Sunrise in Shanklin bay.

After a very hard working night with more sails up and down than a
Spanish gallion we made ground on the others and by the time the sun
came up we were firmly back in the game.
The sun rising Also brought an end to the very slight breeze that we
had been enjoying. As the tide once again turned against us the anchor
was dropped.
Around an hour and a half later it was a race to get the anchor up and
start moving. Being the first boat to do this we enjoyed the first
gains. Sitting just in front of the pack it was looking good to be the
first around St Catherines point but as the wind dropped around us we
sat and watched the pack (at this point closer inshore) sail a zepher
of wind up the coast and gain a mile!

Not to be beaten I picked up an oar and began to row, Dad started to
pump the spinaker sheet and between us we made 2.5 kts boat speed
towards the nearest puff of wind visable inthe water.
Although we didn't manage St Catherines in first it kept us in the
game and now the battle is continuing in the form of a close windward
race along the back of the island....