The swell was still very big, around 3metres as we left Sagone Bay and this confirmed what a sheltered spot we had been in whilst the bad weather passed. The effect of the high winds was still affecting the seas but hopefully this would decrease as we went towards Sardinia. We were aiming for the Bay of Asinara on Sardinia as we would be sheltered there if the westerly winds picked up again. This passage would keep us further away from The Straits of Bonifacio and its high winds but would take us further offshore and was a longer journey than if we had headed straight down the Corsica Coast but, as ever, its a call you have to make. (Also it would make sense if your ulterior motive was not to go to Sardinia but head straight for Menorca as suspected!).
Rounding Cap de Fenu and later the Iles de Sanguinaires off the Corsica coast was spectacularly beautiful with an equally spectacular swell pushing us on. The wind was reasonably kind though and a manageable strength. We agreed that we should head out and go for Sardinia. By midnight we were sailing down the coast of Sardinia with the lights of Asinara looking very welcoming. However, by some strange (!) coincidence we found ourselves on a course for Menorca with a very strong wind blowing us there but at least it was in the right direction. The seas were still huge but the weather forecast them to decrease and despite the lack of provisions (down to 5 tins of tomatoes and 15 tins of tuna and the lettuce having deteriorated beyond limp– low by my standards) we carried on past Sardinia and headed out to cross the 180 miles of the Sardinian Sea. As the phone signal died I sent a few texts to trusty people in the UK estimating our passage to Menorca at 36 hours. At least someone would know where we were heading if we didn’t arrive! I wasn't sure if the messages got through as the signal disappeared as they were sending.
The wind stayed constant at about 15 knots throughout the very dark night - there was no moon or if there was it was obscured by thick cloud but this was probably a blessing, as at least I couldn’t see the waves properly, only feel their effect. Much less scary when you can't see them! At 4am Martyn was asleep and I was aware that the battery power was failing as our instrument lights were flickering. I had already switched off everything I could to save power including our navigation lights. I reasoned there was no one else mad enough to be out in that sea so there was no point having lights on as there was no one to see them. I also had all instruments lights off except the compass and wind gauge. Getting pretty used to sailing without GPS these days. Even that wasn't enough though and just after 4am all power failed. We switched batteries but our auxiliary one was flat too so Martyn went back to bed saying I was making such a good job of sailing that I didn’t need instruments! The sails immediately backed, the boat stalled and I didn’t even know which way we were heading as everything on deck was pitch black. Then I had a good idea (I don't have many but this was a good time for one) and got the portable clip on light from the chart table and attached it to the pedestal so its light shone on the compass. I still didn’t have any wind instruments but at least I knew which direction to head in once I had sorted out the sails. For the next hour or so all went well – the wind gods were very kind to me and I sailed in the right direction and the seas even calmed a little. Martyn got up at 6am to take over from me by which time the sea was much less and the wind had dropped to 6 or 7 knots. He disappeared below, fiddled around under our bed and then hey presto the power was back! He had jumped the batteries from our spare. Apparently this couldn’t have been done at 4am! He took over the helm, checked the instruments were all working, started the engine and let the auto pilot steer while he sat down and dozed. “Good sail through the night?” he asked as I collapsed in to bed. I had nothing to say!
We made good progress throughout the next day and saw absolutely nothing but sea – no other yachts, no ships, no dolphins not even a floating orange – we were well off the usual routes but heading straight for Menorca. Rations were holding up and we had 3 meals a day even if 2 of those consisted of spicy tomato pasta and spicy tomato cous cous. The worst thing that happened was that the biscuits finally ran out – all boats on a passage live on biscuits as they are the easiest thing to eat when heeled at 30 degrees and everything is sliding around. We always know what country we are in by what biscuits we are eating. It is amazing how they differ – in Spain we had got used to the quite plain Rich Tea type , in Italy at first we thought we had gone to the wrong aisle and picked up dog biscuits instead as they were so hard but again we came to like them and we immediately loved the French Petit Beurre ones. In the middle of the Sardinian sea, in the middle of the night, any of them would have been welcome.
As night fell for the second time the wind disappeared and the sea flattened – the forecast was obviously right but we would have liked enough wind to sail. We didn’t want to use our diesel by motoring for hours so we dropped the sails, put our lights on and both went to bed reasoning that we hadn’t seen any other vessel for the last 12 hours so why should one suddenly appear now? One or other of us had a quick check every half hour but nothing appeared and we had a good few hours of much needed sleep.
We set off again at 9am with a light wind which quickly increased to a good sailing strength all day and we made good progress towards Menorca. By nightfall we were looking for the elusive lights of Menorca – we could see a faint large loom in the sky which we took to be Mahon Town. Amazing how much light pollution even a small town gives off. Just after midnight the wind came from nowhere and within minutes had gone from 12 to nearly 30 knots. We put 2 reefs in the sails and put the wind behind us to minimise its effect and hung on. At times like this I appreciate Martyn's ability to reef a sail in screaming winds and the dark especially when the bottom sail batten caught in the lazy jacks and he had to go out on a pitching deck to free it. The leaving me to sail without instruments was all forgiven.
As Capt Ron says about squalls “they come on you fast and they leave you fast” and this was the case again. All hell broke loose for an hour and then the wind disappeared as fast it came leaving us struggling for enough wind to sail. After alternately sailing slowly and then using the engine for a while at 5am we saw the lights of Fornell, Menorca distinctly but at still at least 20 miles away. We gratefully headed for the lights and at 1130am dropped anchor in Fornells, 24 hours later than we expected. I quickly sent texts to say that we had arrived and thanks Pat for your immediate response.
It is lovely to come back to a place that you have been before after a long passage as you know where to go and where to anchor and I knew there are food shops in Fornell. Expensive but who cares when you have a biscuit crisis. Even that would have to wait a few hours though – sleep was more pressing...