Mohammedia (Casablanca), Morocco, 07.06.2009

The highlight of this week was our sailing day. Friday we had a BBQ, where I gave theoretical sailing lessons to the team and after ensuring, that Dejan is a capable captain for the second boat, we rented two olympic class 470er sailing boats to master the wind and the waves. The weather agencies forecasted 14 knots of wind (ca.27 km/h or 4 Bft) and waves of 1.5m at 27 deg CEL at a blue sky. Actually the waves appeared more like 2m waves to us, because we couldn't see even the sails from the other team, when we where in the valley between two waves.

Team #2: Haytham ->   Dejan->

Team #1: Daniel and Jan

Before departure at the beach:

The lunch break:

Dejan and Haytham,..

..quickly managed to sail those boats:

...but Daniel and me...

...where much faster!

...

actually Dejan and Haytham had more training than Daniel and me,..

...and they even needed help from Mohammed and especially Habil (picture). One maneuver from Dejan and Haytham failed and the sail hit the water, even the boat was completely turned upside down. Well, Dejan and Haytham didn't try hard enough to get back into the race, so Habil came to action. He said:"I will get the boat back to sailing without getting wet!" Well, he was right. Mohammed brought him to the boat and indeed he jumped on the hull, grabbed the sword, jumped on it, when the boat turned and as the sail was lifted from the water, he jumped into the boat, fixed the sheets and returned the boat to Dejan and Haytham...

...who where wet but happy to continue sailing...

.. and to return to the base...

...where Daniel and me where waiting for the slow guys,...

...

...

This was indeed a great day and now three more guys are infected by the sailing virus!

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