by Mick Gwilliams
Rear Commodore - Port Douglas Yacht Club

Race 2 of the Poseidon Sailaway Club Championship finally hit the waves on Saturday after two cancellations due to inclement weather.

The first scheduled run was rained out and the re-run was blown out of the water by strong winds. Eventually seven yachts came to the start line with Gordon and Cheryl (Kai Lani) absent through work commitments and Vic Petrus (Whitecap) unable to cross the Whyanbeel Creek.

Excellent conditions prevailed for the 10am start with a triangular Olympic course chosen for the days racing.

Doug Ryan on Magic set the pace with a finish time of 1:21:00 but it was not enough to stay ahead of Tim Preuss on Ann Sea and Garry White on the club's J24 Port FM Mais Oui, with both yachts finishing with a tie on corrected time just 34 seconds ahead of Magic.

The surprising tie shows how important every second can be as the difference in elapsed time between the fleet of 74m 40s was cut to just 25m 38s by the corrected times on handicap.

Race 3 followed in the afternoon with Whitecap a starter but Magic unable to back up through work commitments.

The forecast easing of the breeze failed to happen and the fleet enjoyed fantastic conditions again with all boats bettering their morning times around the course.

Elapsed time difference between first and last of 52m:27s was reduced to 20m:08s on corrected time. Ann Sea cut 5min 39 seconds off her time to take both line honours and handicap wins ahead of Port FM Mais Oui and Ice.

A number of duals within the fleet are beginning to materialise between Karragun and Tau Ceti, Ice and Whitecap and Ann Sea and Magic with Port FM Mais Oui and Indigo in the mix making for some close quarter action. 

After 3 races Ann Sea tops the leader board on 4.5 points with Port FM Mais Oui second on 6.5 followed by Ice (12), Magic and Karragun tied (14), Whitecap (20), Tau Ceti and Indigo tied (23) and Kai Lani (30). 

The crew of Tau Ceti had an unexpected encounter as the main was hauled ready for the days sail. A two metre python had taken residence in the sail bag during the evacuation to the mangroves for TC Yasi and decided to emerge on race day.

Deckie, Trudy Erdmann, carefully collected the stowaway using the seven foot boat hook at arm's length to cast the intruder into the inlet much to the relief of the crew. The unwelcome crew member was last seen climbing the mooring lines of Tallarook!