40 41.143 N 27 50.633 E Marmara Sea 16 May 2010

Sorry for all who where waiting for news of the Tecla and her crew. Our radio had a lot of trouble lately to get our e-mails in the air. I hope that from now on, it will be possible to send news more often.

We finished the first leg of the race from Volos to Varna. A race with almost no wind on the first day. The start was delayed three times. At the start there was a nice breeze, but it did not stay for many hours. The first night was more or less totally without wind. Also was the wind from all sites, many boats stayed close to each other. Just a few took the nice breeze to disappear at the horizon. No wind is very hard for a crew, you try to find a breeze, you tack and gyp, close to the wind.... with the wind, the current takes the ship for a dance and before you know it, she makes a round. Then there is a little breeze, the speed goes up, you are happy to see 3.5 knots on the GPS, till it drops again and the frustration attacks you, will we ever be able to do these (only) 150 miles in three days by sail? And then, when the first ships announce their finishing time, there is a breeze that stays and grows to a real wind, force 5 to 6.

We lower the top-sails, the big jib stays on, it is a too good puller to lower, even if we think it is a little bit too much. We start leaving ships behind us and take over, others. We are sailing again, everybody on board is enthusiastic, most skip their 6 hours of sleep, with only 5 trainees onboard and three crew, we are tiered, but every body is in the winning mood again. Speed 8.9 knots, we can smell the finishing line.

At 23 56 51 UTC we finish, just before the wind drops down again. We lower the jib and set the smaller one, the wind picks up again and turns against us. The weather forecast, says: gales coming up. We enter the Marmara sea, start the engine, head winds, and on the Sea of Marmara, in a bay, we drop anchor, have a beer or wine, start the anchor watch, have a good sleep and a late breakfast, the wind is SW 7, the sun is shining, and race control gives the race results. We are number one in our class, we are happy!

Greetings Jannette