Wet & Windy

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Fri 18 Sep 2009 10:32
Position: At anchor off Tarifa, Spain
Wind: South west, fresh breeze .
Weather: Overcast, showers, mild

So far today has been a bit of a none event. Heavy showers mean that I can't get any significant maintenance done. I have been thinking of weighing anchor and making for Gibraltar but sailing in the rain isn't much fun either. The wind has been consistently fresh from the west since we got here four days ago, and I am concerned about getting stuck in Gibraltar as anchoring is no longer allowed, it seems often the marinas are full, and of course it has to be expensive. Most of the Strait of Gibraltar is taken up with a traffic separation scheme leaving only about a one and half mile wide inshore traffic zone for us sailing craft, this would make for a pretty tiring sail beating our way back west to windward, having to tack about every 20 minutes or so. If the tide is with the wind we would go absolutely nowhere, in fact probably backwards, and if the tide is against the wind while it would help our progress back to the west but kicks up such an unpleasant sea that I am very loathe to undertake the venture. So today we will make a lay day.

All is well.

Bob Cat:

A lay day sounds good to me . . . err - just one question, and what is different about a lay day to any other day? . . . Zzzzzzzz.