Friday 9th October (Lini’s Journal)

Brindabella's Web Diary
Simon Williams
Wed 14 Oct 2009 10:20

 

   Just after 9am we were filling up with diesel on the fuel dock together with a Swiss couple on Cab d’Or. No surprises, they were going to Porto Santo too. After a brief chat they followed us out of Cascais and as we fiddled about getting the Parasailor hoisted we watched them set off on a parallel course. The race was on! You know what they say – one boat is a cruise, two boats is a race! We struggled to settle the sail with the gusty winds, but Brindabella was storming along topping over 10kts with the best in her wardrobe. Cab d’Or were just on our heels though.

  Probably my scariest moment at sea yet came when a tanker approached on a near collision course. Every 30 seconds I reported to Si the time to ‘closest point of approach’ (AKA death in this case!) from the AIS, praying he would make a decision to do something. Knowing how long it took us to get the Parasailor up I knew it wouldn’t come down in a hurry and we were restricted in the angle we could sail. While dancing in the cockpit confessing I was now REALLY scared Si called the tanker and asked him his intentions. Unfortunately the captain said he would like to pass in front of us which made me even more scared: It wasn’t going to happen. To finally see his change of mind and the aspect of the tanker change as he altered course to go round our stern was a huge relief. Si still looked as cool as cucumber and said we could have just turned into the wind! I took ibuprofen and shakily prepared yesterday’s dinner of pork stir fry and rice.

   With a lowering sun and raising wind we snuffed the Parasailor and sailed with main and genoa. All day long our Swiss friends were a mile or so off our port quarter and a call from them to wish us a safe night was lovely. Their green light followed us throughout the night.