Do I have to come home?

Living Doll passing infront of Quest during the second race.
Results

Hamilton Island Race Week is living up to it’s reputation and creating some awesome experiences both on and off the water.

I must say that I’m having an absolute ball and am contemplating not coming home…  At all…  Hmmmm… Pondering that for a moment…

Some of these guys never actaully go home.  This is their life.  Their very existance is based on the next yachting regatta that could be here, there or anywhere. 

Racing, training, deliveries, more racing, deliveries and then some training and the occassional fun race thrown in just to keep it real.  Imagine this as a life?  Could you deal with it?  Would it all be fun and games or would it just be plain hard work yet set within exotic locations?

After finishing our two windward leeward races today we made our way back into the conjested Hamilton Island Marina with beverages in hand (powerade and water of course) expecting to see the many big boat crews enjoying the afternoon sun just the crew aboard Quest were.  However as we motored in it was evident that something was up with the crew from Wild Oats.  There were no smiles.  There were no glimpses of happiness.  There were just hanging heads and possibly a tear as the crew were drilled for having a less than professional day on the water.  Perhaps this is because they were beaten by their old boat Wild Joe… 

Would it be a bad day at work for these guys or just a bad day of racing?  Is it work, or play? 

Is being a professional crew member aboard of the countries fastest yachts really the best job in the world?

And what about the crew aboard Skandia?  They had a great encounter with the windward mark in the second race deciding that it was better to reposition it about 20 meters to leeward of were the race committee originally laid it.  They were just trying the help…  Is this also just another bad luck day on the water or is it more like having the stock market plumet after you made a massive investment?  Is a bad day racing similar to a bad day at work if you get paid to do it?

It’s an interesting concept.  An owner forks out sometimes millions of dollars for the ultimate racing machine, and then needs the best of the best of the best to race it as hard and as fast as expected.  Is it still yacht racing then or is it all about doing your job?

Is a bad day on the water better than a good day in the office even if your job is yacht racing?

Very deep thoughts for this time of the afternoon…  I’m currently in the Hamilton Island Race Week Media Center however my phone is going ballistic with calls to reunite with mates in the bar.  It’s just a matter of deciding with bar to visit!