Top of Kilimanjaro

Gordon, with Brett and Ali

"I did it!", says sometime Xena crewmate (San Fernando 2011), Gordon Ketelby (aka "Gordie").

He goes on...

Here is the proof – me on the top of Mt Kilimanjaro with Brett and Ali

Its very high 5,890m or for those from the old school 19,430ft

Its very hard to breathe up there particularly when you have to climb 1,000m on the last day up a 45 degree slope. Its seriously cold at night -10 C or less.

It was seriously hard particularly the last bit of the assent, and going down hammers your legs.

Due to global warming there is not always snow on top, and most of the glaciers are receding fast!

Swell Times...

Click to enlarge... Photo: Reuters

Great photo in today's South China Morning Post, with the caption: "Surfers and dolphins at play in the waves off Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia.  Dolphins are a common sight along Sydney's beaches, as they hunt for small fish, and waves suitable for surfing add to the attraction of venturing close to shore.  Surfers like their presence, too, as they are thought to keep the sharks away.  Australia tops the world in terms of shark-attack fatalities, with more than 200 deaths based on latest figures by a local conservation society."

Cool Change

Sent in by Iris, see her comment below. Sorry can't embed any more in this blog, not sure why, so link to YouTube is here.

"Adventurer Guo Chuan to attempt solo world sail"

Gao Chuan at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club yesterday

In today's South China Morning Post, a report of Gao Chuan's preparations to take Qingdao, an Akilaria Class 40 round the world, solo non-stop.  We're off to the Club this morning for a sail on Xena, so may see the boat there....
Report below the fold as it's behind a paywall on the SCMP site...
LATER: we did see Qingdao alongside the pontoon at the RHKYC last Sunday 23rd and she looked fabulous, extremely well prepared with all new gear aboard.  Everything looked as though it was just where it should be.  She really does look the right stuff for round the world. Hope to get some piccies later, as I forgot to take any myself. Actually, I did take one, at the end of our cruise last Sunday 23rd..

Qingdao at the pontoon, RHKYC, from deck of Xena, after our cruise
out to around Shek Oh rock in 3-5 knots.... nice, relaxing day with
Adrienne, Heiko and Cron, who are going to send some other piccies, I hope..

Pier Pressure

Article in today's South China Morning Post by Paul Zimmerman, about the lack of facilities for pleasure craft in Hong Kong:

There were some 9,500 licensed leisure craft in 2010, comprising nearly 7,000 pleasure boats and about 2,500 open sampans. Our estimates show that there is an unfulfilled demand for another 13,000 leisure craft in Hong Kong. Much of this latent demand is for small, affordable boats and some is for larger boats that require permanent crew. What stops people from buying water sports equipment is that fewer than 4,000 berths are available for safe mooring and convenient storage. There is not even enough space for the existing boats in Hong Kong, let alone for visiting yachts or new sampans.

PDF here

Crew Lists coming together...

... nicely..

China Coast Regatta: 12-14 October

Hainan Race: 18-20 October

King's Cup: 1-8 December

Nothing to do with these races, just a cool photo you get if you Google
"China Coast Regatta" and leads to this cool site

A day sail up the Pearl.... soon to be new cruising grounds?

From the South China Morning Post, Aug 16th....

Cross-border sailing to begin soon

Private boats will be able to enter Guangdong waters

Tony Cheung in Nansha Updated on Aug 16, 2012

A Hong Kong businessman operating a marina in a pilot development zone in Guangzhou expects a cross-border sailing scheme for private vessels suggested by Guangdong authorities to take effect soon. Ian Fok Chun-wan said he hoped power boats and yachts would soon be able to travel freely between Hong Kong and Nansha. This is not possible now because of legal restrictions.

G in Sweden... and maybe Phuket...

25knots at the start line. G on  Katusha (21), RC44 Sweden Cup.

G, our regular Bow on Xena in the King's Cup says he's hoping to be with us again, just subject to working out some work issues.  So I've got him down as a definite "maybe".
Also sends along the above photo, about which he says...  "also attached a little photo from our latest regatta in Sweden.  Was pretty breezy on the last day, this was us trying to start in 25knots and a very choppy sea! Went well though we finished up second."
Another phote of G on Katusha....  too much hard work!....

