Wizard Update
Time 1020 UTC. 49 24N 022 01W Speed 19.2 knots Course 075 magnetic. True Wind Speed: 16 knots.
810nm to the finish and approaching the high pressure ridge. Wind speed is dropping,the sky is clearing and the barometer is rising. The sleigh ride is coming to an end and now its back to tactical sailing.
The trick is to get into the high enough to use the shape to get a nice lift on the exit, while keeping enough wind speed to keep moving. Sometimes it feels a bit like Icarus making sure we don't fly too close to the sun (read High).
We don't know where our closest competitor Scallywag is (and presumably neither do you, the reader). Their tracker has not worked since 2300utc last night. After about two hours I got worried for them and tried calling their sat phone: no answer! Shit! I then began composing an email to try to establish that they were OK. Luckily I got a call back from Miles (Navigator) on Scallywag who indicated they were fine. Phew! That nasty feeling in the pit of my stomach subsided. I've been involved in enough "dramas" at sea and did not need another one.
Luckily, the sailing instructions state that "If a transponder fails, the Organising Authority will attempt to establish a communication plan with that yacht." Hopefully we can all continue to watch the interesting race between the 70' Wizard and the 100' Scallywag play out, with regular updates of their position, as we race towards the Lizard, then Cowes.
Cheers,
Will
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