This can't be....even King Neptune is against us!
Wallace's Sailing Adventure on "Arbella"
Mike and Vicki Wallace
Thu 7 Nov 2013 15:31
wind...I go top side and what do I see...AN OILY SEA!! There is a high
pressure area here, and the water is flat, with not a wave or ripple, like a
bath tub that has just been filled....there is a little ocean swell action,
but it is otherwise like glass! Vicki and I have seen this when on a
passage on "Chimera" from St. Thomas to Maine in about 1998....I have seen
it from the conning tower (the top of the sail) of my submarine when on the
surface near Spain! It is truly remarkable that this same body of water can
have 40 knot winds and 12 foot waves, and then have this...as I suggested to
the crew "King Neptune is even against us...the next thing that I expect to
see is the "Black Pearl" on the horizon". Well for those who are still
puzzling on the blog entry about "What would you do" a few entries back,
here is what Captain Mike decided: conditions always change, and our
sailing conditions deteriorated rapidly ,unfortunately... the "front" that
could have given us 30 knots of wind and 12 foot seas, allowing us to sail
as the front moved south, just died less than a day later...we now have 300
liters of fuel available (by accurate dipstick measurement....and we are
holding back 50 liters for final propulsion, MOB, emergency, etc.), and 255
miles to go...if we go 8.2 knots, we can get to Road Town, BVI's, our
destination, before dark. If we cannot make it before dark, then we will
sail around the area until sunrise. There is some chance that we get some
local winds when we are very close to the island...but we don't know that.
So...drum roll for decision...we are going to motor at 8.2 knots, burning 12
liters per hour, and will keep the motor at whatever rpm we need to assist
any wind that develops in order to keep our SOG (speed over ground) at 8.2
knots. With our fuel, and this speed, we "go dry" in 25 hours after 205
miles...short of the needed 255!! If we run out of "available fuel" we
will kill the engine and take whatever terrible light wind conditions we
get until we are at the entrance to Road Town Harbour, and then motor
in...and if we cannot get in before dark, then we will sail around the
outside until sunrise. And finally...almost as if to let out one last
laugh....in this "oily sea", we were just visited by about 10 dolphins on
both sides of the boat, King Neptune's emissaries!! I need help from
Captain Jack Sparrow! Captain Mike