Of course soon after we got off the pontoon the wind eased further so that after cleaing the harbour entrance we motored sailed roughly south and parallel to the coast in order to clear the lee of the Lizard and hopefully pick up some fresher wind. How ironic, we had spent all day hoping the wind would ease, nearly mangled Bonny and two other boats because there was too much of it and now there wasn't enough to keep us sailing!
Finally, at around 0330 on the morning of the 25th the breeze filled in from the NW and we were able to turn the engine off. We had still not managed to get our satphone weather system to work and so would be reliant on a 5 day graphical forecast we downloaded just before we lost contact with the internet and any Navtex forecasts we may be able to get and possibly weather fax images via the Raspberry Pi (little computer) based navigation system I put together last year. So far though I had not been able to get reliably clear images and in any case the scale is not really detailed enough to support decision making in relatively small areas like the Bay of Biscay.
The forecast we had, indicated that our preferred destination (owing to its westerly location and closeness to, the longed for northerly Portuguese Trades) was probably out of reach without days of tacking and that a port further East was therefore more likely. Indeed we were half expecting to have to settle for somewhere on the French Brittany coast. In these post Brexit days landfall is more complicated because one can only check in at a designated 'port of entry' the number of which probably reduces the availability of viable ports by some 75%. Fortunately, there were three candidates within our anticipated landing zone to the East of A Coruna on the north Spanish coast; Gijon, Santander and Bilboa.
About 120 miles seperates the three ports, of the three Gijon, being the furthest west is our preferred one.
We held what initially was a fair breeze from the NW for most of the day and made steady if slow progress SW. This encouraged me to conclude that a landfall on the Spanish coast was viable and I decided we would make as much westing as possible whilst keeping up a reasonable speed. However around 1500 that day the wind backed further west forcing us towards the north westerly corner of the Traffic Seperation Scheme off the Ushant peninsula. We now needed to get south as quickly as possible to escape strong SW winds forecast for the Ushant latitude and to find more friendly westerlies further south.
To that end the engine was pressed into service once again and stayed as we motor sailed in light winds, parallel and close to the western extremity of the TSS. Just as I started to think we had missed our chance to find the westerlies, they found us and at 0130 on the 26th we made sail and close hauled were able to lay A Coruna. We continued on close hauled on roughly the same heading in fresh winds for the rest of Wednesday averaging around 5 knots and making good progress. I even dared to think that we might make A Coruna afterall!
Up to now neither of us had eaten much. I had made bacon sandwiches on Tuesday and Wednesday but that had been the limit of our culinary achievements! I had also got down a bowl of muesli on each day but Mick had otherwise eaten very little since Monday night.
Time to cook therefore! So on Wednesday afternoon I rigged my new piece of galley equipment - a four foot length of '2x2' along the length of the galley. We were on the starboard tack and leaning significantly over to port and it provided a very useful barrier to lean against whilst preparing and cooking the food. Dinner was a chicken chilly stew with boilded potatoes and broccoli.
After dinner and before Mick stood his watch between 2000 and 0200, I put a reef in the mainsail. Bonny was already quite hard pressed and our forecast indicated stronger winds over night. That was indeed what happened and by the time I came on watch at 0200 on Thursday 27th July, it was evident that a further reduction in sail was required. I decided to take in a few rolls of the genoa. At that point I noticed that the sail had started to pull out of the bottom of the groove of the furling foil and was in danger of getting into a right old mess. Getting some rolls in it was the way to temporarily address that issue too. By now the combination of increasing wind strength (around 20 knots) and a lumpy sea both greating us from the starboard bow made the motion of the boat was a little tiresome.
When I came on Watch at 0200, Mick reported that the wind, as forecast, had backed further South and as a consequence we were now unable to lay A Coruna. The question now was would we mske Gijon or would the wind push us even further to the East, msking Santander or even Bilboa our eventual arrival port.
Overnight I had to avoid a couple of fishing boats and right in the middle of that the chart plotter alarm started beeping loudly. I couldn't figure out why quickly and therfore so as not to disturb Mick or distract me I turned it off. I got past the fishing boats without too much difficulty but in the middle of doing so Mick emerged to say there had been a big bang by the port side chainplates (the fastenings which attach the wire shrouds holding the mast in placea and the hull of the boat. Happily the port shrouds, being to leeward, were not taking any strain and so I was not unduly concerned. As soon as the fishing boats were behind us I directed my head torch on the side deck and had a look. I could see nothing amiss and could on summarise that the spinnaker pole had jumped despite its lashings and banged against the chainplate. Mick wasn't convinced though. So far it's a mystery. Later we were pestered by a tanker who overtook us too close and insisted on questioning our intentions and telling us not to cross his bow. "We are getting very close, do not cross my bow". Given we were the 'stand on' vessel, this was pretty rich and I should have given him a piece of my mind, but with a few thousand tons bearing down on us, all I could muster was a meak, "please pass us to starboard". He did then have the good grace to say he was altering course to port.
