Heading towards sundown yesterday evening and a handful of boats in the 2011 Rolex Middle Sea Race fleet found themselves facing the ultimate drawbridge, the Strait of Messina.
With the current having turned adverse, any boats still south of the Strait were left praying for enough wind to get them through; otherwise they will find the door shut – until the tide turns again.
One of those who made it through was Seawolf, a 38-footer from Gibraltar in Class 4.
At 17.30, skipper Dave Latham reported they were in great shape with the boat five miles from exiting the Strait, making eight knots over the ground under spinnaker, in 14 knots of wind from the south.
Another escapee was Nisida (GBR). Skipper Peter Hobbs reported: “We just exited the Strait. We lost a bit of ground on the way up here. As we approached the narrows we came to a standstill and watched other boats come up towards us. But that happens now and again. Overall we are very happy to be getting through the Strait in good shape.”
The Italians onboard Catty Sark Waterfront Fleqreo, an Azuree 40, were also glad to be clear and en route to Stromboli.
Co-skipper Enrico Lanzillo called in to report: “We’re just out of the Strait. We have 16 knots of breeze at 140 degrees, with the gennaker up, making nine knots.”
At 18.00, Esimit Europa 2 (SLO), Ran (GBR) and Alegre (GBR) were around the “corner” at Stromboli and sailing along the top of Sicily.
Esimit was approaching the northwest corner, near San Vito lo Capo, with Ran, approximately 88 nautical miles behind, still off the Aeolian Islands.
Alegre was 26 nautical miles further back.
Over half of the fleet was in the 35-nautical mile stretch of water between the Strait and the turn at Stromboli yesterday evening.
Alegre was sailing a heading of 070 degrees at eight knots, when navigator Will Best reported in: “It was very painful getting to Messina, I must say. We should be further up to Ran, but that’s the way it is. We’ve got until Trapani to claw anything back from Ran and after that it’s pretty much a drag race home.”
Asked about the forecast, Best added: “Kind of hoping for anything (wind). If it’s an easterly component and it brings more pressure down towards Ran, we can get into them a bit. If not, and they park up, hopefully we can still get into them a bit.”
The 40-footer Vaquita (AUT) exited the Strait around 16.00 yesterday.
Reached by phone, tactician Andreas Hanakamp said: “We lost ground by going offshore, but we’ve worked it back. We’re sailing near several Class 40s for the first time. Glad to report the forecast is wrong and we have breeze from behind, so we have the spinnaker up.
“Expecting spectacular view of Stromboli tonight. The leg from Stromboli looks tricky – tomorrow we’ll be in lighter breeze, and our routing sends us north, but we’re not sure of that.”