Skippers Hard On
Suzie Too - Western Caribbean
David & Suzanne Chappell
Mon 5 Oct 2009 15:59
Well it sounds great - hard on all day - but I have to say after a few hours
it just gets uncomfortable and you wish you could tack or something, but we
have been going upwind in a F5 for 24 hours now, making 8+kts with 2 reefs
in the Genoa - getting used to life on a slant. We will probably heave to
for 30 mins tonight to put the boat straight, shower, cos it's 28 degrees
out here at 35N and make a meal.
No fishing today, just holding on and Suzanne is a bit green, she's been
looking over the side of the boat, I think she is checking the antifouling
is still ok, but I suspect wherever she goes clubbing until the small hours
she has been drinking or some likely lad slipped her a ruffi, more questions
to be asked.
I can't tell you how blue the ocean is out here, no sediment as the sea
floor is 5,000m below and no land pollution. I can't describe the blue (as I
don't really do soft furnishings) but those of you that used to write like
gentle folk (before the French invented le Bic) will understand if I say its
midway between Parker Royal Blue and Blue Black. Except it's like looking at
a car finished in pearlescent paint - that is 3-5m deep, every molecule of
water reflects a different shade of iridescent blue. First thing this
morning though in the dark it look a cold forbiding slate grey, so it's not
fooling me with its tricks of the light.
Now it's Monday evening and Porto Santos, a small island to the NE of
Maderira is 20M away. We sailed 450M upwind and ended up 60M north on a
single tack - except we went through the middle of a high, went in on
starboard, motored through the middle and came out on port on the SAME
heading - spooky. Not the conditions we would have chosen, cos the wind was
always in the wrong quadrant , but dictated by the MasterVolt and the RIDS
departure on Sat 10 Oct. Anway gave up on the final tack as the wind was
still on the bloody nose and motored the last few miles.
So we have decided to give up sailing and take up crown bowls, but I guess
in the morning when we rent the Quad Bikes and rip round this tiny island we
will love sailing again
Good Night - Will do some photos in Porto Santos
Love to all from Pink & Blue Watch on Suzie Too