Thurs 26th

Cork left for Oz  today.  We found out early on that they were going to be ready to leave by early evening.   A few of us went to wave them off and with them, two of  our H&H crew members, Charlie and Vic. It was hard to see them leave on an another boat and know that they wouldn't be sailing the Southern Ocean with us. It had been an even harder decision for them to make, to leave on Cork but both had big personal commitments in Australia, which meant they couldn't afford to wait any longer. It was either sail with Cork, or don't sail at all and fly there.  The one consolation was that they wouldn't be racing against us. This leg for both yachts was now more of a passage and the driving force to make us sail fast was to get there in time for Christmas rather than beating the other boats.
So it was with mixed feelings we waved them on their way. Two figures dressed in their Orange Hull & Humber shirts, as a reminder of their loyalty, amongst the sea of green of the Cork Crew. We wished them well although we were at the same time envious of their speedy departure.