Night Race – Night Race? You mean sail out of Poole
and race around the cans in the dark before returning to Poole
without going anywhere in between – are you mad? This was the view
of many, including myself and the crew of PU. Yes, this really was our view.........
yet somehow we were strangely drawn towards the event and even became enthusiastic
about it too!
Despite these strange opposing feelings we set off – after a
couple of beers – at 19.00 to rendezvous with the start boat Deity near Vinyl
Solutions. The start boat crew; Brian Thompson, Ivor Graham and John McQuillan,
had the procedure and a course sorted and announced their plan clearly: All on
time we were to head west with a beat to East Hook before running to Needles
Fairway. Reach to North Head, beat to Swanage, and then back home via Bournemouth.
Our arrival off The Needles was greeted with darkness and
the decision to gybe the spinnaker was taken - what a ride! Beam reach with the
seas lifting and spurting us forward towards our next mark; North Head.
(Afterwards, at the rendezvous, I learned that most dropped kites at Needles
Fairway – they missed a treat).
The night was clear,
superb visibility made it wondrous, first one star, one hundred stars, one
million stars! “Is there someone up there
out sailing too?” Two shooting stars, satellites, and the most amazing red
moon rising over Cowes,
just like the opening credits of Tenko! The lights of Milford,
Barton, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Bournemouth and Swanage. The fireworks at dusk, the
coming of the dawn. The crew banter, a beer at 3.30 am, pork pies at 4,
chocolate goodies, tea and Charlotte’s
homemade cake after the finish. These are memories that will linger in our
minds forever!!!!!
Around North Head (after a poor kite drop!) then a long beat
against the tide to Peveril Ledge Buoy. We held a port close-hauled course ‘til
3 metres showed on the sounder, then starboard tack out for a short while
before heading back in again. This was a fine plan until we were lifted on starboard
and appeared to be fetching Swanage. Albeit against the tide, we held on. The
wind appeared to be lifting us slowly as per the westerly forecast - wrong! A
massive header saw the fleet tack in and it was an eternity before we could
make Swanage on starboard again.
Approaching Peveril the tide turned in our favour – all for
15 minutes before we rounded and headed for Bournemouth.
Nearby Will Dennis and his First Escape were struggling and the increasing
tidal flow did its best to hold-up the opposition. The leg to Bournemouth
was another beam reach but, this time, with no rollers or difficulties. From
mid-bay we could see the front-runners round Bar Buoy to reach to the finish at
No3. We were unsure of the exact location of the unlit buoy off Bournemouth so we watched as Ear to Absurdity rounded and
noted the position. Still we got it wrong and a last-minute gybe was necessary
to round it.
Then it was off on a fetch to find Vinyl Solutions (or
Sailing Awards as my GPS calls it), no trouble it’s in line with East Hook
isn’t it? “Which one’s East Hook then?”
‘Final’ Solutions is around here somewhere, I know it is, but where? We carry
on with the GPS saying we’re hitting the bl**dy thing – “There it is, bear away!”
Bar Buoy is next, round this and a close reach to the finish
at 05.32. More tea after the boat is packed-up and then off to the rendezvous
at The Custom House for a Champagne breakfast
– nice!
I ask the crew: “Was
it worthwhile, did you enjoy it, would you do it again?” Absolutely!!!
If PYRA organise
another Night Race then make absolutely sure you are part of it!!!!!!!!!!
Many thanks to Brian, Ivor and John for giving-up their
time. Thanks too to The Custom House for being patient with me (the numbers not
confirmed until 8pm on Sat). Thanks to my crew and thanks too to PYRA for
forcing us to do rather silly - but memorable - things and to enjoy ourselves.
