Fw: Day 8 - Close Encounters
Jacana
David Munro
Mon 19 Jan 2009 19:21
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----- Original Message -----
From: Jacana
To: Mailasail
Sent: Sunday, January 18, 2009 6:47 PM
Subject: Day 8 - Close Encounters The dawn today found us on port gybe heading to the
north side of the course chasing wind contours and avoiding holes. Each morning
we have "early morning prayers" where the weather grib files are peered at and
analysed, tactics are drawn up and then
....... we go back to bed! This morning's plan didn't go to
plan so a crisis meeting was called on the foredeck, nobody mentioned that
the wind was going to blow 30 degrees from a different direction and 10 knots
stronger than any grib file suggested. As a result the following sequence of
events ensued;
1. Drop the fetching pink &
grey light runner as the wind strengthens.
2. Gybe the boat
3. Hoist the orange heavy
runner.
4. Wrap the orange heavy runner
around the forestay.
5. Un-wrap the heavy runner from
the forestay by gybing the boat.
6, Gybe the boat
back
7. Drop the orange heavy runner
as the wind softens and hoist the grey green big
runner.
8. Wine glass the grey big runner
on the hoist so drop again.
9. Hoist the heavy orange runner
to keep the boat moving whilst we untangle the grey big
runner
10. Drop the orange runner
11. Gybe the boat
12. Re-hoist the grey big
runner
13. As the wind lightens drop the
grey big runner and hoist the light pink & grey runner.
I hope you followed all that, by early afternoon
we were once again trundling along and Chris was recovering from
packing five kites in a morning. All in a days work when sailing in the trade
winds? The brochure said put up kite, gybe after 7 days, arrive in Brazil.
The brochure also said that there would be sunshine, very little of which we
have seen. This is perhaps a blessing as when the sun does appear, it is fierce.
Paul is worried about his winter tan, we have suggested that if he still has a
pale face at the end of the trip he can lock himself in the forward heads and
set off an orange distress smoke flare - instant tan in a can.
During the night at around 2am, Paul & John
were surprised to see a light dead ahead. It is a rarity to see anything in
these parts, we are not on any shipping routes, there are no fishing grounds,
the other boats in the race are scattered 100s of miles apart. At first we
thought we may have caught one of our competitors and we were looking at their
stern light, however the light intensified and formed into two lights one above
the other with no port or starboard light visible. This could mean only one
thing, a commercial vessel bearing down straight on us. A quick look at the AIS
confirmed that we had a freighter heading for India, 4 miles away due to
miss us by 0.2 of a nautical mile. Evasive action was required, we were flying a
light spinnaker on the top margins, we couldn't go high for fear of damaging the
kite, we were running out of time to set up from scratch for a gybe. We did the
logical thing, we called them on channel 16 and asked them if they wouldn't
awfully mind if they would steer around us! A rather surprised Indian gentleman
came across the airwaves and very obligingly altered course to avoid us.
He did confirm that he could see us on his radar but only from 1.5 miles.
Disappointing given it was calm, we were the only thing around and we have
an operating Seame radar enhancer. Unbelievable that you can see no other
shipping for days and then the only thing you do see is on a collision
course with you in the middle of the night.
WAGS.
It has come to our attention that our respective
partners may be meeting one evening next week for a bite to eat, may we be so
bold as to make menu suggestions fit for such an occasion? Anything
involving rotting fruit, mouldy bread, box wine and smash potato would seem
appropriate.
Nature watch
Temporarily suspended due to lack of subject
material. Flying fish are now officially boring!
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