(Blog No.41) Shaken, but not stirred
Catou
Paul and Sylvie Tucker
Sat 11 Dec 2010 15:42
|
14:42.68N 48:14.40W
Saturday 11th December (Day 20)
Noon Position: 14 deg 43' N 48 deg 14'W
Daily
Run:
152' (25 hours)
Average
Speed:
6.08 Knots
Total Average
Speed: 5.10 Knots
Total Distance covered:
2463'
Distance to
go:
741'
No. of motoring
hours: 57.7 hours
ETA St.
Lucia
@ 6 Knots : Thursday 16th @ 1500 hrs
@
5.5 Knots : Friday 17th @ 0300
hrs
@
5 Knots : Friday 17th @ 1600 hrs
@
4.5 Knots : Saturday 18th @ 0900 hrs
(Friday: Retarded clocks 1 hour to GMT - 3)
Well that will teach me to say ' There have been no
significant events over the last 24 hours' (see last blog). No sooner had
we sent the blog and a batch of e-mails, than things did happen.
We were on the port tack and, with a force 7 - 8 gale
behind us the seas were huge. Catou was riding up (stern first) and over
them well and sliding down into the next trough. It was very
uncomfortable, but after 5 days (now 6) our bodies are (reluctantly) getting
used to this type of heavy motion. The three of us were sitting in the
cockpit - all with lifejackets on and safety harnesses attached, when one large
wave from behind slewed our stern around (known as broaching) and immediatly a
second wave caught us and rolled us over flat on the sea. (known as
a'knockdown'). Sylvie and I were under water and Ben was looking right down
on us (and, he says, the fish behind us!), as water poured into the cockpit
and swirled above our ankles. It happened so quickly. I had no doubt that
Catou would right herself again quickly, as indeed she did. Ben said he
was looking at the liferaft, and wondering how quickly he could get to
it and release it if need be. Catou shook herself and just carried on, as
seawater poured off the mainsail, while the water continued to swirl
around us in the cockpit - and slowly disappear down the cockpit drains.
Sylvie went below, and - oh dear, what a mess. We had left the window in
the toilet open, so it was swirling around the deck, (retained in there by
a deep sill) and worse still - the overhead hatch in the saloon
had been left slightly open to allow a little breeze. Water had poured in
through the hatch and soaked the starboard bunk, and the shelf above it (which
contained blackberries, cameras and glasses etc. Ben's Blackberry is
drowned, and so is my lovely camera).
However, the immediate problem was the wet bunk and
sodden sheets, pillows etc. Salt water was everywhere. A large
cleaning operation began soon after. Sylvie stripped the bunks, Ben
started washing with fresh water and I tackled the toilet area. Salt water had
got into our sponge bags even. It was a mess. Thank heavens no other
windows had been left open. Amazingly the chart table area where all the
electronics and electrical systems are situated was unscathed. A little
water on the chart table, but nothing else.
We were all quite shaken by the experience. We had
a quiet afternoon reflecting on what had happened, and it did have a profound
effect on our mood for the rest of the day. The big seas from astern
continued, but at 1730 we gybed Catou again and continued on a more westerly
course, which lifted our spirits somewhat. The motion was better, and the
course was much more direct for St. Lucia.
Later in the day, while carrying out a daily inspection,
I found that yet another of the luff slider rings on the mainsail had sheared
off, so had to swop it for a lower one. That's two now broken, and I am
worried that it might put an extra strain on the others and shear them as
well. We will therefore probably keep at least 1 reef in the mainsail for
the rest of the trip to St. Lucia for fear of all of them shearing (No problem
at the moment since we still have 3 reefs in the main due to the continuing
strong winds). I have ordered some from a company in Plymouth, and our
friends Brian and Pam are bringing some out next week - together with other
requirements for running repairs!
We are still making steady progress towards St. Lucia
and it is heartening to see the distance to go below 750 miles
now.
|