34:17S 111:10E
Tales of Amok's Adventures
Mike Jones
Sun 30 Jan 2011 10:45
ENTER BIANCA STAGE LEFT ...........
Well, the hot bath, flat still bed & clean sheets seem like a distant fantasy now or maybe they were just a mirage, after a really crap, noisy, lurching & sleepless night thanks to cyclone Bianca. The yankee sail decided that it'd had enough and threw itself overboard, despite being securely (?) tied onto the leeward rails, thereby needing to be rescued.
The strength required to pull that sail onboard almost defeated us, and of course, copping every second wave in the face and salt water enema up the pant leg doesn't do a lot for crew morale. When the wind is gusting 35 knots, you have to shout to make yourself heard, even though the person you are shouting to is only inches away.
Opening the forehatch to stuff the 23 meter luff yankee down to safety is a tricky task; leaving you faced with the option of possibly taking on a tonne of water down the hatch, if a wave washes over the boat vs. trying to drag a massive sail down to bring it through the main companionway. We opted for the forehatch, but it was a close run thing. Currently, it is awaiting some attention in the forepeak, like some tamed but trapped alien.
No sooner had we got the yankee on board, when the staysail (storm sail) clew parted company from the sail, leaving the staysail flogging on the foredeck. It just gets better and better. Mikey managed to furl it up, then tie it securely. Mikey not impressed with having to change his undies three times before 0600 hrs!!
Imagine yourself at the 25 and a 1/2 mile of a 26 mile marathon, you've gnawed through your last energy bar about 10 miles ago and sucked your last gel sachet and you are about to turn the corner to enter the stadium, believing that you have only 1/2 a lap to go before you can lift your arms over the ribbon and sit down. Imagine your desperation, when you've turned into the stadium to find that you don't have a 1/2 a lap to go, but another 10 and you can't even see the ribbon. Welcome to the world of Bianca. Apologies for the moan, but I feel so much better now.
On the good side, we all have books to read, food in the larder, everybody healthy (albeit with the moans) the mainsail is in good shape and we may put up the hurricane jib if the wind abates a little. As it is right now, we are currently making 5.4knots under triple reefed main alone, which is nothing to sneeze at. The sky is monotone grey and the waves are only about 4-5 metres high and breaking, so it's all good.
Great fish pie courtesy of Tmoby last night, the pinks are baking apple pie and making pepper beef with rice and beetroot for today's dinner (tea).
Hope Bianca hasn't upset too many plans in Perth, that the Canadians and the Brits are keeping warm and everybody has the sun on their face and the wind at their backs.
Salty Windswept Bianca'd Sal
Enema Mikey
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