John’s summary of the first 20 hours of the race

Sun 20th June – 17:30

Great day in the race, fantastic start at 4pm Saturday followed by a lumpy beat to windward (one direction thankfully) to Bardsey. Managed to be over powered a few times till we reefed and then made up substantial ground on those who didn't. Bardsey sound was our first adventure and we were going nowhere until we really understood the lady who said 'keep real close to the cliffs'. If you don't the current just makes you go backwards and forwards on the same line!

Once round Bardsey we had a nice sail amongst a pack of ten or twelve boats which cumulated in our reaching Caernarfon bar amongst the first of our group, only for us to be becalmed and see the following boats sail (or row) past our static position. We should have rowed a lot harder, by not constantly pushing we ended up in an unfavourable current and lost a vital two hours before we had enough wind to get through, whereas our worthy competitors got through before the current and made the tidal gate of the swellies, not only that we made our runners do Snowden in the midday sun (just heard they are walking the last 4 miles)! Finally to add insult to injury the unmarked sandbank just outside Caernarfon decided we should go nowhere for two hours (landed the runners by dinghy from stranded yacht!) and that meant we missed any chance of the High water gate for the swellies (it was tight anyway).

So now its decision time , wait for a Swellies gate (low water at midnight!) or go around Anglesey. In order not to divulge tactics to those going for the Last Inn cup that can remain a state secret till we do it. (will we be 6 hours behind or 18 hours behind, to go or not to go...) Having heard a race favourite has grounded in the swellies maybe not...