rudipolednik's blog

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It's a drizzle morning here in Norwich and for reasons beyond my comprehension the text is coming out red. I'll continue and maybe the problem will solve itself.

Looking at the Tracker one wonders why they don't bump into each other out there but then there is 700 odd nM between 1st and last. However there are six boats between 49/52W who look line abreast.

Maybe I've been ignoring Katie so here are 3 photos to make up for that. A final chat with Jerry, casting off for the start and away she goes. Look at this last photo. What is it with the inverted "Left" and "Right"?

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Waiting for the 1600 updates to come through I was reading an account of the 1984 Ostar and was struck by the similarities between a photo of Warren Luhrs in Thursday's Child and one of Jerry Freeman in Q11. You make your mind up which is which.

Enough of this nostalgia. Jerry will be waiting for a chat and I want to know what he's been up to.

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It looks as though the race is about to become interesting. Interesting if you are sitting in your study watching on the computer. Very wet and windy if you are out there sailing.

Two lows are forming on the east coast of America. The first will be south of Nova Scotia on Friday and the second bigger one on Saturday. As one might expect they should move right along the path of the fleet.

Still there is time to look back to Plymouth and the day before the start. Will Sayer was still working away, Marco's Dad was watching and Mary was handing the keys to Jerry.

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“Twenty seven days, eleven hours and eleven minutes. But I’m here” All that time ago I’d seen Jerry off from Plymouth in the 1984 Ostar and that was the last we heard of him until the call from Newport.

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On the Sunday before the race Karen sat in Jbellino's cockpit knitting socks. Colourful socks!

"I've got to get them finished before tomorrow so Rob can have them to wear in the Ostar."

Next morning Rob got his socks and then just after 1100 Karen gave him a big hug and kiss and he was on his way. First across the start line and up with the leaders on day 4.

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First I had to sort out and process the photos for this morning's post and then look at the weather and race positions. The RWYC has improved its data output and now lists the boats in DTG order which meant I didn't need to use my handheld GPS to work them out.

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What Barry's supporters may have lacked in numbers they certainly made up for in volume. As he motored out of the marina the Irish song blasted out of the sound systems and the chant of "Barry! Barry!" echoed back off the clubhouse.

When our RIB came up to him after the start the same song came across the water but his mother drowned that out. "Barry! Barry!"
"Who's Barry?" I shouted.
"That's my son!" she boomed in her Irish accent.
His sister held the Irish tricolour aloft at the shrouds while Dad smiled and went along with everything.

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It looks as though there may be two retirements. Lexia with Jonathan Snodgrass and Light of the World with Reini Gelder are both heading east back towards Plymouth. All the rest are heading NW with the exception of Croisieres Anne Caseneuve which was heading west of south when I started this at 1800 Wednesday.

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There are 45 skippers out there. However, let's not forget all the supporters left behind, including the mums and dads. Marco's mum is quietly confident in her son and his boat while his dad was pressed into service sqirting mastic under the toerail, a job he couldn't possibly have done without good advice from Marco.

This morning I couldn't get the Atlantic chart showing their position--is it only me? Is the list of positions based on their distance from Newport or their longitude? Still it looks as though Marco is doing well in about 11th position and doing 6kt.

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After hurtling around the Start area at 30kt and then driving 7 hrs back to Norwich I'm ready to sit and watch them sail to Newport.

We managed to park right by the Melampas red can buoy at the pin end of the line with a view straight to the Committee boat and get this shot of Jbellino crossing the line first. There may be 2500nM to go but this must have given Rob a big adrenalin rush.