Mad Fish

Mad Fish
On delivery from Scotland

Wednesday 19 December 2012

Gran Canaria Week 2

We continued to prepare buying more and more provisions and tweaking the boat adding bubble wrap as protection on the shrouds and spreaders to reduce chafe on the main sail. Russ became increasingly concerned about the boat being able to move at all when the time came. The water for 3 weeks for 5 people at 2 litres a day was 210 litres alone. This was stacked by the table and in the bottom of Oliver’s cabin. We added a lee cloth to Oli’s cabin so that it could be divided and half be used as stores of cake and bread mixes. Under the bunks we fitted 21 days of tins and 2 big netting bags were filled with crisps. We took a small amount of fruit which we tried hanging in netting, but found they swung and bashed on the bulkhead regardless. The rock hard pears were reduced to mush in no time at all. Some apples also fell by the way side but we were relatively successful with granny smith apples, bananas and oranges.

As Sunday the 25th drew nearer the weather reports suggested that it would be a beat at the start. So much for the trade winds from behind. Not only would it be a beat but also the swell was due to climb to 5 metres and this would be a punishing start. It was decided that the racing fleet would start as planned and any cruising boat that wanted to could also start, but  a second start would take place on Tuesday the 27th November. All except 6 cruising boats took the option. On Sunday morning as we ate brunch a brass band came down the pontoon playing all manner of songs. It really was a carnival atmosphere and they did this on all the pontoons. They must have been exhausted. We waved off friends in the racing division and out neighbours in the cruising division. We then walked to the start line which was a longer than expected and we just got there in time. The strong winds were getting caught behind the shelter of the island and it was a rather undramatic start as we sat in the hot sunshine all wondering if we should have gone. Some boats even flew kites off the start, so much for a heavy beat.

A few hours later 9 racing boats out of the 30 that started had returned to the marina deciding it was not for them. The conditions were said to be horrible. They were not allowed to leave the boat except for using the facilities ashore ie toilets. Most boats left 24 hours later when the worst of the wind had passed through.

We continued to find jobs to do and I continued to try and shake off a rather nasty cold. I was pretty glad we hadn’t started as I really did not feel on form at all.

Finally Tuesday 27th came and it was time to leave. We didn’t have the band of Sunday or the crowds of people but the hive of activity of boats saying goodbye and wishing everyone luck gave a buzz none the less.

Leaving was made difficult by 200 boats all trying to get through a small marina entrance between 10am 10.45am in order to make the 11am start. This was quite a squeeze and not helped by all of us being heavily laden and not as quick to manoeuvre or respond.

The remaining ARC staff stood on the marina wall and checked us out and waved us off. It was quite emotional.

The wind was blowing quite hard from behind and it was too much for a spinnaker which was a shame. We didn’t get a bad start with only a few boats ahead of us and good clean air. We trundled off at a steady 7 knots with main and genoa. Our 2680 mile journey had just stared….

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