The Biscay Roller Coaster
7th July 2014 we set off from our mooring in Falmouth and headed out to The Bay of Biscay anxious of what we may find. We had enjoyed a brief stop in Cornwall and made friends with our neighbours (Lady Rebel) who were planning a similar trip to ours but were a couple of years away from being ready.
The Biscay crew assembled in the Marina over the course of the weekend and was made up of Skipper Pete, Clodagh, Damo, Pete C (My Dad), Navigator Vinny and myself. On the day we set off we had the usual list of jobs and checks to complete but also had to ready Rafiki for an offshore passage. We spent time ensuring everything had been stowed safely, putting up lee-cloths (sheets which stopped us rolling out of bed!) and ensuring our EPIRBs (locator beacons), life jackets and other safety gear was ready. We stocked the boat with food and drink and headed down the River Fal via the fuelling pontoon where we stopped briefly for crew selfie on Rafiki’s bow…
Once out of the river estuary and in to the Atlantic, the sea conditions became a little heavier and we all started to feel the effects… We set out a plan for how the watches would be split - three pairs, each covering a 3hour shift, meaning after 3hours sailing we would get 6hours rest. A combination of busy weekend preparing, the rough seas and an early morning start meant that not long in to the first evening, the sea had claimed its first (sea sickness) victim and we were all feeling tired and weary. The prospect of three or four more days of this had some of us wondering what on earth we’d signed up for!
Morning came and thankfully it brought calmer seas but maintained the good breeze we’d seen the previous day. We all ate well and enjoyed the sunshine and views out across the Atlantic - a glimpse of what we expect on our Atlantic crossing. As the watches kept rotating people took the opportunity to get in some mid afternoon naps and ready themselves for their upcoming nightshifts. The occasional glimpse of some dolphins playing alongside the boat kept us all entertained and generally raised moral on the boat. The following couple of days generally provided better weather for us and we were sailing down wind most of the way meaning a slightly more comfortable ride.
It was clear as time went by that Pete and Vinny were the seasoned sailors as they did what they could to help and support the rest of us and took on the lion’s share of sailing and works down below (when at sea, the cabin area down below is a tough place to be - sea sickness is at it’s worst and trying to concentrate on any cooking/cleaning only makes things worse). To make things easier Vinny had prepared and frozen and number of meals for our evening dinner. We were treated to a classic Spag Bol, Lamb Shank and bloody marvellous chicken curry on our last day!
The last day of sailing ended with a brilliant view of Spain’s subtly named "Coast of Death” and more aqua-batics from the dolphins. The entire crew was feeling far more energetic and the adrenaline (and relief) started to kick in as we entered the Coruña Marina. Skipper Pete moored Rafiki with his usual expertise… and we cracked open the Magnum of Champagne and oversized cigars! We were all very proud of what we had just achieved (I was especially impressed and proud of the old man (my dad) on board - I’d found it tough myself so it must have been even harder on him).
The Bay of Biscay proved to be a rollercoaster both physically and emotionally. The waves and wind threw us about more than some of Alton Towers best rides and the shifts, sea sickness and almost constant feeling of anxiety caused by the former made the journey a tough one. Skipper Pete and Vinny did their best to re-assure us that the Atlantic crossing will be easier and smoother down wind sailing and that the first few days of a passage are always the toughest as your body adjusts to conditions…Lets hope they’re right otherwise it’ll be a long few weeks to the Caribbean!
Adam
