Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

I've never experienced an absence of wind where I didn't have an auxilliary
(sp?), you know, a motor, to fall back on; I've only read of the scenario.

What is the longest dead calm you've experienced? Were you relaxed, you
know, calm, about it? How long did it take before it started to get to you,
if at all?

If not you, what is the longest dead calm our sailing author's have
experienced and lived to tell?

Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

Bryan wrote:
I've never experienced an absence of wind where I didn't have an auxilliary
(sp?), you know, a motor, to fall back on; I've only read of the scenario.

What is the longest dead calm you've experienced? Were you relaxed, you
know, calm, about it? How long did it take before it started to get to you,
if at all?

If not you, what is the longest dead calm our sailing author's have
experienced and lived to tell?


I once experienced 4 days of almost dead calm in a Vic-Maui race. We
got too close to the centre of the high pressure. For those days we
covered about 25-30 miles a day. It was sweltering hot and we were
misersable.

Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

"Gary" wrote in message
news:_jZjf.13770$Gd6.5128@pd7tw3no...
Bryan wrote:
I've never experienced an absence of wind where I didn't have an
auxilliary (sp?), you know, a motor, to fall back on; I've only read of
the scenario.

What is the longest dead calm you've experienced? Were you relaxed, you
know, calm, about it? How long did it take before it started to get to
you, if at all?

If not you, what is the longest dead calm our sailing author's have
experienced and lived to tell?
I once experienced 4 days of almost dead calm in a Vic-Maui race. We got
too close to the centre of the high pressure. For those days we covered
about 25-30 miles a day. It was sweltering hot and we were misersable.

Hard to say if you would have still been miserable if you hadn't been racing
and it hadn't been sweltering hot. Did you ever doubt you would find wind
again?

Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

On Fri, 02 Dec 2005 05:23:11 GMT, "Bryan"
wrote:

I've never experienced an absence of wind where I didn't have an auxilliary
(sp?), you know, a motor, to fall back on; I've only read of the scenario.

What is the longest dead calm you've experienced? Were you relaxed, you
know, calm, about it? How long did it take before it started to get to you,
if at all?

If not you, what is the longest dead calm our sailing author's have
experienced and lived to tell?



We were returning a Vic Maui boat in 2000. Prior to departure we were
waitng for the rudder to be repaired and were watching the weather -
especially the Pacific high. At one point the high stretched from
Oregon to Japan. Rather than sailing to Japan and tacking, we decided
to power through the high. We lashed 20 five gallon jerry cans to the
stanchions.

Once we hit the high we fired up the iron genny and made a bee line
for the mouth of Juan de Fuca. After about two days of powering, we
about in the middle of the high when we hit a piece of fishing net
about 4 feet by 5 feet. Needless to say the engine came to an abrupt
halt.

After removing the net, we fired up the engine and heard a horrendous
clattter. We thought we had damaged the engine. When you have food
in a freezer and depend on a water maker, this was a disaster. Turns
out it was the transmission.

We wallowed about for about three days trying to get any little puff
of wind. One night about 0200, I was quite depressed and sat in the
salon asking my self what I doing there. I then smacked myself around
a little after I realized I was there, and my job was to get out of
there.

I will never forget being on the helm when I felt the Westerlies as a
small breeze on my cheek. I called for the gennaker which filled
nicely as it came out of the dousing bag. We were off for home.

To add insult to injury we were becalmed again at the entrance to
Juan de Fuca for a day and a half. We eventually got into Port
Renfrew where our skipper wife had an RIB with a good sized engine.
The two of them sailed and towed the boat up to Sidney for repairs.

To those who say that offshore sailing is long periods of tedium
punctuated by episodes of terror, I can add despondency as another
emotion.

After all that I am ready to give it another. Anyone loooking for a
watch captain?

Jack

__________________________________________________
Jack Dale
ISPA Yachtmaster Offshore Instructor
CYA Advanced Cruising Instructor
Director, Swiftsure Sailing Academy
http://www.swiftsuresailing.com
__________________________________________________

Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

Bryan wrote:
"Gary" wrote in message
news:_jZjf.13770$Gd6.5128@pd7tw3no...

Bryan wrote:

I've never experienced an absence of wind where I didn't have an
auxilliary (sp?), you know, a motor, to fall back on; I've only read of
the scenario.

