1240 37 31.1N 01 04.1W
Departed Cartagena at 1120 after taking on fuel. A sluggish start but now making 5 kts under full sail, close reach, engine off. A lovely sunny day, almost flat calm with a gentle swell. Ideal sailing weather for the day sailor with nowhere much to go. Due to get a bit feistier later, but favourable for a good run down to Gib. ETA Tuesday mid-morning.
1730 37 12.4N 01 23.6W
After a brilliant afternoon's sailing, just had to dowse both sails due to the wind playing silly buggers again. I know it's just sorting itself out before the big fat easterly, but right now it's doing nada. Glad in a way, though. Stowing the main was easy and I didn't even have to point her up. If it does what I think it's going to do later I'm better off with just the genny - easier on the helm. The weather has a slightly sulky, almost threatening feel to it. "It's quiet, Too Quiet" the cowboy's last words, just before the whoosh of the arrow that slams into his chest.
1840 37 08.2N 01 17.8W
Wheeee! Genny pulling us along at a blistering 6.5+ - at this rate, Gib tomorrow night. Got a wake like a carrier at flying stations (well, not quite but you get the picture). Trying not to feel smug about being oh so right about the wind and getting rid of the main.
2057 36 58.8N 01 38.7E
Well, this is exciting. Running before a feisty blow being slewed and rolled like some demented fairground ride. Just had to pull genny in two reefs, as I've an idea 9 knots might be a bit quick for a cruising sailboat. The wind continues to back as it increases, currently a gut-twisting 30 knots. I'm going to have to wear her round soon as I approach my next waypoint. That should be fun. Autopilot working like crazy, so having to run engine (out of gear, of course) to keep the battery voltages up. Lightning now flashing all around the horizon, but (touch wood) I seem to be in a clear spot right now. Off to starboard the lights of the Costa Blanca resorts gleam prettily. It's all quite bizarre.
I love reading all the kind comments from FB friends and Blog followers. Thank you all - great for morale.
2312 36 47.5N 01 51.0W
Managed to reef in a bit more sail before tackling the wear round. A fishing boat got in my way and I first had to bear up to avoid him - yes, he should have given way but fishing boats are a law unto themselves and expect everyone always to keep clear. Changing tack in this madness gave me a hairy few moments, but I planned ahead and it all kind of worked - the genny managed to survive a severe flogging. It’s a little more comfortable on this tack because I'm almost directly in line with the swell, but there's been no let-up in the gale. Even with a sail now not much bigger than a docker's hanky we're still tumbling along at 7 kts+.
Monday 28 September
0040 36 43.2N 02 00.8W
Wind lost some of its ferocity in past hour, but heavy sea still tumbling us around, exacerbated no doubt by the over-falls around Cabo de Gato, now 5 miles ahead. I'll need to stay awake until past that, so no early night for me. My current course is set for Gib, so no more planned alterations till Europa Point.
0814 36 35.3N 02 47.5W
Good morning. As expected, back on the roller coaster, running briskly before a full on gale with the fetch heaving up boisterously astern. A bright sunny morning with a few wisps of alto stratus and a sharp horizon. I've angled the solar panel down to catch the rising sun, and I'm pleased to say the batteries are showing a net voltage gain with engine off, despite the mad thrashing of the autopilot attempting (almost in vain) to hold her steady. Off to starboard the mountainous skyline of the Costa del Sol (Sierra Nevada), it's beauty marred by the unsightly grey plastic festooning its coastal margins in order to supply Europe's supermarkets with perfectly shaped vegetables all year round. Ok, a bit of a rant, but it's a lingering complaint from my last visit to this region. Had to turn due east because the wind on my desired heading was dead astern, making the genny grouchy and irritable. So I'm now more or less hugging the coast, and will need to turn more southerly before I hit Malaga (literally). If the wind stays like this it will mean another awkward wear round, but I'm more comfortable with that manoeuvre now. Planning is the key, making sure everything's set up and ready before one begins.
1420 36 30.4N 03 36.5W
Another pleasant afternoon dozing (unhampered by clothing, as nature intended) in the cockpit. Wind dropped to a modest breeze wafting me along on full genny. The Sierra Nevadas rise majestically to starboard and Europa Point lies 88 miles dead ahead. Feeling blissful.
1840 37 08.2N 01 17.8W
Wheeee! Genny pulling us along at a blistering 6.5+ - at this rate, Gib tomorrow night. Got a wake like a carrier at flying stations (well, not quite but you get the picture). Trying not to feel smug about being oh so right about the wind and getting rid of the main.
2057 36 58.8N 01 38.7E
Well, this is exciting. Running before a feisty blow being slewed and rolled like some demented fairground ride. Just had to pull genny in two reefs, as I've an idea 9 knots might be a bit quick for a cruising sailboat. The wind continues to back as it increases, currently a gut-twisting 30 knots. I'm going to have to wear her round soon as I approach my next waypoint. That should be fun. Autopilot working like crazy, so having to run engine (out of gear, of course) to keep the battery voltages up. Lightning now flashing all around the horizon, but (touch wood) I seem to be in a clear spot right now. Off to starboard the lights of the Costa Blanca resorts gleam prettily. It's all quite bizarre.
I love reading all the kind comments from FB friends and Blog followers. Thank you all - great for morale.
