Trade wind sailing - the term conjures up images of yachts bounding along in near perfect sailing conditions, clear blue skies, and totally predictable winds and weather for weeks on end - or at least that was the image we had when we signed up for what was billed as the ultimate long distance trade wind sailing experience - ARC 2011!!
With the pre ARC newsletters that arrived through the letterbox, came a few gentle hints that just occasionally this sailing bliss might be interrupted by the "odd tropical squall" passing through, but that these could almost always be detected in advance on radar and often avoided. Any thoughts about "We don't have radar - should we fit one before doing the ARC?" are dismissed the moment the next letter is opened - the bank statement which tells you in no uncertain terms that fitting radar is an unaffordable luxury
this year! But not to worry - these squalls are only occasional - or at least that was what we we told ourselves.
Up until 48 hours ago the reality of trade wind sailing was pretty much living up to "what it said in the brochure ". However, after the last 2 days we now found ourselves asking the question - was our original image perhaps a little too rose tinted?
Whoever has been writing the script for the weather in this part of the Atlantic has decided it is time for a bit of improvisation - let's skip the bit about "steady winds and occasional squalls" and for a bit of fun
replace it with "steady squalls and occasional stable wind". To increase the fun factor even more they haven't told the weather forecasters this - they continue to promise near perfect conditions - but those of us out here on this particular piece of ocean know differently!
The script for the last 48 hours has gone a bit like this:
T+ 0 - ominous wall of "blackness" seen approaching on horizon behind us. Congratulate oneself on not having wasted money on radar. No electronic assistance needed to see this one coming!!!
T+0 to T+15 - optimistically hope that approaching squall will "miss us this time".
T+ 15 - realise optimism is misplaced and wake off watch crew
T +15 to T+30 - race against time to take down genoa/spinnaker pole, hoist staysail and put reef(s) in main before squall hits (no of reefs determined by "blackness" factor, again no need for radar! )
T+30 to T+45 - enjoy white knuckle adrenalin filled ride in 25-45 knot winds surfing off down wind at speeds of 8-12 knots.
T+45 to T+60- rain arrives. Experience feeling of going though power car wash in open top sports car .
T+60 - emerge from power wash with decks immaculately clean but helmsman predictably soaked.
T+60 to T+120 - winds dies to nothing in wake of squall. Wallow in uncomfortable swell. Debate whether to:
a) wake up off watch crew and shake out all reefs/re hoist genoa?
or
b) take pity on off watch crew and listen to rig shake itself apart as sails flap uncontrollably in swell?
T+120 to T+125 (optional step) - enjoy 5 minutes of textbook "trade wind sailing"
T+125 - Go back to step 1 and repeat complete cycle.
Continue repeating above cycle for at least 48 hours. Every 4th or 5th repeat of the cycle insert the following additional steps :
T+ 125 - one or other of the 2 crew decides it is time to have a sense of humour failure. Curse everyone and everything very loudly (and especially anyone who dares to mention the words "trade winds") and promise oneself never to set foot on yacht again.
T+130 - calm down and remind oneself of old naval saying "if you can't take a joke you shouldn't have joined".
And finally....... after 48 hours...... normal service is resumed, squalls become occasional again and steadier winds return. Forget all previously made promises about never setting foot on yacht again and enjoy the sailing - and remind yourself that whilst all this was happening the "Distance to Go" displayed on the GPS is now less than the "Distance Run".
Less superstitious types might express this more simply as "we've passed the half way point"- but we were brought up in the old school which says yo never write "To" when inserting the planned destination in the yachts logbook - instead the pre printed "To" (inserted by the printers for the benefit of power boaters who are far less superstitious types !) must always be crossed out and replaced by "Towards" - so for now we are heading "towards" St Lucia and will only say that that first rum and coke is a little bit closer than it was a few days ago!