What is the longest dead calm you've experienced? Were you relaxed, you
know, calm, about it? How long did it take before it started to get to
you, if at all?

If not you, what is the longest dead calm our sailing author's have
experienced and lived to tell?

I once experienced 4 days of almost dead calm in a Vic-Maui race. We got
too close to the centre of the high pressure. For those days we covered
about 25-30 miles a day. It was sweltering hot and we were misersable.


Hard to say if you would have still been miserable if you hadn't been racing
and it hadn't been sweltering hot. Did you ever doubt you would find wind
again?


We knew it was an anomalie. The high had moved very close to the coast
in an unusual pattern. There was wind all around us. What made us
miserable was that our wives were in Hawaii and waiting for us. We were
so late getting there that they had all flown home. The trip that
normal takes 12 - 15 days took us 21! We ran out of food at 18 and we
were reduced to slim fixin's.

Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

wrote:
On Fri, 02 Dec 2005 05:23:11 GMT, "Bryan"
wrote:


I've never experienced an absence of wind where I didn't have an auxilliary
(sp?), you know, a motor, to fall back on; I've only read of the scenario.

What is the longest dead calm you've experienced? Were you relaxed, you
know, calm, about it? How long did it take before it started to get to you,
if at all?

If not you, what is the longest dead calm our sailing author's have
experienced and lived to tell?




We were returning a Vic Maui boat in 2000. Prior to departure we were
waitng for the rudder to be repaired and were watching the weather -
especially the Pacific high. At one point the high stretched from
Oregon to Japan. Rather than sailing to Japan and tacking, we decided
to power through the high. We lashed 20 five gallon jerry cans to the
stanchions.

Once we hit the high we fired up the iron genny and made a bee line
for the mouth of Juan de Fuca. After about two days of powering, we
about in the middle of the high when we hit a piece of fishing net
about 4 feet by 5 feet. Needless to say the engine came to an abrupt
halt.

After removing the net, we fired up the engine and heard a horrendous
clattter. We thought we had damaged the engine. When you have food
in a freezer and depend on a water maker, this was a disaster. Turns
out it was the transmission.

We wallowed about for about three days trying to get any little puff
of wind. One night about 0200, I was quite depressed and sat in the
salon asking my self what I doing there. I then smacked myself around
a little after I realized I was there, and my job was to get out of
there.

I will never forget being on the helm when I felt the Westerlies as a
small breeze on my cheek. I called for the gennaker which filled
nicely as it came out of the dousing bag. We were off for home.

To add insult to injury we were becalmed again at the entrance to
Juan de Fuca for a day and a half. We eventually got into Port
Renfrew where our skipper wife had an RIB with a good sized engine.
The two of them sailed and towed the boat up to Sidney for repairs.

To those who say that offshore sailing is long periods of tedium
punctuated by episodes of terror, I can add despondency as another
emotion.

After all that I am ready to give it another. Anyone loooking for a
watch captain?

Jack

__________________________________________________
Jack Dale
ISPA Yachtmaster Offshore Instructor
CYA Advanced Cruising Instructor
Director, Swiftsure Sailing Academy
http://www.swiftsuresailing.com
__________________________________________________
That was the Vic-Maui that my predecessor won in Oriole. The wind going
was great that year as I understand it.
Did you do the race? (I didn't)

Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

"Gary" wrote in message
news:Eh_jf.14432$Gd6.5093@pd7tw3no...
Bryan wrote:
"Gary" wrote in message
news:_jZjf.13770$Gd6.5128@pd7tw3no...

Bryan wrote:

I've never experienced an absence of wind where I didn't have an
auxilliary (sp?), you know, a motor, to fall back on; I've only read of
the scenario.

What is the longest dead calm you've experienced? Were you relaxed, you
know, calm, about it? How long did it take before it started to get to
you, if at all?

If not you, what is the longest dead calm our sailing author's have
experienced and lived to tell?

I once experienced 4 days of almost dead calm in a Vic-Maui race. We got
too close to the centre of the high pressure. For those days we covered
about 25-30 miles a day. It was sweltering hot and we were misersable.


