Nakesa
Sat 9 Jul 2011 14:32
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Position 38 47N 64 28W
Dear Friends
The last 24 hours have been a roller coaster!! We have 324 miles to go and are now motoring in flat calm.
This is a sharp contrast to the last two days where the wind hasnt dropped below 30 knots. Last night however, and the following morning were the most dramatic which I thougfht that I would share with you.
Shortly after sundown I checked the radar and saw two small showers astern, the wind at that time was showing 20 knots from the quarter (SW) and we were making 8-9knots on a following sea. Quickly however, the picture chaged and the radar started to show an intense dark patch indicating a squall some 12 miles across, the wind increased almost immediately to 40 knots son the dial and there was intensive rain and no visibility. I bore away and ran before the building seas, Nakesa screaming under the pressure of the wind and pushing 11 knots, the rigging 'singing' under the strain. Clinging on and hoping nothing would break it felt too fast and too strong a wind pressure to turn into to reef and so we hung on. Lightening began which added to my concerns and the ocean became smooth with the wind just taking away the slight crests of the swell and creating a fine film of spray which travelled along the surface...the storm continued for a hour and a half and spat us out into an agitated sea once again with a clear horizon and 20 knots of following wind.
There was a sense of relief that lasted only until the next dark shadow formed onto the radar screen showing a larger storm building all around us. Getting back to the wheel just in time to bear away, the dial this time showed 50 knots relative at times and we were making the same speed of 11-12 knots more when surfing down the wave fronts. This time in a lull I turned broadside to the wind and furled everything in and for the first time in my sailing career/experience. lay ahull for the next 3 hours until it passed. The remainder of the night was back to normal with a clear radar screen and 25 knots relative wind and that was until 1000h Thursday morning,
a darkened area started to develop along the western horizon and within minutes began to show rain and whitecaps to port. I furled the main just in time before the wind hit......this time it was ferocious and the wind indicator stayed at maximum (over 50 knots) for 5 minutes without moving, It was eerie in that the sea went competely smooth with streaks of turquoise water which looked totally unreal. The surface was disturbed by extremely heavy rain and the visibility was hardly more than the length of the boat. Running before the wind again with picket sized jib only at 11 knots it was strangely quiet. In fact it was exactly as in an unbelievable storm scene in a movie. It was hard gather the nerve to leave the helm to reef, but again took in the jib to lay ahull for an hour and let the storm pass.
Boy what a night, and morning.
All this steering has left us exhausted, Nakesa performed as beautifully as always and the intensity of the experiences have the family quite emotionally moved..and bonded, boy do we need that lunch in Halifax!!!
On a lighter note and as distraction we have been trying to remember the line in the terribly cheesy 'Never Been to Me' song that mentions Nova Scotia. We got the 'I've been to Georgia and Califirnia, and sipped champagne on a yacht' part and in fact we are going to live out as much of the songf as possible..so P just has to be undressed by Kings and I have to 'move like Harlot in Monte Carlo'!! Any of you who havent heard the song will think that all this wind and lack of sleep has sent me completely barking!!! but the rst of you will know excatly what I am taliking about.
And dean, the second pink lure got taken in dramatic fashion this evening with a 'take' that stripped all line off reel with maximum brake before breaking the line......big Marlin again perhaps but no victory jump this time!!!!
Well done Rainmaker, home soon, Aston and Atlanta want to hear more about the whales if you have time
So until tomorrow, fair winds and much love
Graham
SY Nakesa
38 47N 64 28W |