2014 MELBOURNE TO VANUATU RACE/RALLY

Well, finally the 2014 race/rally to Vanuatu is underway! After a 25 hour delay due to bad weather (for which everyone was glad!), the crews at Blairgowrie woke up to what The Secretary called an “icy start “ and Robin was glad to be able get below to send off an email.

That wasn’t the only challenge to get the race underway. Around start time, there were two large boats entering Port Phillip and a number heading down the Bay on their way out the Heads. Look at the AIS plot showing all the M2V fleet hovered around Portsea, two exiting and two entering ships and throw in the two Queenscliff-Sorrento ferries for good measure too!

Isn’t AIS great and you wouldn’t go to sea without one these days! Geomatic’s did not seem to be reporting and Myuna is without an AIS transmitter (allowed in the Rally!). First out the Head’s honours goes to Alive, followed by Cartouche, Jazz Player, Escapade, The Secretary, Trybooking and Ariel according to their AIS positions

The trackers have not quite settled down yet (hope they will soon!) with a couple of boats reporting erratically and some showing unusual directions which hopefully will sort themselves out at the next update.