Monday 23 July 2012
Ok had a shocking sleep again as we had to change coarse, and it has made it a really rough bumpy ride, we have been and still are being thrown around a fare bit.
I have suffered heartburn most of the night am sure it's the rough water, at least im not throwing up.
Anyway the captain gets up to see if Tom thinks we should change coarse, now as we have to soon again anyway, well it's was 5.30am so I decided to get up as well, really wish I hadn't .....they decided to start the engine first as we were going slow, and then turn in the right direction as we picked up more speed, so engine starts fine but we are not going anywhere.....far out here we go again.
Tom goes down to look in the bilges at the prop shaft to see if it's turning, at this very moment I walk past look in and we have what appears to be blue water in the bilges....so of cause panic hits, me thinking OMG we are sinking, but no it's diesel in the bilges, great, one or possibly more tanks are leaking.
Not that it matters right at the moment as it appears we have lost our propeller.....this is serious we now have no engine only sails coming along a major shipping lane.
I'm on my shift now it's 7am
I can see three big ships at the moment.
We just radioed the ship closest to us to get an update on the weather and there is a storm brewing it's about 4 days away....will it be big not sure till it gets a bit closer,we do not want to be out here when it hits without a motor.
Ok things have just started to look a bit better they have worked out that we still have a propeller...thank god, so the problem is elsewhere.
They are down there pulling floor hatches up checking oil and stuff and have left me up here by myself rocking and rolling all over the place.
It's strange I'm not panicking much I guess because we have Tom here and he has sailed all over the world for 30 odd years and a good chunk of it was without a motor.
That alone makes me feel better.
I have just been handed a plate of Vegemite on toast, by the captain, am sitting here in the middle of the Caribbean ocean eating Vegemite....Aussie ,Aussie,Aussie ...lol
Just have to add this little bit we have just spotted land for the first time in 2 days, yeah we are looking at Cuba.
My shift 3pm
We are not moving at all, there is no wind, I have to say its a bit of relief as we just had a big squall come through was not nice at all rain thunder and the wind was shocking the boat was flying but way over on its side, I went to the bathroom and the ocean was pouring in the closed hatch, what the hell, I kinda lost it right about that very second, was so angry as I thought the boys were doing this on purpose than when I realized they were not well then I just cried, I was scared this is not the kinda sailing I want.
I think it has to be the built up of emotions over the last two days and hardly any sleep, and we still have no motor, they have worked out it's the transmission, we can't fix that out here so we have to limp into American waters if we can and most likely get a tow into shore, great.
So we are sitting here about ten miles off Cuba bobbing around doing nothing.
It should take about two days to get there but if this keeps up who knows how long.
My shift 12pm
What a night , did I say that was a big squall earlier, well this one was his granddaddy,
If I had a choice right then and near land, I would have jumped on land and never ever set foot back on a boat.
It was bad, the storm hit around 10pm I guess and went for a good hour if not longer.
First came the wind and we were getting blown so far over I was sure we would just tip over, then the lighting and thunder, just give u a little picture.
One boat floating, kinda sideways floating, I should add here while riding a roller coaster, it's very dark nothing around you but water, and the lighting hits right beside you, now u can't see real well, than BANG the thunder hits, and now u can't hear real good, than the rain hits and it pours, waves crashing onto deck and it's pushing you further onto your side in the water.
Now double, triple that.
Tom was trying to steer, cause the anto pilot was not working so well i'm holding on and praying, and I look at Tom and just said I don't like this, he nods and said go get Vic we all need to be up here, he didn't have to tell me twice I flew down so quick yelled out to Vic that we need him, the moment he gets up here it settles down heaps, but I think he can see by the look on my face and knows it was bad.
Anyway he goes back to bed after a little while and poor Tom is so exhausted that he lays down for a sleep beside me.
I'm sitting here wedged into a corner to stop from being thrown around, the wind still blowing a gale we are still right over to one side, but at least the rain and lighting has passed.
And I hated every bit of it, I was so scared I could hardly breathe I wanted to chuck it all in then and there.
If this is sailing u can forget it.
The captain finally comes up and Tom goes down to have a proper sleep.
Vic lays down for a sleep as well, he is so sound asleep I let him sleep an extra half hour into his shift, as he is so tired as well.
I then go down and cry myself to sleep.
Well tomorrow is another day.