Stormy weather
Author: Shirlz
The Gambier Archipelago is the sort of place where I could happily spend a few months but it was not to be and after picking up a last Passage Weather forecast and dumping my garbage I rowed over to Otter II to say goodbye. I may meet up with them again in New Zealand.
The usual hard work getting the anchor up from 27m below and we motored carefully through the well-marked reef. The wind was quite fresh SW. I wondered if I should be waiting another day. It took 3 hours to cross to the island of Taravai where I planned to spend the night. I tried the Navik and it seems to be OK. The anchorage at Taravai is surrounded by reef and a rather shallow patch has to be crossed to get in. The tide was going out and the light was bad with the sun in my eyes. Second thoughts about going in but I didn’t feel ready to go to sea and wanted a good night’s sleep so I pressed on. The Navionics chart bore little resemblance to reality. At one point I bounced off the bottom where the chart showed 9m.
I carefully explored the area and eventually put the anchor down in 15m close in to beach and shallows but with plenty of swinging room. Overnight the wind picked up a bit but we were comfortable enough. It poured with rain. The primus burner developed a startling leak. I hope I can find a replacement in the morning. Just managed to finish cooking my dinner with help from the emergency gas stove.
25 August
I had to wait until midday for conditions to ease enough for me to venture through the rather unnerving reef. Then it was strong wind and big seas for the first 2 days which had us racing along under the top panel only with the Navik holding us faithfully on course. The wind was from the SE and I used it to get a bit further N where the forecast shows better weather.
Now the wind has dropped a bit and backed to NE. We are moving comfortably and have been doing nearly 90 nm per day.
30 August
A slow slog to windward followed until we came up to a solid bank of cloud and the wind did a sudden 100° shift to the SW. Very gusty and unsettled. Calms and squalls. Very heavy rain. I came up on a port tack and it looked promising for a while but by sundown the wind had strengthened so much that I decided it would be best to heave to for the night. This turned out to be a good decision and I had a reasonably comfortable night’s sleep while we drifted slowly on course. Just two panels up. A dark night with no moon.
31 August
In the morning the wind was still about F7 but now I could at least see what was going on. By 11 the wind had dropped a little and I eased the sail out and set up the Navik to hold the wind on the aft quarter, moving along reasonably easily doing just under 4 knots, but not for long and soon we had to heave-to once again.
1 September
Slight improvement in the weather this morning the pressure is still very high. Waves still too big for me to try sailing again.
After lunch I checked the Navik thinking that we might be able to get going again soonish. The lashing I had tied to hold the paddle on its worn down pivoting pin had broken the steel loop and the paddle was flapping helplessly about. Always something. I managed to get it out of the water and down below. My son, Pete’s wonderfully sharp knife was used to cut the lashing. The problem is that the cone shaped notch that the pivoting pin fits into has worn away and is now too big so the pin keeps slipping out. The lashing had been holding it together but now I no longer had that option. What to do? I decided to try using some steel epoxy gunge to glue two washers over the enlarged hole to make it a better fit for the pin. Now I’ll have to wait 6 hours for it to cure before I can test it. Maybe in the morning the weather will be OK.
I’ve decided to head for Raiatea which is half the distance to Rarotonga. Still in French Polynesia so I’ll have to keep a low profile.
2 September
Weather still too bad to start sailing again. We are slowly moving N which takes us closer to Raiatea and hopefully towards better weather. 4 days hove-to is becoming boring. At times I despair of the weather ever changing and imagine the boat slowly giving up the battle and falling gradually apart. Being overwhelmed by the huge seas and raging wind. On the long passage from Panama there had also been bad times but I had a bottle of champagne in the booze locker and planned to go down sipping the bubbly. Now all I had was rum.
Quite a lot of water getting into the bilge because of the breaking seas swamping us every now and then. I rigged up the hose so that I can have it ready for pumping without having to remove the engine cover each time. All these small problems start to snowball.
4 September
Tried again this morning to start sailing but still too rough. I need to reinstall the Navik paddle and can’t do it in this sort of sea. So we stay hove-to. Pouring with rain. Every now and then a big wave sweeps us and water pours below. The sliding companionway hatch does little to prevent it. My bunk is sodden. I doze off and cold water splashes me rudely awake. The little bilge pump keeps things under control but will flatten the battery if we don’t get some sun soon.
The primus has been soaked and now is impossible to light. I’ve used up nearly all the alcohol I have for preheating in futile attempts to get it alight. I really need my caffeine fix in the morning so made instant iced coffee with nescafe. Don’t normally have it on board but bought it for the line handlers when we transited the canal. Not too bad actually. Yesterday I discovered that couscous will soak up cold water quite well so I’ll have couscous and canned vegetable salads for a few days. The bananas and almonds that I was given in Mangareva are good for snacking. A trail of banana skins in our wake.
