29th May 2005 - Plymouth to Bayona - Day 1

Posted at 6:15 AM, Sunday, May 29, 2005

Swagman Log – Sunday 29^th May 2005

Typical isn’t it. 

We sit out three days pre start at Plymouth with fair SW’ly breezes, and this morning we awoke to a totally windless morning for the start of our rally to Portugal.

Like the rest of the fleet we were up early to complete our last minute chores.  We found a need to buy spare 12v globes from the early opened chandlery - rigged up the sheets and braces just in case we could fly a spinnaker on the line - filed our departure declaration with rally control – and began to feel the excitement levels rise as we cast off and headed round the corner towards the starting area off the Royal Plymouth Corinthian Yacht Club with race music on deck speakers.

Our pre-race choice was Pink Floyd and ‘Dogs of War’.

We hoisted the mainsail, switched off the engine, and gently circled almost on the start line before a very light easterly whiff of breeze.

As our course over the start line was to send us off to the south west – that whiff of air was good enough for me to call for the spinnaker to be hauled in it’s snuffer from the anchor locker - and we rigged it ready to hoist as the last few minutes were counted down.

As the start team completed the starting sequence and the horn sounded to declare we were off - we heaved up the spinnaker and pulled on the snuffer, expecting it to fill with maybe not a crack - but at least a gentle rustle. 

Sadly it did neither. 

With zero breeze it draped like limp washing in front of us and the whole fleet just sat there, drifting oh-so-slowly over the start line.

Rally control had already granted us all a dispensation on when we could start engines (normally not until 15 minutes after a start), but this did not come into effect until five minutes after the spectators could have a good sight of us all sitting wallowing on the line.  So exactly on time, each and every other yacht fired up engines, pulled down headsails, and one by one chugged past us heading SW.  We stupidly persevered. 

Idiots really. 

Ever hopeful the breeze would fill and allow us to sail away, we sat there just off the spectator filled mole that marked the other end of the start line.

In those circumstances, with the spectators now all looking at the only boat (us) - and presumably wondering what we were doing – the 15 minute period before we also succumbed to the motor felt like a very long time. 

I am sure I heard one kid asking ‘Dad, why’s that boat starting so long after the others’ as we chugged off following the fleet out across Plymouth Sound to exit the bay.

As we caught up with the other yachts their differing route began to be revealed. 

The biggest yacht, the 55’ Discovery Magic in company with one or two others, took off heading more SSW – aiming directly for Ushant 100 miles away to presumably shave the French coast and head onward across Biscay.  Perhaps one third of the fleet, ourselves included, headed on a line aiming to clear the traffic separation zone at Ushant – so we almost SW. 

The majority headed more W, almost coast hopping.  The one thing we all had in common was a desire to find some wind!  With a total distance of 560 miles to cover – a tank that holds 240 litres – and consumption between 2 / 3 litres per mile – it was clear we could not motor the whole way.

So the moment we felt the stirring of a light SW’ly breeze we dumped the engine and began to sail.  It was slow progress – and not quite on the course we wished.  But at least we were heading south.

We did meet another going the opposite way.  A pigeon – clearly ringed but obviously tired – circled us to land along the boom.  He or she sat there for 30 minutes gaining some puff – and eventually took off heading straight north for the UK coast.  We all felt certain he / she would make it.

Late afternoon and we still sailing, and were passed by some of the other yachts who sensibly chose to motor for longer that us.  The pretty Vancouver 38 ‘Wildbird’ came so close we were able to take reasonable pictures of them.

As night fell, so did that light breeze.  We ended up alternating twix motor and sail whenever we could, making at best 3 or 4 knots of boat speed, and then faced our own first routing decision.  As we had sagged off to the south, did we now go inside, or outside, or through, the traffic control zone off Ushant?

As inside gave us a straighter line and therefore less distance to travel that was the course we chose.  The half moon came up over the eastern horizon like huge red ball – the smooth wake we laid was full of phosphoresence (?) glowing behind us – and our day ended at midnight with us closing Ushant - at 49.16 N, 05.17 W having made 77 miles since the 0900 start. 

Sad cases really with an average of just over 5 knots for that first day, but we were at least sailing and heading in the right general direction.