Backward Line Honours

Out and about early with a squall giving everyone a quick wash(except nav who had things to do down below, oh and scotty who found things to do down below!) On the line at the start about halfway along and with speed placing us nicely for accelaration off the line. The day bouy was on one tack and most boats stayed that way after the mark but we decided it looked better inside and this turned out to be a good call. Stanton continued to alude us until we were on top of it. Damn its hard to find. Naviguesser looking a little rattled until it was finally spotted. First around Stanton and kite up to Cambell. One gybe to campbell, a quick gybe over and we will round it, so we thought. Just as we gybed the wind went from southwest to north east. We had to drop the kite and tack upwind to make the mark. Luckily with enough lead to put us in different wind than OP close behind. At this point OP and us were in complete separate winds only 100 metres apart. The rains squalls in the distance were sucking wind up and causing havoc around the course but keeping tacticians on their toes. We inched along in and out of wind while the rest of the fleet closed in still with good breeze. Knee Deep and a couple of others headed out in good breeze trying to do the round the outside manouvure but the wind returned and we stayed out in front around burnell back out to hall bank and kite again the cambell. From here a drag race to the finish, nearly stuffed it until nav double checked the course and found we had to round w mark, not the normal channel markers. Great another fun mark to find. Around W and kite up for the finish, alls well. Hmmn.... not really enough room for a gybe on the finish so out came the imfamous goose wing, kite on one side main on the other, all good until the drop. Lets just say the drop did not go according to plan and for the first time ever we finished the race backwards over the line, just so the officials could read the name on the stern. Knee Deep close behind with Sue Sea, syrenka, and OP a way behind after sailing themselves off the course looking for better breeze. Will be interesting to read the paper tomorrow!