Tropical Cyclone warning? Rally Control say it is “skipper’s discretion” to either wait out the storm at Christmas Island, or head off to Cocos. Meanwhile, we’re rafted up with Katarina, and another night of the two boats bumping each other in this rolly bay is its own form of madness. Go or stay? The rain is relentless. If we wait, will the weather get better anyway? Meanwhile, a nasty sea is building. We decide to go for it. Later we hear that 2 other boats have come out with us, and the next morning, two more will throw their hat in the ring.
Captain Ken turns left – heading as far south as we can whilst the sea is small and the winds calmer. 24 hours later, we turn right and head straight for Cocos. By Day 2, the winds are gusting to 40 knots and the swell is a lazy 4 – 5 metres, with a nasty short cross chop. Wave crests are breaking all around us. We discover we’re better to keep the boat moving at the speed of the waves. More madness?
Two days and 4 hours later, we’ve sailed 540 nm – a better than 10 knot average. Ressie has sailed the whole way under genoa. We’ve drunk a lot of tea. The boat has been flawless, our only complaint a side-swiping mega-wave that spewed the contents of the fridge throughout the galley. Not bad for a crew new to blue water sailing! Not a hint of seasickness or anxiety, they’ve sailed through this epic voyage. We later discover the next boat doesn’t arrive for another 30 hours, battered and bruised. We were lucky!
Janice says it’s like being in a washing machine. I’d add the noise is overwhelming – the slap bang of waves on the hull, the creaking of taut ropes, cupboard contents fighting their restraint. Ressie vibrating with the impact of tonnes of water crashing over her bow, surfing the swell, as the sail drives us forever forward into the distance.
Call this blue water cruising? More like a white water thrashing.
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