Week 7 (we think!)

Monday morning I left for Melilla on  ´Bombay Sapphire ´  with the boys (Paul on his way back from Holland) The trip was to take us 2 days, including an night sail into the Med then down to Morocco. We left at 10.30, all provisioned up and ready for a good weeks sailing. However like all good plans-------------  I was sick as a dog big time, we found ourself against the current 65 miles in and during the night Les made an executive decision and we turned north over the Med to Duquesa, Southern Spain........ good call Les! First time the seasickness really got me........ wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out!

Approaching Gibraltar Bay from Ceuta

Paul came back to Gibraltar late Monday night and spend the week perfecting his skills and drills........ Man overboard under engine then under sail, picking upa buoy also under engine then under sail. Lots of skills which will be needed during the exam. Meanwhile back on Bombay after a few hours on Terra firma we set off for Ceuta Northern Africa and spent the night. The next day we ended up in Gib again and met up with my man!!! The bay of Gibraltar is always busy with tankers and we always have to keep our eyes open when sailing there and practicing skills/drills. We have put a few pics on to show how close we are to the enormous things......... however it doesnt bother the Spanish fisherman in their little rowing boats as you can see.

tanker in bay

tanker in bayy

Paul bringing Stellar into her berth

Elaine under instruction

Today (Sat 19th Dec) it is torrential rain here in Gibraltar, however we have been out on ´Sea Wolf ´the racing yacht. 10 crew all given specific jobs to do and off we went around the bay. Spinnaker skills and we learnt alot  of new information like how the back stay effects the sails, the curringham, traveller etc from Dave, the owner and very successful racer. All great help for us during our course and something Paul has wanted to learn for a long time.

Yachtmaster theory exam - completed and passed!

Well thank goodness this week is over...... heavy going classroom stuff but we passed the exam and now have in our log books the following certificates:-  Competent crew, dayskipper theory and practical, sea survival, VHF course, Diesel engine course, Coastal/Yachtmaster theory. So now its building up towards the Yachtmaster practical which is the main bit of paper we want so we can work commercially. Obviously major celebrations last night with the boys as below! Unfortunately Paul in Holland seeing the children so he missed out....... but I carried the flag for both of us, as it would be rude not too!

The straits of Gibraltar are one of the busiest shipping lanes in the Northern Hempisphere and the tankers you come across are absoulutely enormous - 200+ metres so you have to be very wary all the time when sailing the straits. Having said that....... some guys from Northern Africa thought they would chance it from Morroco to Spain in a childrens raft with plastic paddles......... not a good idea. One of the yachts saw them and requested help which he got from the fast Cat ferry and the coastguard. All shipping was re-directed ( a major operation as you can imagine) so these guys could be rescued and returned to Morroco. Sad situation for these blokes but at least they didnt drown which they so easily could have done.

Next week Paul and I are being split up and I go to Africa on a 2 day passage and Paul is practicing skills in the Gibraltar Bay both of us with different crews. Tomorrow is First Aid course and then next weekend we go on a  racing yacht which will be great fun and exciting. Good friend Bill and Viv came to see me today and catch up........... great to see them.

Week 5 , wet , cold and windy ( www )

Sunday Dec . 5
At the moment we are sitting in bar The Ship on the key in Gibraltar where we get free internet access with our beer and vodka tonic.
The past week has been a rough one, with monday and tuesday no sailing due to torrential rain and storm conditions. Wednesday we went out with Instructor Les and soon to be instructor Rod and practiced going about, gybeing and anchoring intensively in the bay of Algeciras. The whole course is getting more and more intensive now and we are constantly tested on our flags, our ship lights and day marker symbols.
Together with all the theory about rigging, rules of the sea ( Collision Regulations), knots, navigation etc, we are slowly becoming real seafarers.
The less attractive part of it all is the living with 4 other persons on a very small confined space while your clothes and sheets are wet and cold.

Sailing up with sister ship Dessert Star

Next week we are staying on shore for our yacht master theory week.
Gibraltar is a well known stop for sailors on their way to and from the mediteranean and we see the most fantastic yachts coming and going.

Weeks 3 & 4 - two weeks at sea building up our sea miles and experience

Ceuta approach in the rain with Musto man!

After our week in the classroom  it was time to put to the test what we had learnt, build up our miles of which we have to completed a minimum of 2500 before the exam in February. We have need 2 x 60 mile passages as skipper.

We were both ready for the night sails in 5 layers of clothing then waterproofs.

Paul demonstrating flares

Last night in Ceuta.

We provisioned up the boat, did all the necessary checks, plans and we were off from Gibraltar towards the Atlantic. We steamed along at about 5 knots on the engine as there simply wasnt any wind, even at Tarifa (the windiest place in Europe). However on we went and during the next week we experienced wind and rain. We continued to sail during the nights and berthed the boat early mornings so we could experience the port we were in during the day. We stopped at Barbate, Rota and Ayamonte in Spain then onto Lagos in Portugal. On the way back to Gibraltar we went to Ceuta again in Northern Africa. We completed nearly 500 nautical miles during the 2 weeks. We had a fabulous time, learnt an enormous amount about sailing, the weather and each other. Night sailing in the Atlantic is quite an experience as all you can hear is the waves and sails. You cant see any land or other boats and we were lucky as we had a full moon shining on the sea. Our shifts were 3 hours sleeping then 2 hours on watch through each night sail - exhausting particularly as it was cold and wet............... but we survived to tell the story. The boat was taking on water which as you will see below had to be bailed out - got to be done! So after washing some clothes and recovering we are into a Diesel engine course on Sunday, then further sailing skills in Gibraltar bay for the rest of next week.

Womans work - bailing out!

Week 2

This week was spent in the classroom completing Dayskpper theory, VHS radio and then into some very cold water for sea survial. Lovely weather all week,saw some more of Gibraltar and got to know or fellow students alot more.   I launched myself off the boat on Wednesday and damaged my right foot, no broken bones but bruised. Limping the rest of the week............ just needed a black patch and a parrot!!!!!!!!!!!! On Tuesday we go on a 2 week passage, our destination depends upon the weather.......... we think Morroco then onto Portugal.   After a week in the classsroom we are looking forward to putting into practice what we have learnt regarding navigation and plotting our passage - but not the sea survival.

Here we go.............. 1st November 2010

Arrived in Gib, met up with our fellow sailors for the course and unpacked. Our first day was spent on the sailing yacht Stellar, a 11 metre Bavaria, in the bay of Gibraltar getting used to the yacht and dodging tankers. On Tuesday2nd November we set off to Ceuta - the Spanish enclave in Northern Africa, however the winds were not in our favour so we beared off and went to the port of Duquesa in Southern Spain. We then completed some night sailing and prepared for trip to the port of Estepeona on 3rd November. On 4th November as the winds were force 5 we set sail across the straits of Gibraltar for Ceuta which took us approx 7 hours. Our skpper during the trip was Paul and  our instructor Scott continued to educate us and we all took turns at various tasks on the crossing. We have to admit one of the highlights was when we sailed with a school of dophins. We managed over 7 knots and the dolphins stayed with us for a few miles..... it was fantastic.  The Maltese Falcon went past us in a flash, unfortunately not under sail.The straits of Gib are very busy with lots of enormous tankers so we had to continually keep an eye on what was happening. Back to Gib from Ceuta was a short 4 hour passage and practices some man overboard techniques and dodging the tankers in Gibraltar bay. So we completed our first week in one piece. I learnt an enormous amount and we both thorougly enjoyed it. Next week is spent in the classroom completing our Day Skpper theory and then onto a two week sailing passage..............  watch this space.