Hard to say if you would have still been miserable if you hadn't been
racing and it hadn't been sweltering hot. Did you ever doubt you would
find wind again?
We knew it was an anomalie. The high had moved very close to the coast in
an unusual pattern. There was wind all around us. What made us miserable
was that our wives were in Hawaii and waiting for us. We were so late
getting there that they had all flown home. The trip that normal takes
12 - 15 days took us 21! We ran out of food at 18 and we were reduced to
slim fixin's.

Were you starting to worry or did knowing that you could call for help keep
the idea of starving to death in check?

Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

Bryan wrote:
"Gary" wrote in message
news:Eh_jf.14432$Gd6.5093@pd7tw3no...


We knew it was an anomalie. The high had moved very close to the coast in
an unusual pattern. There was wind all around us. What made us miserable
was that our wives were in Hawaii and waiting for us. We were so late
getting there that they had all flown home. The trip that normal takes
12 - 15 days took us 21! We ran out of food at 18 and we were reduced to
slim fixin's.


Were you starting to worry or did knowing that you could call for help keep
the idea of starving to death in check?


No worry, we had stuff to eat but no real food. We had a big bag of
flour and lots of jam and peanut butter. We just had no meat, rice,
bread or any of the normal stuff.

Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

On Fri, 02 Dec 2005 16:09:25 GMT, Gary wrote:



__________________________________________________
Jack Dale
ISPA Yachtmaster Offshore Instructor
CYA Advanced Cruising Instructor
Director, Swiftsure Sailing Academy
http://www.swiftsuresailing.com
__________________________________________________
That was the Vic-Maui that my predecessor won in Oriole. The wind going
was great that year as I understand it.
Did you do the race? (I didn't)

Did not do the race - just a 21 day and 90 minute delivery from
Honolulu to Port Renfrew.

I would like to do the race. Last year I turned down an position as
an instructor on the Van Isle 360.

Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

wrote:
On Fri, 02 Dec 2005 16:09:25 GMT, Gary wrote:




_______________________________________________ ___
Jack Dale
ISPA Yachtmaster Offshore Instructor
CYA Advanced Cruising Instructor
Director, Swiftsure Sailing Academy
http://www.swiftsuresailing.com
_______________________________________________ ___

That was the Vic-Maui that my predecessor won in Oriole. The wind going
was great that year as I understand it.
Did you do the race? (I didn't)


Did not do the race - just a 21 day and 90 minute delivery from
Honolulu to Port Renfrew.

I would like to do the race. Last year I turned down an position as
an instructor on the Van Isle 360.

I've done the last two Van-Isle 360s. It is a great race but it has
been discovered and the sleds and rock stars are showing up now. It
really is a great idea for a race, like the Tour de France, yacht style.

What boat wanted you?

Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

On Sat, 03 Dec 2005 01:57:27 GMT, Gary wrote:

wrote:
On Fri, 02 Dec 2005 16:09:25 GMT, Gary wrote:




______________________________________________ ____
Jack Dale
ISPA Yachtmaster Offshore Instructor
CYA Advanced Cruising Instructor
Director, Swiftsure Sailing Academy
http://www.swiftsuresailing.com
______________________________________________ ____

That was the Vic-Maui that my predecessor won in Oriole. The wind going
was great that year as I understand it.
Did you do the race? (I didn't)


Did not do the race - just a 21 day and 90 minute delivery from
Honolulu to Port Renfrew.

I would like to do the race. Last year I turned down an position as
an instructor on the Van Isle 360.

I've done the last two Van-Isle 360s. It is a great race but it has
been discovered and the sleds and rock stars are showing up now. It
really is a great idea for a race, like the Tour de France, yacht style.

What boat wanted you?

Evolution

I have used her for cruise and learns on several occassions. I also
crewed on her during Swiftsure 2004 (mainly rail meat).

Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

wrote:
On Sat, 03 Dec 2005 01:57:27 GMT, Gary wrote:


wrote:

On Fri, 02 Dec 2005 16:09:25 GMT, Gary wrote:





_____________________________________________ _____
Jack Dale
ISPA Yachtmaster Offshore Instructor
CYA Advanced Cruising Instructor
Director, Swiftsure Sailing Academy
http://www.swiftsuresailing.com
_____________________________________________ _____

That was the Vic-Maui that my predecessor won in Oriole. The wind going
was great that year as I understand it.
Did you do the race? (I didn't)


Did not do the race - just a 21 day and 90 minute delivery from
Honolulu to Port Renfrew.

