Mary Doll - Day 16 - A Little Hiccup

Everyone onboard is safe and well. Repeat, everyone onboard is safe and well!

The same cannot be said however for Mary Doll. this morning she is looking a bit like Cinderella running from the Ball. (Or in her case - squall).

At 0115, we were hit by a squall and despite our best efforts, we weren’t able to get the headsail in before it ripped. It was a hectic time getting the sails under control and stabilising the boat but the crew teamwork was fantastic. Adrenaline is an amazing drug!!

An arguably even bigger problem we had was that the pole (used to keep the headsail rigidly out) had been ripped from the mast and was swinging dangerously. Given that it is 15ft x 0.5ft metal pole, it was a very real risk of causing further damage (breaking windows, rigging etc) as it swayed.

The stormy weather was still with us but Derek and Bobby went out to secure it. They focussed on the job and returned some 30 minutes later, job done. Thrilling to watch in a film perhaps, but very tense to watch in real life.

Unfortunately we get most of our sail power from the headsail, so our progress to St Lucia will inevitably be slower than we had hoped. `Just as we were getting into our stride.

However the most important thing is that everyone is safe. Mary Doll can have repairs in the Caribbean. Then she SHALL go to the Ball


Caroline