Good result on day one

In very light breeze the scheduled start of 10.30 wasn't looking too promising. The race committee kept us ashore until 11.30 and then sent us all around the island to Cats Eye Beach for a scrunched up start. We eventually got away in a light wind and headed for a distant buoy then a big rock, a little island called Ann. On the way we held off some much bigger boats, specially on starboard tack. Then with an excellent spinnaker hoist and set we set course for Pine Island only to be told the race had been shortened to a few hundred meters ahead. We kept sailing anyway and found we went very well and passed several more boats on the run home. Our faithful support boat Mathilde followed us round the course except when they stopped for lunch. It was a happy crew that arrived back at the marina for gin and tonic. And then we found we had come 4th. A great result for day one. Not too hard on the handicap but still up there. And we beat all the other charter boat in our division which might stop some of the slightly patronizing "you're all girls," comments.