In the Gale

We are in the gale. We have 35-40 knots of wind now and it looks as though this will last for another 18 hours. Then we get to the center of the storm, and then the same, about 24 hours of storm from the south. Depressions rotate clockwise here in the Southern Hemisphere, thus the two directions on opposite sides of the storm.

We have 3 reefs in the mainsail and the storm jib up. We are trying to be very conservative to save the staysail that was laboring in the beginning of the storm with a higher wind angle. As the wind has shifted from North to North Northwest, we have continued to go east, and so the angle to the wind has gotten bigger, which helps.

The waves are about 12-15 feet, and now starting to get angry. One wave just hit the boat and pushed it to starboard about 3-4 feet, almost hammering my face with the port side of the chart table. I have my helmet here and may use it at the chart table.

Very sorry to hear about Enda O’Coineen dismasting in this storm. He has fought a great fight around the world, especially with making seemingly continual repairs, and then coming back and going very fast.

Wish us luck.

Position
47° 30’S x 173° 40’W
Course
085° True
Speed
14.3 knots
Log
16, 202nm
Sails (click for sail diagram)
Mainsail (3 reefs), Storm Jib
True Wind Speed
26 knots
True Wind Direction
359°