“You maybe be wondering the origins of the Green Dragon cocktail at the Club this week. It is in recognition of a group of RBYC members and others competing in this year’s Rolex Middle Sea Race (RMSR) in the southern Mediterranean on Green Dragon, a Volvo Open 70, skippered by Johannes Schwarz and entered under RBYC. Our members, VC Peter Demura, GC member Neil Sargent, Jim Leckey, Greg Clinnick, Paul Holden, Sean Hogan, Julie McKay and Greg Blanch, together with Cherry Birch (VC, RMYS) and Philipa Lamb (RQYS), are in Malta and will join another 108 crews from 25 countries for the race starting on Saturday 21 October under the sound of cannons in Valletta’s Grand Harbour. Apparently the start is quite spectacular.
The following from the official race website notes:
“The Rolex Middle Sea Race is a 606nm offshore classic. It is often mentioned in the same breath as the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and Rolex Fastnet Race as one of the ‘must do’ 600 milers.
The start line is located in the centre of Grand Harbour, running from the Saluting Battery, just beneath the Upper Barrakka Gardens on the Valletta side, across to Fort St. Angelo in Birgu.
On leaving Malta, the fleet heads north to Capo Passero, on the eastern seaboard of Sicily, and then on up towards the Strait of Messina. The active volcano, Mount Etna, is often visible on the port side. The Strait is one of the most technically demanding parts of the course, with crews keen to encounter both favourable current and wind to enable a straight-forward passage.
Once through the Messina Strait, the yachts head north to the second active volcano on the course, Stromboli, one of the Aeolian Islands which must be left to port. At the islet of Strombolicchio, the fleet turns west for the passage along the northern coast of Sicily towards the Egadi Islands. Leaving the Egadi Islands (except Marettimo) to port, crews head south towards the island of Lampedusa leaving Pantelleria to port. At Lampedusa, the course heads north-east to the South Comino Channel (between Comino and Malta) and the final leg to the finish line at the entrance to Marsamxett Harbour.”
The current weather forecasts have an exciting downwind leg after the start into the Messina Strait with predicted 17-20 knot southerlies making for some exhilarating sailing on the first day. After that it looks like turning on the nose as the fleet heads west across the northern coast of Sicily.
You can follow Green Dragon’s progress on the official website, HERE