Sunday the 13th of April, (I have always found the number 13 is unlucky, I try not to let it rule my life, but when a 13 is involved, I just take more care!) We got ready to leave, I started the engine and switched on the instruments and walked up on deck to pull the anchor up while Vicki got the tiller ready. We have a hand windless but I nearly never use it, normally pulling the chain up hand over hand, just the same today. All was good until we got over the anchor, I held the chain firm and the way on Elektra pulled the anchor out of the bottom, the anchor came up full of mud, I had to plunge it in and out a few times to clean, then I stowed and cleaned the deck while Vicki started motoring Elektra back towards the sea. Once I was done, I came back to the cockpit and pulled the mainsail up. When Elektra was though the mooring, I set sail for Gillan Harbour.
Elektra was logging over 6kts but Vicki was finding a lot of weather helm, so I pulled one reef in the main and things were much improved, 1.25hrs and we were entering Gillan Harbour having logged 6.5nm. It was a lovely sail, Vicki was enjoying herself so much, but I did get a go towards the end! Lol.
We motored in and dropped anchor off Flushing Cove, now 1015hrs we would have to wait until 1630hrs to get into Carne Creek. Vicki started cooking brunch and after eating I did the washing up, by which time the tide had gone out and I could walk ashore.
It seemed like a long time to wait, but in the end the tide was hight enough to take Elektra into Carne Creek, so I pulled up the anchor and Vicki motored Elektra around the corner and in though the narrows. My dilemma was, it was now blowing quite hard from the southwest and the tide was running in the opposite direction, but which was stronger? Up on the bow with the boat, before we get to the pick up buoy Elektra ran aground! But with the tide still coming in, we could have another go in a bit! Once floating again, Vicki gives a little burst of engine and I picked up the mooring. The problem was the wind was stronger than the tide and although attached to the bow, there was no way I was going to be able to pull by hand her stern around into wind! It was at that point I remembered an artical somewhere I read about using the cockpit winch. So I pulled the genoa sheet off the winch and tied the link to a mooring line and ran that though the turning deck blocks and onto the winch and started sheeting in! It was the longest sheet I have ever needed to winch in but it worked great. When the link line got close to the gunnal, I tied on another line around the stern cleat and back to the winch, I could then untie the other line and continue winching. All worked a treat and soon the bridle was on it’s stern cleats. Then we packed away the kit, locked up and went home.
Love Sailing 