I would like to do the race. Last year I turned down an position as
an instructor on the Van Isle 360.

I've done the last two Van-Isle 360s. It is a great race but it has
been discovered and the sleds and rock stars are showing up now. It
really is a great idea for a race, like the Tour de France, yacht style.

What boat wanted you?


Evolution

I have used her for cruise and learns on several occassions. I also
crewed on her during Swiftsure 2004 (mainly rail meat).
I've raced against her many times.

Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

"Gary" wrote in message
news:OC3kf.13291$ki.3236@pd7tw2no...
Bryan wrote:
"Gary" wrote in message
news:Eh_jf.14432$Gd6.5093@pd7tw3no...


We knew it was an anomalie. The high had moved very close to the coast
in an unusual pattern. There was wind all around us. What made us
miserable was that our wives were in Hawaii and waiting for us. We were
so late getting there that they had all flown home. The trip that normal
takes 12 - 15 days took us 21! We ran out of food at 18 and we were
reduced to slim fixin's.


Were you starting to worry or did knowing that you could call for help
keep the idea of starving to death in check?
No worry, we had stuff to eat but no real food. We had a big bag of flour
and lots of jam and peanut butter. We just had no meat, rice, bread or
any of the normal stuff.

Seems like fresh fish would also be an option.

--AG

Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

Alan Gomes wrote:
"Gary" wrote in message
news:OC3kf.13291$ki.3236@pd7tw2no...

Bryan wrote:

"Gary" wrote in message
news:Eh_jf.14432$Gd6.5093@pd7tw3no...


We knew it was an anomalie. The high had moved very close to the coast
in an unusual pattern. There was wind all around us. What made us
miserable was that our wives were in Hawaii and waiting for us. We were
so late getting there that they had all flown home. The trip that normal
takes 12 - 15 days took us 21! We ran out of food at 18 and we were
reduced to slim fixin's.


Were you starting to worry or did knowing that you could call for help
keep the idea of starving to death in check?

No worry, we had stuff to eat but no real food. We had a big bag of flour
and lots of jam and peanut butter. We just had no meat, rice, bread or
any of the normal stuff.


Seems like fresh fish would also be an option.

--AG


We had no fishing gear and our homemade stuff was unsuccessful. We
certainly had gear (and fish) on the way home.

Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

no fishing gear on a boat .... ??


"We had no fishing gear"......

Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

"Alan Gomes" wrote in message
...

"Gary" wrote in message
news:OC3kf.13291$ki.3236@pd7tw2no...
Bryan wrote:
"Gary" wrote in message
news:Eh_jf.14432$Gd6.5093@pd7tw3no...


We knew it was an anomalie. The high had moved very close to the coast
in an unusual pattern. There was wind all around us. What made us
miserable was that our wives were in Hawaii and waiting for us. We were
so late getting there that they had all flown home. The trip that
normal takes 12 - 15 days took us 21! We ran out of food at 18 and we
were reduced to slim fixin's.


Were you starting to worry or did knowing that you could call for help
keep the idea of starving to death in check?
No worry, we had stuff to eat but no real food. We had a big bag of
flour and lots of jam and peanut butter. We just had no meat, rice,
bread or any of the normal stuff.

Seems like fresh fish would also be an option.

--AG

As I recall, the stories I've read that included descriptions of dead calms,
seem to have a common theme of an absence of hungry fish in the area as well
the absence of wind.

Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

Bryan wrote:
"Alan Gomes" wrote in message
...

"Gary" wrote in message
news:OC3kf.13291$ki.3236@pd7tw2no...

Bryan wrote:

"Gary" wrote in message
news:Eh_jf.14432$Gd6.5093@pd7tw3no...


We knew it was an anomalie. The high had moved very close to the coast
in an unusual pattern. There was wind all around us. What made us
miserable was that our wives were in Hawaii and waiting for us. We were
so late getting there that they had all flown home. The trip that
normal takes 12 - 15 days took us 21! We ran out of food at 18 and we
were reduced to slim fixin's.


Were you starting to worry or did knowing that you could call for help
keep the idea of starving to death in check?

No worry, we had stuff to eat but no real food. We had a big bag of
flour and lots of jam and peanut butter. We just had no meat, rice,
bread or any of the normal stuff.

