On Passage: Heading East

Pyxis
Karen & Richard
Tue 21 Jul 2009 22:12

Tuesday 21st July – On Passage:  Heading East

38:21.784N 18:35.371E

 

After enjoying the antics of people berthing yesterday, it was only fair that we provide the entertainment this morning.  We were up at 5am and ready for passage at 6am, engine on, ropes off and off we went – well, we didn’t, we were well and truly stuck, wedged in by the Dutch boat alongside us.  We were stern to, they were bows to… and wider than us.

 

As it was a nice morning, other people were up and about and came to help.  The skipper of the Dutch boat didn’t want to back out so he pulled his boat hard against his side of the pontoon, a couple of guys did the same with Pyxis and we took the fenders out from between the two boats.  We were almost gel coat to gel coat, about an inch apart as we walked Pyxis carefully forward until we were finally clear – we hope our gel coat is alright.

 

Entertainment over, we ran the gauntlet of the shallow entrance, sounding our way around the dredger, and we were off, a little later than planned but never mind.  A number of other boats had decided to leave as well to head to Crotone or Le Castella so initially we joined the flow along the coast.

 

We were heading for Paxos though, about 185 miles away and the forecast was showing fair winds.  The first three hours there was no wind at all and we motored in flat calm sea.  Then the wind arrived and we able to sail.  We clipped along nicely in a force three, close hauled (the wind had a bit more east in it than we expected).  At Punta Stilo we left the coastal boats behind as they turned up to cross the Golfo di Squillace.

 

About 50 miles off shore the swell had built to 2-2.5 metres and we found ourselves slamming into it head on, with the wind coming around right on the nose; it was very uncomfortable, the bows were slamming, and the speed being knocked out of us.  Not the headline NW4 we had been looking for.  We examined the options:

 

  1. Carry on plugging away, making the best course we could (not tempting as the wind was due to increase)
  2. Turn back (50 miles is a long way, no thanks)
  3. Change course now and head somewhere that gave us a more comfortable sail

 

So, we entered a change of course onto the beam towards Kefalonia, the next nearest landfall, and instantly the boat felt more comfortable and we were able to sail along happily and at a good speed.

 

Facing a slightly longer passage (200 miles) and, wanting to keep our passage down to one night at sea and arrive in daylight, we were not purists; if our speed dropped off under sail, we put the motor on for an hour to keep us speeding along.  As we went along, the swell gradually decreased and we had pretty good conditions all in all.