Nine yachts faced the starter in PMYC’s Charles Nicol weekend event from Port Macquarie to
Laurieton and return in a race marked by extremes. Wind strengths on day one averaged from five
to eight knots, and frequently less for much of that leg, while the return journey saw “golden zone
sailing” with wind in the fifteen to twenty knot range.
The day one pre-start was largely uneventful with Stuart Watson’s Solar Coaster finding itself well
in front of the main body of the fleet at the start. With the breeze barely rippling the water it was
up to an hour before Tacking Point saw the arrival of the first yachts, with Enticer now leading
Solar Coaster. Several yachts were already struggling in the light conditions, with Katherine, Third
Man and Urchin struggling to make way in the unfavourable conditions.
Light airs followed the front runners along the course with the unfortunate Enticer finding herself
parked for about a quarter hour just short of the finishing line, allowing the chasing yachts to
close before she she found breeze and was first across the line. Kookaburra 2 was second across
the line with Solar Coaster third. With the light airs and with safety concerns about the entry to
Camden Haven, Katherine, Third Man Urchin and Mimosa elected to motor to the finish to
facilitate a safe entry into Laurieton.
With the race being sailed in two legs, crews met at the Laurieton ex-services club where the woes
of the journey from Port Macquarie were softened over the hospitality shown to sailors post race.
After a meal and various libations crews returned to their yachts, with some continuing the
evening’s revelry till the early hours.
Sunday greeted crews initially with the same fluky breezes as on the previous day, before a solid
south Westerly breeze arrived in time for the start. After a somewhat uneven start Enticer quickly
found herself at the head of the fleet after breaking out her masthead spinnaker. The following
pack then settled in for running conditions on the return to Port Macquarie.
From about Bonny Hills northwards crews marvelled at annual whale migration with many
skippers reporting sightings of up to fifty or more breeching whales, tail slaps, flipper slaps and the
like in close proximity to yachts, with one veteran skipper reporting he had never observed such a
display, and doubted he would ever see the like again.
Enticer took line honours on the return, in close to line honours record time, with Zig Zag second
over the line. All yachts recorded tidy times on the return, with Third Man recording a particularly
smart time for that yacht.
Current ocean handicaps were applied over the two days with Solar Coaster taking out this year’s
event with the consistent Cool Change second and Kookaburra 2 third.