Monday, April 21, 2008

Blue water sailing

After the relative and totally inadvertant success of the downwinder, I e-mailed our adventure pal, Pedro, in Toronto, and invited him to sail across the channel to the island of Coche. Without a moment's hesitatio, he agreed. We planned this blue water sail a little more diligently that we did the downwinder. This time, we hired Alex (head instructor at Vela) to be our guide. He, in turn, hired Alexi (former freestyle competitor on the World Tour) as an auxiliary guide. And, most importantly, we hired a chase boat. However, still no life jackets, flares, walkie-talkies........ But, Alex did throw in some extra harness lines, and mast foot bases. Good thinkin' Alex!

After Alex conducted a skipper's meeting, where he drew a diagram showing wind direction, the coast line of Coche, the slight upwind line that we would have to take, and after checking our gear, and switching all of the guys to much larger sails, off we went. Funny, how Coche looks so close when you are standing on the beach at El Yaque......... But impossibly far when you are out in the ocean, surfing the swells, as your front leg starts cramping.........!

We were almost there, about a 1/2 kilometre off the coast of Coche, when suddenly the wind either dies, or the direction changes completely. The swells seemingly grew in size, and also changed direction. I get out of my straps and harness, and am trying to balance on these swells, when disaster strikes. I fall in. I heard Superman racing behind me, and frankly, laughing maniacally. He passed me as I fell in, and then, he also falls. The others sail past us, and the Alex sails over to give me some much needed instruction. He said, 'Welcome to the hole. From here until shore, bear off severely downwind." Excellent advice, if I could only lift my sail high enough above the huge swells to execute my water start. With all the strength I had left, I manage to lift my sail, and get on my board. I see Superman do the same, and off we sail to the shore. But, the conditions about 200 metres off shore were also dodgy. Tough sailing getting to the beach. But we made it.

The Coche crossing team from left to right: Alexi, Alex, Nora, Al, Pedro and Superman.


We had some chocolate and water, and while I de-rigged my gear for the boat ride back, the boys prepared to sail back.


The coastline of Coche, showing the 'hole' or windless spot in the middle of the ocean. Weird...


Big Al, Pedro and Superman contemplating the sail back to El Yaque.


And off they go. Of course, it was after this photo that my camera ran out of battery power...... The sail back was difficult as the wind seemed to drop, and the group of sailors could not stay together in the ocean. Superman took off in a downwind direction, and Alexi chased him to guide him back to El Yaque. (The village and beach of El Yaque is impossible to see from the ocean, so the guides were much appreciated.) Big Al took off on a serious upwind line, and from my position in the boat, I soon lost sight of his sail. I thought that perhaps he had decided to sail to Porlamar. Pedro and Alex sailed in together. Some 30 minutes of seriously difficult slogging and some 10 minutes of high speed sailing saw the group reconvene on our home beach. Fun!

Next blue water sail - Punta de Piedras to the island of Cubagua.

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