This weekend I am taking part in my second race on Gudge – The Northern Century race.

This is basically a double-handed 100 nautical mile race through (or around) the San Juan islands. My friend Phil (skippering his new boat Zaff) told me about it and the San Juans are my usual stomping grounds so I signed up! I’ll be doing it with Emma and sailing down Thursday to Decatur Island. The race starts Friday (18th) evening at 7:30pm preceded by an open bar(!) from 3pm to 6pm – I guess that’s how they roll down in the states! Currently there is a gale warning for Friday evening as well, just to make things even more terrifying interesting.

Not going to be a lack of wind, that’s for sure. I double checked my reefing system yesterday with my fancy-ass new MLX lines and reefing at the mast

There is a tracker at http://northerncentury.swiftsure.org/ if you fancy following Gudge as we blunder around in a storm and get spanked by a San Juan 24 – I think it activates late Friday afternoon. Probably be racing until Sunday afternoon. The main aim is to finish this one unlike Swiftsure!

As you can see it starts in Anacortes, goes up alongside Orcas Island to Point Roberts, then back sound around Hein bank in the Juan de Fuca before heading back to Anacortes.

After this (and if the crew and the boat are still in one piece) we are going to spend a week cruising around the Southern Gulf islands for a much needed change of pace.

 

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