Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Cirrus on the Start Day

Finally the race has started and everything is going well. Although we must admit that the start itself brought a bit more excitement than we cared about: it was a tight situation, with suddenly four boats converging on the starting line, and Cirrus being one of them. Why getting us in such a tight spot, where one wrong move could have ended the race for us? Those few extra seconds surely do NOT determine the outcome of a long distance ocean race. But all were lucky, nothing but the adrenalin shock remained.
After that we smoothly went out, passing the Golden Gate bridge as second. Again, nothing that will determine the outcome of the race, as others who went out first and ended last can tell about. However, this is the only time in the race when anyone can watch you, and you do want to show off! Nobody will be there to see you during the race, and not even when we cross the finish line, as it is pretty much out in the ocean.
And we also don't see others. Today about 5 hours after the start the last sailboat dropped out of sight. We are now alone on the ocean on our little disc of some 5 nautical miles. From looking around me I can assure you that the earth is a disc - forget this modern nonsense about the earth being a ball of some kind. Flat it is!
Considering it is the San Francisco area, it was almost a nice day: mostly overcast, rather flat sea with waves only at some 2 feet and no swells to speak off, not raining(!), only as cold that regular ski underwear under full foul weather gear is sufficient, and the boat heeling no more than 45 degrees with a rail in the water. Cozy, so to say! But the typical sqeeziness in the stomach is absent. No fish feeding ceremonies yet! That is how good it is around here.

This night we are expecting a significant wind increase, almost doubling current moderate wind speeds. I will be an interesting night and next day.

It is 8:30pm PDT, I am heading for the bed. Next workday begins at 3:40am.

Aloha, Ulli

Position: 2008-07-15 2032 PDT, Lat 37N19.5, Lon 123W09.2. COG(Course over Ground) 218M, SOG (Speed over Ground)6.3kn

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Also dann, Segel voraus!Freut mich, dass der Start glimpflich abging.
Good wind and all the best for all of you.
Und nen dicken Schmatzer an Ulli.
Rositha

Anonymous said...

Hey Cirrus crew! Congratulations on another fine start. For me, it's a special hello to one of the new crew members, Chris. Have a great race, Honey! LYMI.
Agnes

Christin Shacat said...

Ahoy Cirrus and crew! Been following your preps and hectic last minute nightmares. Nice start (says the buoy racer who cares about every one of those seconds) but you sure have lots and lots of miles to make a difference! Wish i could be there again! go go go! "ein deutsches hallo" an Ulli und ein "green flashy one" to Howard! Very special Hallo goes to my skipper Bill :) Have a great time, I will be with you with all my thoughts and heart!

Anonymous said...

Wow - tight start! Have a great race, folks - and above all be safe and have fun!

Silas & Edie

Anonymous said...

Glad you didn't break anything while still in the Bay. Good luck and be safe.

~Melissa~ said...

I'm a little late in reading the blog, but I wanted to say, sounds like you had George on your boat during the start! Can't wait to read more about the race.

Melissa (George's daughter)