McConaghy Melbourne Offshore Championship

(M2S as part of the MMOC)

Ask the Leylands.

"We're here because...", as they used to say. There are no yachts here in Stanley as yet and the very calm conditions that have beset Bass Strait are ensuring it is going to be a little longer yet...

This is the finish line at Stanley - not that anyone has crossed it yet - or likely to soon...

In the race for Line Honours, 'Calm' remains about five nautical miles ahead of 'Audi Centre Melbourne' and then 'Goldfinger', the latter two are probably within water bombing range of each other. 'Shogun', 'XLR8' and 'Extasea' are a further four miles and more back from them in said order.

'Calm' in very slight winds like today, but a bit more sunshine perhaps than what they have seen with the fog today...

In AMS it is 'Extasea' from 'Wicked' then 'Godzilla' and 'Alien'.

IRC has 'Calm' leading 'The Finger' who had a good six hours between skeds and then 'Audi Centre Melbourne'.

For the PHS class we have 'Audi Centre Melbourne' ahead of 'Matangi',  'Extasea' and 'Wicked'.

Neville 'Nifty' Rose aboard 'Ninety Seven' tells us there is 11knots from the South East (i.e. directly from Stanley) with sea fog cleared for now, but it is overcast. The back of the fleet has caught up somewhat, but there remains 40nm from first to last!

Currently the 05:00ETA for 'Calm' looks valid and from then on it will be every hour, on the hour until Sunday at 23:00hrs.

Fishing boat tied to the big quay for the deep draft boats to raft up to - once they get here that is...

Nary a sailing boat in sight in the delightful harbour - plenty of fishing boats though...

By John Curnow