Trying to find a weather window to cross the Bay of Biscay has been all consuming. I just can’t seem to relax and enjoy daily life as I’m constantly thinking about it and worrying about how I will cope – I just need to go.
After what seems like a long wait, we decide to cross to France and wait there for a chance to cross to Spain. Although I’m feeling nervous about the crossing, I also really want to do it, to see if I like offshore sailing.
HIGH HOPES
Finally, we are off, setting sail on a summer afternoon. I envisage a lovely downwind sail on the 125-mile trip, with perhaps a couple of dolphins. My hopes soar. This is my first overnight sail and I am nervous about standing my watches but excited to ‘get it done’.
However, the wind soon drops off, not even filling the sails. And thus the rolling begins – side to side through 20° either side of vertical, constantly, all night.
After hours of mind-churning rolling, and, before one of us decides we can take no more and will jump overboard, we decide to sail, altering our course by 20° to put us on a beam reach. After around five hours of reasonable sailing, the wind drops further and we are forced to furl the sails again and continue rolling to France.
This story is from the Summer 2023 edition of Yachting Monthly UK.
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This story is from the Summer 2023 edition of Yachting Monthly UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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