Wednesday night provided a spectacular light show when a storm cell moved up the Parramatta River and engulfed the Greenwich Flying Squadron twilight fleet just as they were crossing the finish line. In the calm before the storm places changed and the race for many was lost in the confused wind.
The wind forced out of the storm cell was in the opposite direction to the prevailing wind and rose from zero to thirty knots in a matter of five minutes. In the dark and gloom it is a wonder that the finishers were able to place yachts as they crossed the line.
For our part it was a bit of a dud race. We made a good start and were first into Humbug but the newer faster yachts in the fleet are able to take our wind on the run through Humbug to pass Cockatoo Island to port. Around Cockatoo Island we were forced to go too close into the wind shadow to protect what wind we had from the following yachts while to leeward Saoirse found wind and powered away to beat us over the line by 16 minutes. So far ahead of the fleet were they that they finished before the storm cell took away the prevailing wind. Worlds Apart, Gwizz, Izzi and Agrovation were all in the mix for second place and the navigation mark on Goat Island there was not a lot between them and us.
On the way we might have done better if we could have tacked onto port on Long Nose and were not driven well past the point by a starboard tacker and the earlier fleet returning from Goat Island. But for that delay we might have sailed around Goat Island in breeze instead of drifting around it in dead calm. I thought we were doing the sensible thing going wide around the Island while the foolish ones who were hugging the shore would sail into nothing. Well we all sailed into nothing only we did it the long way and the fleet was well gone by the time we emerged from the Bermuda Triangle. I thought everyone passed us but had not counted on Tartan who was well back waiting for the storm front to sweep them home for a good place on handicap. By luck we managed to sail past Avanti who did the regulation wide arc of Greenwich Point while I played the dying prevailing wind running away with the stronger puffs. That did not stop us all waiting in the lee of Greenwich until it swapped from lee shore to windward shore. In the switch we were able to pass French Connection and then sail until we had her clear astern to recover some dignity for the evening.
Fickle winds ahead of the storm
The meal after at the club was well attended and I particularly liked the mint flavoured fruit salad. We were able to take a tub home for the modest donation of a $2 gold coin so we could enjoy it again today.
Courtesy of a few yachts that did not return for the meal and results announcements we were able to take home a bottle of wine from a surprising sixth place on handicap one second ahead of Worlds Apart who while second fastest was becalmed in the approach to the finish line.