The preparation for the trip was reasonably easy as we were well provisioned so it was really just topping up water and fuel. You would think that was easy but on the Tuesday we set off to the fuel dock – about a 100 meter trip across the marina, like any trip, was faced with trepidation – will I get the boat out of the pontoons without damaging it, will I dock at the fuel dock without damaging it? All went smoothly going out and coming alongside the fuel dock when the attendant told me I had to turn it and back it into the fuel dock just to increase the degree of difficulty. Again all went well there as well – all with a bit of nervous sweating on my behalf. Well we filled up with about 460l of gasoil (diesel) which was quite cheap at about 0.73 Euros a litre but as the attendant took the hose out the chain on the fuel cap broke and it went to the bottom of the marina. We closed of the fuel tank using a water cap wondering where we were every going to get a replacement before heading off later in the week.
After returning to our pen and tying up, I asked the harbour assistant where I could buy one, and after some sign language, poor attempts at French on my behalf, I think he understood what we wanted and said he would ask his boss and get back to me tomorrow….. So we taped the water tank filler closed with gaffer tape not holding any hope on getting a replacement.
But next day, the assistant catches up with us as we are riding back to the boat and said for 200MAD (basically the cost of the air) Fernando – his boss – will dive and find the original cap. Making sure that he could do it before we leave on Friday we agree to this with some degree of scepticism. Next morning, Fernando and his assistant pick me up from the boat and drove me round to the fuel pontoon and Fernando went diving. After two attempts – the second by gloved hands due to poor visibility Fernando came up with our fuel cap – certainly cheaper than buying a new one and having it flown in, but a bit of a gamble that paid off. Once fuelled it was just a matter of waiting for the weather and Friday morning we tentatively set off to sea at 11:15 and said goodbye to Agadir and Morocco for now.
The sea was calm but the fishing fleet was out,
so it was dodgems’ for the first 3-4 miles before we put the sails up and pretended to be sailors (motor sailing until about 11:00 pm). See if you can spot the Fishing bouy in the photo – a hint it is blue……
When this was done we had our first pod of visitors. Unlike those on our way down from France, these guys seems to get bored easily and would only swim with us for 10 minutes at the most – but that was long enough to really enjoy their beauty.
The trip was pretty uneventful – periods of calm, periods of good sailing up to 7.5knots and we had to manage our speed to ensure our passage plan was met – 48hours at an average of 5knots to get us into Rubicon at lunchtime with room on either side if something goes wrong or right. To do this we varied how we sailed, using reefs to slow us down and then regeneration with the motors to slow us further. This gave us time to work out our systems and rosters and that scrambled eggs is a good passage food. With only the two of onboard, we could be more flexible and it was more comfortable in the way we approached watches. I found this a bit more relaxing, whilst the pressure of being in charge of Where II for the first time alone was always in the back of my mind.
We first saw the lights of Arriciffe just before dawn and turned south on course for the last coastal leg of the journey. We rounded Papapaygu , and after a little confusion correlating the pilot to what lay ahead of us (despite Karen's computer skills), we sited Marina Rubicon at Playa Blanca, Lanzarote.
We made the call to the Marina staff to request permission to enter the harbour – to which they answered “of course, come on in” – just a bit quicker than what we experienced at Safi in Morocco. We rounded the mole with 2 meter swell going across what appeared to be a 7.6m harbour entrance (bear in mind Where II is 7.5m wide) with waves crashing on the rocks on either side. But the approach was textbook and I tied up like a pro with Karen handing the ropes to the Marina staff from the deck all the time being watched by damn tourists trying to figure out what our flag was. After a quick check in, with staff organising custom formalities for the next day, we proceeded to our pontoon- again a perfect parking job in a 9-10m wide berth next to the Sunsail school. While we thought that the trip was calm enough, there was at least one individual on the boat that thought the seas were a bit rough – the stow away squid on the fore deck – this changed Karen’s view on calamari.
Our Canarian adventures were about to start.
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mark Bloodworth
DATE: 3/18/2008 10:38:29 PM
Matt.. Loved it! What a pro. I've only read this article but will get to the others over easter. Keep up the work blogging as it terrific to hear the detail of your adventure.
Loved the cap rescue... different values!
may the wind continue to fill your sails!!!! all the best Mark
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