Mur d'eau

I stopped rather early today because the wind and the sea were stronger than advertised.

At 8am, I pulled up the anchor and got under way without even starting the engine. The wind was strong but not so much, it grew up however and from 9 to 11:00 I could sail at a good pace and make good progress. After that, the sea and the wind picked up to the point where I chose to take a reef. The pace was unimpaired by the reduction of the sail surface (well after the back and forth between the mast and the cockpit to take in the reef). At 12:30, the wind gusts were even stronger, and I took in a second reef, again, with the increased wind I barely lost any speed. All the while, there was the occasional rain to keep me company, but the spray projected by the waves on Elvira's hull had already socked my sail clothes.

Around 3pm I thought I should get closer to the coast and start working my way to one of the guest harbours. But as I switched from the larboard tack to the starboard one, my angle to the sea changed. I was almost entirely sideways to the waves and since they were reaching 1.5-2m at times, Elvira was heeling a lot whenever she was climbing to the top of the waves, as the wind stroke the full surface of the sails. A few of the stronger gusts of wind were devilishly timed with the top of the roll, and I thought it more prudent to reduce sail again. There however I made a mistake, I thought the geona would be easier to take in and to roll out again if the wind reduced a bit. Once I had laboriously done so, I realised that my double reefed mainsail didn't allow me to get enough speed to have stirring in that sea… Since I had already been sailing for 6h 30 min, I thought it was best to take in the rest of the mainsail, put the engine and use the motor to reach my destination: Ratan.

Now, I've cleaned up my sails and lines, and I'll play a bit of music before a deserved shower, early dinner and early night!