Sailing for the Saints Apr 20-21,09

Monday Apr 20,09

This morning was really busy.

First thing after breakfast we hoisted aboard the dory and skiff. Then we got all the sails ready to set, fired
up the engine and hoisted the anchor. A little light exercise to start the day :-)

While we were doing that there were lots of yachts sailing by heading for the start line of the race.

We set our fore lower topsail and outer jib and backed around. Then, once facing the right way, we set all
sails and headed out just to leeward of the course. We could see many of the smaller boats racing along to
windward of us. There was a collision between two of them and one yacht was completely dismasted! An
expensive day for them.

As we approached the “mark” we hove to and watched the fun for 20 minutes or so.

As the big “J”s were coming up we tacked and headed back along the line so we got a really good look at
these magnificent thoroughbreds racing with spinnakers set. In fact we set our flying jib just as they were
setting their spinnakers   The two big schooners were there as well with their spinnakers set a well. Very
impressive.

The big French schooner was sailing with a replacement mainsail so they must have had a spare.

After they passed we tacked again, set all sails and are now heading South(ish) towards Guadalupe and Ile
des Saints which is part of Guadalupe.

More later…

Just got off of our afternoon watch.

We sailed close hauled on the port tack towards Guadalupe all afternoon.

As we were sailing Full N Bye my trick at the helm was fun :-)

As we approached Guadalupe it became apparent that we could not weather it and had to tack just after
dinner. We are no sailing North back towards Antigua and will tack in the morning some time and try to
get around the Eastern side of Guadalupe again.

Thanks for reading.
KJ