Scare Story By Scuppers

Ok. We had a moment.

After crossing two oceans with over a year afloat, this ocean's first night out provided our most alarming moment. Knocked down in the Timor Sea and the run down Africa's "Wild Coast" in a gale were wild. Riding over the whale off Richard's Bay was crazy. Almost fun. But this was almost scary.

"It was a dark and stormy night". No moon, no stars under low cloud and therefore no horizon. The entire crew were a little tired after Terrwyn left RCYC at dawn mercifully released from Table Bay's notorious, relentless summer Sou'Easterly blow. Ironically it was a full day of light air sailing through moored cargo ships. Good fun in full sun requiring many tacks and hand sterring. The breeze filled in with dusk bringing steep fresh seas.

No one could sleep. Poppy was below trying while Scup tracked a ocean tug slowly overtaking Terrwyn to port. Finally past, he briefed Poppy and went below after midnight. Poppy continued to monitor this ocean tug as it's lights slowly faded from sight off our port bow. By now the seas were steep, several metres, and chaotic. Terrwyn was on her feet however even sitting required both hands. Moving about was a mini-adventure.

There were no reference points. Nothing level. Only forward.

Alone on deck tracking the fading tug's lights, Poppy decided "things did not add up". This vessel was suddenly closer and closing rapidly still off Terrwyn's port bow. Scup responded to the "all hands on deck" call noting the same ocean tug, same orientation with green starboard running light and no doubt cables and barge behind.

No, this vessel was much closer and closing rapidly across our bow. Terrwyn did not dare "come up" to port for frear of the tow behind. To jibe away to starboard required freeing the boom brake and preventor Ð very dangerous in the pitch black, 25 knot breeze.

Poppy repeats " He's very close and there's another light behind it. Starboard." Really close? Another light? Off our other beam (side)? Still mentally preparing to "jibe away' to starboard Scup asks Pop to bring up the light to see to release the preventor, boom brake, haul the main sheet, and load the lazy jib sheets to jibe.

Meanwhile Scupper ducks under the bimini to see this "other light". TG Poppy insisted tthis other vessel was closer than Scupper acknowledged and there were more lights around.

There it was, aft of Terrwyn's starboard beam. Another white light "way up there" followed by a roaring wall of steel towering over our entire starboard. The sound, roaring and metallic, growling displacing the storm's sea waves and wind in the rigging.

Refelxively Scups released Monti, tiller hard over to starboard (the new "stick" held) and Terrwyn spun up into the breeze as this other vessel literally roared by Terrwyn's bow. How close? 20-50 metres, perhaps. 50 nm off Africa's western shore.

Rather like meeting the middle of a freight train in the night at an uncontrolled crossing Ð dark and deadly.

Neither of us remember the wake, TG it was not a tug. Downwind sails suddenly upwind. More chaos. Now trivia as we watched in awe the big ship's disappearing stern off our starboard stern.

Did he see us? He would never have felt us tumble along his waterline. There was no time for anything. There would have been some floating wreckage only

Terrwyn's crew did lots right and did lots wrong.. We learned a life's lesson without paying the ultimate price. We were lucky. We worked together, stayed calm and survived.

We will never forget hearing and seeing that metallic wall roaring by high overhead and dead ahead.

The South Atlantic is the world's most benign ocean.

Right.