2nd June 2005 - Plymouth to Bayona - Day 5
Posted at 6:26 AM, Thursday, June 2, 2005
Swagman Log –
It was getting cold.
The breeze had continued to ease and our earlier excitement and the alcohol was beginning to wear off.
We all felt tired and sleepy – but were all on deck.
Suddenly we were all wide awake as an electronic alarm went off loudly down below. I dived down to find out what it was. Pressing my ear to each device I wildly tried to find out what was going wrong.
The radio? No.
The
The Navtex? No?
Then it stopped. So back on deck – nothing seemed wrong – so we shrugged and slowly slid back into a comatose state. But not for long.
Fifteen minutes later yet another differing alarm tone went off and three of us dived down to find out what was causing this one. Again – no luck – and after 15 seconds it too stopped. We all looked at each other and got back on deck.
We discussed if Hanses' have a ‘Keel about to fall off’ alarm we knew nothing about.....so out came the manuals and we were about to start checking under floorboards when a third - yes different alarm - went off loudly.
This one I identified.
It was my mobile phone.
And yes, the other two were the phones of others as they picked up Spanish networks to receipt the regualr ‘welcome to
Assholes us and them.
We ended up making 3 knots as we drew level with the islands off Bayona at 0100. By the time we had cleared the cardinal marks 5 miles out, the breeze was down to 2 knots and we were making 1.4 knots of boat speed.
Like the idiots we were (OK crew – the idiot I am), we persevered in trying to sail to the finish line, spending a further 3 hours to cover the 5 miles towards the line. When we got to ˝ mile out - the wind dropped completely.
A short period of what may best describe as ‘discussion’ arose. The guys in the crew wanted to continue under sail or see if we could extend the dinghy oars and see if we could row her over the finish. The ladies wished to get in and share another bottle.
Like any family discussion, only the bosses could win such an argument.
They did.
We dropped the sails and chugged the 500 metres to the line at 0417. Cut the engine to drift over the line – and then motored onward around the mole and into the welcome arms of the Monte Real Yacht Club Marina.
Total time for the 560 mile
One long big bottle of red shared with rally control before the sun came up – and we collapsed into our bunks for a well earned sleep.
Nice sail – lovely crew. I’ll need to thank them all many times for such a great time……………..