Bass Strait

Following a brief pit stop at Queenscliff, Victoria we are underway again
bound to Tauranga. The welcome and support we received at Queenscliff was
fantastic - no sooner had we tied up alongside than an army of volunteers
jumped aboard with taps & drills to repair the steering quadrant. An ice
box full of beers and a BBQ dockside provided a brief respite whilst the
crew set about fixing the reefing line, crossed halyards, replacement
mainsheet and turning block - all damage received in our all too brief
foray into the Southern Ocean. As I write the iron sail is powering us
into a light headwind across the Bass Strait - a formidable stretch of
water with a fearsome reputation which is being very kind to us. A high
pressure system is moving away from us across the Tasman Sea and we are
expecting Northwesterly winds to fill in behind it, powering us towards NZ
at circa 8kts. Meanwhile we are reading reports from the rest of the
fleet battling it out in winds that have not dropped below 30 kts for
three days - my own feelings of sadness & disappointment that we are not
sharing that adventure. However my frustration is tempered by the
experience and should help focus my preparation for next years
transatlantic TwoStar - self reliance and ensuring we have the right tools
and spares. Even the smallest of components failing could end our
campaign. And how one reacts to such adversity depends on ones own
motivation - is it the desire to finish at all costs irrespective of
position, in which case one would soldier on, or a desire to make it onto
the podium in which case continuing at sub-optimum speeds would offer
little incentive. Why do we race - to finish or to win?