Sunday June 22nd saw the final race in the current ocean sailing season. After a disrupted season which saw numerous abandonments, skippers’ hopes were high when the seven day forecast was for an 8 – 14  knot wind range on  a lazy half meter swell. Those checking the forecast would have seen little change in the forecast swell, but a progressive falling away of wind strength.

In any event, on the day, the day’s forecast  of 0 – 10 knots held true, and while producing a great day for whale watching it was a day full of tricky light airs testing the abilities of sailors.  Six yachts  turned out for the Long Ocean course season finale, five contesting the event, while Galene being unaudited, sailed “in company” with the racing fleet.

Starting in light airs the newly re rigged Enticer,  contested the start with the revitalized Razzamatazz  2 and Solar Coaster all in close proximity, with Enticer taking the lead after the starting scrap followed in line by Razzamatazz 2 and Solar Coaster. Galene started well, while Cool Change and Third Man, both unsuited to the light working conditions were making steady progress astern of the leading pack. 

With all skippers having sensibly electing to sail the division one course, and having seen in recent events that sailing along the beach had generally been favoured, on the northbound leg, five yachts hugged the shoreline with the order being Enticer, Razzamatazz 2, Solar Coaster, Galene with Third Man finding the conditions difficult some way back.  Cool Change had elected to sail the rhumb line, somewhat East of the main body of yachts, and was placed about equal or just behind the speedy Galene, but trailing that yacht at the Northern mark.

With the fluky generally Northerly winds oscillating and trending to the East, yachts faced a mostly square run home, which saw Enticer easily extend her lead in conditions that favoured that yacht, with the Bird Rock finish line greeting the yachts in the same order that they turned at the Northerly turning mark, except that Cool Change was able to overtake Galene, with Third Man while last across the line, making up significant ground on the homeward leg.  Pointscore handicaps  reversed the finishing order with Third Man first, Cool Change second and Solar Coaster third.