Up for a good scrap
Hamish Hooper blogs from on board CAMPER
We have now made it to Cape Reinga, it was a breath taking sight, and a great moment. For sure it has put a smile on all of the guys faces finally seeing New Zealand after a seemingly never-ending leg.
Quiz Question: “What two masses of water meet at Cape Reinga?”
It’s like a sense of relief to almost be home… almost, we just have some business to try to take care off before we reach our final destination.
We can see Telefonica just a few miles ahead of us, and Puma a few miles ahead of them and now just 200 miles to plot our way past them. The wise guys on board, Nico, Stu, Will, have all been trying to keep one step ahead of where we are and what the weather is doing. There are a lot of places along the way and changes in weather to come that can provide opportunities or dangers depending on what way you look at it. Plus I am sure there will be a few welcome supporters popping out from the coast along the way to recharge the guy’s focus.
It wont be easy but you definitely get a sense onboard that all of the guys are up for a good scrap and will be up all night and hard at for as long as it takes.
We are just passed a place called ‘Hooper Point’ mid way between Cape Reinga and North Cape… I wonder if I have any ownership of that…. It looks like a very nice spot.
Somewhere to visit another day, for now all there is time for is to take a glimpse and get back to the job at hand.
All morning it has seems like which ever direction we want to head seems to always be the direction the breeze is blowing from, so I guess it’s a good thing we are so used to sailing up wind. There is remarkably even a hint in the weather models that we might get some downwind sailing, which going by the amount we have done in this race now that we are half way around the world is hard to believe, but you never know- hopefully the guys remember what to do!
A few of the guys are missing their daily dose of chocolate, and hunger is growing with the anticipation of reaching shore. I am thinking it can be used as motivation to get to the finish line faster than the other two boats. We will see, I am sure there will be some grumbles along the way- funny how freeze dry isn’t all its cracked up to be when you are so close to any form of food you desire.
Right now the last 20 days seem almost irrelevant, the focus is simply on the two boats ahead of us and the next 200 miles to Auckland…
The thought that this time tomorrow we could be docked up with a burger in belly, cold beer in hand and a place on the podium is what I call one tantalizing prospect.
GOLDEN QUOTE: “In these situations boats seem to have a habit of compressing towards the finish line, I hope this is no different.”
CHRIS NICHOLSON
we’re all here cheering you on guys.. good luck through the night.. I am sure there wont be any sleeping going on.
The podium was, alas, a long way away.
Now there is little time left for decision making. Is the problem the boat, which is not as fast as others in identical conditions; or the sailors, who are not able to pick the right lines to sail to get ahead and stay there, or catch up and fight from behind?
With just a week to the start of the next leg, i wonder of it’s time to throw off some of the technology and send the boys back to observation sailing – racing as it used to be!
Whatever. Good luck to the shore crew, and good rest to the sailors. THere’s many a kilo to recover, and few days to do it in, so raise your elbow for the calories and go well at home for a few days.