Today’s Pre-Race Update:

Varuna is in Noank this Am and will leave for Newport at 8am.  ETA around 2pm.

The weather for the waters enroute to Bermuda / just north of the stream are challenging – Bermuda (euro model) shows the low quite far to the south while NOAA sees it stronger and just south of the stream – moving north on Monday.  The 96 hr 500mb chart is also ugly.   I suspect there will be a one day delay in the start of the race as the stream would be very tough to cross with steep breaking waves if east winds over 25 knots.  South winds as expected Sunday are no big deal.

Crossing the Gulf Steam in Varuna.

On November 28th we left Old Saybrook for Bermuda, sailing in convoy with Bermuda High.  Conditions looked good, although a significant low pressure system would make the stream unpassable if we did not make good time (which of course we did).  The Zoom jib boom helped make us faster than the larger Hanse 400, Bermuda High.  Alan Suhonen captained Bermuda High assisted by Mark Robinson and Frank the owner. Alan was amazed at how quickly Martin and his crew on the 37 took off.  Here is a report from Fred Williams, one of our members on Varuna on the first leg;

Dave and Fred on watch as we leave.

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