Butting our way through dull grey waters
A year afloat: to the Caribbean and back
Sam and Alex Fortescue
Sun 14 Aug 2011 11:53
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45:44.54N
016:09.51W
I've never known a sea so hard and full of hidden
obstacles. Summer Song was tossed high on murderous little waves and sucked down
hull first on the other side with a sickening thump. Every few seconds, another
hellish crah sent shock waves throughout the boat, jarred bones and made the
rigging thrum like a banjo string. Just before lunch, the conditions changed
from pleasant surfing down waves on a dead run to a a tense close hauled beat
into more than 20 knots of wind. There was just a brief interlude of peace
between the two opposing winds, which ran two different sets of waves headlong
into each other.
Consequently, there was little appetite for supper
and we nibbled halfheartedly at baked potatoes. Furthermore, sleep was near
impossible - at least in the Skipper and First Mate's quarters, perched up in
the bow. Our hatch has taken on an unhealthy leak, so the bed was soaked.
This, coupled with the boat's tendency to plunge dizzily into each
unforgiving wave with a crash, meant a second bad night on the trot. nd it's not
as if we're sacrificing comfort for progress, as we were expending most of our
energy cresting waves, not ploughing towards the Channel. We covered barely 90
miles yesterday.
At least things are looking better this
morning. We hot-bunked during the night watches so everyone had a few
hours in one of the comfier saloon berths. The waves have gone down, along with
the wind, and we're donking towards the Lizard at five knots. We passed the
halfway mark during the night, so every mile now counts double, and we're less
than 500 miles to the entrance to the Channel - practically home turf, although
we're rtying not to feel too complacent about it.
There's a party on this arvo in celebration of half
completing the Azores to Poole leg. I'm not yet sure what we'll do, but no doubt
it'll involve Scrabble and possibly our last litre of pineapple juice in a fair
imitation of a pina colada. It's much colder, now, both water and air
temperature, so I expect we'll end up wearing woolly hats and scarves as
well.
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