16 miles to Rabat
28 September 2011 | Gibraltar
Rodney
Well that was a fun night. First we had a very nice sail from Gibraltar until about midnight. We sailed with our double reefed main until we rounded the Moroccan coast in a brisk 25 knots. Then we dropped the main and hoisted the spinnaker. We sailed with the spinnaker until about midnight when the wind started to move forward. It was time for the iron horse so then we started to motor.
We kept a very attentive watch because we new there were many Moroccan fishing boats along the coast. We also stayed over 10 miles offshore to avoid them. The shipping lanes are about 20 miles offshore so we were content in our happy place. Everything was great until I got up for my 6 am watch. I got up to relive Ted and noticed he looked a little wet. Then I noticed that we had motored into an extremely thick fog bank. Man I hate fog!
You know the feeling you get with your face pushed up to the windshield of your car while driving in fog. So now imagine doing the same thing while sitting on your hood. Now it is my watch and instead of noticing the lights on the horizon, I am looking for anything that shows up in my running lights. Unfortunately the sun will not rise until 8:30. Then about 7:00 I saw a light off my port bow. I deviated to starboard and then I felt the boat go form 5.0 knots to 1.0 knot. I thought to myself, I hope that is not a fishing net? Then the fishing boat starts motoring toward me flashing his lights. He pulled up to me and spoke in perfect Moroccan - and I answered in perfect English. Then he waved a piece of his net and I got the picture. I stoped the boat and he pull up as close as could and cut the net.....then he just motored away leaving the rest of the net caught under my boat. Such is the life at sea.
I need to wait until daylight to go for a little swim....