(Fliss). Departed Funchal 7am bound for Isla Selvagens, 160miles due for arrival late morning the next day.
Reality: we had a good force 4 blowing (maybe more) and we were running at 7.5 knots so it looked like we would be far too early for Isla Salvagens. At around 3pm we decided that we really had to slow Nadezhda down, she really gets her teeth into it and is difficult to tame as we had two reefs in the main and a seriously reefed jib and we were still running at 6+ knots.
(Pete). The forecast in Madeira was of reducing winds down to Force 2. The Grib files showed that the wind was stronger further South at about Force 3. Why don’t we listen to our gut feelings that Grib file predictions should always be upgraded by a couple of wind forces????. Yup, we had a wonderful reach and we would really have loved to get the best out of Nadezhda in perfect conditions. However, you cannot arrive at Isla Salvagens in the dark since “eyeball navigation” is essential. So, we tried to tame the beast and slow down as much as possible.
(Fliss) fantastic sail as we were totally alone and watches were so easy! On my watch around 8pm the sky was this amazing baby blue colour with white cotton ball clouds. It’s really strange being out and sea and not seeing another boat for hours. I really like this feeling as it really is, you, Nadezhda & the elements.
(Pete) We did not see any other boats. As usual, the first night on-passage is difficult since the body is not used to the watch system. It is very difficult to relax and go to sleep at odd times only to get up again in the middle of the night. Needless to say that Fliss (who is a difficult sleeper anyway) did not get many Zzzzzzzz and I only had a few snatched hours. Fliss had not been feeling too well since departure, and was complaining of sore throat and gum-ache. I think that this was grinding her down a bit and the lack of sleep was exacerbating the situation. Still, we only had to endure one night and we would be secured in a nice little anchorage where we could get some sleep and then explore the Island that we had been looking forward to for the past week.
(Fliss) Being a experienced insomniac I really can handle a 24 hours sail with no sleep as I know that we were due to arrive the next day. My ailment was a complete pain as I had a horrible swelling on my tooth on the right hand side of my jaw but I have heavy duty mouthwash which should clear the problem. I still did my watches as it took my mind off the tooth ache and it was a beautiful evening… best bit is that I have mastered the art of reading at night as the head torch has a red chart light (it doesn’t affect your night vision) it certainly passes the time.
(Pete) At 07:30 I spotted the Isla Salvagens on the horizon. There were rain clouds all around yet we didn’t get wet. I was hoping for a sunny entrance since the Pilot Book suggested that calm and sunny conditions were needed to spot the rocks around the small bay where we planned to anchor.
We approached the island with caution since the islands were mapped over 100 years ago and probably do not align to any chart-plotting system in use these days. We checked our distance from the island using the radar, and chart-plotter/radar agreed in terms of distance-off. I was reassured that, with Pilot Book instructions, chart-plotter and radar we would have a straightforward arrival and that the ocean swell that was running would disappear once around the lee of the island.
There are reefs/shoals just East of the small bay where anchoring is possible. We spotted these by the surf that was rolling over them creating a wall of white water that had its head blown-off by the wind. There was a yacht anchored in what we thought to be a ridiculous position until we eventually realised that they were actually where we were destined! We took the reef at a respectful distance and then closed into the anchorage with the Westerly reef at a safe distance. Basically, we were running down a channel between two reefs to a dead-end where the ocean swell was bursting across the steep rocky face of the small bay. The yacht anchored was weaving this way and that as the winds coming down the steep cliffs backed and veered. Additionally, the big swell that was refracted around the island was surging into the bay and the waves reflected from the cliffs was causing it to roll and pitch violently. Looking into our dead-end as we approached, there was surf on each side and bursting turquoise waves turning white spume as the swell unloaded its energy onto the unyielding rock. The Pilot Book told us that there is no room for more that one yacht in the (Bay?) and we would have to anchor further out on a bed of rock. We REALLY wanted to see the islands, we had organised our sleep patterns to simply arrive and get some shut-eye, it was time to stop. However, looking at the boiling cauldron that we were approaching, the answer to anchoring was a definite NO. I asked myself a few times whether it was worth trying and the answer still came back the same. So…….It was now a trip to the North end of Lanzarote.
Isla Salvagens
Beating toward Canaries
(Fliss) It was a real shame as so much effort had been put into seeing the Islands. As we approached the island the surf would have done Hawaii proud! I did managed to see a whale, only its back and only for a few seconds but is was magnificent as it was only 25foot from the boat, sadly Pete missed it as he was plotting our position.
It’s really hard as when you have done a long passage and you near your destination your mind set changes as salvation is close to hand, we were looking forward to stopping and relaxing so when we decided to move on it was a disappointment! Plus my tooth was really starting to play up.
