To Kochi - Days 3 & 4
Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Sun 31 Mar 2019 15:50
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To Kochi – Day Three – Released and Day Four
 Saturday the 30th of March. Both wide
awake by first light, Bear made us a cup of tea. I took this picture a couple of minutes after six and we were utterly
alone.
 Six sixteen and the sun was just about pop out. Bear gathered his snorkel kit
and was soon under for a recon, tailing a safety line tied to Beez. A
few minutes later, he bobbed up, I need the dive kit,
this will take about half an hour, net around rudder and prop, as he tied a wad of net to the stern platform.
 I helped Bear into the dive kit,
passed him the very sharp knife fit for purpose, thrilled there are no baddies
to worry about on the predator front and watched as he
disappeared once more, by now ten past seven.
I have never prayed so fast in my life and kept it up the entire time he was
below, me watching the bubbles as they regularly appeared against the side of
Beez. At seven forty I was relieved to hear that all the net had been
removed and was asked to turn the rudder all they way to the right on the sound
of three taps. That done and thereby releasing a final stubborn twist of rope.
Helping Bear aboard he showered and turned the key, Beez purred to
life. Thank the Lord.
 Bear posed with
his loot, put it in a black sack and just before he went to raise the
anchor a fisherman stopped to ask if we were OK. Thanking him we said we were
just about to leave, he asked if we wanted to buy a fish, we declined and on
homeward he went.
 The kink in our course shows where we
had anchored for the night. I took us out to ten
miles off and slowly the current against us picked up. Average speed about two
point seven knots.
 Very amusing, in many ways, that
smaller chums passed between us and the land. This little lady is called
OEL Hind, but my enthusiasm for finding out
about her vital statistics and all was simply not upon me. We did look on the
chartplotter and found that she was heading for Colombo doing 12.4 knots. A
small fishing boat approached and all I could think was YUK and needless to say
the nerves jittered a bit.
 Three in the afternoon and something a
little different to watch out for, a lighthouse some
way offshore – yellow arrow, in reality...........
 ..............a solo guardian.
 Away to our left a true giant (three hundred metres in length) but what with
the morning worries, the current and the guilt we both felt at actually thinking
our sailing life had become as running up Everest with a camel in each hand.
That flash disappeared as soon as we had ‘confessed’ to each other and resolve
back in place, time to plan. One blessing of having such a long coastline with
an excellent internet signal was being able to send emails to Mark (our engineer
in Pangkor), Raymarine in Mumbai (in case we need ‘stuff’), Des for advice on
how late can we leave it before arriving at the Mozambique Channel and more
importantly, to be able to read all the comforting messages from so many on FB.
Really gave us strength – Thank You All xx xx.
 Bit of
chumville (and fishermen) at the bottom corner of the island but still a
very long way before we actually leave the coastline and head out toward
India.
 At six o’clock under a pretty sky, I asked for every available nav light to go
on – nerves ready to jingle a bit.......
 Meanwhile, back in the cockpit
‘himself’ really looks as if he is smiling in his
sleep. And why not. Up at the crack of sparrows, cut away net, rescued
Beez and been a real stoic. We managed just fifty nine point four miles in this twenty four hour
period.
 Sunday the 31st of
March. We have been really fluid
with our shift system – anything from two, three or four hours but tending to do
shorter ones in the dark as it does tax the eyes. Well, I was due on at nine,
tipped out of bed and ran headlong up the stairs as not to be late. “What are you doing up so early ??? But, but, it’s
nine o’clock. No, it’s eight. What.........
my watch can only be changed when it syncs with my laptop, there are no ‘things’
to fiddle with so why did it jump forward an hour ??? anyhoo, I didn’t see the
point of trying to nod off only to wake feeling awful so I stayed with Bear. I
was on the wheel and in the pancake flat sea Bear topped up
with diesel.
 I really did enjoy
this chum, but She was called Anton, Anton
Schepers in fact. Not a massive girl at 164 metres in length, hips
22 metres and draught of six metres. Due in to LKCMB on the morrow. Managing to
do 11.8 knots but making quite a splash at the nose end in waves growing in the
‘against’ factor. So much so, that our mileages were a sorry sight. Both sails
were up to try to help a tiny amount.
Between 22:00 and
02:00 this morning we managed 8.9 miles.
02:00 to 06:00 was
9.1.
06:00 to 10:00 was a
massive 13.2
10:00 to 14:00 was a huge 13.4 but so
very uncomfortable
14:00 to 16:45 was 9.4 and we had
both had enough for one day. Sea getting rougher, progress dismal and
worsening.
 The wind was now in the twenties and
the waves were really steeping up. As the wind was blowing in Beez face
we were lolling and bucking, no good taking a picture as too difficult to catch
a wave in action, hand steer and keep pecker up.......... Enough suddenly became
enough. I bore right and for the first time on this journey took off like a
rocket. 6.2 knots, leaning one way, and heading straight for a conveniently placed bay ahead – bonus an anchor sign. Nuts
to the authorities, I was on watch and I took the decision. Bear had no argument
either.
 To the left (out of picture) is where
we settled, not truly protected but the wind was at least halved. Didn’t manage
a dramatic wave hitting the headland but heard and saw many. At a twenty to five
the anchor was barely set before a local and his sidekick were trying to sell us
lobster. Perish the thought of all that prep work. A stiff sherbet was to hand
as soon as the logbook was done and I won at backgammon. Nilewelli Bay is home to a small fleet of medium sized
working girls – many did not go out. I counted fourteen resting in bed and three
who went at slow speed and not too far out – no small boats at all ventured out.
Simple supper, two episodes of NCIS LA and we both crashed. Good call to stop. Why, thank you skipper. We have
been going for three days, completed 226.8 miles (about a third of our journey)
and managed an average of just over three knots. Our five day journey is now
looking like eight.
ALL IN ALL A MIXED OL’
BUSINESS WITH MASSIVE RELIEF
GOOD TO HAVE AN IMPROMPTU
BREAK |