Punch and Anchor Scare
16 February 2020 | Pigeon Island - Guadeloupe
Frank Hatfull | Bloody Windy
We helped a young French family on a charter catamaran pick up a mooring in very windy conditions a few days ago. We also helped them sort out a problem with their windlass. Before they left on Friday they kindly gave us a very special bottle of Guadeloupe punch which we shared with Blaize Mor in the evening.
On Saturday we left The Saintes on a windy trip across the Guadeloupe Channel to Pigeon Island half way up Guadeloupe. We used the staysail and a heavily reefed main and we were fine.
Late afternoon a massive storm with gusts of over 50 knots hit the anchorage. It was so violent and unexpected our anchor broke loose and we were cast adrift.
Luckily we managed to gain control and re-anchor 40 minutes further down the bay before it got dark.
The wind gauge showed a maximum of 59.4 knots that's probably gale force 11, we were very lucky!
The good news is we caught a large Spanish Mackerel in the morning.
We are planning to sail to Antigua on Monday, weather permitting.