In 24 hours we got it all. The most spectacular sailing you can imagine and a
total wipe out with shredded sails, broken bits and pieces and a boat in a
complete mess as a consequence. Fortunately the crew is safe and didn't suffer
any major injuries. It seems like we also were lucky with both the boat and the
rig, and Stacey, our on board sail maker, is confident that she can repair the
sail damage. We are now up and running again. The girls are back on their
watches but everyone is exhausted from last night's events.
So what happened? Let's start with the good part. We had one of the most
spectacular days of sailing you can imagine. It was wet, brutal and cold but who
cares when you are surfing down the swell in 20 to 25 knots. The girls were
dancing on deck with big smiles - that says it all. This is how Dee Caffari
describes the feeling behind the helm:
"As the driver you stand out from the crowd. In fact on the steering platform
that is angled to keep you standing almost upright while the boat is heeled you
are more exposed than anyone else on the boat. As a result you often feel the
full force of the wave hit you square in the face and the chest either with a
potential for whiplash or feeling winded. You feel the acceleration of the boat
beneath your feet and the control is in your hands at the wheel. Your aim is to
try never to go slowly. You want to ride the waves and use the surf while
remaining in control. In the drivers position you are in the best place to see
the full overall picture and are responsible for the rest of the crew on deck.
You are constantly analysing numbers from the instruments onboard and you are
assessing them all the time. It is physically and mentally tiring especially
when the conditions are in strong winds and big waves."
The wind decreased in the evening and I was as usual below deck cooking
dinner around 04:30. I was a little bit late since I had so much great footage
from the day to go through. We were sailing when suddenly we had a few smaller
wipe outs. You could hear that the tension on deck. The girls were struggling up
there. The call; all hands on deck came, and before the rest of the crew managed
to put their gear on and get out to give a helping hand, the squall hit us and
pressed us down on starboard side. Everything happened very quickly. It took a
few minutes before the crew could sort out the situation and get the boat on the
right heel again. It´s been a long night inspecting the damage, organizing the
boat, and make a recovery plan. Stacey has already started to work with the
sail. There is a lot to be done until we are completely back on track again, at
the same time the boat is supposed to be sailed. It´s crucial now that everybody
manages to recover strength, get some rest and as always eat and drink. It´s
cold out here. It does not rain anymore, we get hail. Liz even found the energy
to make a snowball and throw it at Sam. Once again I had to press the crush
button! (www.teamsca.com)
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