Thanks to M-1, we have these snapshots! Thanks to Mark, we had two fine spinnaker sets. Thanks to Al we had excellent timely grinding. Thanks to Dr. Luv for mark roundings! Thanks to this teamwork, Psyche'e Song finished in the top half! (Carpe Diem got by us before the 17-knot winds arrived!)
It appears from these photos that there is little apparent motion. That's accurate: there was little apparent wind. On this afternoon, Psyché's Song may have been the last boat to round D-Mark. (Perhaps Sea Note was back there.) But from there on, Psyché's Song drifted past a number of lighter boats. After rounding H-Mark and heading DDW, we lashed the oscillating main amidst-ship to safe the wear on the rigging and to protect heads of crew. It stabilized the boat some and was thus preferable to taking the main down. We carried the spinnaker all the way to the finish which was a few minutes before sundown. Although we passed many boats, we did not save our corrected time. We corrected out to 6th place among seven finishing boats, all of which were awarded trophies.
With three members of the Hard Core in N'Orleans, John Jeffreys joined Mark on Foredeck. Skipper got greedy on the last leg, trying to lee-bow Browser in a dying breeze and lost two or three other boats. We still received a glass for 11th place.
Good thing Al's back, too, because 3/5's of the Team's hard core was out with the flu! In about 6-7 knots, out of a dozen boats, we beat Ferdinand. Sans Spinnaker!
20-APR-FRI
Here's what happened to 2nd Wind. She may be out of commission for a month or more. But, Thank God, everyone is okay. This stalwart crew was bloodied but unbowed.
to set a precedent whereby there are known conditions in which we will not venture out in extreme conditions in pursuit of honors at the risk of life and limb. Still, it was difficult to watch. One of our closest competitors, Liz's Diamond, took line honors!
