Author Archive
10pm, Monday June 28
Diane reports: Hi and dry I am! Here’s the quick and dirty as I don’t know when I will get a wifi.
We can tell people I’m in safe and sound. It was the worst conditions I have ever seen.
10pm Saturday June 26
Paul talked to Diane Saturday afternoon: Through the worst of it: 30 knots on the nose. All reefs in all sails were in. 30 foot waves.
Diane made it through the weather and sailing is better now. She is still about 220miles out.
10:30am Friday June 25, 2010
Received a telephone from Paul, Diane’s Shore Crew and ever lovin’ husband. Apparently there was some trouble calling me.
Paul reports: Diane is doing well. There has been a change in the qualifying course. It should be a quicker ride for Diane, with more favorable winds. The spot tracker takes a special type of battery and do not expect any updates from it.
8:30pm Wednesday June 23
Diane sat-phoned again: The nearly full moon is up and it looks like a beautiful night of moon light sailing. Been getting a few naps along the way. Want to do more hand steering through the night – both practice and to save battery power. Earlier in the day, I saw a few dolphins and as much as 18 knots of breeze. Currently there is 8-10 knots of wind and I’m beating (sailing into the wind) on port tack.
The real reason I’m calling is, I’m bored. “Are you missing Nick?” Yeah, miss Nick, heck even miss my regular after work crew from the Thunderbird can racing.
Diane has the Spot Tracker but not the instructions. She’s able to send out “OK” signals by manually activating the device. But not yet getting the unit to automatically broadcast tracking reports. Ground support is working on it.
5pm Wednesday June 23
Diane sat-phoned late Tuesday and announced: I’m on my way, left the start mark at 3:45pm (Toronto time) and heading for “ODAS 41002” being an Anchored Oceanographic Data Buoy.
One of Monday’s repairs was to re run the bungees on the running backstays. On the way to the start, I noticed I had hooked one of the bungees around the spinnaker halyard. I extended the pole, dropped the runner so the bungee would hand down, climbed onto the boom, wedged myself between the mast and lower shroud, stretched as high as 5 feet 2 inches can reach and snagged the bungee. Managed to re run it correctly, releasing the trapped halyard.
Tuesday morning, Diane called twice: Lots of activity over night, two flying fish landed on the deck, passed a freighter and spend some time dodging the tail end of the fleet pulling in from the Newport Bermuda Race.
Having a bit of trouble with the Spot Tracker, probably operator error.
Tim again: Fired up Google Maps and put in the way points of Diane’s Solo Run. It is my intention to update her location about once per day, from the Spot Tracker data, drawing a simple track line. Probably do it in conjunction with her sat-phone update blog entries. Was into the local UK Halsey loft this afternoon. Not only is Brian and company one of Diane’s OGOC sponsors, they have my genoa with spreader tip puncture and damaged clew, torn in last night’s club race.
10am Tuesday June 22
Tim again. There is a larger write up about Diane’s One Girl Ocean Challange’s running of the Bermuda Ocean Race at Sail-World entitled One Girl’s Ocean Challange does the Bermuda Ocean Race. It includes a great photo of OGOC dwarfed by one of the competitors.
11pm Sunday June 20
Sunday was clean up the boat day. Monday is do a few minor repairs day.
Tuesday will be the start of my 1,000 nautical mile solo run from Bermuda to Annapolis. This run, sanctioned by the Minis Class is a significant qualifier for next year’s Transat race (France to Brazil) for One Girl’s Ocean Challenge.
As it’s not a race, don’t be surprised if I’m not quite that fast and take a few extra cat naps along the way. The Annapolis to Bermuda race was training. This solo run is a different type of training.
I’ll have the spot tracker on the boat so you can follow the progress.
I look forward to sharing more when I get to Toronto!
Diane
11pm Saturday June 19
Well it’s been an amazing run. The last day of the race was truly the best. As you all know most of the race was up hill with occasional opportunites for the code 0 and no opportunities for spinnaker runs. Thursday was the first time we were able to get our big kite up and let her stretch her legs. On Wednesday we were getting worried that Nick wouldn’t make his plane on Saturday, but once the kite was up we started really knocking off the miles.
On Wednesday we were getting worried that Nick wouldn't make his plane on Saturday.
The skipper’s meeting forecast predicted south and south west winds for most of the race. Can you imagine how fast our little boat would have gone if she had her favorite wind! We were having sooo much fun coming into Bermuda with the kite up and cranking her on any wave we could, that we didn’t notice our heading change. We could have missed Bermuda entirely! Apparently Nick and I get easily distracted!
Charlie is a stow away that landed on the boat and came into the cabin about sixty miles out from Bermuda.
Charlie stayed the night with us and left in the morning. The little black case shows the parting gift from Charlie. It's brought good luck in the form of wind for the spinnaker.
All of the competitors slowly trickled in and cleared Customs House. The stories started to flow and so did the rum!
A pic of boats. If you look very carefully you will see that we are actually in the first slip. You can just barely make out the transome of the mini. Just a little size perspective of our competitors.
There were three boats in our double handed division, even though they listed us seperately in the Mini division. Razor’s Edge retired shortly after the start. The second boat “Quicksilver” a C+C 37R really showed their skills right at the finish. About 60 miles out from Bermuda they suffered a rudder delamination. They turned their wheel and nothing would happen! Imagine a jury rig from the water, under the boat! Well done guys. They still beat us in to the finish line, but Retired After the Finish as they possibly had done the course incorrectly. These guys really deserve a Corinthian trophy for not only effecting a massive repair, but also for coming to the race committee and retiring. You guys are tops with me! I really respect you.
Well it all came together at the awards party. One Girl’s Ocean Challenge won “Double Handed Division First to Finish” and “Double Handed Division First Place Corrected Time”.
One Girl's Ocean Challenge won "Double Handed Division First to Finish" and "Double Handed Division First Place Corrected Time".
It was a great run and now it’s time to get ready for the next run. Well have a great night everyone!
Diane
I will send an update after the party tonight, but in the meantime the boat is safely in her slip, we had a great fish fry at the St. George’s yacht club and slept well in the hotel last night.
5:22pm Friday June 18
Diane land-line telephoned. I could hear her. We finished about 2pm, landed and… In the background the start of the “pour” was announced and Diane promptly rang off. Nick and Diane are currently splicing the mainbrace.
