Swallows & Amazons for the Over Sixties - Part 12
Sue and Barry arrived on schedule in Port St Louis and we left next morning very early to head across the notorious Gulfe de Lion. Things did not go well to start with. We had some adjustments to make to the headsail when we hoisted it and we discovered that the riggers had attached the gooseneck wrongly. We finally sorted it all out and set off again after a delay of about one and a half hours. I then noticed that the engine was running hot and Michael and Barry took a look at the inlet filter. It was completely blocked with junk from the canals, so they took it apart and cleared it with the aid of my electric toothbrush. (My toothbrush is now consigned to the tool box). After a phone call to the star called Phil, who is a brilliant marine engineer and who has looked after my engine for 20 years, we were confident that we had uncovered the problem and fixed it. One problem, it did not make the slightest difference to the engine temperature. So we considered going back, but then Barry said that he didn’t think the engine felt that hot, so I went into problem solving mode and tried to think of something that I had done differently that morning that I had not done before. It was semi-light when we got going and I had switched the nav lights on and also the engine dashboard light in the cockpit. So I switched off the dashboard light and the temperature needle immediately dropped to the right temperature. Coincidence you might think, but it wasn’t. We tried it again and sure enough the light in the dashboard sent the temperature needle flying up again……. Another problem for Phil when he gets here. So off we went again, but severely delayed. We made the decision to continue across the Gulfe. We arrived in Port Vendres at ‘0 dark hundred hours’ (0300), having motor sailed most of the way. We did do some proper sailing for a few hours. Having berthed in Port Vendres alongside the Quay Maritime where we had been told to go until the next morning, we had a quick glass of wine and went to bed. We were all knackered, even though we had run a watch system. About 10 minutes after we had gone to bed, a huge coaster called Costa Rica berthed ahead of us and then used a train running alongside the dock to unload her cargo. The train line ran right alongside the boat and we could not even hear ourselves snoring! It was hilarious, after all that time out there on the ocean then we couldn’t sleep because of the noise!
Next morning we did a quick trip to a pontoon in the marina to pick up some supplies and water. Visited the Capitanerie and looked at the forecast, then decided to sit out the Mistral for another day. We liked Port Vendres and we had a great fish supper in a very reasonable restaurant just by the quay on the non-tripper side. It blew old boots all that day and that night but appeared to be abating the next morning. We had a think about the wind strength. It was for a Force 6/7 from the north west, but decided to go anyway because we wanted to get to Barcelona as quickly as possible to spend as much time there as we could.
We left Port Vendres in about 15 knots of wind. So we put the whole lot up and headed off down wind. Half an hour later we dropped the main completely, and then about half an hour after that we rolled in most of the genoa. We ended up with hours and hours of over 30 knots of wind and at one point we registered 37 knots. Kea went like a train and just seemed to love the whole thing. She is such a strong boat and we were all reasonably comfortable, so we had a great time surfing down the waves. We managed to hit 10.3 knots on our way down one wave. Sue and I were on watch and we let out a great whoop when we were rushing down the wave! We had decided that we would not go too far in those conditions, but when we tried to turn towards the shore to our next port of call, it all got a bit iffy. The waves were huge so for safety’s sake I decided to stay out at sea and not attempt to get too near the coast where it was much rougher. As a result we travelled a lot further than we had anticipated and made it into Palamos quite late. Palamos was our first Spanish port of call. It was a rip off and we won’t be going there again (75 euros per night). However it was a nice marina and I had my first go at reversing in to the pontoon in extremely windy conditions. My knees were knocking and I was telling Kea what I thought of her when should would not respond to my backwards commands. I eventually managed to do it on my second attempt, with a lot of help from the crew and a couple of guys on the dock. Very nerve racking but I knew I would have to get used to it. We then got caught up in Palamos for a second night because of the Tramontana (another very violent wind from the North West). I was beginning to think that I would never make it to Sant Carles. However, the weather turned and we sent off for Barcelona the next day. Sadly, we were only able to stay one night. After all that planning, it had become clear that we needed to press on in case we got caught out again causing Barry and Sue to miss their flight home on the 10th.
We have had a couple of plants on board for a while. Mint and Basil. The basil was the second one – we already managed to kill one earlier in the trip. The mint did fine, but after we left Port Vendres we noticed that Basil was looking very sorry for himself. About the same time we also noticed that the water tasted very antiseptic. Didn’t make the connection until I phoned John to ask if he knew of problems with the water on the Spanish coast. He thought that they had had some problems near the French/Spanish border. He advised me to try it on a plant first and if it died, don’t drink the water………I told him that Basil was dying – at which point he roared with laughter and suggested we did not drink anymore. So we showered a lot and got rid of it and it is now back to normal. Actually when we checked it out, we were told by a local that it was perfectly all right to drink it. (It just didn’t taste very nice). Anyway, Sue has been tending to Basil and he looks like he is off the critical list. I will hand over the care to Mick and Carol when they arrive. Then when they leave, they can bury him at sea. (Sorry Sue). The mint lives on and appears to be completely indestructible – don’t know what we will do with him.
Much hilarity was caused by Sue, when she was talking on the radio to one of the marinas. She is a qualified radio operator and managed to say ‘over and out’. We all fell about and told her she had been watching too many US police series and she was suitably mortified and embarrassed by the incident. Of course, we will never let her forget it.
We finally made it to Sant Carles on schedule and we had a great celebration on our arrival. So it’s all done and dusted and Michael and I are flying home on Saturday afternoon to be met by my friend Nigel from Hythe Marina. He has been instructed to get the curry in (one of the things I have most missed), so we are looking forward to that.
Barry, Sue, Michael and I had a very exciting trip from Port St Louis to Sant Carles, via Port Vendres, Palamos, Barcelona and Tarragona before arriving in Sant Carles early evening on the 8th. And guess who was there to take my lines (or try to). None other than my little brother! He had heard me on the radio trying to talk Spanish, intervened and told me how to get to my marina berth, then legged it round with the dockmaster to help us dock. My crew had been threatened with a fate worse than death if they handed another line to anyone on the dock, trusting that they would do the right thing with the line. So far on this trip, every time we hand a line to some well meaning, helpful person on the dock or quay, they foul it up and we end up in potentially dodgy situations causing not only damage to my beloved Kea, but also any other boat in the vicinity! Anyway, my crew did not hand the lines to Dick, but I think they would have been safe in his hands anyway. He sensibly let them get on with it, but here’s the thing – what would I have said to him if he had messed it all up!!! Tee Hee – you will never know. (Sorry Dick)
Sue and Barry left this morning and Michael and I continued to try to clean up the boat as best we can. I had the boat lifted and cleaned off yesterday to try to get rid of the grime. We were all astonished at how little damage had been done below the water line and she was clean as a whistle. Maybe a bit of antifouling missing from the keel and the rudder. Dick filled a gel coat ‘ding’ for me and she will now wait for me to earn some money to pay for the winter work that will need to be done on her.
We are nearly ready to come home, but are looking forward to Mick and Carol arriving late tonight. They are checking into the local hotel but I hope we will see them tomorrow for a couple of drinks, and I think they will be staying on board Kea once we have departed.
Sant Carles is a lovely spot, the marina is great, the MDL staff are very willing and able to help and there are some great facilities. Excellent showers and a large infinity swimming pool over the marina. I have had time for a couple of swims, but intend to have a couple of hours round the pool tomorrow.
My adventure is over. It’s been a great experience and I thank all of you who made it possible, both at home and those who helped on the boat. So I will just sign out and catch up with you all at some point in the UK.
Love to you all
V x