6.30am

A yacht club on race day - but what a race! The 58th Brisbane to Gladstone is starting today in Bramble Bay off Shorncliffe at 11 am.

A slow start to the day on this brilliant morning, a full moon setting and pink and gold tinting the clouds over Moreton Bay as the sun rises. Visiting sailors come up to the Club, bleary eyed and looking for the shower. After that the smell of eggs and bacon lures them to the yummy buffet breakfast - or not, depending on how strong their racing stomachs are!

Michael Spies, skipper of Sirromet Life Style Wines, head down over the sails in the orange hat, and crew.

7.30am

Crews around the more competitive yachts such as Sirromet Life Style Wines work feverishly to get everything shipshape. Skipper Michael Spies is trying to add the trophy for this race to his creditable collection of Sydney Hobart wins. It would be a first for him and the yacht and he only admits to being "reasonably confident" as he takes a minute out to talk to me on the dock. Before leaving Sydney for the recent Sydney Gold Coast race he tells me they did some "optimisation to the yacht" (yachting speak is getting nearly as bad as IT jargon these days). He was disappointed in the race to Southport, because "the wind shut us out".

A more relaxed group makes up the crew of Berg Engineering Immigrant, one of only two Mumm 30s competing along with Synergy. Skipper Jeff Paul and some of his crew put her on a trailer in Gladstone and started the drive down at 4 am on Tuesday morning. By the time I caught up with them that afternoon they were giving her bottom a last minute scrub before putting her in the water. Come race morning the rest of the crew have joined them and they're pretty happy with the boat and are just working out the finer details. "No need for sleeping bags" Jeff decides. So named because she was purchased in Hamble in England, this yacht is expected to give the fleet a run for their money on handicap, especially once the southerly reaches them and they get the following winds this design relishes. This was ably demonstrated by the flying start Lake Macquarie Mumm 30 Tow Truck had in the Sydney Gold Coast race a couple of weeks ago, charging up the coast ahead of a 37 knot southerly buster.

Another PCSC yacht is Thylacine. PCSC stands for Port Curtis Sailing Club aka Gladstone Yacht Club. My attention is drawn to this ¾ ton yacht which was built for a Tasmanian in Adelaide, not only because of her name (a Thylacine was a Tasmanian Tiger), but because one of her crew is rolling around the club in a wheel chair. I learn from skipper Mike Phillips that Neil McLennan had a motorbike accident when he was 17, but that apparently didn't stop his need for speed. When I asked Mike how Neil came to be on board he said "Oh, I originally met him by crewing on his boat". Neil is an able helmsman and also has his radio ticket which comes in useful during offshore races such as this one. This will be Thylacine's 16th Brisbane to Gladstone, and last year she finished first in the fleet of ¾ tonners.

8.30am

Light sou'easterlies caress the creek in which this picturesque yacht club is located but the wind is expected to turn nor'east by the time the gun sends this years fleet on their way north. Meantime Commodore Ian Gidlow and his wife Jan grab a quick cuppa as they discuss all the last minute details essential to make the race a success. Ian is having his first year back as Commodore after spending five years in the vital role of gaining sponsorship- but guess what, he did such a good job he's still doing it, wearing that hat as well as the Commodore's.

The very able Neil McLennan on Thylacine

This year the Seven Network have come on board as a major sponsor and should continue until at least the 60th, reflecting their new interest in yachting since taking over the coverage of the Sydney Hobart from Channel 10 last year. After taking their place on the start boat, the majestic old South Passage, they will fly to Gladstone to join the party awaiting the arrival of the yachts. Ian is full of praise for Gladstone's Mayor Peter Corones who reflects his Greek heritage in his support for the race. He says on the Council's web site "Each year I really look forward to Easter. I look forward to continuing the annual tradition of presenting each yacht that enters our great Harbour (day or night!) with the ritual carton of beer and welcome medallion (I have never lost one overboard!) and to participating in the celebrations of our wonderful Harbour Festival." Peter flies down for the start of the race and the bond between the two is obvious.

Also joining Ian for the start is Tony Goldner, Commodore of the Southport Yacht Club - both he and Ian are resplendent in "whites" by the time the race starts, following a long tradition of yacht club office bearers dressing in a uniform in which they could be mistaken for merchant navy officers.

MDBS Koomooloo awaiting the start with battle flags flying.

9.30 am

By now many of the yachts are motoring out to the start and I board the media boat for the next part of this story.

The logo on Berg Engineering Immigrant's stern reflecting her journey from Hamble in England to Gladstone.