Day 2 - Cape Leeuwin lives up to expectation

As we approached Cape Leeuwin passing Fremantle out of sight over the
horizon to our left the winds have started to increase as forecast. A low
pressure system passing to the south of the Cape promises to bring with it
a series of cold fronts, stormy cumulous clouds and strong gusts.
At one point in the night all hands were needed to drop the Yankee 2
in readiness for the increasing winds. A line of four seemingly puny
adventures lined up to tackle the wilderness we call the foredeck. In
unison we crouched on our knees, heads bowed low against the endless
onslaught of wave after wave breaking over the bow. Away from my usual
comfort zone behind the wheel or at the nav station I led the way forward,
only to return once the sail was securely lashed to the deck.
But with the new day the Cape has lived up to expectation and already I
have notched up one surf at 18.6knots. And I lost my 50kt virginity as the
gust reach gale force, occasionally up to 40kts and on one occasion
topping out briefly at 50kts. Now heading south esat towartd the first
scoring gate almost 700nm away and onward to a gate south of Tasmania.