The night before - by Elsie

The night before….

Well, here we are the evening before the ‘big’ one. Everything on the list is ticked off, well almost, the water has still be to topped up and we need to visit the bank to get some dollars.

The stores have been a problem. Capo Verde is definitely African, very little European food. It’s a cheap place to eat as long as your diet is the same as the locals – fish and rice. The rice comes in huge 25kg bags. No tasty cheese, the local goat’s cheese is tasteless and bland, no Parma ham, only very fatty bacon ham, no chicken breasts, only salty fish. Thank goodness we did a huge provisioning in Santa Cruz. The tins of curry chicken and the Fray Bentos pies don’t seem so stupid now. Even the chopped ham in tins will be a God send. Vegetables and fruit are very expensive compared to Spain but the good news is fish is plentiful and cheap. So, the fridge is full even though it’s not our usual fare.

I checked and rechecked the weather – it’s as it should be, northeast to east force 5 to 6. The swell is forecast between 2 to 3 metres, not good. There are about six weather models we use and all have different variants but high winds prevail. The Christmas winds have come early. According to Predict Wind we will zoom across to Barbados in 13 days. I have persuaded the skipper to head south so we will miss some of the highish winds. The passage should take between 15 and 18 days, I’m a wimp. I know 25 knots of wind is not high when it is behind the beam and we will have three reefs in most of the time but I am still having misgivings.

Nervous, scared, terrified are all descriptive words to describe my feelings tonight. I knew once we left Tennerife there was no turning back, onwards and across we go, but now I am facing 2000+ nm at sea I am now having second thoughts or even third or fourth ones. To turn back is not an option, it would mean beating into force 4 winds which is not comfortable to say the least. This journey could take take up to three weeks. I don’t think it will with the winds forecast but that’s what we have provisioned for. Three weeks at sea, with the nearest piece of land five miles straight down. We know Ruby is ready. We have talked through all the ‘what if’ scenarios so all the emergency procedures are in place and we have back up plans for our back up plans. Steve is primed and ready to receive our 12 hourly position and state text via the satellite phone and the life jackets, emergency beacons and life lines are all primed and ready. Even the grab bag and survival suits have been moved to a more prominent home. We are taking nothing for granted and safety is priority so why am I so terrified?

It’s the biggest adventure I’ve ever contemplated doing and now we are on the eve of it starting reality has hit me. The skills I have learnt over the last five years could save not just my life but Lionel’s as well. Watch the sails, watch the compass, listen to the noises around you. Think about what you are doing and do it correct first time everytime. There will be no wind steering, Hattie is still not working so we will be relying entirely on George or autopilot.

If I make the wrong decision in a moment of panic it could spell disaster for us and Ruby. That’s the key, I must not panic. I must be level headed and work out the best action to take at a moments notice. Reef. Reef. Reef. Watch the radar for squalls and reef. Watch the sky. Watch the sea. Anything which indicates we are going to be hit by high winds, reef. It is very difficult to see the signs at night. When we start tomorrow we will have a full moon which is good but in two weeks time there will be no moon so I have negotiated with the skipper and it will be three reefs in the main sail for my six hour night watch, easiest thing to do.

Now I can see the advantages of sailing in company and rallies. You can’t let the side down, bravado rules, show no weakness. Even talking to random cruisers I show no hesitation. Yea, the wind will be force 6, won’t that be fantastic sailing? Inside I’m a quivering wreck but to look at me you see a confident upbeat sailor who can’t wait to get out there and sail.

One way or another we are all actors.