Isla Salvengas I think was absolutely stunning! This little island in the middle of nowhere with steep cliffs and clear blue seas, this I think is a date for another time.
(Pete) Having gone further South rather than the direct route to Lanzarote, meant that we now had to head South-East. With the wind East-North-East, we set the sails close hauled and beat hard into the oncoming swell and waves. As we reached the top of each long ocean swell, the wind was strong, and then as we fell into the hollows behind, the jib would flutter until landing with a jolt that yanked the rigging. We already had two reefs in the mainsail that we had not removed from the previous day so we raised the staysail and reefed the jib to get a more balanced rig. It worked a treat as Nadezhda felt much more comfortable. Trade Winds? I thought that they were supposed to be constant breezes that were predictable? We had enough to run us at 7.5 knots (close hauled) and then we were doing 2,5 knots with no steerage as the waves pushed the nose of the boat off-course. So we unfurled the jib to give some power and then re-furled it to slow us down again. Lots of activity in our tired state. Having read Ellen MacArthur’s travels, I can understand why she had to do 10 sail changes per hour!!! We could not be bothered with un-reefing the mainsail. It would have been up and down more times than a prostitutes knickers! As it was, the jib was in and out more times than ………….
(Fliss) Pete & I were extremely tired and the prospect of 23 hours of close hauled sailing into big waves didn’t give us a “feel good factor” so there you go! Pete cooked pasta with a jar of Smokey bacon sauce which caused my abscess to really play up!!!
Off Pete went to bed and it was my watch. The winds were starting to be fickle, one minute we were doing 7 knots and then next it would drop to 2… every time we went under a black cloud the air would get warmer and the wind would die… So at 2pm when it was my watch again my face felt like I was wearing a mask and my jaw felt like I had done 10 rounds with Mike Tyson and came off really badly! Pete said “enough is enough get the antibiotics and start taking them” he also read the instructions as he knew I wouldn’t!
It was a really pleasant watch with clear skies and a few other boats and as I had disturb the skipper earlier when a “Super tanker” was bearing down on us I decided to leave him till 07:45am.. slightly selfish as I wanted to see the sun-rise that Pete kept bragging about!
(Pete) My night-watch started with a vengeance. First of all, we needed to get some drive to the boat since the wind had suddenly dropped again, then the runner that holds the jib-sheet lost its footing and whanged-back into its counterpart at the back-end of the track (for the third time) and I had to get on-deck in the dark and play with tools etc to sort-out another botch-job to hold it in place. At this time, I was starting to make a list of more things to fix once we completed the passage – only 7 items so far. This was even before I had my first coffee and, consequently I was not the brightest crayon in the pack (sorry Fliss!).
Fliss took over at approx 03:00 and we watched another yacht steaming just behind us on a course that looked as thought it would take him to the South of Lanzarotte. Why he was motoring is a mystery, the way his mast was swinging around confirmed that his steaming light was not lying.
I awoke at 07:45, well beyond my allotted slot – great sleep though! Fliss went to bed and I spotted Lanzarotte in the oncoming dawn. Soon, we had full mainsail out and we were scooting along at 7 knots. As we had kept North of the Rhum-line (always approach land upwind of your destination), we were able to ease-off and had a brilliant sail down to Isla Graciosa.
(Fliss) It all really worked out well as we both felt awake and ready for landfall plus the antibiotics had really kicked in and I was starting to feel human again. I felt it was a shame as the last 48 hours was a superb sail and I only wish that I felt better, a trip to a dentist in Gran Canaria is on the cards.
(Pete) Having unreefed the mainsail, I noticed that the first reefing line had got caught under the shackle that holds the mainsail clew. As we had reefed the day earlier, it had grabbed the shackle key and unwound it. We were now sailing with only half the shackle-pin in place! Note: Must always keep an eye on things on-deck! I added another item to my list of things to do and immediately put some seizing wire on the errant pin. As I have said before, cruising is only “boat maintenance in exotic places” the list at the moment grows……
Windgen…..Same problem as before – it vibrates and therefore the shaft is getting loose again
Starboard jib sheet runner……..needs removing, examining and fixing
Batteries……..seem to discharge too fast on-passage. Sort out what is draining them
Aft Nav-Light…………….Fix firmly in position
Varnishing……………….Always!
Jib Leach Line………..cannot reach on-passage. Tighten it!
Reefing lines…………The 3rd reefing line is in the wrong place, need to sort out before we need it!
Battery charger………….Went-up in white smoke today! Buy a new one.
Laptop………………..Just hanging on. Need to take-out battery, press the “battery-life indicator” and replace quickly before starting-up can be achieved. Dodgy! Need a new one.
Anchorage at Isla Graciosa
Maintenance Time
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