Cowes week 2009, day 2

August 2, 2009

To all dedicated and devoted readers What a beautiful day, blue skies and sunshine! Twelve knots of wind on the solent and we are going sailing. Where else would you want to be today? The office, on call at the hospital……….. Theun gave us a good start around 11 o’clock and we were racing. A good start and twenty-four miles to go, trimming sails, boat speed and navigating our way in a beat to the first mark. We were third around the mark, right behind Salvo and Yes. Apparently our main rivals this week. Salvo was expected hard to beat and Yes….. check out their track record. Yes they can! These guys are really good, no mistakes, they sail hard and fast, just incredible. Where else would you want want to be…….. at the office, parents in law, stepmother visits, parents in law coming over or on call? Berthon’s intensive care and nourishing of our underwatership has paid of. Our Frisian sailmakers were trimming our sails, Theun was showing WINSOME the course and Floris was being washed aroud on our foredeck. Floris is our new recruit and talented sailor. Bruises all over but high spirits all day! A warm welcome to our crew. The racing was close, only a few mistakes on all sides. Where else would you want to be…… At least seven people can tell you the Solent was the place to be, heaven can wait…. The wind picked up at the end of the today’s racing, a long reach under spinnaker. All bowsprit carrying boats were really planing along, luckily the finish was a beat, up to the squadron. Third again, a good result, considering our competitors. Satisfied we drank our beers, had drinks at the RYS and enjoyed another great meal from Sophia, our cook. Tomorrow another day on the water. We’ re on a roll, let’s see what it will bring. Now I ask you again, where else would you rather be than Cowes? The WINSOME crew. PS: all Fastnet crew, please rest and take off from work, Harry, Boj and Joost are working really hard this week. Pier View is a demanding place to be, tour of duties at the bar and sailing hard every day. It’s a hard job, but somebody has to do it, please be considerate.

Joost Heikens