Cruising World - November - December 2016

44

cruisingworld.com

november/december 2016

A

t 0500 Monday,

August 22, our 53rd

day at sea since leaving

Darwin, Australia, the wind

died, and Gannet, my Moore

24, and I were becalmed 10

miles from Durban Harbor,

South Africa. Confi dent that

the remainder of the 6,000-

mile passage would be over

in a few hours, I took advan-

tage of the smooth conditions

to fi t the outboard bracket

and electric Torqeedo onto

the stern. The Torqeedo had

not been used in months, not

since I’d powered the last

half-mile to the marina in

Bundaberg, Australia. I was

pleased when it started at the

fi rst push of a button. Then

I removed the tiller arm and

tilted the Torqeedo from the

water. It has a limited range,

and I would use it only after

entering the port.

A few minutes later the

wind, which had been light

and behind us, returned with a

rush, but from directly ahead.

I raised a triple-reefed main

and partially unfurled the jib.

The wind continued to

build and build. Had I not so

wanted to get in, I would have

stopped sailing by 0600. But

I did and kept on. Gannet was

heeled 40 degrees, thrashing

through and under water, the

lee rail buried. Activity below

was impossible. One of the

rules on Gannet is the same as

in boxing: Protect yourself at

all times. Trying to heat water

for cof ee, momentarily I

didn’t, and was thrown across

the cabin. That wasn’t far, of

course, but I lost some skin

and got a good-size lump on

my elbow. I drank the cof ee

with room-temperature water

and ate a protein bar for

breakfast.

With the wind coming par-

tially over the point of land

to the south, I thought it

possible that the sea would be

smoother closer to the coast.

I was wrong. The wind there

was as strong and the waves

steeper. I threaded my way

through a half-dozen anchored

ships awaiting entrance to

the harbor, until I ran out

of room and a mile of shore

tried to come about. Despite

moving at speed, Gannet didn’t

have the weight to do it. The

wind stopped and shook

the boat like a dog shakes

a bone. I had to do what I

didn’t want to, and jibed. The

power of the boom going over

was immense. Gannet went

to almost 90 degrees, but

Moore 24s are self- correcting

boats. They seem to want

to do the right thing, and as

I eased the sheet, she came

Gannet, tied up to the pier in Durban, South Africa, after a

6,000-mile passage, looks no worse for the wear and tear.

Indeed, the boat probably held up better than the sailor

(right), shown on Day 39 at sea.

Gannet HAS

LANDED

The wind stopped and shook the boat like

a dog shakes a bone. I had to do what I

didn’t want to, and jibed.

Special Report

In the midst of solo circumnavigation number six, on a long, singlehanded crossing

from Darwin, Australia, to Durban, South Africa, there was no rest for the weary when the final few

miles proved to be some of the most challenging.

BY WEBB CHILES

WEBB CHILES

44

november/december 2016

cruisingworld.com