Fai Tira still in Biscay 46:10.36N 8:08.25W

Fai Tira
pete.callis53@googlemail.com
Tue 1 Sep 2009 09:26

Fai Tira Blog Sunday 01/09/09

Fai Tira still in Biscay 46:10.36N 8:08.25W

 

Well, here we are then, it’s the morning of our third night at sea and we’ve ended up doing just what Stokey Woodall’ at the Southampton seminar suggested we shouldn’t, and that is crossing Biscay after the end of August. Not our intention to ignore his advice, just the victims of an unfortunate set of circumstances, and wouldn’t you know it we’ve just been bashed around by our first Atlantic squall and just my luck, it was my watch while Pete had his head down. What surprised me most was the speed of it’s arrival and it’s intensity.

For the first time in ages we’d been sailing in the right direction, and although the forecast had warned of possible force 8, we’d been trundling along in excess of 5 knots in a 5-6 for ages, after Pete had set the boat up, so I was feeling fairly relaxed.

Should have looked over my right shoulder sooner, suddenly the main began to rattle and a glance at the wind gauge showed it was now indicating 28 knots of wind. The skies in the south west looked very dark indeed and the rain had started. By the time I’d emerged from the protection of the spray hood to make a grab for the main sheets, the wind gauge was now reading 38 knots of wind and I was getting shot blasted by needles of rain.

However  apart from the discomfort I needn’t have worried, Fai Tira and Denise (our more than competent wind vain ) new just what they were doing, the boat veered to starboard, the wind fell out of the sails, we slowed right down and just hung about until it had blown through.

Denise gave it a while, then thought we ought to be back on course. So she gradually sorted us out, pointed us in the right direction, got us sitting comfortably and off we went again. Drama!! What drama?

So our first Atlantic storm! what’s reassuring is that we both know that Fai Tira’s an old hand at this lark and she, at least, takes it all in her stride.

So at the moment we’re still travelling in the right direction on a heading of 206 degrees making about 6 knots with about 200 miles to go, so we reckon at least another 3 full days and 2 nights before we arrive.

 More chances to gaze in awe at the unpolluted spectacular star covered night skies, while watching for shooting stars, or to gazing at the moon reflecting off the water while trying to give an impression of  the Sun, or perhaps watching the sparkling phosphorescence as it danced off the wake of the boat, or perhaps we’ll just settle down to watch the dolphins at play.

Still be good to get there though

 

Bye for now. 

Pete and John.