ORCV Melbourne to King Island (M2KI as part of the MMOC)

Joining their friends.

Just the same as the last boat in for the day, Magic, our little friends from the hero pic were trying to join their friends too!

We ensured we didn't walk near them and turned off the second, lower light, when boats were not near the finish line, so as not to scare them.

Little chappies were keen to get to their nests.

This is Magic. Poor devils saw the line, saw it again and again and you get the picture...

Jeff Whiteside, Justin Beck and Bill Trueman were friends catching up on news and drinking time.

Look. It's a gathering. KIBC style.

Story time.

Relaxing/relaying...

By John Curnow

ORCV Melbourne to King Island (M2KI as part of the MMOC)

Rear Window.

Like James Stewart in Alfred Hitchcock's movie, it's all about the view from our, rear window, this evening.

I mean this really was something very special, as the sun began its inexorable slide into the horizon.

And then it just got better!!!

13 boats are home now, which leaves seven out there. We hope to have them in by 2300hrs. Our last boat appears to be Full Circle, presently, and that goes a long way to describing some of the weather that has been in the West most of the day, into the SW late in the piece and now is from the SE. A little while ago the wind was dying badly, around the time The Secretary was coming across the line, actually. Anyway, there's enough in it presently and the current is blissfully running North to South, so maybe, just maybe, we'll get them all in before midnight!

All right. Back to the artsy fartsy stuff.

Geomatic Joker, Beyond Outrageous and Jazz Player (hidden) lie at anchor in Grassy Harbour.

Looking back over the port up the port road.

Clouds, the Secretary and Yoko.

Parked boats just up from the King Island Boat Club - Chikara Outlaw and Ninety Seven.

By John Curnow

ORCV Melbourne to King Island (M2KI as part of the MMOC)

First Four Chowing Down Right Now.

Magic Carpet, Jazz Player and Chikara Outlaw have all finished within about ten minutes of each other, just after 1600hrs. Ninety Seven was around half an hour after that and Geomatic Joker was yet another half hour behind them.

Well done to the Two-Handed team of Dean Coates and Steve Twentyman from Magic Carpet for their efforts. The boat looks good with it's new paint job, too.

For some of the other crews it has not all been sunnies, tans and smiles. At least three boats, Caledonia, The Secretary and Yoko watched as the others went over the horizon, while they sat and then went backwards off Naracoopa on King Island's East coast. Paul Pascoe onboard Caledonia told me they were doing 1.2 knots with just over a knot of current going the other way. Never mind - the breeze will hopefully return to you soon. At around 1530hrs the wind went to the Southwest and made a true 12-15knots before settling back to the familiar 10knots. The sea rose a little with it too, but not a lot. Interestingly, the same happened at Cape Otway, at the same time. Melbourne, however, took buckets of water and some amazingly dark skies, we understand. Just got to love Australia, eh.

By John Curnow

ORCV Melbourne to King Island (M2KI as part of the MMOC)

Soon enough it will be all about steak sandwiches.

At least for Magic Carpet, Chikara Outlaw and Jazz Player, all of whom are due in around 1500hrs. They have covered around 84% of the course and have a dozen miles or so to go.

The onions REALLY are the toughest part of these little gems.

In AMS, Jazz Player leads from Geomatic Joker, with Addiction and Beyond Outrageous with a gangway between them in third. These latter two boats are nearly identical Inglis' and really are that close!!! In IRC, Magic Carpet leads over Jazz Player and Ninety Seven. Theses leaders must be able to see each other out there, with just a couple of miles separating them. Magic Carpet looks set to claim the next McConaghy Melbourne Offshore Championship flag as they also lead PHS, with Chikara Outlaw and Jazz Player in the equation as well. At this time, our last boat, Magic, should be home around 2100hrs tonight.

Don't stop working Sally, just eat!

The all important flag that could lead you to the wheel, as pictured below. Magic Carpet are a chance to do it on their first outing. Nice work!

By John Curnow