RTW, Leg 4: Gibraltar to The Canaries

Leg 3, 700 nm, 5 days

Lucy and I returned home in the last week of September leaving Broadsword in Gibraltar. We had a week in Edinburgh for dentist, doctor and travel vaccination appointments before attending to the small matter of Harvey and Sara’s wedding at Kinlochmoidart House, joyous! Then over to Coll with Lily to grab a precious two weeks in our new house before hitting the road again and heading back to Gibraltar to pick up where we left off.

We arrived on Tue 2nd Nov with Cameron Stewart joining us on the Friday, planning to set sail on Saturday, weather permitting. In the meantime, we had just three days to crack through some mission critical repairs (we were suffering a droopy boom) and most importantly take a delivery of parts from the yard in Cherbourg, scheduled to arrive with us on Wednesday. Of course, that was never going to happen. As we waited for the delivery, every hour was a prisoner, repairs where underway and Lucy and I went off to Morrisons, yes, there is a full sized Morrisons in Gibraltar, to do what can only be described as the mother of all shops. Enough to not just get us to the Canaries with a crew of three, but then over the Atlantic with a crew of four. The bill was a jaw dropping £666, (is that not the sign of the devil?), and the rest of the day was taken up getting it all back to Broadsword, using all nooks and crannies to store every last tin, bag, bottle or box. This is called victualling.

Friday arrived and we moved the boat from Gibraltar to Alcaidesa Marina in Spain, just on the other side of the runway. I met Cameron at the border and we got him settled into the boat. Still no delivery by late afternoon and as all appeared lost, I messaged Cherbourg to instruct them to reroute the package to the Canaries. But then Jesus, Mary, Joseph and his wee donkey, the package arrived! The clouds parted and the angels sang “Hallelujah”. Included in the package was our new storm jib for which a removable forestay had been rigged in Cherbourg.

The all important storm gib, delivered and tested.

The weather window for departure was looking good for the next day. The tidal stream would turn westward at High Water plus three hours. High Water in Gibraltar was at 0336 so we got up at 0500 to cast off in the dark at 0530. Cameron had just one job, to untie the lines and hop back on board. He gives me the “all clear” and I nudge it into reverse, and nothing but frantic vibrations. The bow swings out so I hit the bow thruster to get it under control, again nothing. I despair to the crew like a forlorn Scotty on USS Enterprise, “reverse isinae working” and I’m thinking quietly to myself, this is not a good start. Relief comes when Cameron, pipes up “I missed one of the lines, were still tied on”.

We slipped out of the marina in the dark of the night all hands-on high alert as we weaved a path through and round dozens of giant tankers and cargo ships, there great hulks towering and menacing shaddows as we meekly tip toed past hoping not to be noticed. These steel leviathans, can sit at anchor for weeks waiting for a job that could take them in any direction anywhere in the world. The sun was breaking cover and the dramatic silhouette of the Rock receding in our wake as we worked west through the straights to our adventure beyond.

Leaving Gibraltar, the "Rock" a prominent silhouette

Cameron and I have sailed three times together on his boat, Kiloran, covering some 6000 miles crossing the Atlantic twice, once in both directions. Therefore, its fair to say we know each other pretty well having lived cheek by jowl, over a number of weeks, all be it the relative opulence of his boat Kiloran. This trip would be an interesting change of scene for him undertaking a substantial passage in someone else’s boat, relinquishing charge, not being in charge. Perhaps surprisingly, its worked out pretty well. I have plenty to learn from someone vastly more experienced in owning and sailing a blue water cruising boat and soaked up his knowledge and advice like a roll of Bounty. Whilst Cameron has been utterly relaxed with me calling the shots and calling him a nob when he forgets to untie a line.

Lucy started the trip a little unhappily with a terrible lurgy and was forced to convalesce in her cabin for the first couple of days. Fully recovered, Lucy fielded the god-awful banter with the tenacious skill of a county club cricketer, hitting the misogynistic teases far into the long grass. It’s a difficult gig for her, three men in a boat with Cameron and I treating Lucy as the third man, but I’m sure she enjoys the comradery and if we over step the line she throws one of her stern withering looks that she has become masterful at.

Easing into our daily routine has been a relaxed affair, taking it in turns to cook and clean, using the abundance of time to catch up with quality reading freed from the endless distractions of pinging phones and unwelcome emails. No TV, no phone, no email, no face book, no Instagram. Yes contemplating, yes reading, yes talking, yes listening. After two or three days the mind adjusts and cherishes this new equilibrium, but of course it does not last forever. As land approaches, you cant help but monitor your position on the electronic chart. Edging closer and closer to civilization you know that around 20 miles out you’ll get the first text message from EE (or whoever) giving you the rules of engagement, then around 12 miles out you might pick up a 4G signal, then around 10 miles out you might start getting FB messages and then emails and then that’s it. The tranquility and solitude is soon a distant memory. Until the next passage.

Lots of reading

Cameron will fly back tomorrow and we are enormously grateful to him joining us and helping with the third leg of our Round The World voyage. I know he has his own plans to sail round the world and perhaps our boats will cross paths in the future. Our original crew from our first passage up the North Sea will shortly be reunited. Dougie and Mark are flying in on Tuesday and we cant wait to get the old gang back together. In the meantime, Lucy and I have a few days to ourselves which, I for one am very much looking forward to.

Next dispatch: Lucy reflects on our time in The Canaries and the Atlantic ahead.