We could see a storm coming

10th October


Barry and I have started this little game. We imagine ourselves on the boat in a specific incident and try to figure out exactly what we would be doing. Last night after it got dark we could see a storm coming, the sky was pitch black when suddenly it was alight with lightning. We used this opportunity to play our new game.

We discussed what we would be doing as we watched the storm pass over us. Send Rauen to close and lock all the hatches. Too much lightning…unplug as many electronic items as we can manage without, we sail blind. Still see the lightning and hear thunder coming closer, we cannot see how long this storm extends, is it a line squall? Which direction is it coming from? It is too difficult to see in the dark, we discuss the difference between a storm in daylight hours and those after dark. We head up to the deck and put 2 reefs into the main sail. We furl the jib in completely. We wait…the wind starts to turn gusty, lucky we have reefed already. We send Kyle down to get mine and Barry’s wet weather jackets, we will wear those as the whipping wind is cold and the rain will soon be pelting down. We are sitting in the saloon at the table, the sliding door ajar and we are watching, listening and waiting. I can feel the anticipation but our auto pilot can handle this weather. The rains starts to come down, the boat is drench within seconds and with the rain comes powerful wind, we close the cockpit door because the water is coming inside, Rauen fetches a towel to place at the door so we don’t the trudge water right though the boat, we also reduce the slipperiness. We can hear the pounding of the rain on the roof, the heavens have really opened, the waves have increased in height together with the wind and we are being tossed and churned. Kyle is scared, sitting next to me, holding onto the chair and table asking how long ‘til this is over? I have to reply that I don’t know, it makes me feel terrible for taking him to a place this scary. Barry and I will have to go outside and check regularly both because we have no electronics and to check how the auto pilot is handling things. Oh I start to feel ill, I need to remember to take seasickness pills if a storm is coming, the heightened movement coupled with the increased fear bring on a bout and I am spilling cookies. This can’t go on. Stop back to reality…

Wow, I had to drop that one there, maybe if I had remembered the seasickness pills? No, maybe if I was braver! We closed the garage door completely and discussed what had just happened…we are not ready just yet, a little more experience, a little more confidence and perhaps we need a list so we remember to do all those things and more. I can’t afford to forget the seasickness pills at a crucial moment. We need to take the batteries out of our electronics as a lightning strike will fry even unplugged items, having the batteries out may reduce the effect. Will we lead a line from the mast into the water to help divert the lightning on a direct hit? We would after all be the highest point in a 100 miles!

We decided we were only brave enough to last as long as we did and that more practise and more imaginary practise will be necessary. First I need to be able to deal with the imaginary life on board during a storm before we sail it. We will do this exercise many times, we will do it in our garage where the sounds are real, tied to our walk-on where the wind and water are real, hooked to a mooring buoy where we will spin and hop around with the wind and waves, at anchor where we will be at the mercy of the weather and our own ground tackle. We will end up facing many of these crazy storms, line squalls and whatever weather happens to build and pass over us. We need to be prepared and ready for it.

Yes we know sailing is 60% good weather, 30% becalmed and 10% storms, but the 10% storms are the times we will be tested. And pass that test we must.