G works on his 6-pack up front.... more photos

Digger in default mode

Digger (2nd fm right) with his Plate for 2nd in the Heineken Regatta

Digger sends news that he'll join us again for King's Cup and sends along a photo of himself... as usual amongst the babes.  Above, picking up Second in the Heineken Regatta.  Way to go, Digger!  See you in Phuket!

"Gold Coast Australia" cleans up...

Crew of Gold Coast Australia, celebrate their win, in the fifteen-day race
Nova Scotia to Londonderry, 29 June.  Babs second from left at front.

Below: Email today from Babs, who was with us on Xena in the King's Cup 2010.
Gold Coast Oz now have a lock on the overall race, with 10 bullets out of 12 races, 36 points ahead of Visit Finland, and this 13th race giving them another ten points, they can't be beat with just two short races to go.
Way to go GCA! Congratulations to Skipper Richard Hewson and all GCA crew!

HI all

Here’s mini films of our arrival after winning race 13 from Halifax Nova Scotia to Derry Ireland. We crossed the line around 2.30am then had a 2 hour motor up the river Foyle to the city. We had the most amazing reception, people had got up at the crack of dawn and were there waving from the river banks to welcome us in.  The little sail boat came alongside to give us champayne and the coast guard which had escorted us on the last few miles across the finish line handed us a bottle of Whiskey. A wonderful finish to a tough, wet, foggy and rough 15 day race across the Atlantic, our last big ocean crossing of this mammoth adventure. 
Vid One
Vid Two
Vid Three
See you all soon
Babs x
[email babs, click here]
LATER: Meantime in other news of sometime Xena crew: Ranger, with "our" Bicky on board, as upwind/downwind trim at the Falmouth J-class regatta have pipped Velsheda to overall Regatta win: they win on count-back what's more! (both on 4 point)  Results, Report Race 5.  Earlier post below, here.

Bicky on Ranger in Falmouth: win in Race One

Ranger ranging

News from Stevo: regular Crew Boss on Xena, Richard ("Bicky") Bicknell, is on Ranger in the J Class Regatta at Falmouth. He's in charge upwind/downwind trim.  Downwind they pop a 10,000 sq ft kite! (five times Xena's....).
Must be awesome to see four of these monsters battling each other.....
Race One: Ranger first on water and on handicap -- and that for the lowest hcp boat!
Check out the site here. The Race One (Ranger first).  Race Two (Ranger second). Race Three (Ranger second).

LATER: Ranger pipped Velsheda to overall Regatta win: they win on count-back, what's more, as both finished with 4 points!  Results, Report Race 5.

Xena racing update

We won't do the Raja Muda regatta, as it's a big logistic challenge and no guarantee of a Premier Division.
We're still committed to the King's Cup in Phuket, so that's a definite.
We may also do the China Coast Regatta, with the Hong Kong to Hainan Race on 18th October.
That's a Cat 1 race of about 360 miles, an overnighter.  If we do that, then Xena will stay in Hainan for a bit before delivery to Phuket.
The marina at Sanya in Hainan is great.  See piccies here.
A BTW: there's an update on the Tipsy Frenz sinking on the post immediately below.

Tipsy Frenz lost at sea...

Tipsy on the rally to Hainan Island last December, here
(Spencer Suen photo)

Below story in today's South China Morning Post.  Tipsy Frenz is well-known to us, a pretty Wauquiez 45s, moored close to Xena, raced against them many times, including in the last race to Subic.  The Skipper, Leon Chan, was our scrutineer for that race.

