward again
The winds were picking up again for ASW Day 4, with some showers and variable winds in our forecast. This made choosing the racecourses for the various classes challenging for the race officers. There were some complex courses appropriately named “Race Committee Choice” that had been cobbled together for conditions such as this.
It was touch-and-go for a bit, but all the classes were sent off on their respective courses with nary a mishap. There were a couple of early starters (OCS), but they all heard the VHF radio broadcast and/or saw the flags and knew that they had to come back and go through the start line again.
Today is going to be a relatively short one for the racers. Tomorrow, on the other hand, will be a longer day with 2 races for most of the sailing classes. The big Volvo Ocean boats were sent on very long courses. With average speeds in excess of 10 knots, they just chew up the miles.
Afternoon
I was happy with docking today. Doing so with 2 functioning engines went much better today. After tying up the catamaran and getting our sistership umbilically attached to us on the outside, we opened up our cold beverages and relaxed. This continued through the prize-giving ceremonies for ASW Day 4.
We were then faced with the difficult decision of where to go for dinner, and after short deliberations, we ended up at Trappas. The food was good, but the wait for it lasted much longer than appropriate.
The island is noticeably quieter and emptier than in years past. The late start of the races is now after the majority of the boats and crews have headed to the Mediterranean. It is another example of how climate and seasonal changes directly affect us.