3 miles south of Isla D'Elba (Elba)
speed 6 knots under motor alone
Destination - town of Portoferraio, Elba
Today was a fascinating sail through a squal/lightning storm. We wanted to get an early start today so that Shawn and I could each take conference calls from a "real town" with wifi calling. Or at least that is the current plan. We had wonderful winds for the first few hours and were making great time sailing along at 10 knots. We passed a number of boats, which as a sailor is always nice. I suppose i should have sensed something when the wind disappeared and the humidity started to thicken. Alas, I didn't.
After lunch (Cassoulet with duck confit of course), the wind picked up a little and we were once again sailing. Oddly, it shifted frequently between 60-120 degrees. I am realizing this should have been a tell tale indicator??? Suddenly with a full main and jib, the wind was blowing 20-not a bad thing. We were scooting. Within 30 seconds, it was blowing a steady 25. Now we were really scooting making 15 knots in the wind. Cody (not in the shower or bed) was assigned the main sheet to let it fly should we become radically overpowered.
In a normal situation i would have enjoyed such a spirited sail. We didn't have time to reef (although i should have seen the signs) and we certainly were not prepared for the driving rain or the lightning that was immediately above us (which further prevented me from wanting either Shawn or Cody near our metal mast to reef the main. 10 minutes later it was all gone - winds back to near nothing we secured the jib (easily wound up with a few lines). We also put away the main once the threat of lightning was gone.
I believe now what i read about weather coming up very quickly here on the Med. Honestly, the time between 10 knots of wind and 25 was so fast we didn't even have the chance to think about lighting our sails. The benefit of a boat with in mast furling would have been immediately recognized (you can reef in 2-3 minutes). That said, Shawn and I will be practicing our reefing the next time we raise the main. Secretly, I think the boat loved the wind. The owners manual recommends the first reef at 20 knots - i figure they always write those conservatively... Right?
I just learned that our friends Peter and Elaine, also sailing an Outremer 49, were struck by lightning. The strike fried their electronics however they were safe as was the boat. I know they install special equipment in the boat to disperse the energy-but i hold fast to my belief that everyone should stay as far away from the mast as possible when there is a fear of lightning. I suppose in our situation we did the right thing by being ready to spill all the extra air (energy) if we became radically overpowered rather than put anyone in extra danger by being at the base of the mast or touching it while reefing the boat.
ReplyDelete-steven