I went off watch at around 0900 but before doing so, given the wind had increased further and Mick observed the port side hull windows were under water, I took another reef in the mainsail. Still close hauled and double reefed, we were making 5-6 knots which is pretty good for the old girl. Also, encouragingly, we were still able to lay Gijon.
At some point during the day, when I noticed a line trailing behind us because the throw line bag had rotted through and a wave had washed thevline over the side, Mick joked that the only thing on the boat immune to the effects of sailing hard to windward was me! That observation was to prove rather precient a few hours later.
The day which had dawned brightly soon turned grey and stayed that way with the winds contiuing to blow strongly from the SW.
The wind continued to strengthen and we got an update on the weather from one of our pals, Roger, via the YB tracker. This indicated the wind would increase to 29 knots - Force 7 - before diminishing later and so I put a third reef in the mainsail. We still made 5-6 knots close hauled.
On going off watch at 0900, I slept and dozed until about 1300 and then relieved Mick again. Around 1500 I was below making a hot drink and looking back out of the companionway, noticed the wind vane was hard over and staying there and the boat's behaviour had changed. Fearing the worst, I clamboured out into the cockpit and looked over the stern. Sure enough we were towing the Hydrovane rudder behind us. The newly reinforced weld had failed I thought. At least this time I had attached a safety line (two in fact) and was able to haul it aboard once I had engaged the auto helm. I had a quick look at the damage
and whilst the weld around the top of the shaft seemed intact, a jagged piece of metal was protruding from the other side. A bit puzzled I put it to one side and finished sorting out the boat. My initial feelings of dispair and frustration soon softened to more philosophical resignaion. Just one of many 'events' that are thrown into the lot of long distance cruisers on old boats to make life interesting! Somehow we would overcome this issue as we have the numerous others. Affecting a reliable repair in a foreign country would surely be an interesting experience! When he came on Watch later, Mick inspected the damage to the shaft and concluded that the weld itself had held firm, but that part of the metal plate making up the hinge to which the shaft was welded, had sheered, leaving the jagged protrusion noted earlier! If so, affecting a good repair may be even more difficult. I suspect that the best solution would be to completey replace the upper shaft in the tube attached to the stern of the boat, to which the upper part of the hinge is attached, and replace it with a new shaft that inserts directly into the rudder. That after all is the original design. That poses numerous challenges however - quite apart from removing numerous corroded fastenings of one sort and another to get the old shaft out, bearings and a new shaft will need to be found or manufactured and installed. Not a simple, cheap or quick operation. The alternative would be to replace the whole system with a new one. Most probably not a Hydrovane because they are hellishly expensive even second hand. Hopefully we can find a decent second hand alternative somewhere but even that or a full repair is likely to cost a few thousand pounds.
Oh I do wish I had never sold my Ares that I tried on Arctic Smoke but removed because it was too heavy - it would have been perfect for Bonny. I tried to buy it back recently but the new owner was adamant that he would use it. We passef his boat leaving the Medway and there was no sign of it!
We really need to get round Cape Finestere before the summer progresses much further because the likelihood of bad weather in this area increases, not to mention my date with Sharon on Grand Canaria for our wedding anniversary on 12th September and so whether we repair or replace, the other issue is where will we do it?
Orcas, who needs them? 🤣
In the meantime we rely on the autohelm. It is a robust ram type, so I am not too concerned, but it can't keep us at a set angle to the wind which means we have to be more alert to changes in wind direction when making ground to windward.
On the bright side progress towards Gijon is good.
It's just gone 0600 BST on the 28th and we have just 33 miles to go to the outer approaches of the harbour.
Just after writing that I had to take evasive action to avoid a couple of fishing boats that appeared to be working together but in fact were not. It also started pissing with rain!
The wind died considerably during the manouvre and so once completed, I shook out all three reefs in the mainsail. Back down below I saw on the AIS that there was a considerable fishing fleet ahead and to starboard.
They were all moving off to the west however and so I hope they continue to do so!
At 0745, we have 25 miles to go and are making a very gentle 5 knots towards Gijon. The approaching coast line is dramatic, mountains shrouded in clouds and rain. Well it is the Costa Verde!
As we approach closer the clouds thicken and descend to obsure the coast. The wind goes through increases and decreases but generally always from the WSW. Rain comes and goes too - sometimes heavy at other times light.
The morning is nothing if not changeable. It's 9.45 and I'am now sitting in the cockpit in the sun. The wind having died, we're motoring the last 15 miles or so.
across the late night air display over the bay to the west of the old town.....
