The RMSR started at 1100 this morning in Grand Harbour with hundreds of onlookers lining the harbour walls.
In the harbour the wind was flookie and shifty. We were the second start and were on the line as the cannon sounded. The first 10 minutes were a flurry of activity. Code zero up, gybe, light Gib back up code zero down as the wind swung and went onto the bow to beat out the harbour entrance. The wind then settled into its forecast direction of 320 and we tacked up the Maltese Coast to the turning mark. We rounded the turning mark and set a course for SW corner of Sicily 030. This afternoon has been an unexpected joy. It was forecast to be light and challenging swinging from 320 to 045 during Saturday so far we have been blessed with 10 knots on the beam and have been sailing along at 6-8 knots with code zero up heading straight for Sicily.
It is 1500 on Sunday and we are on the 7th sail change of the day. At 0530 when I woke up we were struggling to make headway with h1 up so we tacked and put the l1 back up, this was shortly followed by the wind backing and hoisting the code zero. The wind continued to build and we were struggling to hold the code zero on our desired course with 16 knots across the deck so we changed to the jib top. This sail change didn’t cost us any speed and we aiming at the Messina Straits doing 7.5 Knots. Time for breakfast. During the next hour the wind continued forward and easing in strength so we peeled again to the L1. I think you are getting the theme of the day we currently have the a1 up on the pole in 8knots with current underneath us doing 6.5 Over the ground. The best weather forecast I have seen to describe the conditions was meteo France which said variable and showed 3 arrows going in a circle. We are 10 nam from the north side of the Messina Straights were the wind forecast doesn’t look any clearer.
Best
Christian