After a slow start on Monday, the weather on the North Sea has changed. In addition, the further weather forecasts do not promise anything good: waves up to eight metres high are expected in the sea area off Edinburgh. Only "Scho-Ka-Kola" will probably make it to Edinburgh in time before the weather worsens from the north. A total of eleven yachts are still fighting their way towards Edinburgh. The storm-tested yachts "Tamann" and "Charisma" are sailing northwards, towards the storm depression. Most of the yachts, however, choose a westerly course towards the English coast. The Lütje 48 "Marmelie" has turned towards Holland, five yachts are on their way to Helgoland, the rest are in safe harbour or already in the estuaries.
"We're glad to be back on Heligoland," says Michael Wunderlich from the J35 "Chosi". He seems to have got his act together just in time: "We had 20 knots of wind during the night, but above all it was just too cold. Eight degrees is gruelling in the long run. When the wind continued to pick up, we turned round. We had travelled about 130 miles at that point. Off Heligoland there was a constant 30 knot wind, four metre waves and cross seas. We got caught twice, luckily we were all on a lead." When Michael Wunderlich hears that the wind is now over 40 knots, he is relieved: "None of us likes to give up, but seamanship comes first."
The North Sea Week Edinburgh Regatta runs 480 nautical miles from Heligoland across the open North Sea into the Firth of Forth and ends in Edinburgh's Granton marina. The traditional event has been organised since 1968. The race starts every two years on Whit Monday, alternating with the North Sea Week race Pantaenius Rund Skagen.
The regatta can be followed live on SatPro's boot Düsseldorf Tracker:
http://globaltracker.de/boot-tracker/regatta/nsw_2013_w_8_helgoland_edinburgh
Lars Bolle
Chief Editor Digital
