On the road south
17 February 2009 | Auckland
El Capitan
Pulled out of Whangarei southbound for Auckland. Finally on the road!
Called Leigh (Aussie sailor we met in Samoa) as we approached Auckland.
"Sup?" I ask.
"Sailing Mi Querida in the Classic Yacht Regatta this weekend. I'm seriously short of crew. Come on by for a barbie and a coldie. Bunk on the boat and race with me Friday."
Well, duh... sailing 101: Cold beer, racing, and a free flop. We were all over it.
Friday was a serious weather change; from hot and humid to blowing the oysters off the rocks. The New Zealand America's Cup boats are racing for the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series - It's down to Team Oracle and Team Alinghi - and we got to sail through their race course on the way to our start in the Classic Yacht Regatta! This is Holy ground for a sailor. Berthed in Viaduct Harbor, racing next door to the America's Cup boys and a big barbie on the Qyay after the race. All hands on deck!
It was blowing steady high twenties with gusts in the mid thirties before we finished. Leigh is a liveaboard sailor so he's racing his
home. We placed DFL (You figure it out) Friday, but he managed to pull out a fifth overall for the three days.
We hopped the Inter-Island ferry back to Bayswater and slept in the van in the carpark that night. Next morning dawned with rain but it cleared the farther south we drove. Next stop: Rotorua