This is the big day. We are off to the San Blas Islands! We had to top up the boat’s water and fuel stocks in the morning and then went to the supermarket to get some last minute supplies and use the internet for the last time to download the latest emails and weather information before we set sail. The tension was rising and we still were not sure when exactly in the day we would be leaving as Coen was not sure about the weather. The best winds we could have used according to the forecast, were in the late morning, but it was the afternoon already and time was ticking on. Victoria and I were waiting for this day since the 7th August, so the constant stalling was starting to get quite frustrating and we just wanted to leave.
We got back to the boat and finally the decision to set sail was made. Hurrah! The time had ultimately arrived. The engines were dropped and off we went, through the channels and out of the harbour wall into the sea.
As Coen was understandably concerned with his newly fixed mast, (weaker or stronger, nobody knows) he was reluctant to raise the main sail and only raised the aft sail about a third while still motoring out into the Caribbean ocean. There was a nice breeze as we passed the headland of Bocagrande, but it was a shame we didn’t get the sails up straight away and use it.
On our way out of the harbour I showed Coen a possible route that we could navigate that would take advantage of the trade winds blowing to the west just 30 nmi north-west of Cartagena. He seemed to have taken it on-board, but as we left the harbour we took a 280deg (WNW) heading instead of the 315deg (NW) heading that I suggested we take in order to meet the trade winds. The problem with taking the trade winds is that you have to get there first and it means taking a longer route around Gulfo del Darino to the north than the obvious direct heading. However, the trade winds are pretty much guaranteed so you could get there quicker by not cruising through dead wind unless you have enough fuel that is. The trouble is, we didn’t have enough fuel to take us all the way there even if we had to use the engines. If I were captain, the decision would be obvious; Take the trade winds, use the forecasts and go where the wind blows, as isn’t that what a big part of sailing is about, predicting the weather and plotting the best course of action?
As we got about 20 nmi out and the wind started to pickup towards the evening, we caught some wind from the north-east, turned the motors off and started sailing. A great feeling that I missed, I must say! It’s so nice to be powered by the wind without burning anything. I had quite a bit of sailing experience before with my Dad, Uncle and at a sailing school in Plymouth, but I couldn’t quite remember what it felt like. Grazia is also the biggest, functional sailing boat that I’ve sailed on and also the first catamaran. The bow pitches (up and down) a lot due to the inherent shape of the hull, but the moving from side-to-side is reduced with catamarans and nowhere near as much rolling as traditional mono-hull designs.
As we rode into the sunset and with swells coming from our starboard-aft side, the ride was not that comfortable, as a result Richard wasn’t feeling too good and had to vomit. Victoria was also not feeling too great and I was dealing with the stomach cramps a bit, but fortunately Victoria, Coen, Ruth and I didn’t join the vomit club.
I had a few rests rests during the day so I managed to stay up until about two in the morning. We managed to do a bit of downwind/broad-reach sailing along the way, but it was pretty calm with a few thunderstorms nearby displaying some impressive lightning strikes. We motored some of the time as there was not enough wind to carry us. I hit the deck after a long day a got awoken early in the morning to nice surprise… more to follow.
