This is about Hobie 17's and the World Sailing Championships in Port
Philip Bay in Australia.  (I'll get my whole trip notes up sometime)
The Hobies were sailing from Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron which is about 
1.5 hours around from Melbourne.

Slight delay getting my boat because the container was found to be in
Sydney still on a fertilizer ship.  Find out afterwards that it was late
because they idled at sea waiting for a storm to pass ahead of them.  A few
frieghters in front had tossed a couple hundred containers overboard when
they were caught right in the storm. 

So I get CatsPaws together and get out for a sail on the 2nd of Jan (was
sailing a keelboat on the 1st).  Absolutely georgeous - sun shining, wind
blowing 12-15 and the water is reasonably warm.  The sun is also very,
very strong - definately time for zinc for those of us that burn easily.
Slowly more 17's and 18's are arriving, but mostly 16's for the nationals.
Finally getting comfortable with the 15-20 knots of wind.  Waves aren't
very big at all - though they would be if the wind came from the Melbourne
direction for any length of time.

Registration and weighing day - it's raining and a little cool.  So
take down the mast and get a spot in line and do a lot of waiting and
helping lift boats onto the scales.  This CatsPaws is 20 lbs heavier
than my old one! - time for portholes to dry him out.  

Practice day is nice and sunny but the wind is howling.  Even the guys
from Oz aren't going out if they don't have to - and the committee boat is
saying it's only 22 knots which most of us don't believe.

Day 1: Wind is 12-15, lightens and then strengthens as the sea breeze 
kicks in.  Manage a couple of mid fleet finishes in some shifty winds. Oh
yeah, there is lots of current here as well.  Deep channels like rivers
and then the shallow parts kind of fall off into them.  Confusing for
someone not used to tide/currents.  3rd race is going good for me, I've
worked my way into the top 10.  RC shifts the course - but only for the
17's because they couldn't move things in time for the 18's.  But only 4
of us go to the new mark - very worrying that you really are doing the
right thing.  (So read your SI's carefully about change of course and pay
attention at mark rounding).  Then we get sent in for lunch.  And the wind
is building, which makes me nervous. Out we go for 1 more race. 

Day 2: not as much wind today.  And I forget to sign off the beach - 
luckily remembered before getting all the way to the start line but it
meant I got there with about 3 minutes to go.  Finished a very respectable
9th.  2nd race the wind was getting even lighter and trying to power
through the chop without losing way was a challenge.  The RC shortened us
at just the right time as the wind completely dies.  Towed in for a long
lunch.  Then they take us out again and the wind isn't that much better
and I had a very bad start.  Shortened again but we were able to drift to
shore without a tow this time.

Day 3: It's overcast, light rain, cold and windy.  Ugh.  Everyone is
raking their masts back and tightening the shrouds.  Actually, the Oz
boats all carry a lot more rake than most of us in NA.  Off the beach.
I manage to flip coming into C mark - stupid move being the cause of it as
well.  At least it gets me mad so I'm sailing the next race instead of
sitting on the boat and hanging on.  And it helped that the rain stopped
so I could see through my glasses.  In for a quick lunch.  Everyone is
scambling for their warmest gear to put on because it's cold out there.
Another race with the wind either a little lighter or I'm getting used to
it.  But the last race it's picking up again - and just before I get to
the gate this major puff comes through.  I manage not to go in, but, I'm
not quite at the right angle to go though the gate, I need to gybe, but
this puff isn't dying (and 2 or 3 boats are over ahead of me as well)
Needless to say, another swim as I attempt a gybe, up quickly but now I am
the last boat so once I get to A mark again I decide to keep heading for
shore while I still have some strength.  Everyone is tired and lots of
boat repairs.  For the Canadian 18's, very bad day.  One, a dismasting
because of a broken shroud in the last race.  But the really bad one
meant the regatta is over - hit something in the water and took 3 or 4
inches of the bow off, wrecked the daggerboard and a crack 3/4 the length
of the boat.  Only good news is we get tomorrow off to recoup since we
only need 2 more races for the regatta.  (very un-Hobie like, max 4 races
a day and only 13 races total)  And the RC is telling us they only say
18-22 knots again.  They really are sitting in the least windy part of the
course - you can see and feel it while racing.

Day 4 - go siteseeing along the Great Ocean Road - awesome.  Though I
don't know how you're supposed to drive at 100km/hr or even 80 on most of
that twisty, windy, hilly road. (only 25 or 35 on a lot of corners) 

Day 5 - The sun is trying to come back and the wind is still blowing
though not as strong as day 3.  I have a shot at moving up to 13th.
And saved my best start for the last race but I was losing places each leg
going upwind as the wind picked up.  Kept ahead of the 2 I needed in
both races so I manage to finish 13th overall on Jan 13th - my lucky
number.  Then it's time to strip the boats down to get them ready to
trailer up to the container tomorrow and clean up for the closing
ceremony.  Great party.  

Time went by too quickly. Sailing in January is much more fun in Australia 
than Lake Ontario, and I can't wait to go back.

A big thank you to Craig and Gail, Lara and Emily Stoll for making me feel
at home.

Thanks to my sponsors - UUNET (Canada), an MCI WorldCom Company; 
                      - Etobicoke Yacht Club 
                      - Women's Sailing Association
                      and a bunch of friends.