Solo Open 60 up to second

A more boats flood into the northern hemisphere in the doublehanded Melbourne-Osaka race

Asadori and RYU-Jin-fgi are the latest boats to cross the equator in the Melbourne Osaka doublehanded yacht race and Ingenue is due to cross this afternoon some time.

COCORIN interland remains in front of the fleet, having recorded the most mileage over the past 24 hours (227nm), but Brian Pattinson ( Gusto) has taken over second place from Alex by 3nm.

COCORIN’s Itaru Matsunaga/John Bankart are on a NNWerly course, aiming in the general direction of Guam, sailing amongst the Caroline Islands of Micronesia in the Pacific Ocean.

Sailing Gusto singlehanded, Pattinson reported this morning: "All OK. Solid 15-20 knot trades. Cruising at 10 knots. I recorded about 200 miles yesterday - 6pm to 6pm, sailing with second reef and No. 1 headsail furler. I furl the headsail during storms and at night. There are less storm fronts, but when they come they are so much more violent. I worked out that the doldrums storms never went over 20 knots. These I’m experiencing go up to 40 knots and are quicker onto you.

"I am heading west more now, Saipan way (around 120nm north of Guam), so should be near the others’ layline in a couple of days."

In a private war of their own, only 4nm apart, Dekadence (on a course between Alex and Gusto), and Tamagomalu (on same track as Alex), are some 251nm behind the leader. Still preoccupied with repairs, Phil Coombs/Peter Walsh ( Dekadence) has let Tamagomalu creep up on her.

Tamagomalu’s Japanese skipper, Makoto Hisamatsu kept his comments brief this morning: “We are sailing quite well since leaving the equator and have more winds."

In the next group, there are now three boats: Asadori, now just 3nm ahead of RYU-JIN-fgi, with Hullabaloo, 30nm adrift of RYU-JIN. The three are 527 plus miles from the leader, sailing close to the East Caroline Basin in Micronesia.

Judging by average mileage, the Queensland RYU-JIN guys will overtake their Japanese friends by the afternoon sked, having put in 168nm to Asadori’s 140 over the last day. From Asadori’s skipper Shinsuke Nishi: "We crossed the equator. We will make a toast with some booze! We want to cook special meal for celebration, but NO RICE!"

On RYU-JIN, Jon Sayer, having just made his fourth Melbourne Osaka equator crossing, had other concerns. It appears his antiseptic wash is not coping with the tropical bugs this morning: "Too late to catch many more bugs, but hey, we are having fun in the fungus farm! Very hot and humid out here."

Approximately 94 miles behind Hullabaloo, David James and Rosie Colahan ( Ingenue), put in the lowest mileage with 66nm sailed in 24 hours. Having left the St Matthais Group of islands behind, they have fallen back to lead the last pack, with Southern Light 20nm behind her, then Esoterica a further 17 miles astern and Wild Boar, 16 miles further.

Ingenue is closing in on the equator and should be next to cross, most likely this afternoon. Her cohorts will follow throughout the day. Wild Boar, abeam of the St Matthais Group this morning, may not get until early tomorrow morning, depending on wind strengths, but Shozi Yoneda and Jun Kanda put in a good 108nm run over the past 24 hours.

Kanda reported from Wild Boar: "Mr Yoneda's short sleep of Monday was compensated last night with good sleep. We will be approaching the equator soon, but we only have one can of beer each - what a pity! Today we will think about the menu for the celebration. We have seen some cruising yachts around where we are."

Micronesia means ‘small islands’ and these beautiful tropical islands are situated 5150km WSW of Honolulu in the North Pacific Ocean, the result of volcanic activity millions of years ago. Some islands are the tips of huge underwater mountains, while some of the atolls are the rims of sunken volcano craters, peaking above the water surrounding serene lagoons, whilst others are combinations of both.

The distance from one end of Micronesia to the other is 2040nm and the high islands have spectacular cliff faces rising from the sea. Covered in tropical jungle, and blessed with sunshine, the beautiful low coral atolls encircle blue-green lagoons. These islands are a paradise for diving and fishing. Well worth a stopover on the cruise home.

Ferdinand Magellan landed on Guam in 1521, beginning two centuries of Spanish domination in Micronesia. With a number of other owners in between, the islands assumed free-association status with the U.S. in 1986and will become independent nations by the year 2000.

POSTSCRIPT: Race Officials advised at 12.15pm AEST (the time of sending this report) that Southern Light has in fact just crossed the equator, therefore beating Ingenue to the job.

Weather:
Guam - Wind: ENE at 13 Knots, visibility 10 miles, sky conditions mostly clear
Temperature: 29.4 C Relative Humidity: 72%

Micronesia – Wind: NE at 12 knots, visibility 15 miles, sky conditions overcast
Temperature: 30.6 C, Relative Humidity: 73%

ARGOS tracker positions at UTC 22.00.00 (8am AEST & 7 am JPN Wednesday April 18):
COCORIN interland (Itaru Matsunaga/John Bankart), Gusto (Brian Pattinson), Alex (Jock and son Hamish MacAdie), Dekadence (Phil Coombs/Peter Walsh), Tamagomalu (Makoto Hisamatsu/Jimmi Doherty), Asadori (Shinsuke Nishi/Kyojun Fujita), RYU-JIN (Murray Bucknall/Jon Sayer), Hullabaloo (Jim and son Joe O’Keeffe), Ingenue (David James and wife Rosie Colahan), Southern Light (Tom Crabb/Trent Justice), Esoterica (Campbell Reynolds/David Best), Wild Boar (Shozi Yuneda/Jun Kanda), Cadi (John and son David Netherton, retired), Wasabi (Ken Down/Shane Gaddes – retired), Runaway (James Ryssenbeek/Andrew McCole – retired), Pippin (Roger Sayers/Anthony Bown – retired).