Baptiste Vaudrey

A lively sail, starting with two hours of motoring in mirror calm conditions rounding East Cape close in. Gently the wind picked up as forecast to a steady F3-F4 from behind and we experimented with goose winging with the Gennaker set. Joined by dolphins we were kept well entertained. A fresh F6-F7 built up early evening and roared us along at 9-10 kts u till I took in two reefs in both the fore and the main, striking the Gennaker at the same time. The wind changed at about 22:00 and we motored until about 07:00. The last leg was with F3 on a broad reach blowing us happily into Napier.

A light, downwind start which allowed the hoisting of Gennaker and Gollywobbler, frustratingly sat directly astern on a dead run, which collapsed the Gennaker which was stowed. The wind then dropped to light airs and we motored almost the entire day and night. Two burst of F3 winds on the beam and then the nose at watch changeovers during the night got us over excited briefly but then had to motor into F4 to F5 on the nose to round the corner in the morning to get to the anchorage. A first night passage for the three new crew.