Day 13 - Passage to the Caribbean
Misterx
Mon 14 Apr 2025 06:31
13/04/25
8:30 pm
Day 13
South Atlantic Ocean
DTD : 2,444 NM (100NM)
We have definitely arrived in the doldrums!
The skies have been hazy since we got up, we have sunshine but this diffused sunshine that high level sheet of clouds gives you. We are seeing changes in the cloud cover as predicted by our weather gurus. But we are still chugging along at around 5knots and in the right direction so are quite happy. Going about our little morning routine, doing all the chores we have earmarked for the day, the usual emptying of the bilges, clearing up the cabin, filling water bottles, checking the rig, checking on the fruits and vegs we have left in the back cabin and turned the egg in their boxes. All good, we only lost 2 apples!
Ian had noticed yesterday that one of the reefing line was stuck inside the boom, so we sorted that out. It needed a bit of acrobatics, the pulling loop on the line broke so it was dangling on the side of the main, just out of reach. The boat hook didn't help much, so we had to lower the main a tad so Ian could grab it. Worked the line back and forth, and the blockage was cleared, and the main pulled back up.
Watching the skies all the time, looking for these big black rain clouds we've been promised... We have an early lunch, and just as we finished it, there it was on the horizon, the big black cloud, with all the white rain underneath. By this stage, it fills up a chunk of our horizon right in front of us. So, clever clog here thought I can go around it... I jump on the wheel and steer us around. We watched the cloud getting bigger as we approached it, but it is now well to the left of us. That one is not getting us! Another big black cloud has materialised on our right side as i was concentrating on our left.... It seemed to travel with us for a while and then, I thought it would pass in front of us... and it did, but we got the tail end of its rain... and from then on the rain did not stop... next came the wind, we could feel it rise and change direction, so we moved to adjust the folded wings... the furler is jammed! Looks like the halyard is wrapped around the furler system at the front. So we need to lower the sail. We'd discuss the option of changing the wings for the genoa earlier in the day and had decided to leave them up for today and swap them first thing in the morning... so when we had to lower it we thought that we might as well take the wings out and swap it to the genoa. Only now we are racing against the clouds on our back, the rain is less dense and i am aiming to the lighter shade of grey on the horizon. The autopilot is on, so i can go to the front to give Ian a hand with taking the wings down... a very heavy sail, we managed to roughly fold and secure it on deck. by this time the big black cloud has caught up with us, the wind is howling and rain being driven by it... We took the main down and started the engine so we can keep a decent course. There is no way are we going to be able to hoist our big heavy genoa in this! So we go for the working jib, a much smaller sail that will be relatively easier to put up in these condition and will definitely be useful in 25 knots of wind. Getting it all set up does take a while and the wind and rain makes it quite unpleasant, but we are finally going under jib alone at a brisk pace... shame it is not in the right direction at all, we are as close to the wind as we can make it... unfortunately, this particular squall lasted until 6pm... it is getting dark... the wind and waves gradually went down to nothing and we were left bobbing on the water. We got squared up, everything secured and put away, had a hot drink and decided to leave it at this for tonight, this little escapade has taken it out of us, bloody hard work! We'll just bob along until daylight when we'll be able to put up the genoa if the wind does not pipe up. Our engine is just not fast enough to make any progress without some sails up. We'll have some hot food and some rest and pick it up from there. We have a plan, the alarm is set, we'll keep a look out every 30mn all through the night, like the solo sailors do.
Silver lining, all the bird poo has now been washed away!
M