We are off again and have left port for the penultimate time on this edition of the Clipper Race.
The stopover in Derry-Londonderry was nothing short of fantastic. The locals were so welcoming and passionate about the race and turned out in their thousands to see us off and show their support for their beloved Derry~Londonderry~Doire yacht.
Special thanks should go to the Da Vinci Hotel, our sponsor for the duration of the stopover. They put on a brilliant cocktail evening for us and helped the team take in the beautiful sights of the surrounding area.
After waving farewell to the cheering crowds, we paraded up the River Foyle and out into the Lough and got into the serious business of Race Start. It was great to have a proper line-start again after quite a few Le Mans-style starts recently and we started well, rounding the windward mark in second place behind home team Derry~Londonderry~Doire.
You could almost feel the disdain from the home crowd as we passed by, neck and neck with their home team. We managed to pull ahead and were first out of the Lough but we immediately ran into a wind hole which allowed the rest of the fleet to catch up.
From here it was a familiar tale, our notoriously shocking boat speed in light airs meant that there was nothing we could do but sit in the windless squalls and watch as the entire fleet of Clipper 70's managed to squeeze north of the wind holes as we flopped around, going nowhere.
So for now we are trying to make up ground, but all is not lost and as I type it looks like we are gaining on some of the boats in the east. It may be a short race, but there is a lot of tactical plays to come yet! It should be interesting...
A down but not out Garmin, signing off.
Ash