After a good breakfast and clean up we left the dock at 0900 and headed for the assembly area ready for the parade at 1000. While we were waiting the organizers did a role call to account for all of the entries. At the appointed hour we fell into line and motored past the officials and paraded out towards the starting area..

At the 1100 start time there was little wind so the starters called for a rolling start which consisted of motoring down course at about 6 knots, or until advised to sail,

8 minutes after 1100, the rolling start was called off and we were allowed to sail. We hoisted the spinnaker and set off on a starboard gybe.

The wind has freshened to 15 knots and our boat speed is about half of that. The water is blue and sun is warm. As Rudy said, "this is what I came here for."

As things look right now, we expect to carry the spinnaker all night. The forecast is for increasing winds up to 25 knots tomorrow
Dave

Anne here. Only just received this email so there is some delay in me receiving the information.