So, our tactical decision to sail offshore of the East Australian Current, do more miles but try and sail faster than those boats that went inshore as they battled the south flowing current, didn’t pay off.
We were scuppered by the wind that very usefully dropped off for us while staying strong for the inshore fleet. We decided to cut our losses and head back inshore thankfully just before the wind completely shut down. Since then, we have been having a fantastic time trying to catch up with Yacht Club Punta Del Este.
We are now enjoying some almost perfect spinnaker sailing with a flat sea and consistent wind, the only thing we have had to worry about is squalls. Small rain clouds that can add a lot of extra wind as they pass overhead. The rain is much appreciated by the crew as it helps cool everything down. The extra wind not so much. As we gamble with our sails, do we hold and hope that the increase isn't going to be that much, or do we drop our spinnaker to protect it?
Much like a long car journey, the crew have started playing silly games. Instead of eye spy or trying to be the first to spot a particular make of car, we have been guessing the lengths of the other vessels we sail past.
What I have come to realise is that none of us are any good. It turns out that it can be quite hard to tell if the vessel is a big one far away or a smaller one closer.
Dan, Laura and the UNICEF Team