Re: From Sicily to Palma: meeting the front...
SV Eleonora
Michael A. Andronov
Tue 15 Oct 2019 03:59
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39:14.540N 004:31.781E
0014 UTC
No, the front - or whatever this wheather system is
called -- did not passed us... Well, it actually passed over us,
making the previous hour of my life -- none-forgetable...
There are a couple of good things associated with
event:
1. Since you are reading this message, we --
the boat and myself -- survived!
2. What does not kill -- teaching... And now, if
somebody asked me, ' -- Have you ever been in big storm ? --
Ye, sure!!! '.
The sequence of events -- as I remember
it...
-- I've been checking the weather files -- again
and again... The time was approaching 2200 UTC --
when according to my files, the disturbance supposed to happen. I've
been seeing a lot of lightning over Mallorca area... But
no thunder... For the reasor unknown, I was taking it all
as kind of performance, with the hope -- we missed it...
-- just in case, I've adjusted
the course more to the North, remembering that the wind promised to
go West, and later NW... I knew I was behind the schedule of
getting North distance... But... I did not realised the
scale...
-- We were lucky. The
sound --wistling of the wind -- gave just enough time
to furl the genoa... And the real
show began!
-- First, a very simple step -- puring
rain! ( Probably, to make things go
smoother... ). Then -- the wind... And it
started rotate, and it started to rotate us... Poor autopilot -- can
not handle the case. I took the wheel...
-- Suddenly, the wind disapeared.. Only to
appear on our nose... The text moment, instead of doing course
290 -- we are going North, then the whole circle, then
East... South East... Puring rain,
darkness, I'm soaked
wet...
-- Next step -- lightning... It has not been the
'normal one'... It looked as if somebody, somewhere, turned the switch,
and suddenly we are covered wih lingt... Similar to those ones, which used
during filming the movies... And it is all around you, and it in
your eyes, and you can see nothing...
To make the story short... The nightmare has
been going on for a bit more then an hour... It finished as abruptly as
started. As if somewhere the command arrive -- to stop it... The whole
cloud system kept going ENE, taking away the lightning, rain,
and... the wind... On top of us -- the Moon, and the stars... a very light
breeze, S, may be SSW...
This wind -- increased a bit, just enough to
get the stearage... I have quickly checked and put the lines
in order...
Changed, cup of hot tea...
The wind start to increase... With genoa and riffed
main -- we are doing ~5 knots... toward Porto Colom direction...
Good break, but something telling me -- it is only
the beginning, and the next act is around the corner...
Everything is wet, but under control! ;-)
Talk soon,
Michael.
------------
COG: 278T
SOG: 6.3 knts
Wind: 192-200T, @ 12-15
knots, 90 degress on port side,
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