What happened?

Sham Insha'Allah
Graham Vickers
Fri 29 May 2009 13:40
After 17 hours sleep I can now reveal what passed...

Wednesday’s grib weather download showed that a weather system was
building west of finisterre and was to pass around the coast over the next
30 hours. This effectively would block any safe run to Vivero which was
due south 100 miles. Further more the system was building and we could not
even turn around and run away until it passed.

This was what I had feared may happen on this crossing. The gribs showed
red areas which are effectively 30+knots and this covered 200 square
miles.

Wednesday 27th was Dave’s birthday and we joked that he had made it but as
we sailed onto the bad weather we joked further that he still had not seen
the day through.

We prepared the boat for what lay ahead and I got the raft ready and
filled the grab bag with water, flares and made sure that the sat-phone
and hand-held gps was charged. I also fastened the rescue beacon to my
life-jacket in case we were in the water without warning. Drilled crew on
man-overboard dan-bouy and mob position marker on c70 plotter. This would
log the position of an mob but in the seas ahead it would be little use as
the atlantic swell / rollers would obscure a person from view. Harnesses
were rigged onto the jackstays and throughout the cockpit and a knife was
taped to the binnacle. The washboards were put in to stop water flooding
the boat and the fuel was topped up from the jerries. We also rigged a
third reef into the mainsail and I remember my rigger, Barry, saying that
if you need that you shouldn't be out! We had a big meal and filled the
flask and headed into the zone....Frosty marked the chart with places to
run in big letters.

The auto helm wasn’t working after the rough ride through the raz-de-seine
but we knew that she wouldn’t hold in heavy seas anyway so we worked out a
shift system. Aaron was out again and so it left three of us to get her
through.

Aaron said I was quiet all day Wednesday but I was anxious that I had
thought everything through and I knew that I was responsible for everyone
onboard. I was also psyching myself up to go 24 hours non-stop.

10 pm Wind building

The gribs had shown that the system was indeed moving east and north and
the wind started to reach 15knots.We made the most of this by sailing hard
and as the night wore on we reduced sail and I wanted the 3rd reef in
early and Frosty and Dave said it was ok. I explained that if you think
you need a reef then a sailor should reef. They were determined to stay
with genoa and 2nd reef. I said I would note this in the log that they
refused to put the third reef in after I requested. They then started to
whistle which is a sign of Mutiny…..

As the night fell the wind increased to 24 knots and the sea started to
build. As we were on a course of 210 deg the wind was easterly and we had
a following sea which was to port astern. I brought the genoa in early as
she was rounding to port in gusts and this brought us beam on to the
rollers and we then got a soaking and the boat went on a roll. Aaron was
crocked again and took up the valuable lee bunk were crew would normally
rest before shift. So I dragged the spinnaker bag to the bottom of the
companion way so that we could rest on the sail as standing upright was
almost impossible.

2 am

The wind was now in the 30 knot range and the sea was angry. To add to the
situation we could see two yellow flashing lights ahead and the chart
showed nothing. The depth was nearly 2500 metres anyway so buoys are rare
and I was concerned it may be a submarine on the surface. What was strange
though was that we could see no red or green lights at any time. The radar
was now ineffective as the wave/swell height was higher than my radome
halfway up the mast so we could not marpa the boats and work out their
course.

4 am

We were on 2nd reef mainsail alone and I knew that putting out the
stormsail would not help yet as this would only round us again into the
wind. We needed a 3rd reef.......

4am

I could not hold her on course the wind was touching 36 knots and the main
had come down. Frosty said it was the only time I shouted on the trip.

This is where frosty amazed me. I had to wait for a gap in the swell and
round the boat into wind quickly. As she rounded she was hitting the wave
bows on and was violently tossing. Frosty went forward and dropped the
sail and bagged her in those conditions and we then proceeded on motor.

