ATLANTIC 1000 Images

DAY 12 – Orcacoke Island to Kill Devil Hills

Ocracoke Island is a cool place – out on a skinny piece of sand called the outer banks. We arrived early yesterday afternoon and had some time to scout around the Island. It had a nice feel and we stayed in the oldest hotel on the island – Blackbeard’s Lodge – complete with a statue of the famous pirate. During the night we had a massive thunderstorm which kept me awake during the early ours of the morning.

Our start was good and the 15 knot south westerly was blowing steadily. We took off on a single trapeze broad reach with the spinnaker up. We quickly sailed passed Tybee and took the lead. The boat was cooking and we had good leverage on the wire. The Hatteras lighthouse quickly appeared and we gybed down to get a closer look of the Cape. Sand banks and waves were everywhere. We saw the hoards of fisherman all out on the point – I am sure Thomas (our photographer) was amongst them. We were committed to our line when we saw a sandbank ahead of us so we decided to lift our daggerboards and scoot across both rudders kicking up in the process. One of the organizers said he saw a bird standing on the sandbank just before we ran across it – would have made a good photo!

It was a bit bumpy as we negotiated our way through the confused waters. This is where the Labrador Current running southwards and Gulf Stream running northwards. Soon we were round and into the flat water on the back side. Our rudders were humming and the water was flat. Looking back we had increased our lead on Tybee. But Tybee was still in the hunt and started to take a line closer to the shore. Eventually we were double trapezing trying to stay as close as possible to the shore but the pressure was driving us out to sea. It started to get bumpy and just as I started to feel a little uncomfortable we stuck it in. Man it was a spectacular capsize – both Roberto and I flying through the air and landing somewhere in front of the spinnaker pole. Amazingly when we surfaced – Tybee had fallen prey to the same gust and had capsized as well. We righted the boat quickly and were off again driving hard.

Tybee stuck to the shore two sail reaching. We eventually decided to cover the shore and dropped the bag and reached up. We were still in front. Once at the shore we put up the spinnaker again. The shore was obviously favored so Tybee dropped their bag and headed up again. We made a loose cover – which was a mistake and by the time we got back up to the shore they had got to the pressure before us and had got ahead. At this stage we had about 15 miles to go to the finish. Tybee again put up their bag and headed offshore – this time we hugged the shore sailing almost parallel to it and built up a great advantage over Tybee who was offshore. WE were back in the match!

As we approached Oregon Inlet a massive thunderstorm was brewing – we were ready to go for the jugular – when a massive 180 degree wind shift saw all our advantage disappear in a single puff. The wind filled in from the sea and Tybee was gone. Foiled again! The wind was light and the affect of the thunderstorm did not go away – I am sure it was following us! We kept the speed up in the fickle breeze sometimes our course varying up to 60 degrees. The breeze would come and go – it was the longest 10 miles ever!

We hung in and managed to finish about 15 minutes after Tybee in a well deserved second - securing our second position overall in the OBX 500 as well as the Atlantic 1000. We sailed had 1000 miles in 71 hours and a few minutes - we came to do what we set out to and did not disgrace ourselves – on the contrary – we made a solid progression throughout the 12 days.

A massive THANK YOU to our ever supportive friends and family – thanks for all your well wishes and words of encouragement. Our GROUND CREW – Patricia, Thomas and Fernando without them we would have burnt out in a few days – a great team effort all round – your work did not go un noticed – OBRIGADAO( huge thanks)

Also thanks to our principal sponsors SEMP TOSHIBA and supporters, Suunto, Nautica and Tam – sincerely appreciated.

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