44:09.2N 15:28.8W - Straight home albeit with a few meanders
Yellowdrama IV
Skipper/Crew: Blake and Clarissa Richter
Wed 7 Oct 2009 01:44
Who ever said that sailing the North Atlantic was tedious, really had no
idea of matters maritime. Between the occasional squall, rain
shower, course adjustment, new waypoint setting, change in wind direction,
increase in wind speed, decrease in wind speed and sail adjustment for the
umpteenth time; all mixed in with numerous weather faxes eerily squelching
and squeeling their way aboard during the night via short-wave radio, we
have all been kept night and day on the balls of our feet.
The propsect of being caught with our trousers down when Tropical Storm
Grace ( or Tropical Storm Gussie Finknottle as we affectionately christened
her) announced herself in the wee hours of Sunday night, caused us to
rethink our course rapidly. Whistling northwards from Africa, a distinct
'danger zone' formed immediately north of our position. Blake, our Skipper
wisely proposed that spinning a few degrees southwards might very well move
us out of harm's way. Since then, the wind has risen, dropped, risen again
and deserted us completely this Tuesday afternoon requiring us to switch on
the engine and resume our rhumb-line (direct) course direct to Falmouth.
Accordingly, the sails have been pulled up and pulled down more often than
Mati Hari's best bloomers.
Nonetheless, we are now a mere 595 odd nautical miles from Falmouth in
Cornwall, our penultimate port of call. Were we to be able to see it, the
north-west coast of Spain would be to starboard (that's the right hand side
for you all you landlubbers!). By Thursday however, we should be approaching
the innocuously-named 'Bay of Biscay', which is the name given to the sea
area on the west coast of France.
For those of you non-salty seadogs reading this blog, it might be
interesting to note that the ocean floor rises meteorically from depths of
several
thousand metres ( Our current depth is 4244 metres or 12,700 feet - nearly
13 Eiffel Towers, each atop the other) to just 150 metres off the south-west
coast of England and the coast of France. What relevance does this have for
your favourite ocean-going crew, you may ask??
Well, in essence, the Bay of Biscay is notorious for the unpredictability of
its sea state. Any rolling great swells cascading in from their playground
out in the open ocean suddenly encounter the steep incline of the European
continental shelf and consequently are 'pushed up' in the newly- formed
shallows. This phenomenon, when combined with inclement weather, can
transform a gentle passage into a right gallic kicking rendered to any
vessels in its waters. Once over that hurdle, Yellowdrama will whip around
the corner of France only to be presented with all the splendid joys of the
English Channel in Winter time. (Can't remember this part anywhere in the
Sunsail brochure). Said to be one of the busiest commercial shipping areas
in the World, our venture into the English Channel should once again keep
the Yellowdrama crew on its toes avoiding the numerous ships, ferries,
fishing boats & other sea-dwellers as we make our approach towards Falmouth
& finally Cowes.
(Note from the Skipper - anyone who is alarmed at the above prose - we are
not expecting any of this to be a problem for us on this trip!! So please
don't worry!)
Grizzly and determined sailors that we are however, the grey conditions,
squalls, bleary-eyed dawn shifts and cold winds will merely strengthen our
resolve to soldier on and furthermore conspire to make that first flowery
pint of bitter, glass of sweet Irish Whiskey etc. taste all the better. How
we look forward to it! The deep expression of satisfaction etched on John
Mills's face, when he famously sipped that Tuborg in Egypt must come to
mind.
'Ice Cold in Alex' ??...Better still.. let's make it... 'Bloody Warm Again
in Bangor'!
Abrazos and a big Olé! from all aboard Y4 somewhere off the coast of Spain.