for four hours under autopilot until I But that was way back then and this I carried on as best I could, trying
could begin sailing. About 20 miles was now in a small, light and fast boat. to be thankful that at least the boat, our
out I had spotted the La Perouse sea- Already I was thinking how stupid course and speed were doing well, if
bouy directly ahead and watched with I was to want to go to sea again and not myself. Fortunately conditions held
increasing interest as it continued face this horror and the journey was steady until nightfall and the boat was
directly in my path. Finding it hard to just hours old! But I knew what to do: well snugged-down and no further
believe I might actually run into it, the slow down, hand steer, focus on the sail changes were necessary. I forced
odds seemed impossibly low, I held horizon, conserve energy, drink water, myself to look forward to heaving-to
course and only when direct center- stay warm, eat what I could and try for the night, hoping that would quiet
punch was imminent I directed the pilot to sleep when I could. This gave me the motion and I could lay down and
to dodge it. That was an interesting something to focus on while I prayed rest. I made myself eat some soup I
lesson I would certainly remember! my sea-legs, unused for so long, would had made up prior to leaving and I felt
Finally, the wind quickly came up to come back to me. The problem was that better.
15+knots out of the WSW, which meant this voyage was only meant to be a few Heaving-to is so easy and effective!
the preferred port tack would parallel days in duration. Would I ever find I put the helm over to come about,
Vancouver Island and not send me them in time? ran out the mainsheet some and then
directly offshore. At sea it can be hard to
plan ahead as you have to do what the
sea and weather give you. I could see
ships way offshore of me and thought I
could stay inshore of them instead. As
the wind held the seas became steeper
and very confused, probably as a result
of being over La Perouse Bank with
its shallower depths and the one knot
contrary current. Shariyat with her fin
keel and spade rudder had no problem
at all with it. Having changed down
from the 150% genoa to the working
jib, she was bounding and crashing
over the cresting seas going to weather
at nearly 6 knots. I, on the other hand,
was a different story. Immediately
I was confronted by my greatest
concern. Seasickness! I could feel it
coming on with the violent motion in
these conditions. I had no crew besides
Fred the auto-pilot and “he” was of no
moral support whatsoever. This wasn’t
a race, but as much as I regretted it I
had to slow the boat down or I would
be worthless shortly and Fred’s skills
were very limited. Reefing the main
helped but not enough. I put in the
second reef and Shariyat slowed to 4.5-
5 knots, but the voyage was now one of
survival, not enjoyment.
Seasickness was nothing new to
me. Throughout my sailing adventures
offshore it has often confronted me the
first couple of days out beginning a
passage. I always hoped the first few
days would be easy to allow me to gain
my sea-legs, but it never happened,
especially departing from the West
Coast where seas are the worst, as you
crash to weather to gain sea-room.
Only by experience did I know that it
would end after a while. When you are
trapped in it you think it never will.
48° No r t h , Ju N e 2009 Pa g e 47
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98