Dawn
Well , we got our shift! The NW wind came in right on schedule and we scooted down the inside of Portland Bill to run slap bang into the enormous tide running down its west side. I
Its always a bit of a gamble doing this at Springs , as the tide takes 6 or more knots off the wind and does its damndest to sweep you into the Portland race . This time we made it by the skin of our teeth and gradually escaped the worst of the tide to inch our way westwards. Scary stuff !
Not so scary as the kamikaze cruiser who tried to duck us in the overfalls off the Needles . The first thing I heard was Chris making a noise something like a cross between a banshee and a horses neigh. WhooooaaaaHHHH! Very effective it was too as the kamikaze boat crash tacked heart stoppingly close and lay there , hove to , looking sheepish.
Our beautiful NW wind whizzed us across Lyme Bay , and we are now well past Start , hard on the wind heading SW and waiting for the next shift. Our plan is to be on the left of the fleet by the time it comes in.
Fingers crossed.