Please select your home edition
Edition
Zhik 2024 December

Adventure of the Bounty Hunters - Sail the Solomons 2000

by Fletcher Christian on 26 May 2000
What a day, so the sailing conditions weren’t for fast racing but otherwise the weather was perfect. It was the sort of stuff that entices us Mexicans to spend all our hard-earned dollars up North. Bright sun, cloudless sky, flat blue seas. The fishing looked to be promising as we hooked a small mackerel just off Morton Island. Being gung ho racers as we are we did not want to lose speed by winding down the motor, (oops).
The fish had to be content with skipping across our wake like a smooth stone. This was our first mistake as we lost the fish, our second was to keep trying. We heard later that some of the boats had good catches, another old saying is 10 percent of the fishermen catch 90 percent of the fish, it sounded like these guys got their 90 percent alright.
The most improving aspect of the race is the weather. Balmy tropical nights, it’s a joy to sit outside and soak up the cool breeze and take in the starry firmament. We were also blessed with a full moon.

Sea birds abounded and it would be nice to see if we could identify some at a later stage. If we could not trouble the fish with our lure we did fool one silly gannet, luckily our lure was so long that it was able to have a taste and reject it without getting tangled in hooks. Terns not much bigger than the lure were also having a go fortunately with the same result.
The days began to get gradually warmer & more time to spend on sunning ourselves. At the start of the race we were still an underdone beige. There were other signs of climbing the latitudes than the flying fish. We started to see coconuts and we sent someone forward with a net in case we could catch one of the legal size but they started to take evasive action as no more came near the boat.

I just like to give you a picture of what you can expect on a voyage such as this. Picture sunset in the Coral Sea. Looking to the west you see a quarter of a deep orange orb in the midst of a moody frame of mauve clouds. Above is a fringe of cloud highlighted in pink. The sun then sinks ever so slowly into the indigo sea. The sun shrinks to a tiny orange speck and then nothing.

Related Articles

NYYC International Women's Championship update
Teammates and Competitors Join Forces The strength of bonds forged in competition is a common theme among the second group of skippers and teams invited to compete in the 2026 New York Yacht Club International Women's Championship.
Posted today at 2:22 pm
Vaikobi UK Finn Nationals at the WPNSA
Lawrence Crispin wins his first title since returning to the class Former Laser World Champion Lawrence Crispin won his first Finn National Championship after returning to the Class nine years ago, having previously won Weymouth Olympic week in the Finn in 1986.
Posted today at 2:02 pm
The Ocean Race Europe Video Preview
We speak to Phil Lawrence, Peter Rusch & Pip Hare to find out more The Ocean Race Europe will take place between 10 August & 21 September, following a debut event in the summer of 2021. The racing is in IMOCA yachts, the same as the Vendée Globe, but this time with 4 crew and an OBR who will document the action on board.
Posted today at 1:30 pm
Osprey Nationals at Mumbles
Some epic and at times fruity sailing in Swansea Bay With the terrible weather of recent Osprey National Championships successfully banished this time around the competing 36 teams were treated to some epic and at times fruity sailing in Swansea Bay hosted by the brilliant Mumbles Yacht Club.
Posted today at 12:55 pm
RS500 Rooster National Tour Gurnard
A familiar sense of déjà vu from last year Saturday morning at Gurnard Sailing Club on the Isle of Wight started with a familiar sense of déjà vu from last year: The wind just topping the feasible strength to start the RS500 Open and Club Championships.
Posted today at 12:05 pm
K1 Midlands Traveller Series at Rutland
The 'Beat Your Predicted Place' scheme is still proving popular Rutland Sailing Club were the hosts for the third of the Ovington open meetings in the K1 Midlands Traveller Series on 5/6th July 2025 which was shared with the F1 National Championships.
Posted today at 10:50 am
Sailing's Glitterati prepare for the Admiral's Cup
The depth and quality of talent is truly breathtaking. The 2025 Admiral's Cup is shaping up to be one of the most compelling editions in the event's storied history, featuring a glittering constellation of the sport's elite.
Posted today at 9:55 am
2025 EurILCA Europa Cup at Warnemünde Day 3
Ole Schweckendiek leads ILCA 7 fleet into the final day The third and penultimate day of racing at the 2025 EurILCA Europa Cup GER concluded yesterday in Warnemünde, Germany, with two new races completed by all fleets, except for the ILCA 6 silver group, which managed to complete only one.
Posted today at 9:32 am
Notts County Sailing Club Annual Regatta
Over 50 dinghies took part over the weekend There was a large entry for the Notts County Sailing Club annual Regatta sponsored by Sailing Chandlery with over 50 dinghies entered to the Commodore's Cup, National 12 Vintage Championships and Novice racing and 50 at the Saturday social evening.
Posted today at 9:22 am
British Dragon South West Championship
A spectacular warm-up for the 2025 Edinburgh Cup Torquay delivered a spectacular warm-up for the 2025 Edinburgh Cup, as 13 Dragon teams took to the waters of Tor Bay for the South West Championship, a two-day regatta packed with shifting breezes, tactical gambles, and top-class racing.
Posted today at 8:59 am