PASSAGE TO ST-MARTIN-DE-RE
Aquila
Alan and Sarah Bennett
Wed 28 May 2014 17:50
The crew were up at 0700, with Peter taking a quick run ashore to buy croissants and fresh bread. We departed Port Joinville as planned at 0830 – a most delightful stop with all objectives achieved. Stuart was designated navigator for this leg. The weather had clearly read the forecast and did as it had been told: light airs from the NE for the first 2 hours, filling in by 1200 with a steady NW 2. Initially under main and genoa, the air then faded; as we had a tidal gate to make to enable us to lock in at our intended destination Saint-Martin-de-Ré, the next 2 hours were mostly spent donking, with the odd airing of the asymmetric. However, come midday the breeze started to fill in again, and soon we were making 5+ kts under asymmetric alone in bright, bright sunshine. Sailing at its very best!
Such conditions gave us easy sailing, and we could have just sat back and watched the world go by. But you know the skipper – he’s always up to something. Before we knew it Ken and he were working out ways to gain access to the rear of the steering console instrument display (as an intermittent connection had started interfering with the integrated systems) – the securing screws require a special tool, clearly designed to prevent owners from doing exactly this. After a few abortive ideas, Ken reshaped a screwdriver and lo – access to the panel was achieved. The dodgy connection was soon isolated, and the problem resolved. Peter and the skipper had then decided that conditions were ideal for a MOBEX (man overboard exercise), so the skipper furtively went to the bow with one of the mooring warps under his arm, and surreptitiously secured it to a fender – thus creating a dummy for the exercise. Over the side the dummy went, with Peter simultaneously crying ‘for exercise, man overboard’. But it became immediately apparent to the skipper that he was the dummy – in his haste he had failed to attach the warp to the fender! Warps being warps, they sink – and despite the very rapid about-turn of Aquila and an equally rapid approach to the fender, the warp was no longer to be seen. The skipper spent the rest of the forenoon wearing the dunce’s hat……
After such excitement we settled down to a ‘banter-filled’ lunch prepared by Ken, and enjoyed a very relaxed afternoon making a steady 7kts in bright sunshine, still under asymmetric alone. Stuart was working overtime as navigator, generating fall back options should we not get into St M-de-Re (due to it being full – it really is very small) and have to anchor; with the varied wind direction forecast overnight, we need a choice of three different positions with routes pre-plotted and tidal height calculations complete. But the wind held; indeed, by 1530 we exchanged the asymmetric for the genoa….
Just as we were about to turn in towards St Martin, a French customs cutter came up on us and asked us to communicate on Ch10. This we did – they asked to board. Apparently a spy satellite had spotted the skipper throwing a warp over the side! We of course said they were most welcome, but explained that we would appreciate a minimum of delay due to our tidal gate deadline. No problem came the reply – sail on while we come aboard. Details were accordingly given (passports, ships papers, ports of call), and we entered the harbour with a crew of 8!
Thus ended this part of the passage- and BZ to Vasco de Stuart for getting us here safely!
