Thursday 13th May (Lini’s Journal)

Brindabella's Web Diary
Simon Williams
Sun 16 May 2010 14:19
Not long after the start of my watch ‘Energy Commander’ an enormous
tanker passed some miles off our stern. I thought it sounded more like
a super hero or a transformer toy and chuckled quietly into my
steaming mug of tea as I thought of silly storylines. Could it really
have been this transformer who drained the energy from the elements
and will hopefully spit it back out later when we’re becalmed?!
To the east a bruised horizon turned to a smudge of lipstick on the
lip of the sky. The heavens lightened to baby boy with baby girl
reflections off scattered wisps of cloud: A new day. A day with gentle
breezes and seas that had spent their anger and my heart was full of
optimism of a wonderful day at sea. I watched the pretty pastel shades
until a blinding orange ball jumped off the horizon and I turned my
eyes from its burning strength to my book as the sun slowly rose and
melted into a hazy sky.
Our ESE F5 gradually backed and died through the day until the
light, fluky whispers from dead ahead forced us to motor. As the sun
lowered there was a slight crispness in the air and I even had to put
some clothes on. By supper time the crispness was more a chill, but by
now the seas were so flat we ate dinner on plates on the cockpit
table. How bizarre are the changing elements. The sun deepened from
yellow to burnt orange then elongated to an almost red balloon as it
was sucked into the horizon with the faintest of green flashes.
The ‘three girls’ took different routes at different speeds in the
heavy weather last night and we are now more scattered. ‘Festina
Lente’ had reduced down to storm sails wanting to move slowly. They
are a lighter boat and don’t favour the big seas. ‘Ocean Lady’ and
‘Brindabella being heavy lasses perform better with a bit of a breeze
and we had gone through the night with a second reef in the mainsail
and a deeply furled genoa sailing quite close to the wind. With all of
us now motoring and minimal or no wind forecast until Sunday there is
a possibility ‘Festina’ may not have enough fuel to motor all the way
with her small tanks. The Meakins are such accomplished sailors I
doubt they usually need much fuel on their race boat. They have also
developed a rattle in the steering so we are keen to stay close in
case they need fuel or even a tow. ‘Ocean Lady’ has also offered fuel
in cans if needed.
This evening’s radio net was a rather long and social occasion as
‘Trollwind’ and ‘Bonnie’ were able to talk to some of us Brits but not
each other. Between all of us, the VHF and the SSB, we relayed
messages and after some time we all knew each other’s positions and
courses: How nice we can all help each other in this vast expanse of
water.
Considering the calm conditions we thought we’d try a different
watch system including two x four hour watches to get more quality
sleep. We also need a change over at dawn for easier sail changes. We
eventually decided on 7pm-9pm Si, 9pm-1am Lini, 1am-5am Si and
5.30am-7.30am Lini. This might have worked if I’d got to bed on time
but with our new radio net time of 7pm I was very late to bed with
only one hour horizontal and unable to nod off. Bermuda Radio (like
our coastguard) broadcast frequently very loud and clear on the VHF
through the night jolting us from our dreams, but we need to keep a
listening watch at normal volume both for general safety and also for
our friends. The importance however is that Si is well rested in case
of problems and luckily a new book kept me entertained and awake back
on watch together with the ever changing elements.
It was cold again and Bermuda Radio weather broadcast said
temperatures there were only 21°C. Streuth! We’ll freeze!! What change
in conditions here from last night though. We motored gently through
flat seas in the blackest of black nights. The feint horizon gradually
faded into an eerie mist which felt like a cloak slowly draping itself
around us. Spoooky! How close are we now to the Bermuda Triangle ?!?
Or, perhaps ‘Energy Commander’ was up to his old tricks again!!! (I
think I’ve been at sea too long!) I fired up the radar and by the time
Si came on watch the horizon had reappeared. He thought we were
converging with the Gulf Stream which is far more likely I guess than
intervention of a transformer character and would also account for my
need to change course to stay on track. Leaving Si on watch I drifted
into even more vivid dreams!