Seems like fresh fish would also be an option.

--AG


As I recall, the stories I've read that included descriptions of dead calms,
seem to have a common theme of an absence of hungry fish in the area as well
the absence of wind.


It's hard to troll when you are stopped.

Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

As I recall, the stories I've read that included descriptions of dead
calms,
seem to have a common theme of an absence of hungry fish in the area as
well the absence of wind.

then I guess at least you could go for a swim without having to worry about
the locals

Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

"Nigel" wrote in message
...

As I recall, the stories I've read that included descriptions of dead
calms,
seem to have a common theme of an absence of hungry fish in the area as
well the absence of wind.

then I guess at least you could go for a swim without having to worry
about the locals


I was sailing back to Marina Del Rey with my buddy and his current
girlfriend. It was a beautiful day on the water. I asked the girlfriend if
she had ever been for a swim in the middle of the ocean. She said no. I
offered to stop the boat and let her hop in the water for a couple of
minutes. She declined, stating sharks as her reason. I told her there
weren't any sharks around. She still declined. With a shrug of my
shoulders I continued on. 2 minutes later I'm tapping my buddy on the
shoulder and quietly signalling to look over my right shoulder. Yep, a
shark swimming along fully visible. What a laugh (although she didn't think
it was very funny)!

Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

Bryan wrote:

"Nigel" wrote in message
...

As I recall, the stories I've read that included descriptions of dead
calms,
seem to have a common theme of an absence of hungry fish in the area as
well the absence of wind.

then I guess at least you could go for a swim without having to worry
about the locals



I was sailing back to Marina Del Rey with my buddy and his current
girlfriend. It was a beautiful day on the water. I asked the girlfriend if
she had ever been for a swim in the middle of the ocean. She said no. I
offered to stop the boat and let her hop in the water for a couple of
minutes. She declined, stating sharks as her reason. I told her there
weren't any sharks around. She still declined. With a shrug of my
shoulders I continued on. 2 minutes later I'm tapping my buddy on the
shoulder and quietly signalling to look over my right shoulder. Yep, a
shark swimming along fully visible. What a laugh (although she didn't think
it was very funny)!

I'm pretty sure sharks are around swimmers on a regular basis, never
seen, never caring about the humans nearby either. In addition, most
professional divers and such swim around sharks regularly with no
problems, both just ignore each other.

Shark attacks on humans almost always occur because an unusual shark
makes an unusual mistake. In other words, sharks around humans in the
water is not that rare, sharks attacking humans is rare.

Having said that I'll also admit I tend to get the heebee jeebeez when
*anything* bigger than me (sea turtles, seals) is nearby while I'm in
the water. Big eels? Big Manta rays? --See ya!




--
Stephen

-------

For any proposition there is always some sufficiently narrow
interpretation of its terms, such that it turns out true, and
some sufficiently wide interpretation such that it turns out
false...concept stretching will refute *any* statement, and will
leave no true statement whatsoever.
-- Imre Lakatos

Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

Bryan wrote:

I've never experienced an absence of wind where I didn't have an auxilliary
(sp?), you know, a motor, to fall back on; I've only read of the scenario.

What is the longest dead calm you've experienced? Were you relaxed, you
know, calm, about it? How long did it take before it started to get to you,
if at all?

If not you, what is the longest dead calm our sailing author's have
experienced and lived to tell?



-The Crew of "The Tipsey": Two.-

Mouth of the Sturgeon River, Lake Nippising, Ontario, 30 years ago.

A 19 foot plywood bilge keeler, baggy sails, newlyweds, but for the
sake of a few years. A seagull outboard motor disregarded, a
wonderful week of sailing done, headed now for the last port of call
looking toward a hamburger supper near a familiar dock before the
week and soon, this weekend is done and then a return to Calandar
Bay tomorrow, and resumption of work on monday, at NORAD in Trenton.
Been nice all week then becalmed, with the river mouth in sight. Out
of ice.

Well after sailing all week, and lunchtime threatens, why not wait
for wind, and eat the remnants in the cooler for late brunch adrift?
But hold, is that a zephyr I feel on a hairy arm? Barely enough to
make a matchstick move beside the boat, but still, promise. Still
purists, the decision is made to sail, regardless, like the old
timers had to, before steam, an oath, OK?

