Portland-Moresby Sunday April 26, 2009

Submitted by Suzanne Ambers, Scribe for Fandango Crew.

The Race: Around Moresby/Portland.

Race Committee Instructions: Distance 26.2 nm. Both Islands and Celia Reef Lt. Buoy to port or starboard as determined by your chosen direction, clockwise or anti clockwise

The wind—approx 5-10 km. From se and east

This is the race according to the captain and crew of Fandango.

We had a 10am start with Oasis, Imp and Fandango leading the pack. Electra was not far behind, with Irie, KayD, Empezar and Tara’s Whisper close behind.

At Second Sisters a new wind was found, as captains made decisions, to put up spinnakers’ or not. Those who did were slowly pushed toward the Salt Spring shore. The next hour saw spinnakers being raised and lowered. Fandango had café con leches, and muffins, and slowly made the decision to raise the mighty spinnaker (the one held together by carpet tape).

Hereafter Imp, Oasis, Kay D, and Fandango played a positions dance, and slowly Imp took off up the course, with Oasis going up the Saltspring shore, leaving the rest of us behind.

Oasis and Imp met at Pelorus Point, and kept getting pushed back from the tide and diminishing wind. Fandango went up the Pender shore, and tacked over to meet this tidal dance. Irie, always looking for a good time, slowly crept up the Moresby shore to join the slowly moving jamboree.

Finally-after maybe one hour, Imp got away and rounded Polaris Point, and Fairfax Point just ahead of Fandango. Fandango crew had recently enjoyed a gourmet lunch made by Larry Melious, who was languishing in contentment on the foredeck. Oasis behind Fandango, then Irie, crept toward Celia reef, Electra conspicuously absent.

A wonderful spinnaker ride down the Portland shore over to Beaver Point and back home was had by Imp, Fandango, Oasis, and Irie. Fandango passed Imp, aided by a fluky spot near Second Sister, thus taking first place. Somewhere on this route Irie turned on their engine, and motored home.

Results; Fandango, Imp, Oasis.

D.N.F but fought a good fight: Irie, Empezar, Tara’s Whisper, KayD, Electra.