Saint Barth - day 2

They wanted it and they got it! Trade winds above 20 knots over the 35 miles of the race course. After the pleasure of the strong contrasts of the first day of the very first edition of the Voiles de Saint Barth, where they found the wind they were looking for and some demanding conditions.

They quite simply wanted to be out on the water as soon as possible to line up at the start between the Sugar Loaf and Saint-Jean Island, so they might enjoy another day of sailing, which they knew would prove to be exceptional.

The final buoy in the harbour entrance in Gustavia saw some real acrobatics out on the water, when the wind strengthened from the nearby hillsides to send some off course and others to come to a sudden standstill. With everyone hiking out, and with the seaspray flying, the whole fleet soon disappeared, moving well away from the coast heading for Nègre Point. The sea was whipped up by the powerful trade wind into a choppy mess, and as they approached Coco Island and the Soube Rocks, the waves built to reach almost three metres in some places.

Nothing could disturb however the serenity of the big boats racing, led over this first stretch of the 35-mile long course by the amazing all-woman crew of the Class W 76 'White Wings'. 'Rambler' and 'Sojana', were fully satisfied in these conditions, which were able to reveal their full potential. They kept within a few lengths of each other, accompanied by 'Puffy', the Swan 45 belongi...

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A knot is never “nearly right”; it is either exactly right or it is hopeless... more