One measure of coastal civilization is whether their sailboats race every Wednesday night. New Zealand is very civilized by this measure and we had front row seats when we anchored next to the subtle windward mark in Putiki Bay, after the boys in the boatyard put us back in the water.

 

There was a random mix of classes. We like this wishbone trimaran with a peace dove on it.

Conditions were favoring two well matched sloops on this night.

Red Rum and Free Willey were leading the pack into the evening light.

No one seemed too concerned that they were sailing towards a budding waterspout.

One could ask what the prudent mariner would have done, but in the end the twister went away and the fleet raced home.  Khamseen would have run the other way but she was already well upwind of that beastie.