I think this shocked him as he wasn’t the same for the rest of the night
and fatigue was showing. Step up Dave-on shifts with and with myself we
brought her through the night and his skills as a top dinghy sailor
showed, he helmed beautifully and with confidence. We could only steer by
picking out a star and steering to keep her upright. With massive seas she
was getting battered and was rounding with every 11th or 12th wave. The
sea was coming over the beam and soaking us. Frosty never left us and
focused on course and passed bottles of water as at the helm, even in wet
it was hot work fighting those waves. The salt was also affecting vision.

Helm changes were an art form we had to use two safety lines and put one
leg in-between the helmsman’s legs so that the outgoing helmsman could
roll away without losing course as it was milliseconds of misjudgment that
could make us go beam on again.

This pattern was repeated throughout the night. Off the helm it was take
all the oiliest off dripping onto the floor take a pee and put them back
on and sit on the floor to wait for the next hourly shift change.

5am I had seen the wind gauge showing 40kn but I did not tell the crew
just hoped it was a peak and this was the first time that I thought we
could be in danger. Off shift I placed 3 photographs of my children and
wife into my back pocket and put 2 of my daughters hairbands round my
wrist. It was Stephs birthday..

5.30am It started to get light and we would at last have one hazard less,
the dark, although I did not want to see the waves.. The two flashing
lights were still there. They were on our course but why at our speed?
They were a problem all night as we thought they may be pair fishing or on
tow.

7am Still blowing - still helming

8am Still blowing although it had not hit 40kn again but settled at
between 35 and 38 knots. We were 25 miles offshore and could see land. I
shouted Dave that we were going to do it and we wouldn’t be beat. He had
the determination I had and later said this was a significant moment.

Frosty prepared a passage plan for entry into La Corunna and we were
nearly safe.

Then the engine stopped..................

The boat was being tossed about like a cork and I put up the storm-sail to
help steer. Then the wind stopped as if a mighty plug was pulled on the
wind machine. We had 15 knot winds and set sail for harbour and would
anchor in the bay.

Frosty and I looked at the engine and saw black pieces in the cooling
pipes/. I thought it may be the rubber impeller that forces sea water
round the engine and we removed it. Unfortunately it was ok. This would
have been an easy fix as I had a spare onboard. On inspection it looked
like muscle shells. But how had it got through the sea-filter. The crew
suggested I may have got my fuel calculations wrong but I said we had 100
hours left. However, to make them feel better and of course myself I added
20 litres. Still not working.

We were 8 miles offshore and could see the breakwater and the wind stopped
and that was it. I could not compromise the boat and crew at this
juncture. There were shoals of breaking seas and I had a vision that we
would 'do Biscay' and break up outside the harbour. I called a marina and
they gave me a number for a sea-rescue tow service and within 40 minutes a
huge orange boat came and attached lines to the bow and we were towed into
Nauta Coruna marina.

As we were towed in I was unsure of the cost and consequence and this is
when it hit me. I sat on the bow during the tow into harbour and tried to
remain stoic. Then my phone rang it was Steph on her birthday. I told her
I would have to ring back as I was in a situation and with concern she
hung up. I had not wished her happy birthday. I burst into tears. I had
not done Biscay - I did all but 8 miles. The cruelty.

On-land

Aaron got off and kissed the pontoon. He was awake the whole time but
incapable of doing anything. He would be wise to never go to sea again.

We changed and put the wet oilies out to dry and had another freeze-dried
meal and after more paperwork went for the most beautiful beer I have ever
tasted. In the old town, with glasses from the freezer we drank iced
cerveza. We showed our wounds and bruises. My hands had swollen from
helming and all the cuts and I couldn’t use them for anything other than
lifting that beer.

At 5pm I went to sleep -Sweet sleep.

15:30 Friday - Try to sort engine - I think its had it. I dived in
yesterday and removed a huge growth of muscles. Something feels expensive.

Oh by the way I was charged 250 Euros for the tow. 250 Euros or a boat and
four souls - cheap really..