Whew!
In the thick of it, this was our staus. We had a major leak coming from the no-drip propeller shaft seal. We had an all-out gusher coming in. What happened was an adjustment that needed to happen to stop the water from filling the boat. Understand; I am not a panic sailor. Fortunately, Meredith and Hunter are not either. Whilst sailing in that storm the weather people named Boreas, we were being required to pump like mad to keep the boat afloat. The boat was driving down the faces of waves requiring steering manually. Neither of our three auto-pilots had the snuff to keep the boat going straight. Waves were breaking over the boat. I am a surfer that rides big waves in Costa Rica all the time. I live there. I attest; the waves breaking over out boat are going to form up on some shore in Mexico and will rival the waves we surf at home.
All that was difficult but okay, the storm the leak, all manageable problems. What happened next began to tip the edge of my composure. The shrouds, the wires that hold the upper section of the mast in the air, had slipped from the spreader tips. The mast above the spreaders was whipping about like a noodle. Imagine, being in the Yucatan Channel taking a butt-whippin’, being dead beat tired, and now you have to go up the mast and keep it from beating itself to death. That would be if I could gather my tools and mast climbing gear together before the mast came down. I had to do this instantly. I don’t like going up a mast when at a dock, much less in twelve-foot seas. At that point, I admitted to myself, I had some problems.
I have to go now. We are going in for our Mexican Thanksgiving. I have plenty more to tell you about. I have plenty to be thankful for. I will continue this manana. You will then begin to understand why I am so thankful.
November 28, 2013
Isla Mujeres
Quintana Roo
Mexico
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