The Amazing Race Australia 2, Episode 8
The Leg

Paul & Steve and Michelle & Jo open the clue handed to them by Grant and find teams must make their way to Maria Hemingway to sign up for one of seven charter boats departing at four different times. They both sign-up for the first boats leaving at 8am.
A local man helps Shane & Andrew’s car get started and are able to check-in at the Pit Stop in 3rd. James & Sarah manage to catch up and pass Lucy & Emilia at the Tropicana allowing them to step on the Mat 4th with the sisters in 5th.
Joseph & Grace arrive at the Mat, but Grant says he can’t check them in. They are issued a 2-hour penalty for their pulling James & Sarah’s stuff out of the taxi in Paris. They wait off to the side as Sticky & Sam, who had caught up to them at the Tropicana, get back on track after getting lost again to officially check-in 6th.

Next morning, Paul & Steve and Michelle & Jo head out on the water with the Road Block.
 In this Road Block, teams will have to use a nautical chart, compass and provided coordinates to locate “the old fisherman of the sea” who will give them their next clue. However, if they catch a fish on the way, they will automatically be handed the next clue without having to find the fisherman. If they fail to do either within the time limit, they’ll get a four hour penalty.

Steve seems comfortable, but Jo is struggling. The second pair, Shane & Andrew and James & Sarah set off from the marina just as Steve finds the fisherman. Jo decides to just follow their boat and they both get the next clue, the Detour.
 This Detour, celebrates two of Cuba’s historic icons and teams must head to Old Havana. In Che Puzzle, teams head to the Plaza de la Catedral where they must put together a 90-piece puzzle of the iconic image of Che Guevara. In Daiquiri Guzzle, teams head to the El Floridita Bar, which Ernest Hemingway frequented, where they’ll make six daiquiris each to deliver using one hand to Hemingway’s old room at the Hotel Ambos Mundos.
Back in the water, James is having trouble pinpointing the fisherman’s location while Shane decides to start fishing early and catches one. Lucy & Emilia set off as the only team departing at 9am.

Paul & Steve initially decide to go for the puzzle, but can’t find the location so they head over to the daiquiris instead. Having trouble with their new, more modern car, Michelle & Jo and run into Shane & Andrew and they decide to work together to find the Plaza.
Paul & Steve finish making the drinks and start walking down the street when they run into a festival of people trying to mess with them. Meanwhile, at the Plaza, Michelle & Jo get locals to help them put the puzzle together. On the water, James’ split second decision helps him and Sarah get the clue just as their time was running out. Lucy & Emilia are close behind and both teams catch up at the Plaza.

Paul & Steve finish the Detour and get the next clue telling teams to drive to Australia, a town southeast of Havana, and find a crocodile farm.
At the Detour, Grace, who insisted on doing the daiquiris, drops her glasses and they have to switch and are now in last.
At the crocodile farm, teams must fill a wheelbarrow with fish and feed the crocodiles in a pit before having to lasso one to receive their next clue. Paul & Steve breeze through the task. Teams can now make their way to the Pit Stop by walking to boats and taking them across the Laguna del Tesoro Nature Reserve to the Mat near the bungalows.

Paul & Steve claim another leg win and a trip to Queensland. Shane & Andrew jump up to officially check-in 2nd while Michelle & Jo take 3rd. James & Sarah complete their comeback by finishing 4th. Lucy & Emilia check-in 5th.
Sticky & Sam, who finish the Detour before Joseph & Grace, again get lost heading to Australia. That allows the siblings to arrive at the crocodile farm before them and head to the Pit Stop to officially finish 6th.
After checking-in, James & Sarah and Joseph & Grace run into each other. Joseph & Grace apologize for stealing their cab in Paris and Grace gives them a hug. Sarah can believe Joseph’s sincerity, but she says Grace is fake. Joseph offers to make it up to them by helping in the future. Afterwards, Grace says she has no intention of making it up to them at all.

Darkness falls and Sticky & Sam arrive at the Mat and Grant tells them they are officially eliminated from the Race.
Episode Thoughts An interesting leg. The staggered departure times for the boats at the Road Block pretty much determined the final placements with almost no change from the previous/first part of the leg.
The tasks themselves were good, but it would’ve been nice to see a little more of Cuba considering TARUS will likely never go there in the future.
Yay for Joseph & Grace’s penalty, though it would’ve been better if it was given to them at the real Pit Stop. Maybe it should have been considering this was one superleg?
Overall, a solid double-leg. I hope we see one on TAR21.
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