Where to start? We have had a difficult few days. Elisabeth is injured and our headsail is broken.

It started with our headsail, the primary drive for this boat. Two days ago, we had just made an adjustment to the sails, and we all went below to discuss our strategy for getting to Tanna. The last 80 miles had the wind directly on our nose , and it was blowing thirty knots. Add the 6 knots boatspeed to that, and we on board and the boat felt 36 knots. And then, during our conversation, we heard a loud "pop". A quick look showed our headsail flying like a flag, no longer attached at the clew, the part of the sail where the sheets, or control lines attach. The heavy nylon webbing at the clew had failed completely. The sheets were still attached to the "D" ring laying on deck.

Of course we all sprang into action to retrieve the broken sail. Our first intention was to roll the sail back up on the roller furler to stop it from flogging itself to death. This quite easy and done from the cockpit. But it was loose and could easily unfurl itself again, which it started to do. I went forward to contain it, and Elisabeth and Jeff went below to dig out our spare headsail. Proximity's bow is very finely pointed, and narrow. We were headed to windward and the seas were high, short interval, and bumpy. It seemed that about every fifth or sixth "bounce" the bow would be going down as the sea was coming up, resulting my being dunked as I held on to an unruly sail and forestay in the thirty knot wind. It was interesting to say the least. Elisabeth and Jeff returned topside with our storm sail. It was not the spare we had wanted, but it would do. So in short order, Jeff and I worked the foredeck wrestling the sail to the deck, getting dunked at regular intervals, while Elisabeth worked the furling line and halyards. Once the sail was on the deck, everything and everyone thoroughly wet (thankfully this is the tropics and not the North Sea), Jeff and I contained it as best we could and got it down the entry hatch and stowed below.

Now the storm sail. It needed to be "hanked on". This is a series of heavy clips, not unlike button on a shirt that needed to be fastened at the deck level, before it could be hauled up. Meanwhile, dunk, dunk, dunk... At last, it was hanked, Jeff hauled on the halyard, and up it came. Life was orderly once more.

Later that evening, as Jeff and I were off watch, Elisabeth was on watch, as we had divided up the night into three hour increments. The ride was still very rough and active, the boat was heeling on her port side. The navigation desk is on the starboard side of the boat, so it is the "uphill side" in these conditions. We have a safety belt that holds the navigator securely to the desk, much like a seat belt in a car. Elisabeth had been wearing the belt, but for a few minutes, she was not. A big roll picked up the boat, and dropped it sending poor Elisabeth flying across the boat to the galley area. She landed very hard, hitting the engine box and entry stairs with her backside. I was instantly up and beside her, and it was clear that she was in great pain with who knows what type of injury. Broken rib? Broken hip? Internal injury? All of these things went through my mind. I helped her onto her bunk, and we ascertained that she could move all joints, so hopefully no broken bones. But the injury is real, and we have to deal with the situation. I had considered requesting a medevac,. From whom? Perhaps New Caladonia? Many options were discussed. Email with our friend Bob back in San Francisco were exchanged. Ultimately, we are taking her to Port Vila in Efate, Vanuatu. We had considered Tanna, as it was close by, but Elisabeth prefers the idea of seeing a doctor sooner and is comfortable in her bunk on the boat.

So, then, here we are, on the way to Port Vila. Jeff and I have located and changed out the headsail, the storm sail, just being too small to be of use in less than very high winds. The wind that caused us this trouble, and that could be of great assistance now, is easing up as we speak. It is forecast to go very light. If this happens, we have enough fuel to get to Port Vila, no problem.

We will keep in touch. None of us feel that Elisabeth is in any real danger, and we are all hopeful that it is simply bad bone bruising.

Rod, Elisabeth, and Jeff, "Your Rock and Roll Argonauts"