Luckily all well....
UPDATE (30 June): just came across this report from a few weeks ago.  With this nice photo from Guy Nowell.  There's longer report at the link:

UPDATE (21 June): at recent China Coast Regatta Committee meeting, Walder Ip, who was on Tipsy Frenz on that trip tells us: it happened at 2:30 in the morning.  Most crew were on deck, just 3 down below. The folks below reported water coming in.  It was investigated, but as they did, the water was coming in faster, pretty soon half-way up the companionway steps.
Walder phoned Alex Johnston, the Race Officer, on Satphone (the SSB was not working, because of battery being under water...).  Alex told us at the meeting that he could hear the water coming in, over the phone (!).
Tipsy set off their EPIRB and Alex contacted HK Marine Dept.  Mardep in turn contacted Taiwan authorities.
Water kept pouring in and the crew couldn't figure out where it was coming from.  To this day they still don't know what happened.  Skipper Leon Chan called for the "abandon ship" routine and all was prepared (here, the Safety as Sea Course kicking in).  They kept on looking for the leak until they couldn't any more for the water too high.
The two liferafts were deployed, with painters holding them to the boat.  When it was clear they would have to leave the boat, they stepped into the liferafts, at the same hight as the boat now was, just about under water.  By this stage, the Satphone wasn't working any more -- out of battery, I think -- and they set off their flares.
Meantime, back at the Yacht Club, Alex had set in train the emergency procedures, which involved all those needed coming to the Club and contacting the relevant authorities and monitoring the situation as best they could.
A Chinese commercial vessel was contacted and came to their aid.  Getting onto the boat was not a simple procedure, Walder says, with waves of 5-6 metres.  A couple of go-arounds before they could board, most on the lee, but a couple on the more dangerous windward side.
In the end, all safe on board the Chinese vessel, in the hands of friendly (mainland) Chinese merchant sailors. And delivered to Taiwan, where the local authorities treated them well and with professionalism.
The earlier South China Morning Post report is below the fold...

Prize giving, Koh Samui Regatta Day Five

Pete accepts the trophy for the win on Day Five.
(PF iPhone photos. Click to enlarge)

Judy with Qin Hill of Genuine Risk

Moonblue 2 crew gather the trophy for First
overall in the regatta in Premier Class

Brazilian dancers at the party;
a kind of cool Impressionist photo; well, I think it's cool...

Some nice photos on the water, Day Five

On the line action on Moonblue 2.  
(thanks to Samuipics.com)

The view we like to give the competition

Spinnaker hoist at the top mark

Winds around 20s knots

Crew Dinner photos

Last night, cocktails chez Vic and Pixie's

Before...

... and after

Trophies to date.  An eclectic and quaint choice for prizes....

Marcus and Pete

Liam, Sue, Judy, Mary

Last Day results...

... and it's a win for Moonblue 2!
As we went into the final day we needed either two wins or a second and a first (but not a first and a second, for then we would have lost on count-back).
We lost the first race by one minute to El Cayote, so it was all down to the second and final race, which we won by two minutes, giving us and El Cayote a total of 9 points each after our drop, and we win the Premier Division on count-back.  Great result, especially the trials in delivering the boat and our having to miss Race Day One completely.
Today they gave us two windward-leewards, course 16, simple double sausages.
In the first race, second upwind leg, another squall came through with winds of 40+ knots so downwind we decided on Main and jib only.  A couple of the IRC 1 types persevered with spinnakers, mostly out of control, broaching all over and a couple of shredded kites; one of the multi-hulls was dismasted.
The second race winds still gusting in from the NW, around 20 knots, we went round cleanly, good kite hoists and gybes.  We finished 11 minutes ahead of Cayote, for a win by two minutes corrected.
More photos later.

Last race day

We gave Cayote a cheer and they reciprocated.  Good competitors.

Our main competitor, El Cayote making way back to beach.
We were equal on points going out this morning.
We think we beat them in the first windward leeward, bit the second one too close to call.
Posting this from my iPhone as we make our way back...
UPDATE (2 June): results were: Cayote won the first race (a windward-leeward) by one minute and we won the second race by two minutes, for a win overall on countback)

Photos Day Four of racing on Moonblue 2

Owner-Skipper Pete Churchouse discusses the day's tactics with Grant

Katie, Gabrielle, Bethany, Parag, Roger and Coggs, on the way to the racetrack

Ah Wai, Mike, Marcus, Tony and Judy

Iris and Sue

Dropping the Main, we find it's got a tear near the head and has to be
repaired overnight.  Here it's being loaded onto dinghy....