2312 36 47.5N 01 51.0W
Managed to reef in a bit more sail before tackling the wear round. A fishing boat got in my way and I first had to bear up to avoid him - yes, he should have given way but fishing boats are a law unto themselves and expect everyone always to keep clear. Changing tack in this madness gave me a hairy few moments, but I planned ahead and it all kind of worked - the genny managed to survive a severe flogging. It’s a little more comfortable on this tack because I'm almost directly in line with the swell, but there's been no let-up in the gale. Even with a sail now not much bigger than a docker's hanky we're still tumbling along at 7 kts+.
Monday 28 September
0040 36 43.2N 02 00.8W
Wind lost some of its ferocity in past hour, but heavy sea still tumbling us around, exacerbated no doubt by the over-falls around Cabo de Gato, now 5 miles ahead. I'll need to stay awake until past that, so no early night for me. My current course is set for Gib, so no more planned alterations till Europa Point.
0814 36 35.3N 02 47.5W
Good morning. As expected, back on the roller coaster, running briskly before a full on gale with the fetch heaving up boisterously astern. A bright sunny morning with a few wisps of alto stratus and a sharp horizon. I've angled the solar panel down to catch the rising sun, and I'm pleased to say the batteries are showing a net voltage gain with engine off, despite the mad thrashing of the autopilot attempting (almost in vain) to hold her steady. Off to starboard the mountainous skyline of the Costa del Sol (Sierra Nevada), it's beauty marred by the unsightly grey plastic festooning its coastal margins in order to supply Europe's supermarkets with perfectly shaped vegetables all year round. Ok, a bit of a rant, but it's a lingering complaint from my last visit to this region. Had to turn due east because the wind on my desired heading was dead astern, making the genny grouchy and irritable. So I'm now more or less hugging the coast, and will need to turn more southerly before I hit Malaga (literally). If the wind stays like this it will mean another awkward wear round, but I'm more comfortable with that manoeuvre now. Planning is the key, making sure everything's set up and ready before one begins.
1420 36 30.4N 03 36.5W
Another pleasant afternoon dozing (unhampered by clothing, as nature intended) in the cockpit. Wind dropped to a modest breeze wafting me along on full genny. The Sierra Nevadas rise majestically to starboard and Europa Point lies 88 miles dead ahead. Feeling blissful.
Had another encouinter with Guardia Civil earlier (Yes I slipped a pair of shorts on before they got close)
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| Oooops! |
This morning we're licking our wounds.
It all started around midnight, after an uneventful evening sailing close reach on full sail in a fairly modest breeze. Cooked a lovely spaghetti with squid and tuna to eat watching the sunset, and sat reading till ten. Then the wind disappeared almost entirely, and I looked like having to motor sail the final 50 miles. I spent a while trying to coax an extra knot of two out of the sails, but then the breeze returned more or less as it had been. Satisfied that it would resume its previous benign behaviour, I left the sails up, un-reefed and ready for the triumphant final spurt for home. However, that was not to be. When I returned to the cockpit after cleaning up below and changing into night clothing, I noticed it had strengthened considerably, and a formidable fetch was developing. The sky showed no sign of animosity, the full moon smiling kindly down on me, and the stars twinkling with reassuring brightness, so I sat back and watched developments. Growing consternation as suddenly it was blowing yet another infernal gale, and this time I wasn't prepared. By the time I decided I had far too much sail out it was too late, at least for the mains'l. I decided rather than turn to windward in that by now quite vicious sea and tumble about on the coach roof trying to stow the sail, to gamble that it wouldn't get much worse - after all, I'd listened to all the VHF broadcasts and no mention of any gale warning. By 2300 my gamble was clearly lost, with 25 knots and horrible seas I fought desperately to keep the overpowered sails as safe as possible. I managed to reef in the genny to a sliver, but all I could do with the main, I felt, at this stage was to try and scandalise it. But with a rigid vang there's not much scope for that. My other problem was holding her downwind while avoiding an accidental jibe. The wind was gusty and kept shifting slightly, and the waves were taking us on a slalom, slewing alarmingly as we surfed on the crests, then lurched into the troughs. We yawed at least 30 degrees either side of the set course, wandering downwind and beyond, making the sails flog horribly and threatening to jibe, so I had to alter to give the Autopilot more margin to leeward. This meant we were now heading towards Morocco instead of Gib, and into the great herd of ships heading into and out of the Strait. By 0200 I had decided this would not be a good idea, so would need to wear round to starboard and head instead towards Estapona, taking us further away from our destination, but at least the prospect of better weather inshore and less shipping to worry about.
And perhaps I could get some sleep.
I had practiced wearing round in heavy weather before, and was pretty confident about doing it again with just the genny. But now I had two sails to manage, and that was going to be tricky with the wind now gusting 30 knots.
I first hauled taught and tied off the lazy genoa sheet, then took the main sheet in hand, and with the other hand, reached over and stabbed 40 degrees to starboard on the Autopilot. This course change should have taken a minute or so, but a wave caught her on the turn and helped us round, so I had no time to haul in the main sheet before the moment of jibe. I had some pulled in, but then she went over, the sheet pulled from my hands (good job I had gloves on), and the boom whipped to leeward with a dreadful bang like an artillery shell being fired.
The top of my mains'l is now in tatters, two great tears grinning down at me.
The gale has now moderated and we are once more on course for Gib, the bright lights of the resorts twinkling to starboard.
Wednesday 30th September
Now berthed in Alcaidesa Marina, La Linea. Got here yesterday morning and spent the day eating, drinking and sleeping. This morning I treated Island Spirit to a good scrub down, then cleaned up below. Have taken off the Mains’l. The tears are all along seams, so repair should be possible.
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Well done on your eventful last night before reaching land. Good luck with the repairs. Fair winds and following seas for the future.
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