We are two days further since I last wrote and have pretty much just exited the strong stretch of Gulf Stream that has given us some amazing champagne sailing and fast miles towards Oban. Some of the nicest sailing we have had all race, under sunny or starry skies in shorts and T-shirts. A great way for the new joiners to get used to flying kites, but they might have gotten a little spoiled and will have a bit of a shock once the low-pressure systems start hitting us further north.
For now, it seems like the route we picked to weave through all the patches of current worked out as we find ourselves leading the pack. A nice feeling, but no time to become complacent. We have two days of difficult wind ahead of us and a decision to make about the Scoring Gate, which is about 300nm away but not directly on our route to Oban. As we are playing our joker we have got to weigh up if the risk of losing double points for every position we lose if we go for it outweighs the potential 3, 2 or 1 points we can win. To find out what we decide, keep watching us.
In other news, today we celebrate the 4th of July as well as RTW’er Amanda's birthday. So, I know it will be a day filled with amazing food, starting with pancakes and bacon for breakfast in a few hours. A thought to keep us going through these long early morning hours.
Ineke, Joss and the Champaign sailors