Back into the Atlantic
Marita3
Mark & Helen Syrett
Sun 23 Jun 2013 19:56
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36:32.527N 06:16.965W
We decided to spend one day (Saturday) in
Gibraltar as the forecast predicted increasing winds through the
Straits for Monday and the following few days.The gribs on Saturday
confirmed that there would be 15 knots from the east (ie behind) and the tides
would be ideal for a 0600 departure.
We awoke at 0530 and the skipper downloaded the
gribs again and as all was ok we set off through the anchored ships and out into
the Straits.
The pilot book says that the wind off Tarifa point
blows at over 30 knots for 300 days a year. We thought that we had chosen one of
the 65 days.
As we went through the Straits the wind and sea
started to increase, we had to drop the main as involuntary gybes were a real
threat and we continued under genny alone. We soon had a 30+ knot following wind
with sustained periods of 36 knots. At this point Tarifa radio announced a gale
warning-----for us not so much a warning more a statement of fact! However we
had a good rig with genny only, a strong tide with us and Marita was coping
well.
It was 80 miles to Cadiz and we hoped to reach it
in the day as there was 9 hours of favourable tide if the right time and course
was chosen. In fact we had tide with us (up to 3 knots at times) the whole day
and even approaching Cadiz later in the day the tide turned but stayed
favourable as it swept us up into the bay.
We had rounded Cape Trafalgar and were talking
about Nelson's victory when we were attacked by bees---yet again! We fought
valiantly to defend ourselves as they attacked us from
seaward but fortunately we won the day and the crew remained
unharmed although the skipper was sent below several times to clear the cabin of
bees.
We are now tucked up in Puerto America Marina,
Cadiz where we may be for a couple of days waiting for more seasonal
weather!
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