When we started this blog, we promised the good with the bad. Yesterday was bad!!! Not all bad, but enough to make it bloody bad.
The plan was sail from Rushcutters Bay Sydney to Jervis Bay, about 90 nautical miles. When I awoke at 3am and felt too tired to get up, that should have been a warning. I slept another hour then decided it was time to leave. After breakfast and refueling we left at about 5.35am. The forecast was for 15 to 20 knots from the NE perfect for the trip south. We had a relatively uneventful sail down past Botany Bay, Cronulla and Wollongong, with Winni the wind vane steering. We were actually relaxing and taking turns in having little cat naps.
We were sailing about 15 nautical miles offshore, trying to pick up some east coast current.(you know the one that Nemo rode down) We both noticed storm clouds brewing around Kiama and Saddleback mountain. These soon developed into a full on thunder and lightning storm, which was quite spectacular from our position out at sea. Little were we to know that the effect this storm would soon have on us.
Jen was happily watching the display and strange cloud formations and colourings, when she pointed out an extremely long light grey rolling cloud running parallel to the visible shoreline. Meanwhile the wind was building and we were flying along at about 6.5 to 7 knots, great fun.
I noticed it about a minute before it hit. I looked to my right and saw the water frothing and foaming, and what I would call a squall line with spray flying everywhere. I yelled to Jen who was relaxing below, to come and give me a hand to furl the head sail. When bang, it hit with a vengence, and I mean vengence. We suddenly entered a world of chaos. The noise is hard to explain, rigging screaming, head sail flogging out of control, lightning flashing and cracking and the water around us was white with foam and spray. Luckily I was wearing my brown underwear. My first instinct was to go below and hide under the bunks with my head under the pillows. Dear readers do not abandon faith in me yet. Although I'm a self confessed coward at heart, I could not let down Jen or Crazy. With bullets of blinding rain and wind playing havoc with my hair do, I sprang into action. I tried to pull the furling line in, but the storm was too strong for ordinary measures. I attached the furling line to the main sheet winch and was then able to furl the sail. This brought the boat under control. The storm subsided almost as quickly as it came, but during the height of the onslaught our wind instrument recorded gusts of between 50 - 60 knots. We then continued our journey to Jervis Bay with about 1/3 of head sail out in 25 - 30 knot winds.
Now you may think the story ends here, I wish it did, but there is more. We finally arrived at Jervis Bay just on sunset.(it was beautiful as well)The wind then started to gust again from the NE between 30 - 35 knots as another storm cell passed to our north. With reduced sail Crazy Lady revelled in the conditions with speeds of 8 knots over ground and spray flying in all directions ie: a face full of yours truly. Now this was fun. Unfortunately darkness descended all too quickly, and boy it was black dark. We now had to find an anchorage, easy you might say, but not in unfamiliar waters. With no visibility, we were reduced to using the chart plotter and the depth sounder + dolphin torches. I can't do justice putting our feelings at this point into words, suffice to say that we finally found a mooring at approximately 10.45pm. It was a long bloody day!!!!
Lessons learnt: Always be in an anchorage well before sunset. Don't rely solely on marine weather forecasts, check general weather for thunder storm warnings etc: Don't do such long distance day sails, without a contingency plan.
Footnote: Despite my attempt at humour all the above is true.
The plan was sail from Rushcutters Bay Sydney to Jervis Bay, about 90 nautical miles. When I awoke at 3am and felt too tired to get up, that should have been a warning. I slept another hour then decided it was time to leave. After breakfast and refueling we left at about 5.35am. The forecast was for 15 to 20 knots from the NE perfect for the trip south. We had a relatively uneventful sail down past Botany Bay, Cronulla and Wollongong, with Winni the wind vane steering. We were actually relaxing and taking turns in having little cat naps.
We were sailing about 15 nautical miles offshore, trying to pick up some east coast current.(you know the one that Nemo rode down) We both noticed storm clouds brewing around Kiama and Saddleback mountain. These soon developed into a full on thunder and lightning storm, which was quite spectacular from our position out at sea. Little were we to know that the effect this storm would soon have on us.
Jen was happily watching the display and strange cloud formations and colourings, when she pointed out an extremely long light grey rolling cloud running parallel to the visible shoreline. Meanwhile the wind was building and we were flying along at about 6.5 to 7 knots, great fun.
I noticed it about a minute before it hit. I looked to my right and saw the water frothing and foaming, and what I would call a squall line with spray flying everywhere. I yelled to Jen who was relaxing below, to come and give me a hand to furl the head sail. When bang, it hit with a vengence, and I mean vengence. We suddenly entered a world of chaos. The noise is hard to explain, rigging screaming, head sail flogging out of control, lightning flashing and cracking and the water around us was white with foam and spray. Luckily I was wearing my brown underwear. My first instinct was to go below and hide under the bunks with my head under the pillows. Dear readers do not abandon faith in me yet. Although I'm a self confessed coward at heart, I could not let down Jen or Crazy. With bullets of blinding rain and wind playing havoc with my hair do, I sprang into action. I tried to pull the furling line in, but the storm was too strong for ordinary measures. I attached the furling line to the main sheet winch and was then able to furl the sail. This brought the boat under control. The storm subsided almost as quickly as it came, but during the height of the onslaught our wind instrument recorded gusts of between 50 - 60 knots. We then continued our journey to Jervis Bay with about 1/3 of head sail out in 25 - 30 knot winds.
Now you may think the story ends here, I wish it did, but there is more. We finally arrived at Jervis Bay just on sunset.(it was beautiful as well)The wind then started to gust again from the NE between 30 - 35 knots as another storm cell passed to our north. With reduced sail Crazy Lady revelled in the conditions with speeds of 8 knots over ground and spray flying in all directions ie: a face full of yours truly. Now this was fun. Unfortunately darkness descended all too quickly, and boy it was black dark. We now had to find an anchorage, easy you might say, but not in unfamiliar waters. With no visibility, we were reduced to using the chart plotter and the depth sounder + dolphin torches. I can't do justice putting our feelings at this point into words, suffice to say that we finally found a mooring at approximately 10.45pm. It was a long bloody day!!!!
Lessons learnt: Always be in an anchorage well before sunset. Don't rely solely on marine weather forecasts, check general weather for thunder storm warnings etc: Don't do such long distance day sails, without a contingency plan.
Footnote: Despite my attempt at humour all the above is true.
Pic: Crazy Lady blasting to Point Perpendicular.
Sounds like fun?????? Good times are just around the corner. Where is your next stop, is it the out of Australian waters, Tabourie? Customs clearance required!!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a chapter from journey to the centre of the earth by 2 water rats. keep safe..God Bless. Eth
ReplyDelete