ORCV Melbourne to Stanley (M2S)

XLR8 retires and Tracker trying.

News from Burnie on Saturday morning is that it is blowing 25knots from the SE here and Sheryl Robson tells us that Stanley's very famous, The Nut, is not visible from her house. Of course, last year the sea fog was amazing and slowed the fleet down unbelievably, before the leaders emerged from the mist and flew to the line... Are we seeing the same again????

By way of explanation, if you look at the PredictWind charts in the previous article, which you can see HERE, the effects of the trough that is stretching down from NSW to Tassie as a result of the huge high pressure system South of NZ and the low pressure in the Bight, are very distinct. On either sidde of Bass Strait you have 25 to 30knots and not a lot in between. So at some time, one factor will change and as a result, the wind in the Paddock will also change.

Of course, there are always coastal effects here and if you get to within, say 20-30nm of Stanley, you will no doubt enjoy different conditions and yes, that is exactly what happened last year. So it is time to concentrate, make whatever way you can and keep the food and sleep all up-to-date. The breeze will come and likely at around 15-20kn when it does...

This is Matangi in the fog last year....

The other news is that XLR8 has retired with a leaking rudder bearing. All crew are fine and no doubt, a little disappointed. Also news from out in the middle of The Paddock from Caledonia is that they are bracing for a massive 3knots and have the brollies on deck, ready for the impending downpour. Official report - "At 1230am Before the start XLR8 has retired due to lower rudder bearing leaking badly - not safe to go to sea with bad conditions forecast ahead. Returning to SYC."

XLR8 on Port Phillip in 2009.

The Tracker is presently down and we apologise for that. it will be up later on Saturday morning. We have been implementing some additional features and the system is not fully functioning, just yet. Good news is that the skeds have been completed, everyone is well and soon, the tracker will be working fine. Click HERE to go there now.

As a result of our good friends at Toll Shipping and especially Adam Manders as well as Matt the Ship's Master and Dave the First Officer of Victorian Reliance, we are with the van and boats like Ice Fire, Yoko and Slinky Malinky were popping out of their pens around the same time too.

You cannot see it this morning, but this is what it looks like, normally...

What is Huey planning... All talk this morning during breakfast at The Captain's Table was on bets - $1.50 for a 50mm downpour seemed to be the odds on favourite!!!!!

© John Curnow, ORCV Media

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