5 September
About 10 in the morning the weather was starting to look reasonable again. Heavy rain seems to flatten the seas a bit but inbetween the rain showers the wind gusted strongly. It was still impossible to perch on the stern and try to install the Navik. I wasn’t happy with my chances if I was washed overboard hooked on with my safety line. Too many things around the stern for it to get caught on and I’d be trapped unable to loosen it and unable to climb back on board. So wait until things calm down a bit more and trust in my ability to hang on.
As soon as the waves lost their overwhelmingly mountainous aspect I loosened the tiller and set up my faithful bungee and rope arrangement to do the steering. It worked pretty well and we were on our way again at last! Wind still strong enough to only need two panels.
I’m getting used to cold coffee but wish I could cook a hot meal. Dried beans, pasta, rice need cooking. When I get desperate enough I’ll mine the storage in the forepeak which is now full of stuff, to find a spare burner. I never throw one away so I have a big collection of old carboned-up ones. Some old stoves too. But it’s a fiddly job and can wait till conditions are easier. Thank goodness for bananas and nuts.
6 September
The wind died completely last night and I hove-to once again this time to stop the sail flopping about. What wind there was moved us ever so slowly in the right direction. Probably a bit of favourable current.
As soon as it was light and I had primed myself with a cold caffeine fix, I was able to re-install the Navik paddle. My repair seems to be working and now we are really sailing again. The wind has backed to N and we are moving happily with it just forward of the beam.
8 September
This morning the wind had dropped and I raised all except the bottom panel. I don’t really trust my repair job and don’t want to hassle with a broken batten again. Wind still forcing us north but I’m hoping it will back more easterly soon.
I took the opportunity to start drying things out and put on fresh clothes. After a bit of a battle I managed to light the primus. Looking forward to a hot meal tonight.
When I checked the Navik I saw that the smaller washer I’d epoxied on had come adrift but the big one is holding and seems to be able to keep the paddle in place.
Went forward to secure the fortress anchor which was coming loose. How much easier everything is in gentle weather.
I’m still hoping to be able to spend some time at Raiatea fixing the sail, etc and stocking up with more food. Not sure if I’m going to make NZ this year.
9 September
Flat calm all day. A chance to start drying things out. Got the primus working again. Made a raisin bread. Had a lovely fresh water wash in the cockpit. Reading Emma.
10 September
First thing in the morning I was able to start sailing again. Dead downwind doing 2 knots. The sea was flat and things were looking up.
Sitting dozing in the cockpit I was suddenly startled by the incredibly loud noise of a plane making a low fly-past just above the mast. I waved thinking it might be sightseers taking a look at us but then it circled and came over again and I read ‘Marine Aircraft’ on its side. Went down to switch the radio on and they called ‘Yellow Sailing Ship….etc’ Their transmission was very clear and their English good. I was able to manage without my hearing aids. They wanted my name and the boat name and asked if I had seen a sailing boat that they were searching for. I didn’t catch the name of the boat, but of course I had seen nothing. They thanked me and flew off. Bit of excitement. I wonder if the boat they were looking for had also been caught in the gale.
11 September
After a frustrating morning of alternating calms and heavy rain showers the wind strengthened a little and we made some progress at last. So wonderful when the weather gives us a break. There was even a bit of sunshine.
Too good to last of course and by sundown the wind had dropped again and was only just able to hold the sail out. I cooked up a tasty brown rice concoction in the pressure cooker and had a proper meal for a change.
The top section of the Navik has started to wobble about and I have had to tie it down with a piece of string to stabilize it. The poor thing really seems ready for retirement.
14 September
Three days of perfect sailing weather took us past Tahiti and Moorea. Only about 5 miles off the craggy coast of Tahiti, it looked quite dramatic. Friendly Tahiti Petrels greeted us and I even spotted some dolphins. A small fishing boat passed close by and waved.
We had a fast run all night and arrived at the pass through the reef at Raiatea at 10:30 in the morning. Fast downwind through and then the magical calm of protected water. Quite beautiful. The anchorage off the marina was very deep and all the boats there on moorings. Picked up a free one reasonably close to the marina but found that it was a private one. Richard, from a nearby boat advised me to stay as the owners might not be back for a while.
Started cleaning things up and drying out. Wonderful view across to Bora Bora only a few miles away.
September 19th, 2018 at 14:02
Bloody hell Shirley, I thought my management meeting today was a grueling ordeal until I read your new blog!! AND cold instant coffee!!!…the sea is indeed a cruel mistress………. Love from Ian and Wellington x
September 22nd, 2018 at 22:17
Well done Shirley , you,re unstoppable.