First lie in of the trip….no kangaroos to hunt and a leisurely breakfast because we are in fact up to date with the blog.

We cycled down to the boats where the girls had their weigh in, in advance of the semi finals starting tomorrow.  They are currently under the weight allowance and have to either eat like crazy for the next 24 hours, or we have to get hold of some lead weights to place on the boat.  Light winds this morning and it is overcast but still a nice temperature.

We have decided to take a dolphin tour today and joined the Jervis Bay wild, a boat company specializing in dolphin tours.  As usual we are late and manage to hold the boat up by 10 minutes but as they are the HobieGirls, nobody seems to mind.  Very soon after we take off, we spot the a pod of dolphins swimming in front of the boat and it is spectacular.  We were dangling our feet over the edge of the boat but was told that ‘health and safety’ regulations meant that we cannot have loose legs over a boat.  Apparently is is illegal! Am a bit puzzled as the girls dangle their legs off the Hobie all the time and now I have to worry about them getting arrested, actually they will have to arrest all 120 sailors at once.  Looking forward to this spectacle..

Anyway, we decide to obey the rules (that’s a first) and stand up at the front rails, I know what you are thinking…yes, there is another film on its way; total replay of Titanic. First Yoanna and I practiced the roll and then Michala got a go. Between you and me, Yoanna was a bit upset she had to play the role of Leonardo DiCaprio each time but that’s life.

Yoanna goes off to talk to the captain, crew, canteen staff, bell boy, cook and bottle washer before calming down, and we all begin to  enjoy the trip when over the loud speaker, they ask for all those wanting to go on the boom net to step forward. What the hell is a boom net?  But being a very curious person, I went off to investigate and I can tell you, I am just happy I did not have a swimming costume on that day.  However, neither did Yoanna but Michala did and so of course we insisted she gave it a go, it’s crucial we have material for the blog.  The boom net is a large net they drop off the back of the boat, you climb into the net and off the boat goes.  I had a flash back to the film Jaws (yay another film). By the expression on Michala’s face, the water was very cold, but we all had a good laugh, well not Michala.

We finally got her back in the boat safe and sound and a warm cup of tea in her and headed back to the bay.  A further pod of 15 dolphins appeared in the distance and once again began to swim with the boat. It is amazing how fast they swim to keep up and every now and then turn on their sides to observe us, just as we observe them. Really beautiful – check out our dolphin video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D38QAalzckI&feature=youtu.be

The day ended with a party to welcome new sailors to the Worlds and announce the qualifiers who were successful in proceeding to the semi finals.  Three days of sailing now to determine who goes to the Open.  The competition is huge here, with some of the most seasoned Hobie sailors in the world, not least a huge contingent of Australians. What impressed us most, is not only the seasoned Hobie sailors who started sailing from 1969, but a young Australian sailor of 11 years old and his father have qualified for the semi finals.

The girls will have their work cut out for them but they are in good spirits and are getting more familiar with the boats, rules, winds, rigging, etc.  I don’t know if you aware, but they are allocated a different boat each time they sail, adding to the challenge of an unfamiliar boat, change of rigging, depending on who last sailed and this in its self is very demanding.

Off to bed early, skipper meeting at 8.00am.

p.s where the hell is Yoanna, I am not bloody crewing!!

Blog writer Kirsten Larsen. Photos by Kirsten Larsen & Michala Brincker. Web, design & photo editing by Michala Brincker. Dinner & entertainment by Yoanna Choleva. http://www.hobiegirls.com