Crew of Gillawa dreaming of watching New Year's Eve fireworks in Hobart

• NEWS
• 29 Dec, 2006 07:29:00 PM

Crew of Gillawa dreaming of watching New Year's Eve fireworks in Hobart

“We’ve all had a turn at helming, although Rahn won’t give it up at the moment so we’ve taken to calling him Captain Araldite,” she said, referring to 23 year old crew member Rahn Laird.

The crew of David Kent’s Gillawa, which is currently running second last in the 2006 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, is enjoying good conditions in the middle of Bass Strait and a chance to catch up on some housekeeping.

Crew member Anne van Haaren reported this afternoon that the boat was in a 22 knot north easterly and moving along at seven knots as the sun shone.

Anne said the crew had done some laundry and dried out some sails in the dry conditions while skipper David Kent was talking tactics as he aims and set a new personal best time for the boat – a New Year’s Eve arrival in Hobart.

“If this wind continues, we reckon we’ll be in Storm Bay around 8am on New Year’s Eve,” said Anne this afternoon.

“We’ve all had a turn at helming, although Rahn won’t give it up at the moment so we’ve taken to calling him Captain Araldite,” she said, referring to 23 year old crew member Rahn Laird.

Rahn is looking forward to seeing the 20-odd family members and friends who are travelling from Canberra and England to meet him at Constitution Dock at the end of his first Rolex Sydney Hobart.

Gillawa’s Mel Robertson has penned another poem, this time in reference to the crew’s dream of the finish:

Crossing The Straight…
and trying to get in before New Year’s Eve

As the good ship Gillawa crosses the Strait,
With our mothers praying for our good fate,
The crew on the lookout for Van Dieman’s Land,
As our captain wants to frolic in the sand,
New Year’s seems like such a long wait,
Everyone at the bar will surely be Dave’s mates!

Gillawa is currently 60 nautical miles northeast of Flinders Island and expected to arrive in Hobart at approximately 2.30pm on New Year’s Eve.

At time of release, there are still 60 yachts still at sea.