HMCS ORIOLE HEADS OUT INTO GORDON CHANNEL AT START OF LEG 7!! <

June 21 - 2100 hrs.

The start in Hardy Bay for the 7th leg of the Cadillac Van Isle 360 presented sailors with a 20 - 25 knot beat in flat water up Goletas Channel. Goletas Channel is the last of the protected inside waters and the sailors need to cross Nawhitti Bar, a very shallow shoal where ocean swells and currents can build up creating extremely dangerous conditions. The HMCS Oriole was the only boat to choose the longer outside route up Gordon Channel, avoiding the bar and sparing the crew the 50 to 60 tacks that would have been required had they followed the fleet up Goletas and as the Oriole has no winches, the crew was spared.!!!!!

Time Bandit, Bob Brunius's J120, T-Boned Bob Lubowicki's X Yacht, Carene, at the start of the race in a port starboard confrontation which resulted in a hole in Carene's port side. Carene continued on with a classic duct tape repair and Time Bandit respectfully disqualified themselves from this leg. The camaraderie of the Cadillac Van Isle 360 was brought to the surface as many competitors came forward in the remote anchorage of Winter Harbour with everything needed to affect a safe repair for Carene. The two skippers garnered a deeper respect for each other and Bob Lubowicki announced at the skipper's meeting that he couldn't have been t-boned by a nicer guy.

After the start the sailors were treated to ultimate conditions with an easy Nawhitti Bar crossing, a fast reach across the top of the island to Scott Channel and perfect downwind sailing in 15 to 20 knot breeze to the finish. Even on a good day the infamous Nawhitti Bar is capable of inflicting damage and so it did to the two catamarans. Bad Kitty lost a daggerboard and rudder falling sideways off a wave, and Dragonfly stuffed the bowsprit deep into a wave snapping it in half. Dragonfly crew later remarked, that without the sprit 'the cat was a dog maintaining only 20 knots.' 3F also damaged their bowsprit on the downwind leg to the finish.

Even without their bowsprit, Dragonfly broke their previous record finishing this leg at 1550. All boats finished in daylight hours, a first for this particular leg of the race.

Division winners were: Div. 3, Redshift, Div. 2, Lordelpus and Div. 1 Vaca Loca.. Cheekee Monkee leads in overall standings in Div. 1 Lordelpus leads in Div. 2 and Ross MacDonald's Vaca Loca leads in Div. 1.

Lt. Comm. Stephan King and the HMCS Brandon have been a hugely popular and invaluable addition to the Cadillac Van Isle 360. Not only providing a safety net and communications assistance but also taking out media and providing tours for all race participants. The crew of Dragonfly and members of the crew of the HMCS Brandon were witnessed carving a new splint to repair Dragonfly's broken bow sprit. We love the Navy!!!!!!

Tomorrow's leg takes the sailors past Brooks Peninsula and Solander Island, some of the snottiest water on the coast, towards Ucluelet. Conditions call for 20 knots from the NW, ideal conditions and another daylight finish for some of the boats perhaps. For full results and photos see www.vanisle360.com

The Cadillac Van Isle 360 is a 580 nm (nautical mile) point to point race circumnavigating wild and rugged Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada from June 14 to 29, 2003. Sailed in ten legs the course provides inshore, offshore and overnight legs through some of the world's most challenging and beautiful waters.