Bass Strait lived up to its reputation—short, steep seas driven by its shallow depths, shifting winds and rapidly changing conditions. With the intensity of racing replaced by the steady focus of a return passage, the emphasis was firmly on boat management, safety and maintaining a sustainable pace over long watches.

Throughout the crossing, Scarlet Runner demonstrated the strengths of her Carkeek 43 design: powerful, responsive and capable of maintaining composure in difficult seas. The passage reinforced the importance of balancing performance with restraint—knowing when to push and when to protect the boat—an approach that reflected Rob’s depth of experience and calm command offshore.

My sailing history with Rob Date also stretches back much further. As a junior sailor, I raced against him in the Corsair class and was part of the winning crew aboard Scruples at the 1983 Victorian Corsair State Titles, securing first place in the final race. I later competed at national level, finishing eighth at the 1984 Corsair National Titles. That early exposure to high-level competition against sailors like Rob helped shape my long-term approach to racing and offshore sailing.