Yesterday evening the wind and the waves started building as the storm approached. We decided to leave the dinghy tied off the back of Imagine as we usually do in high winds.
We all went to bed to the rocking of the boat and the howling of the wind. Even though in this bay we are sheltered from most of the waves and wind, we still clocked 28 to 30kts of wind coming over the hill of the island. The waves were creeping around the island giving us a 1m swell at times.
Every now and then something would start banging and clanging as the wind hammered the boat. Which meant Andrew would go topside to tie a halyard or relash something down. With a scraping sound Andrew rushed up to find the beach chair, a jumper and a book about to be blown out of the cockpit. All night there was the groan of the anchor chain and snubber as they strained.
It happened at 2am. The wind against tide was making Imagine rock from bow to stern. Then there was a large bang and rubbing noise from the stern. Andrew raced up top but couldn’t see anything loose on deck. Then realised looking out into the darkness he could not see the dinghy.
Edging his way to the rear of the deck he could see the dinghy floating upside down across the back of the boat. Imagine had rocked forward lifting the back out of the water which sucked the dinghy under. When the back of Imagine came back down on the dinghy it flipped the dinghy over.
Andrew raced downstairs and called Sue and Jack for help and returned topside. He retrieved a rope from the bow and returned to the rear deck. By then Jack arrived wearing just shorts and lifejacket followed by Sue in a shirt and Andrew in just a lifejacket.
They started the retrieval process with Andrew on the bottom rung of the boarding ladder. Sometimes out of the water, next minute waist deep in water. Jack was hanging off the wind generator post. Andrew passed the rope through one handle of the dinghy and back to Jack. Andrew was able to reach the second handle. It took several attempts, but finally righted the dinghy. The oars were still attached but Jack noticed the petrol can floating away. It was too rough to try to retrieve it.
By this time Liz appeared on deck all rugged up, but still half asleep, to see what the ruckus was about. Toni meanwhile stayed snug in bed just listening to the banging around on deck (ready to step in if required).
With the dinghy the right way up we pulled it alongside and using a halyard pulled the motor onboard. Then we pulled the dinghy up onto the foredeck, turned it upside down and lashed it to the deck.
Crisis over everone headed back to bed. We will look at the motor in the daylight.
We all went to bed to the rocking of the boat and the howling of the wind. Even though in this bay we are sheltered from most of the waves and wind, we still clocked 28 to 30kts of wind coming over the hill of the island. The waves were creeping around the island giving us a 1m swell at times.
Every now and then something would start banging and clanging as the wind hammered the boat. Which meant Andrew would go topside to tie a halyard or relash something down. With a scraping sound Andrew rushed up to find the beach chair, a jumper and a book about to be blown out of the cockpit. All night there was the groan of the anchor chain and snubber as they strained.
It happened at 2am. The wind against tide was making Imagine rock from bow to stern. Then there was a large bang and rubbing noise from the stern. Andrew raced up top but couldn’t see anything loose on deck. Then realised looking out into the darkness he could not see the dinghy.
Edging his way to the rear of the deck he could see the dinghy floating upside down across the back of the boat. Imagine had rocked forward lifting the back out of the water which sucked the dinghy under. When the back of Imagine came back down on the dinghy it flipped the dinghy over.
Andrew raced downstairs and called Sue and Jack for help and returned topside. He retrieved a rope from the bow and returned to the rear deck. By then Jack arrived wearing just shorts and lifejacket followed by Sue in a shirt and Andrew in just a lifejacket.
They started the retrieval process with Andrew on the bottom rung of the boarding ladder. Sometimes out of the water, next minute waist deep in water. Jack was hanging off the wind generator post. Andrew passed the rope through one handle of the dinghy and back to Jack. Andrew was able to reach the second handle. It took several attempts, but finally righted the dinghy. The oars were still attached but Jack noticed the petrol can floating away. It was too rough to try to retrieve it.
By this time Liz appeared on deck all rugged up, but still half asleep, to see what the ruckus was about. Toni meanwhile stayed snug in bed just listening to the banging around on deck (ready to step in if required).
With the dinghy the right way up we pulled it alongside and using a halyard pulled the motor onboard. Then we pulled the dinghy up onto the foredeck, turned it upside down and lashed it to the deck.
Crisis over everone headed back to bed. We will look at the motor in the daylight.
