Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race - Day 1

The wind has started to pick up today as we start to head into the Bass Straits and past Eden the last point of refuge on the coast until Tasmania. In the afternoon we hit a bit of a squall and the winds pick up further and before you know it the first spinnaker is blown as the winds gust to 35 knots. This is the big masthead spinnaker which runs from the top of the mast. So the team hoist the next spinnaker, which is fractional and runs up to the top of the forestay (this is the track that the headsail at the front of the boat runs up and goes from just below the top of the mast to the bow), however, within a short space of time this one blows as well so its time for the storm spinnaker.

Later on there is an incident, we accidentally gybe (accidentally change course causing the boom to swing across the deck) this was on the other watch and Helen was in the pit and was hit in the head. She was very very lucky that it wasn't more serious and it just brushed her. She has had a hard time up to now what with sea sickness throughout the training and now on the race.

And the final straw of the day was when the oven fell off, becuase it is gas and we can't tell whether there is any damage to the pipe we can't risk using it now so all the pre-prepared oven meals are a waste and we have no evening meals or ability to make hot drinks. This causes quite an issue really from a food perspective as we are down to wraps and nuts, fruit only pretty much...

Quite an eventful day, the crew spirits are not down though and we are soldiering on, no surrender!!