"OK." says Mrs. Super Principals, Spouse to the Captain of Youthful
Principals, aboard the "S.V. Tipsey", in the Sturgeon's mouth.

Lunch. Stillness. Scraps. Thirst. Half a bottle of warm coke, one
ounce of rum, one warm beer, two cigarettes remain. The last of the
clean water went for breakfast coffee, caffeine and all. The porta
pottie is full. Courage.

Then, sail like a ghost toward Sturgeon Falls, an inch at a time,
back and forth, inching, tacking flabbily against a devilish tease
of wind, hinting, coming, going, never nearer, sunscreen all gone
now too, burning skin, wet T shirts and hats, Ontario heat, muggy
heat.

Time, rocking and ticking halyards in tune up before a concert,
forever tuning, tuning. Impatience, lazy seagulls, aspiring to
vulture careers, circling, squawking, ****ting, aggravating as
crackely candy wrappers at a movie, or a baby wailing in the smoking
balcony. No cigarettes left. No paddles with which to kill them, as
they come seeming sniffing, looking, smelling food and blood not yet
quite dead, scraps and sweat. Seeing their victims' slow decline
through thirst and suffering, patient, waiting, circling. *******s.
Old timers, veterans, paying the continuing price.

Tense smiles, salvation still beckons only a mile away, but too far
to swim. A vow to keep. Brooding Silence. The mood is getting ugly,
stubborn, frustrated.

Sunset. Immobility. The occasional wake as photographers zoom by,
damned papperazzi, close enough to take a picture of an odd couple
in the darkeling, against the setting sun's hellfire, haggard, sails
baggy, all at sea, getting desperate, now wavering? Never! The last
rationed beer spilled underfoot in it's cockpit shady spot, by a
stumble, a skip, a slip, a wake. Blame. Mutiny? We conspire to kill
powerboaters for diversion. Still, murder is our hearts now, and
freedom from this hell, dominated by principle over a childish oath,
a foolish mission, pointless, but not to be abandoned lightly.

Loyalty.

Principles, a vow. Acquiesecence. Patience. Suffering saints,
stained hearts. Dieting, now that rationing is ended, depleted,
without means to ration, fasting, famine, hunger, thirst. Mad,
crazing thirst and heat, and those damned gulls, circling, circling.

Drink the lake? Ewww!

"We will start the engine once we sail to a point between the red
and green entrance bouys." Remember your vow, your loyalty to
Captain, fellow crew, King, country, and holy mission?

"OK." She said, remember? Weary? Words given, words kept.

We are close enough for the mosquitos to have found us. They brought
their friends, the blackflies, and their little hitch hikers, the
no-see-ums. *******s! Bloodthirsty *******s! *******s everywhere!

We have no screens, only the companionway boards, closed forehatch,
mosquito coils, the heat, no air, no drink, no food. Nausea from
the insecticide fumes and wakes, wakes, wakes and their noise, and
the halyards' mad coded voices, urging murder, madly concerted now,
Wagnerian, blood stirring, mad, mad, mad for water, cool water.

Psycosis looms, our vows sacrosanct. Purgatory. Night. The anchor.
Sleep? The heat, the bugs, the wakes, as starships warp past. The
hurricane lantern, lighting an anchored prison ship.

The stink of bodies and the head, the festering seas, sewer to
Sturgeon falls, the moaning of thirsty sleep. Fitful, imprisoned, in
red hot irons. No sweat left. Swollen tongues, dreams, fitful,
memories dreamed: "Don't you listen to him, Dan, he's a devil, not
a man, as he spreads the burning sand with water. -Cool, -clear,
water-water." Startled! Awake again. Thirsty, trapped. Condemned?

Dawn, again. No wind, not one breath all night, and now, no grub,
no pudding, no duff. Nothing to drink. Itching. One pink peppermint
remains, to burn again the swollen, parched overhung tongues that
share it, lovers star crossed, allies, fellow stubborn victims,
fellow traitors, condemned together, we spy for weakness, seek out
heresey to use to condemn the other, to save ourselves.

"You want to give up? Start the engine?"

"Only if that's what you want."

Where do women get that attitude? Perhaps they are bad luck at sea,
as they say?

