By all reports Allison Shreeve was setting off this morning from Stanley (Tas) to head over to Inverloch (Vic), only a mere 250Km through Bass Strait. Currently 12 - 15 Knts at Smithton (near Stanley), so while you're spreading your vegemite she's probably reaching over the horizon. Good Luck Allison!
Website is @ www.bassstraitchallenge.com
Hopefully a live GPS feed during the crossing, and a decent cause too.
Go Allison!!
H
EDIT: follow her GPS via http://rushtrac.com/live/?a=event_map&e=310
Just heard the bloke on the live video say to someone that the boat is just a backup, they're not even allowed to pass her a Mars bar. Carries all her supplies in a backpack. So is she hoping to do the whole trip on the one sail/ board combination? That's a tough bit of gear selection. Looks like she's chosen a Formula board and making good progress.
She is probably taking a break. Four hours is a long time, and bythe looks of teh video (while it was working) it is very rough out there.
When she lands she can do a quick trip around to Sandy point, do a sly record breaking run just to show us how it is done.
:-)
JB
Time slice from 4 mins ago shows she is back up to 29kph.
How am I going to be able to concentrate on work for the rest of the day?
still low speed
6min ago only 2 km/hr
Hope there's no probs and she's resting/eating
It will be a busy sailing media day if Allison makes it and MI crack 50+ 500m avg today!
go aussies!
Latest King Is. aiport observations are 20-27Knts Westerly - that'd probably be ideal - anyone know what gear she is on?
last i heard she was planning on using a custom formula type board and a 9.5 meter sail.
she was expecting to average 20 knots over the whole trip
Maybe she could do a couple of speed runs at Sandy Point to warm down. It would be a great gpstc post: 240km + 35 knots 2sec.
Maybe she could gybe just off the beach and go for a 500km alpha...
Starboard Formula One Design(162)
Starboard 9.5 m Formula One Design sail
VMG Blades 66 cm Custom Fin
Just noticed this story has been promoted to the front of news.com.au
www.themercury.com.au/nocookies?a=A.flavipes
Cool!
is there a reason why she has the boom so high in the photo on the Mercury web site?
Its now 2pm... Given that the website has crashed -> Based on the weather stations and the forecast, it looks like she is going to be hit with 30kn... and her sail ain't that small...
She's had quite a while virtually stationary, but she's back on the move, but heading north west. I'd say the SW change has hit her and I wouldn't be surprised if she sat out the storm front for a while to conserve energy.
Update 3:12pm Half way between Stanley and Inverloch- 118 kms either way.
This is what we got in Hobart now - I just "ducked out of the office for an hour or so" 
and was just ok on a 4.2 - if she's controlling a 9.8 in similar then I can only say RESPECT!
I think she's been "controlling" the 9.8 by leaving it in the water for the last 45mins. Appears to be drifting NE (074True) at only a few kmh which is probably due downwind. It can't be pleasant out there- the sea would have developed by now and they were predicting a big swell, 3-4 metres I think. C'mon Allison. Stay calm. 115 ks to Inverloch.
not sure if it is just my PC, but looks like the GPS signal has stopped 2/3rds of the way across? Hopefully it is just a tech fault?
Brave move sailing across in a s/w wind, with the wind against the current you end up with backless waves. Easterlys have always given the Spirt of Tas a quick run across the ditch (flat water). Good luck if she makes it,she,ll be the second person to sail it and the first women.
Awesome 
But why is she on that type of kit 
You would think she would use kit thats comfortable.
GPS seems not to be moving.
I have been following over the last 30 minutes and the long and latitude have not moved....any ideas anyone?
