Off to Terceira
Scot Free III
Frank & Anne
Thu 29 Aug 2024 10:04
Tuesday morning, took C to the airport at 5:30 am, dropped car off by 8 and 4 loads of washing completed by lunchtime. Normally a day’s work!
Water tanks filled, boat prepped for the off. Had an early night, caught up with sleep, checked out of the marina and left late afternoon for Terceira, another overnight trip. Blighted again by mal de mer but a reasonably quick sail and only a couple of hours ,at the end, under engine. A had recovered to enjoy the wonderful sunrise.
Interesting rock formations on our approach.
A not entirely 100% so wanted to anchor for the night outside the harbour in Angra do Hiroismo, rather than having to moor up twice, first on the reception pontoon to check in, then into an allocated berth.
Put the dinghy in the water, set off, only for the outboard to die - it has never failed before! A Canadian, who was instructing youngsters to sail, kindly towed us back to the boat. An ignominious first!
Assuming by now the engine was flooded, waited a considerable time then F made numerous attempts at start it but to no avail and had to row into the harbour to check in and reserve a berth for tomorrow. It is definitely not a rowing boat but it would have needed less effort, had it been inflated harder to prevent spongy rowlocks (Ed. nobody wants spongy rowlocks!!)
Our night was disturbed by a very loud whoosh as A’s life jacket inflated and the man overboard alarm was activated. Thankfully our VHF wasn’t switched on or we would also have been treated to a deafening Man Overboard alert. Had the life jacket been in a locker it could have caused some serious furniture damage. F reckons it was accumulated moisture from rain, humidity and the odd wave. Need to dry them more carefully in future. The metal strip is the antenna for the man overboard transmitter- looks pretty lethal.
