One Man, One Boat, 4000 Miles!!!

Tropic 4 Cancer Trans Atlantic challenge is an expedition to sail single-handed 4000 miles across the Atlantic, from the western seaboard of Africa to Antigua. The route follows a defined course along the Tropic of Cancer, which is a circle of latitude running around the Earth at approximately 23 degrees north, and which marks the most northerly position at which the sun may appear directly overhead. Find Out More

Day 7 – ‘La Gomera’

Posted on November 1st, 2013

san sebI’m sat quietly at our mooring in La Gomera. It’s a rather remote, but very beautiful place, and it’s lovely to be back here.

The last week, and last night in particular, have been hard work. This was never supposed to be a luxury cruise, but a break from the weather would have been nice! For some stupid reason, in yesterday’s report I’d noted that things were calming down a bit. Oh foolish boy! That is pretty much laying down the challenge of ‘is that the best you can do’!!! And guess what, it can always do better!!!

 

Perhaps the weather forecast says it better than I can (Thank you to my father in law Pat O’Keeffe for all his weather reporting):

“Winds NE Force 5 or 6, locally 6 or 7. Gusts.
Sea moderate or rough
Please be aware that wind gusts can be a further 40% stronger than the averages given here, and maximum waves may be up to twice the significant height”

Well, it gives me no great pleasure to say that the forecast was accurate!!!

Sailing is like flying, in that once you are out in the medium of air or sea things are generally ok, and so long as you have a bit of space, you can generally sort things out. It is only the coming into contact with land that can lead to problems!!! Having been bashed about at sea for 6 days, the arrival in the Canaries saw by far and away the roughest sea states and strong winds. There is always a natural tendency to exaggerate conditions, but all I can say is that it felt like F6-7 plus 40%!!!!

Having negotiated the pressure washer environment of the channel between Tenerife and La Gomera, I arrived at the entrance to San Sebastián harbour to find the wind funnel out against me at a billion miles an hour. After several attempts to sail in (during which watchers on the shore kept up a splendid running commentary of Liz by phone – ‘he’s going back sea…..no he’s coming back in again…..looks like he’s heading for the beach……back to sea again….back in again…….etc etc’, I finally made a rather inelegant landing on the end of the sea wall (think duck landing on an icy pond) – which was terra firma, but too firma for Haskapa and not really firma enough for me. A tow from a RIB got me the last few hundred metres into the marina, at which point we were able to finally rest.

Poor Haskapa is rather bruised after the last week and the bumpy arrival. I’m slowly going through the boat finding things that need repairing. Frustratingly, the temporary fix for the issue with the kicker has ended up with a fitting being ripped out of the deck, and there are other fittings that have been pulled partial out. This need proper repairs and reinforcing. I also broke part of the bowsprit during the sea wall landing – and possibly made the pointy bit at the front a bit less pointy, but that needs a closer inspection!!!!

I might have a beer or two tonight!!