Rolex Sydney Hobart - The joys of a High Pressure system

by Crosbie Lorimer on 28 Dec 2011 It's been a beautiful, clear and warm morning here in Hobart with a steady northerly wind holding up the event flags that surround a very empty Kings Pier Marina and Constitution Dock. A group of kayakers are taking advantage of the space amongst the berths and the quiet atmosphere of expectation that currently prevails.

At a quayside cafe the late breakfasters have been enjoying the sun and one of their number, a crew member of the brig Lady Nelson moored nearby, has been busily splicing ropework at his cafe table while he drinks coffee.

Meantime the more energetic are finding the warm weather heavy going in the Race to the Taste Fun Run that finishes at the historic Salamanca, just a few hundred metres from Constitution Dock.

All of this of course says something of the unusual weather that is keeping the line honours aspirants at sea well into what is officially still Day 2 of the race. Further back many of the yachts are in an equally intriguing battle, the fleet more compressed than in most years.

There’s a strong likelihood of a daylight finish today for the line honours winner and that makes the media mob very happy; better still it could be a very close one.

It may not be classic Hobart race weather, but there really is a lot to be said for a persistent high pressure pattern across the race course once in a while.