(Blog No.41) Shaken, but not stirred

Catou
Paul and Sylvie Tucker
Sat 11 Dec 2010 15:42
14:42.68N  48:14.40W
 
Saturday 11th December (Day 20)
 
Noon Position:  14 deg 43' N  48 deg 14'W
Daily Run:                         152' (25 hours)
Average Speed:                 6.08 Knots
Total Average Speed:        5.10 Knots
Total Distance covered:    2463'
Distance to go:                    741'
No. of motoring hours:        57.7 hours
ETA St. Lucia              @    6 Knots : Thursday 16th @ 1500 hrs
                                   @ 5.5 Knots : Friday      17th @ 0300 hrs
                                  @    5 Knots  : Friday      17th @ 1600 hrs
                                  @ 4.5 Knots  : Saturday 18th  @  0900 hrs
 
(Friday: Retarded clocks 1 hour to GMT - 3)
 
Well that will teach me to say ' There have been no significant events over the last 24 hours' (see last blog).  No sooner had we sent the blog and a batch of e-mails, than things did happen.
 
We were on the port tack and, with a force 7 - 8 gale behind us the seas were huge.  Catou was riding up (stern first) and over them well and sliding down into the next trough.  It was very uncomfortable, but after 5 days (now 6) our bodies are (reluctantly) getting used to this type of heavy motion.  The three of us were sitting in the cockpit - all with lifejackets on and safety harnesses attached, when one large wave from behind slewed our stern around (known as broaching) and immediatly a second wave caught us and rolled us over flat on the sea. (known as a'knockdown'). Sylvie and I were under water and Ben was looking right down on us (and, he says, the fish behind us!), as water poured into the cockpit and swirled above our ankles. It happened so quickly.  I had no doubt that Catou would right herself again quickly, as indeed she did.  Ben said he was looking at the liferaft, and wondering how quickly he could get to it and release it if need be.  Catou shook herself and just carried on, as seawater poured off the mainsail, while the water  continued to swirl around us in the cockpit - and slowly disappear down the cockpit drains.  Sylvie went below, and - oh dear, what a mess.  We had left the window in the toilet open, so it was swirling around the deck, (retained in there by a deep sill) and worse still - the overhead hatch in the saloon had been left slightly open to allow a little breeze.  Water had poured in through the hatch and soaked the starboard bunk, and the shelf above it (which contained blackberries, cameras and glasses etc.  Ben's Blackberry is drowned, and so is my lovely camera). 
 
However, the immediate problem was the wet bunk and sodden sheets, pillows etc.   Salt water was everywhere.  A large cleaning operation began soon after.  Sylvie stripped the bunks, Ben started washing with fresh water and I tackled the toilet area. Salt water had got into our sponge bags even.  It was a mess.  Thank heavens no other windows had been left open.  Amazingly the chart table area where all the electronics and electrical systems are situated was unscathed.  A little water on the chart table, but nothing else. 
 
We were all quite shaken by the experience.  We had a quiet afternoon reflecting on what had happened, and it did have a profound effect on our mood for the rest of the day.  The big seas from astern continued, but at 1730 we gybed Catou again and continued on a more westerly course, which lifted our spirits somewhat.  The motion was better, and the course was much more direct for St. Lucia.
 
Later in the day, while carrying out a daily inspection, I found that yet another of the luff slider rings on the mainsail had sheared off, so had to swop it for a lower one.  That's two now broken, and I am worried that it might put an extra strain on the others and shear them as well.  We will therefore probably keep at least 1 reef in the mainsail for the rest of the trip to St. Lucia for fear of all of them shearing (No problem at the moment since we still have 3 reefs in the main due to the continuing strong winds).  I have ordered some from a company in Plymouth, and our friends Brian and Pam are bringing some out next week - together with other requirements for running repairs!
 
We are still making steady progress towards St. Lucia and it is heartening to see the distance to go below 750 miles now.