janetp
New member
Hung on pop bobber
June 2001 we were sailing Grande Greve to St Peter Port across the spring tide. Log reads.................................................. Half way across Big Russel it started to rain. We were broad reaching at 7 - 7.5 knots and passing a bobber to starboard were brought up short. We hadn't seen whatever we'd caught. It was pouring with rain and blowing 24 knots and we were firmly held stern to wind. The tide of about 1.5 knots was also holding us stern to sea. Oh dear! The sails were flapping and filling as the swell caught us this way and that - impossible to sail off. Furled sails with great difficulty and tried locating obstruction at stern with boathook. Too dangerous to lean over sugar scoop as water would be waist high in pounding swell. Too dangerous to launch dinghy. Soaking wet. Made cup of tea and examined options. Afraid that turning on engine to reverse might make matters worse. Not one boat on the horizon when we needed one. Called St PP radio to ask for anyone in the region and the Jethou flyer rerouted and took line and turned us 90 degrees. Wind howling, rain stopped. Out popped a square polystyrene bobber covered in black tar and weed. No obvious damage and sailed back to St P .............................................
It could have been worse - we could have been stuck there all eve until the tide turned. Our first encounter in over 12,000 miles I hope it's our last. In spring tides bobbers don't always sit on top of the water and tar & weed make them very difficult to see even in calm conditions.
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June 2001 we were sailing Grande Greve to St Peter Port across the spring tide. Log reads.................................................. Half way across Big Russel it started to rain. We were broad reaching at 7 - 7.5 knots and passing a bobber to starboard were brought up short. We hadn't seen whatever we'd caught. It was pouring with rain and blowing 24 knots and we were firmly held stern to wind. The tide of about 1.5 knots was also holding us stern to sea. Oh dear! The sails were flapping and filling as the swell caught us this way and that - impossible to sail off. Furled sails with great difficulty and tried locating obstruction at stern with boathook. Too dangerous to lean over sugar scoop as water would be waist high in pounding swell. Too dangerous to launch dinghy. Soaking wet. Made cup of tea and examined options. Afraid that turning on engine to reverse might make matters worse. Not one boat on the horizon when we needed one. Called St PP radio to ask for anyone in the region and the Jethou flyer rerouted and took line and turned us 90 degrees. Wind howling, rain stopped. Out popped a square polystyrene bobber covered in black tar and weed. No obvious damage and sailed back to St P .............................................
It could have been worse - we could have been stuck there all eve until the tide turned. Our first encounter in over 12,000 miles I hope it's our last. In spring tides bobbers don't always sit on top of the water and tar & weed make them very difficult to see even in calm conditions.
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