ATLANTIC 1000 Images

DAY 5 - Ormond Beach to Fernandina Beach

The Daytona Beach Cat sailors (the local cat sailing fleet) put on a great feast of spaghetti and meatballs last night – we ate well. A solid sleep and it was time to go again.

Somehow the hours just never seem enough – not enough time to sleep, not enough time to relax and not enough time to have fun – why were there not 40 hours in a day. I am sure that everyone else feels the same. We see the boat, the beach, lots of ocean and the hotel room – the ground support team little more. It seems such a pity we can’t enjoy the places we are passing through – but that’s a race – race, rush, race.

Fernando has a growing reputation – when all the other ground support teams have stopped pushing through the surf – Semp Toshiba still has a fit young ‘fella’ give it stick behind the blue boat. We pull off a great start again – and lead the fleet off the beach – pretty soon we have put up the spinnakers and we head north.

We choose the beach option again and drive deep. Castrol goes offshore on double trapeze. Castrol follows us – which is comforting. Eventually they give up trying to get through our lee and head off shore to follow Tybee – we stick to our strategy- stick to the beach. We have some initial difficulties with this new point of sailing for us as a team – double trapeezing with the spinnaker up. Takes some time but we eventually get it in the groove.Tybee and Castrol get smaller out to sea but we have a big lateral advantage on them – we were looking good (assuming they had to gybe !)

Mantanzas inlet passes with its murky water and then later so does the black and white spiraled St Augustine lighthouse. We pass Jacksonville and then reach the St Johns River outlet – we know there is a long jetty sticking out to cut our path. As it draws closer we see the breaking waves against it and we have to luff up to miss it. In the murky water of the river we see a shark – I say to Betao – don’t fall off now- he nods in agreement. Most of the guys behind us drop their spinnakers to get round it. We make further gains on Rick Bliss who is now in 4rth behind us.

On the other side of the breakwater the sea smooths and it is a pleasant sail – apart from the aching bodies and the swollen hands – and burning lips – I take off my sunglasses – things look brighter – but it’s not any easier- 86 miles straight line is a long way.

There is a strong current ripping up the coast past the Fernandina beach – we nearly get swept past the finish but gybe and come in close the flag. Ten out of ten to our ground crew who are there to help and the smiling Patricia who serves up a chocolate smoothie to kill for. Another 3rd position in the bag.

HOME