38:41.3N 9:25.7W Along the Continental Shelf
Niord's Big Adventure
Tony Gratton
Fri 28 Jul 2023 18:30
|
Wed-Thurs 25-26/07/2023 Povoa to
Cascais
Distance covered: 193.5nm
Finally we leave Povoa! We have been up since 6, and it
is just 8am when we leave. We circle in the marina to get the main up as there
will be swell outside. Once out we motorsail as we are now in the Orca's
playground, and need to make our best speed. We also need good forward
visibility as there are pots everywhere, some marked better than others, and
since the prop shaft tried to escape, we have no rope cutter in service. Outside
the marina the wind makes it's presence felt. We have a scary moment as Tony
notices that the Jesus bolt on the boom is starting to come undone again. It's a
trip to the mast with a spanner to tighten it up.
At first we're bashing into the swell, but then the
Northerly wind takes hold and we're beam on, as we head South West to get
out to the continental shelf, and safety in deep water. The wind starts at F4,
then steadily rises to a 5, then 6, and finally 7. The swell joins in, starting
at 1.5m, then gradually building up to 3m with breaking crests. It feels like
Biscay all over again. It takes us 4 hours of motor sailing before we are ready
to turn South. By this time Karen is feeling ill, but we are now committed to
another 30-hours of this. We're carrying too much sail for this wind, so need to
take in a reef. Karen takes the helm while Tony handles the sail.
Unfortunately, the preventers we have been using go wild as they fly around.
They try to grab us, the chart plotter and the throttle. The third reefing line
does the same as the main comes down to the second reef, as Tony does not have
enough hands to bring it in as well. Niord is pitching wildly into the swell.
Eventually, the reef is in, and after a great deal of effort the third reef is
tidied up. We come onto our new (downwind) course to the South, and things start
to calm down a bit. The only problem is the boom is now too high for the second
reef, so it's a trip to the mast for Tony to lower it. By now we're both
exhausted, so we leave things as they are for a couple of hours while we
recover. Karen is really ill by now. We really need to sail, but at the
speeds we're travelling at we really can't leave the prop turning. We did that
across Biscay and paid the price. We stop the engine and have to come into wind
again to stall the boat so that we can put her into reverse which makes our prop
feather. We're now making over 7 knots with just a double-reefed main. We have
to hand steer, as the autopilot attracts the Orcas, so we dare not use
it.
The Biscay howl is back, with the wind in the rigging
and radar arch, so we know we are in some serious wind again. We're 30 miles
out, on our own. As the sun starts to set the clouds gather until they cover the
entire sky. Everything is threatening. We scan the waves hoping that we're too
deep for the Orcas. We try half the Yankee, and Niord loves it. We're speeding
along at 8+ knots again. We've been sharing the steering despite Karen's
seasickness, but there's no way she can carry on overnight. We prepare the boat
for the night, taking the Yankee back in, and the motion eases a little as we
settle into 6+ knots. Karen does an extended stint on the wheel while Tony grabs
some sleep. A whale surfaces close by the boat. Karen shouts to Tony to come up,
but it has gone by the time he gets there. Luckily it was grey, so not an
Orca.
When it goes dark we swap, and Karen tries to settle
down as best she can. The wind is still up, and it's as black as a bag with zero
horizon. The only good thing is that visibility is good. We see the odd ship. As
we run South, the coast comes out to meet us but we're still deep. The night
wears on. Eventually, the wind starts to ease, so our speed drops below 6 knots,
but what the hell. There's no way Tony is changing anything on a night like this
while effectively single handing. More ships appear, and we gradually cross
their paths, as there is a TSS ahead. Off Peniche there are a couple of islands.
We were hoping to round them to seaward to stay deep, but the ships are coming
quite close to them, so we have to go inshore of them. We run up the Nazare
canyon as we gradually close the shore so it's still over 1km deep. Tony has a
surprise as some ships are also coming across too! He thought we would be free
of them by now. The wind gradually calms right down to F5, end eventually F4. We
slowly pass the islands. Now the entire fishing fleet decides to head out, and
we're doing 4 knots and under, so it's difficult to stay out of their way. We're
still 20 miles out, but daren't run the engine until daybreak as we can't see
ahead, and can't afford to pick up a pot. After an eternity it gradually starts
to get light enough to see. Everything is grey with full cloud cover. The engine
goes on, and we're back up to 6 knots again. We're into shallower water, and
still have 15 miles to go before we can hug the coast again.
The wind finally dies, but we still have the swell from
astern as we continue South. Tony gratefully goes down below to sleep, while
Karen does an extended spell on the wheel despite her seasickness. We still have
50 miles to run. Once Tony has slept we change again, taking turns to steer and
sleep. There is no rest on the wheel, as we're now back into pot city, and we're
constantly on the alert for Orcas. The main makes a racket so it comes down.,
Eventually Cabo Roca comes into sight, so we're almost
there. Karen celebrates by throwing up again. She can't keep anything down, and
is utterly miserable. We enter the bay, and extend our trip further by staying
outside what we think is a fish farm. There are no pens, and another yacht cuts
inside. Damn! The wind which deserted us today suddenly picks up as we arrange
lines and fenders, and the sun has come out. Before we know it the wind has
reached 30+ knots. Great, just what you need when you're both exhausted and
going into a strange marina. Other boats are coming in too, and the bay is
mayhem with wing surfers everywhere. We find a spot on the reception pontoon,
and register. Next, we go to a very tight berth in the howling wind. At least
the marinheiros give us a hand, and it all goes smoothly thank
goodness.
There's no rest as we have to pack up the boat, check
the rigging, and engine. Then finally a hot shower, a very average burger, and
at last to bed 48-hours since we left! |