RAOC Gazette - page 155
Image details
| Corps | RAOC |
|---|---|
| Material type | Journals |
| Book page | |
| Chapter head | |
| Chapter key | |
| Chapter number | |
| Full title | RAOC Gazette |
| Page number | |
| Publication date | 1983 |
| Real page | |
| Colour | Yes |
| Grey | No |
| Early date | 1983 |
| Late date | 1983 |
| Transcription |
Bosun Byles (or the Tailor of Gloucester) sewing a fine scam. why mariners don't cat Weetabix. Healthy force three to four wind on our starboard quarter with readier and full mains' 1 set. Clinically observe Starboard Watch as they slowly, reluctantly and wearily stagger around trying to don their oilies and wake up. Skipper, too, oozes into existence and slowly rises through the hatchway to check that we are still some- where at sea and not approaching Birmingham. With clear blue sky, cruise along at one knot with twin jibs only set. Dream sailing. Bucket over the side and full ' naked body wash *—just like the magazines. (Which magazines? they all cry!) Many compromising photographs taken but at least all is now clean and aired, most appropriate as today is my wedding anniversary! Opened my large plastic bottle of ' vin de park bench' for celebratory drink all round. Wind piped up to twelve knots with ' Soldier' doing eight knots—most efficient sailing. FRIDAY 29TH APRIL—DAY 5 GRAVEYARD WATCH. Exciting sailing through a crystal clear night. Exhilarating and satisfying. It was noticed that a great deal of water had accumulated in the forepeak and was not emptying through the drain holes into the bilge. In order to delay the sinking of our ship a fraction, Eddie, our ' Mr Sparks,' and I systematically bailed it out into the heads with a saucepan—had to smile as we bailed, hundreds of miles out, lug- ging full saucepans of water about. Gave up in the end and passed this minor administrative problem over to the Purser, who fixed it by getting his hands wet. Should think so too. Wind now south to south east force five. Took over as Mother again at 2000 hours. Time does fly when you're having fun! SATURDAY 30TH APRIL—DAY 6 NO Weetabix for this breakfast either. Gas consumption calculated to be excessive at the average rate of two bottles per day so hot drinks to be cut down now that we are further South and the temperature is higher. After lunch, sat on fore- deck to repair reacher and whip some lines. Felt somewhat like the Tailor of Gloucester, sewing a fine seam. Working there was a sheer delight—clear blue skies, cruising at six knots through sparkling, crystal sea with dolphins gambolling around the bows. Full set of sails with wind on starboard quarter— ocean cruising at its best, but it can't last long! SUNDAY 1ST MAY—DAY 7 GRAVEYARD watch again. Not too unpleasant. Changed from one hundred and twenty degrees to more Northerly course of 065 degrees True, which put us on port tack for the first time for four days. Now really heading for home. Clive, our Engineer, popped his head out of the hatchway and automatically threw his orange peel to port, so used were we to being on starboard tack. The peel boomeranged fair and square in his face. Oh, the perils of this trans-ocean adventure! MONDAY 2ND MAY—DAY 8 WIND rising again astern and a fair sea building up. Cream- ing along at eight to nine knots with twin jibs and a full mains' 1 set. Exciting sailing indeed. Sudden cry of " Echo sounder on! Whales on port bow!". Mad scramble to put the sounder on and prepare to start the engine. (Note: Echo sounder is switched on as, hopefully its sound waves will persuade a whale that the yacht is not another whale wilh which to mate.) Sure enough, two sperm whales paraded majestically past, blowing and snorting as they went. Reduced rig before dusk, having to come into the wind to lower the mains' 1. We realized then how big the sea was. Kept up the No. 2 genoa, only, though without losing much speed. Off watch at 2000 hours and climbed wearily into bunk. At 2130 hours, the Starboard Watch reported that the genoa repeatedly kept backing on the required course so they were going to gybe the yacht round— a very simple manoeuvre—but the helm would just not take her over. No response whatsoever. All hell let loose. Down came the genoa, up the No. 2 jib tops' 1. Down the tops' 1, up the storm jib as the wind was now force seven. We, the off duty watch, could only lie and listen and curse that we were getting no sleep! 'Soldier' now rolling abominably, Skipper called. One of our Watch got up to make tea for deck Watch —they were soaked and exhausted. Steering was declared de- funct and irreparable until morning so we could only lie a' hull till daybreak. By 2300 hours the gale was up to force eight. On Graveyard Watch, sat with Eddie in cockpit as he vainly tried to get an answer to his Pan Pan radio calls. TUESDAY 3RD MAY—DAY 9 MIDDLE WATCH. Wind north to north west force eight. Eddie made repeated Pan Pan calls for six hours before they were answered at 0500 hours. Big seas and much rolling but no sea-sickness (too tired). Canadian Coastguard at St John's, Newfoundland, answered messages passed via them to MOD for reassurance to families. Further inspection of steer- ing indicates all well inboard so damage must be underneath. Wheel feels as if there is nothing under it. Clearly now our voyage to UK must be abandoned. Our nearest landfall is Newfoundland some four hundred and fifty miles north west and the wind is now directly north west. On Forenoon Watch rigged jury rudder with spinaker pole. Some minimal control obtained. Looking over the side gave the impression that the rudder had disappeared. I volunteered to swim underneath as it also seemed that the skeg might be loose. If so, serious structural damage could result. I went down in fairly heavy seas secured with life harness and line. A line was rigged underneath the transom so that, by hanging on, I could rise and fall with the yacht. Thankfully, the skeg was undamaged but the rudder was nowhere to be seen, with only about twelve inches of the stock remaining. Had the lower pintle (hinge) worked loose and then the rudder stock snapped? Or was it whale damage? We didn't (and never will) know. The quick dip over, I was unceremoniously hauled back on board like a dying porpoise and given the most revolting, but welcome, tot of rum by the Ship's Doctor. Very quiet Dog Watch—disappointment throughout the crew and frustration too, especially for Skipper and Mate. We feel so helpless. We just don't have the kit or tools to make a strong jury rudder which would withstand this sea. We wait for St John's Coastguard to contact us. 2000 hours—Mother Watch again. What was that about time flying when you're having fun? Just my luck to get another gale for it. Wind back up to force eight, but from south west so it is possible to sail with trysail and No. 2 jib, uncomfortably, towards St John's. We could steer with the sails with this wind if it were less strong, but it could take weeks to reach St John's. The heavy seas are also knocking us off course. Deck watches are wet, cold and unexciting with the crew -suddenly tired and not in high spirits. WEDNESDAY 4TH MAY—DAY 10 WAVES now up to twenty foot but ' Soldier' rides them well but with an evil motion. During the night the wind was too strong for the jib to stop flogging, so down it came and we hove to under trysail alone. Eddie has had his earphones on continuously since the disaster, even when the battery charger fell on his head causing no small indentation. We hear that a Canadian Coastguard Tug ' The Jackman ' is on its way to tow us to St John's. Sighted a Danish container ship on collision course—spoke to her on VHF and asked her to keep clear, to which we get a cheerful reply that he had never hit a yacht yet (that he knew of!) and didn't reckon he was going to start now! ' Jackman ' reported that she would arrive by mid morn- ing tomorrow. Gale decreases and laughter again in the Dogs. — 128 — (Continued on page 160.) |
| Book number | R0406 |