As I arrived on Eye Spy last Sunday, Mark warned me to put on my sunnies as she was gleaming with cleanliness and as tidy as anything! Not only had Trev scrubbed her bottom, but the topsides we sparkling and the interior was incredibly clean and tidy, pictures to prove it. 

We rigged all the ropes, flags etc and cast off the mooring to get ready for the start. Plenty of time to play around and suss out a good plan to avoid being swept over the line and the strong outgoing tide. We did so many circles in the final minute leading up to the start I got quite dizzy, but we did get a fantastic start and straight into the lead. It was a tight reach on port tack all the way to Kauri Point with the wind swinging through 45degrees, and JK trimming the genoa and Mark the main to maintain the boat speed and Trev keeping the boat in a straight line, and using the tide as much as possible to assist.

Round Kauri Point things became busier with some playing of huge wind shifts on the beat, and dodging the MRX fleet and the 6m sport boats above the Harbour Bridge. All the way to Beachaven we held the lead but once we got on the downwind leg and the spinnaker drawing well, we kept Eye Spying High Spirits who got closer and closer to our transom. However a light spot off Kauri Point caught them and slowed them enough for us to stretch the lead again. Some nifty trimming of sails on the broad reach home, after a somewhat eventful spinnaker drop, saw us maintain the lead and gain line honours. Thanks Trev and the rest of the crew for a great afternoon out on the water, Nigel for running the race, and the wonderful ladies for the scrumptious food when we got ashore.

Gill

(Boat Nana on Eye Spy!)

It is 24 hours later and I am still grieving over wasting the perfect start!

Finally a day without a gale warning somewhere in the gulf and we assembled at the boat a happy bunch hoping for fair winds and a bit of sun. Crew du jour was George, Pete, Richard, Tim and Will. Olympic exploits and mighty win by the All Blacks were discussed at length on the motor round (the Warriors game was glossed over). A quick move of the ODM for Nigel ( no excuse for not knowing where the line was!) and it was all on. Circling and jockeying for position and in the last 20 seconds a tide assisted rush at the line. So close I wasn't sure we were behind the line and then 5 seconds of golden silence before the heart breaking sound of a horn and the individual recall flag went up. Was it us? Not sure so back we turned and sailed back only to hear on the radio it wasn't us!

Everything after that was catchup. A quick gennaker hoist and we  setoff after a rapidly  disappearing fleet. The gennaker worked well till just short of Island Bay and we made ground on all but Eye Spy and High Spirits but Satisfaction was still in front as well and Blue Beat abeam and to weather. Plenty still to do at Kauri Point.

Pete and George called the shifts well and by Chelsea a very persistent Blue Beat was behind us and Satisfaction firmly in our sights. Satisfaction had hosted me the previous Sunday when I had missed my ride on another boat. It was a great day's sailing and they were perfect hosts. I felt a bit guilty catching them in a port starboard and forcing a big dip.

Third round Bayswater and that was as good as it got, unless you count reminding a couple of MRXs that other people also race yachts and shouting "we're racing" doesn't give them right of way. All too soon we were at the finish line behind a well sailed Eye Spy and High Spirits. 

A slightly longer race would have been good, we made it back to the marina right on low tide and spent 15 minutes aground just 5 metres from our berth. At least everything was packed away by the time we finally got in.

That's the winter series over for me. Five weeks in Italy beckons but I leave Escape in the capable hands of Pete and the rest of the crew and wish you all fair wind and fine weather for the last few races. Arrivederci