GOLD COAST QIN-SAN 270600ZMAR12

LAT 40 47.0N
LONG 136 37.0E
DTF 690
ETA 0600z 31 Mar 12

WEATHER WIND 270@30, Sea 1m, Swell W5m, Cloud 4/8 Cl Cb, Baro 1005 rising.

Gold Coast Australia is having a fantastic down hill ride in the Ocean Sprint and towards Oakland California. Winds have finally begun to ease off from 40-55kts down to a mild 30kts. Seas are also gradually settling down however are still quite confused and random.

As the barometer began to rise this afternoon, the wind began to back and ease as promised by the forecast and Gold Coast Australia was finally able to shake out a reef and put in a gybe to make our final approach to the Golden Gate Bridge that marks the finish line (though it is still 700nm away).

Shaking the reef out using our improvised mast track system went according to plan and the mainsail is setting as it should, though looking a little more tired than it did at the start of this race thanks to the relentless winds and weather condition.

The sea and swell remain very confused making life below difficult and life in the galley an experience in itself. In these conditions it seems a helping hand is always required to get involved as demonstrated today while preparing lunch the boat lurched and rolled over excessively, throwing the rice from the rice cooker into the lockers while also managing to spray chef Babs Yendell from head to toe. Assistant chef Gina Gourlay also got a pasting by the tomato puray as it flew across the galley. Thankfully some of the contents were still able to be scraped up and eaten for a very tasty lunch.

Amazingly the sun came out today and we also had more blue sky than we have seen since China. Last night, and also tonight we can actually see the stars and the moon that make up the universe around us, giving us some comfort that we are approaching the end of an incredible set of weather systems and an incredible race.

While our priority at the moment is to sail towards the finish as fast as possible, Gold Coast is racing towards the eastern end of the ocean sprint, averaging about 11kts and making some fantastic time. Looking at the weather for the yachts astern of us the conditions favour us so hopefully we will get the bonus point as we continue our race to Oakland.