Racing has begun! -updated 6:30 local

Overcast and cool was the order for today. Our venue is at Stevenson on the above map. Racing kicked off at noon in about 15-20 kts. A first beat does not a regatta make, but Kevin Hall rounded the weather mark's offset buoy in the lead, with Bora hot on his heels. The other top helms were withing 20 seconds. Two races, then a break. Results as I get them. Currently AP is flying until the wind drops. Visions of Weymouth? So how much wind was there in the morning session? Andrew Friend said he saw windsurfers off Stevenson (just below the start area) sporting 4m sails. Supposedly the RC registered a gust at 30 (mph?/knots?) which initiated the postponement.



At about 3:45 the wind had dropped suffuciently to hold two more races. Breeze appeared to be consistently less than 15, with some holes of 8-ish. The results of the first four races haven't been posted yet, but I heard that Nathan and Rohan both posted scores of 1,1, and 2. Team Australia seems to be fast! Tomorrow's first start has been moved to 10:00 a.m., with the hope of getting some racing in before the wind build.

Here are today's head shots. Seven more tomorrow.









My story is another disapointment. My fix of the T-joint failed so I couldn't even get to the race course. I've decided to just glue the two pieces together and not worry about trying to take it apart until the end of racing. There was some good news: my small sail arrived (just about the time the wind dropped, as predicted) and Andy Mills agreed to loan me his older FC one piece board. It seems to fit my boat and the settings are in the ball park so tomorrow's plan is to use his foil, and either the normal or small sail, depending on the wind. After racing I may try my new board and see if the second repair worked.

Meanwhile, here's Green Day. Enjoy. I'm headed to the wine and cheese social.

Boulevard Of Broken Dreams, by Green Day, Billie Joe Armstrong

I walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever known
Don't know where it goes
But it's home to me and I walk alone

I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Where the city sleeps
and I'm the only one and I walk alone

I walk alone
I walk alone

I walk alone
I walk a...

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone

Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Aaah-ah,
Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah

I'm walking down the line
That divides me somewhere in my mind
On the border line
Of the edge and where I walk alone

Read between the lines
What's fucked up and everything's alright
Check my vital signs
To know I'm still alive and I walk alone

I walk alone
I walk alone

I walk alone
I walk a...

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone

Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Aaah-ah
Ah-ah, Ah-ah

I walk alone
I walk a...

I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I'm the only one and I walk a...

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone...