Day 13 – Our Friday the 13^th or Thunderbolt and Lightning- Very, Very Frightening Thing!

   To say we had a bad day is somewhat of an understatement. Coming on watch at 5am Lini didn’t know which of the many dark clouds she should be concerned about. She has been dreading the squalls. These clouds were not coming up from behind as she’d expected. It was the one downwind that caused the first problems and not with high winds and heavy rain. Within minutes as it skirted me a few miles off the wind picked up a little but then swung back and forth through 150° before almost dying. Frantic grinding on the sheet winch was no help and Simon emerged from deep sleep just in time to watch Porsche wrap herself round the forestay in rolling seas. Simon had his angry head on and Lini her upset one! Luckily I was able to swing Porsche out as I surfed down a wave and they were able to save a trip up the mast.

   We sailed along with mainsail for some time then hoisted Porsche again: Unfortunately though things got a little more hairy this time. Strong gusts came from cloud to my port making me broach. There followed a long, frantic fight with ropes and snuffer taking all their strength to finally get her down. One of the guy ropes had almost chafed through. Lini’s knees were still trembling when they hoisted the mainsail and set the pole for the genoa. Of course no sooner was everything ready but a wind shift necessitated a gybe. Simon said some very rude words!

   It was in the night though when things became extremely scary. Watching the radar Lini changed course to dodge a storm cloud coming up behind. We were just on the edge of the cloud when on the radar two more popped up and joined up from each side. Suddenly we found ourselves in the centre of an electric storm. Simon came on watch to torrential rain and horrendous lightning all around. He was so brave and sending a drenched Lini below he saw me through the worst: I was petrified I’d be struck. Down below after putting handheld electronics in the microwave Lini, far from sleeping, paced, fearing our fate. Winds topped 42kts and under bare poles I was doing over 6kts. Gradually conditions calmed and Lini went to bed for an hour before her watch. Not a good day!

Breakfast- Cereal.

Lunch – Pesto bread, Serrano ham+ crudités.

Dinner – Homemade burgers in buns, potato wedges, coleslaw.