home all sailing outdoors skiing party events living driving travel mix links tour

Flinders Islet
October 20, 2006




Friday evening. I am boarding Pla Loma (Dolphin) in Sydney Middle Harbour for a 100 mile overnight race to Flinders Islet, just off Wollongong.




Nick, setting up the navigational software




Robbie C, attaching the jack stays.




None of the 8 sails we brought are your regular cruising sails.




A peek downstairs. This is all about racing, and we are fast.




Nick, Greg, Robbie Lee, Scott during our way back north the next morning, after rounding the island on the south.




Friday night starts out calm, we head south with about 8 knots of northwesterly winds.
After a few hours, a southerly breeze of over 40 knots (20 m/s) hits us fast and hard, and we quickly reduce our sails and start tacking our way south.
These winds prevail through most of the night, and we eventually fly back home at over 17 knots.




South head of Sydney Harbour - almost back home.




John, Daisy, Greg, and four meters of swell.




It's a good thing the stove can swivel, so we can cook our breakfast!




"Weight high", the crew all lined up on the windward side to maximize boat balance.









As we are about to cross the finish line, Christine is just starting in another race...headed 20 miles south, to Port Hacking and back.




We finish in just under 14 hours, and start cleaning up as we head back to our dock.




Robbie Lee




Hot sausage rolls...




...never tasted this good!









Rob R and Robbie Lee




Bret at the helm




Robbie Lee always brings a cucumber, claiming it can come in handy in keeping everyone at bay...?!




...and we're back, safe and sound. Soon I'll put on some dry clothes, and life will be good again! :-)

home all sailing outdoors skiing party events living driving travel mix links tour