Eager onlookers, excited to see a sailing race at such close hand, spotted the first of the Fastnet fleet off Scilly in the early afternoon.
The Fastnet Yacht race is an annual event organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club and since its beginnings in 1925, the event has been a popular feature in the Scillonian calendar.
This years race started in Cowes on the Isle of Wight on the Twelfth of August, the flotilla of two hundred yachts then set sail for Fastnet rock off Ireland, the next marker is the Bishop Rock Lighthouse in the Western Rocks of Scilly from where the final leg of the race commences. A straight dash to Plymouth, the full circuit being 608 miles. Over the years some of the yacht have ventured in surprisingly close to the Islands, taking advantage of the tides. Locals reported hearing helicopters, carrying race officials and media reporters over the Islands all day.
The Fastnet race was made internationally infamous by the terrible tragedy of 1979 when a record-breaking entry of 303 boats were caught in a storm. 17 crew were drowned.
Fastnet Racing Yachts seen behind the Nag’s Head Rock on St Agnes
The Multi Hulls are usually the first to come through, closely followed by the largest Monohulls. These went through on Tuesday afternoon and evening. The smaller boats then will sail past the islands during the next night and day.