.... and being taken ashore.

Another win for Moonblue 2

Results just in and we won the race (5 hour Islands course), by 18 minutes on corrected time!
Hurrah!
And we're leading on overall pointscore.
Hurrah!

Trophy time

Pete Churchouse, Judy, Mark and Ah Wai pick up the silverware
for second on Day Three, last night

This is the cute prize for Day Two first place, which
cunningly changes into an....

... ashtray.  Oh so politically incorrect!  Samui all over....
(thanks to Ah Wai for this and previous photo)

A few catch up photos: Lay Day

Yesterday just before the squall hit. Doug our "wind whisperer", Judy on
Main and Grunter querying something on the foredeck....

It got wild and wolly pretty soon.  Winds were in the mid 40s knots
At this stage we were under main only...

A cropped version of earlier photo: Genuine Risk, the Dubois 90
rushes past at, I guess, 28+ knots.... (see UPDATE, below)

Today's a lay day, so no racing.  A few woke up with sore heads, having been out on the town last nite till 4-ish....  A day of pottering round the Island and relaxing.  Save for the boys on FreeFire, Sam Chan's TP52, who had to try to get a boom fixed.  It bent in the squall yesterday, just after a gybe while still with jib, not kite, up. As I sit here at the Chawang Cove Resort, looking out at the bay and the boats, she's still boom-less....
So, I'd better finish off with a photo taken just now, from the terrace of our hotel, overlooking the boats in Chaweng Cove, Ffreefire at far left still without boom, Moonblue 2 third from left:

UPDATE (2 June): Geoff Hill, owner of the Dubois 90 Genuine Risk, which you can see at the end of our boom above, told me they hit 29.2 knots in that squall, so I wasn't far off in my guess. He says that they figured if they hadn't had to bear away to go through the Gate, they could've hit 32 knots or more.  The boat's set to go to Australia, be modified and competed in this year's Sydney-Hobart, going for Line Honours.  They had a few issues: the engine wouldn't drive the boat and the canting keel at the same time, so it was one or 'tother, but they've sorted that, I understand. (That had become an issue that the Race Office had to adjudicate on, as you can't race if you don't have a working engine; RO gave Risk dispensation).  Sailing legend Syd Fischer was on board, liked her a lot, and, I'm told, wants now to buy a share in her.

Genuine Risk planes past

Moonblue 2's boom points to the Dubois 90, Genuine Risk,
passing us on the horizon doing 28 knots.  Winds reached mid 40s knots

A cracking day on the water for Moonbue 2

A sea of red on Moonblue 2, finish Race 4

Everything sorted on the boat and they sent us off on a 30-miler round the Islands to the South. So: a long beat with steady breezes in the teens, sneak past the reef to port, round Ko Rap Island on easing pressure, up with A1 kite, round the island and north to the gate.
Then we get hit by a 40+knot squall, which lasted 45 minutes.  Winds too strong, so Jib up, Kite down, still stronger winds, so Jib down, powering along at 12+ knots Main only... wind eases, Jib up, eases more... A2 Kite up, Jib down, pole on... then pole down, Kite down, Jib up, to the finish.
Overtaken during the squall by the 90' Genuine Risk planing along at nearly 30 knots.
Finished at 3:00 pm and we may have just pipped El Cayote for first but, don't want to put the mockers on that by saying it...
UPDATE: well, I guess I did put the mockers on it, as we came second....

First overall today for Moonblue 2...

.... Not without some dramas, mainly at the top mark roundings, a few kerfuffles with spinnaker hoists and on windward leg the outhaul gave way. But all retrieved in due course for results in windward leeward courses of First and Second, for overall First on the day.
Missed Race Day One, so we sit on 8 points in three races.
No photos of today's racing on the regatta website yet, and stupidly I forgot to get a piccie of Pete with the first-place prize: an elephant carving that turns into an ash-tray.... so here's a photo of the beach last nite, from the Regatta website.

Sent from my iPhone
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