I sure am glad I'm here this week and not the last! As well as 300mm+ of rain and 160kph winds there was havoc amongst a large number of boats around the bays. Walking over to the showers tonight the salvage crew were still trying to raise the 60ft 30 ton ketch which sank against the marina attenuator last week after 'ping-ponging' amongst the moored craft. on the way through it took the flying bridge off one launch then hit 'Sala', a thirty foot sloop which was on our mooring near the channel. The combined weight and the attempts of the ketch owner to start his motor somehow severed the mooring lines and both yachts ended up on the bottom after being smashed into the concrete and steel outer quarantine pier. Sala was raised on Monday, but they are having trouble lifting the heavy ketch.
Meanwhile there is no sign of our mooring... it's probably down with the dozen or so others which were dragged by their vessels across the channel and ended up being cut loose to save the boats from being wrecked against the wharves. Hopefully the divers can locate it and restore it - the news is not so good for Sala which is probably a write-off. Fortunately Helen had Sala insured but poor old Don, who lived aboard his ketch was not insured and only saved his passport and a camera as he jumped off while his boat/home was sinking.
She's a beauty - 7-8 kts with only a little tidal assistance...
500 sq ft of sheer terror in a squall - I'll have to promise my better half not to raise it in anything over 25 kts!
Great to finally have a downwind sail to use. Comes with a nifty sock so muggins can get the blessed thing down in a hurry if he needs to!
Headed for my favourite Opunga cove in a dying southerly (did I mention that's the cold wind?) No heater tonight being 'off-grid' but at least the repaired solar panels were pumping up to 3 Amps into the batteries - excellent!
Early night and woke to a misty morning...
Did I mention cold? According to my little weather station, it was 5.6 outside and only 5.5 deg inside... crispy!
Good feed of bacon eggs and tomatoes helped warm the inner man...
Such a nice day I decided to mess around for a while and drifted in light winds for a couple of hours before dropping anchor in Army Bay then heading back to the Marina for the night... rain expected later.
Managed to carry the Genny right up the estuary, before motoring the last bit. Bit tricky getting back into the berth with the tide still ebbing - I went to jump onto the jetty only to realise I'd made the rope a bit short and had to quickly jump back on and reverse in a hurry. I don't think anyone was watching..?
love the sail dad!
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