Unfortunately we did not have much time to take photos in the middle of the 7 major squalls we had along the east/north coast of Sicily.

We blew out 2 kites in the first two while still south of the Straights of Messina, having had an idyllic run north up from Malta from the start. While 4 miles ahead the leaders (in our class) were becalmed, which in part was explained by us keeping away from the wind shadow of Sicily. The wind was doing cartwheels through the Straights, but we got spat out by the last of the north flowing tide into a 35 knot howler and very lumpy seas. The first photo is of us passing Stromboli a little later that day. Note smoke coming out!

The squalls along the north coast just appeared out of nowhere with a generally north west breeze. In one squall we went from 7-8 knots true to 45 in about 3 minutes, just managing to get the number 2 down in time. Being one of the navigators, I just watched them grow on the radar from nothing, so we had little notice on any of them. The second is rounding Favignana off the north west coast. As you can see the sun had come out and life was very pleasant.

We had a cracking sail down to Pantelleria (photo 046 – you can see Favignana and Marettimo in the background), but as we approached the island, the wind died. We then had a frustrating 12 hours fighting our way past the island with the wind changing back and forwards about 90 degs with never more than 5 knots. On the Monday morning, the breeze filled in from the south east, and we had 10- 15 knots all the way to Lampedusa – just one those days you dream about (Photo 053). The wind slowly went to the south east so that by the time we rounded Lampedusa about 5 on the Monday evening, we were on the wind on the return leg to Malta. The wind picked up to 25 knots with a short sea which got very uncomfortable. As we got under the lee of Malta the sea calmed and the wind died and we had a frustrating time trying to get through the passage between Comino and Malta. This delay allowed the class leaders to get away. The breeze then backed to the north east and we beat up to the entrance to Sliema Creek. We then took the best part of an hour in flat calm to get to the finish line off the Royal Malta Yacht Club.

Brian Thompson, of Vendee fame, was our skipper and I was “Under navigator and tactician”. The boats name was/is Nix, and was chartered by a couple of American friends, Bugs Baer and Bill Dunn. Bugs is a member of the RYS, hence why I know him.

Race officer Jim Jerwood set a short difficult cross tide starting line. In race 1 the lead changing several times before the Society won with a last gasp tack at the finishing line. Itchenor won race 2 after mayhem at the windward mark which left 2 Society boats doing penalty turns. Races 3 and 4 were shared so lunch was taken with two races each.

The afternoon produced challenging conditions in which Itchenor sailed better lines downwind across the strong ebb tide to win races 5 and 6 but the Society showed why they are team racing experts when they cleaned up the start of race 7. In the deciding race 8, the Society again started well and were in control on the last run but it all went wrong for them at the leeward mark when the last Itchenor boat stole the inside berth. Game over.