Then the breakdown, shameful, mercy, debased, dishonour? Then,
motor, grudging seagull putting up the river, powerboats zooming by.
One in particular, giant, fast, centre channel in a curved sewer
ditch, stereo blaring, waving, joyful, blind to suffering and
circumstance, ignorant fools! How I had wished to sail here. What if
he met another like himself, blind, coming the other way? But now,
a common enemy, a unity refound, goal in sight, nearer, nearer. A
monster wake, fitted perfectly to the damage seen on the boat houses
and rocks awash on shore as we pass, slowly, put-putting, putting.

Only a hour to the dock, washrooms, pop with ice, chips, hamburgers,
salvation, heavan!

Saturday shopping, beer store, then for home: showers, air
conditioning, ice cream, beer, TV. Only twenty years on the parade
square with rain and snow in November, remembrance days fly by, and
other duties too, to get to here.

A short becalming? Still, the longest. Too long. A survival story
for the kids, eventually, like the story of great grand dad in his
tin hat crash landing in the bomb shelter sump full of water, ass
full of shrapnel, chin strap tight, hat wedged tight in the sump,
underwater, a nearby bomb echo resounding, hanged upside down by the
chinstrap under water below great grandma's ankles in the mud, a
near drowning in the blitz. Comical now, just a little character
building now, memories of fun, then, in the good old days survived.

-Recalled aboard "The Tipsey Two, Too" once, and now again, yard
sailing at home, the house a part of a frozen winter flottilla in
formation with "The Bote Ouele", a bigger bilge keeler on the
trailer in the snow, thankful for the cool warmth, and water to
waste. The water of life. The book of living.

Terry K

Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

"Bryan" wrote in message
et...
I've never experienced an absence of wind where I didn't have an
auxilliary (sp?), you know, a motor, to fall back on; I've only read of
the scenario.

What is the longest dead calm you've experienced? Were you relaxed, you
know, calm, about it? How long did it take before it started to get to
you, if at all?

If not you, what is the longest dead calm our sailing author's have
experienced and lived to tell?

Sailing from Sydney Australia to Auckland New Zealand in 1949 after '48
Transtasman race (NZ to Aussie)
Tasman normally one of roughest seas in world.
5 full days becalmed halfway across - did 50 miles in 5 days, and worst
day's run was MINUS 2.
Engine was defunct . Total 1250 miles took 22 days - probably record slowest
crossing for boats not dismasted or similar. Enough food on board - and
proved that water usage can be as little as one third of a (imperial)
gallon - about 1.5 litres - per man per day.
Boat was 30 foot solid (and slow) double ender - Colin Archer type.
Big shark - about half boat length - right alongside, so no swimming!

Irony was that we were returning after the race in which we encountered a
cyclone and weathered 110 knot winds - proved by the anenometer on Lord Howe
Island - we were about 50 miles from Lrd Howe, and the centre of the
cyclone passed between us and island. The graph shows wind going off the
chart at 111 knots, and then dropping to flat calm. No, it wasn't the eye of
the cyclone- just the mast on the weather station blowing down.
We rolled about 135 degrees (one boat in the race rolled 360 and survived).
At the height of the blow I promised God that if we survived I would never
complain about being becalmed again - and HE must have heard me !!!
Terry

Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

"Mouth of the Sturgeon River, Lake
Nippising, Ontario, 30 years ago."

nice post Terry....thanx.......

Longest Dead Calm (or Becalmed) Sailing Experience?
 

On Fri, 02 Dec 2005 05:23:11 GMT, "Bryan"
wrote:
What is the longest dead calm you've experienced? Were you relaxed, you
know, calm, about it? How long did it take before it started to get to you,
if at all?

Nothing as remotely dramatic as I have yet to sail anywhere but Lake
Ontario. But this little drinkable sea is known for dead air in the
summer, and we spent three days a few years back going a miserable 50
miles (essentially propelled by a weak current setting east) between
Toronto and Cobourg in a June with 30 degree heat. The bugs were
ferocious even four to five NM offshore, and I was all purist and
gung-ho to "sail, because it's a sailboat". Despite casting off the
pretense of staying clothed, it was pretty futile and hard on the
gear. What finally made me reach for the engine key was the sight of
my Zodiac on a long bridle driving ahead of the cockpit...an unmanned
rubber runabout was a better sailor than me....sigh...

R.