Any port in a storm

Motorsailing into San Sebastian

The wind has turned. But not to a desirable direction. Yesterday, with an increasing swell and gusts in the high twenties, we increased our holding by rowing out another anchor and tying a stern line onto a buoy. We watched the barometre fall then stabilise, the cumulus clouds swell until they swallowed the horizon entirely, the wispy stratus in the higher atmosphere merge to form a milky halo around the sun. With two anchors and two buoys we were well setup for the bad weather that was forecast. What happened however was not forecast. The wind did not blow hard overnight and this morning, when it did start, it veered far more southerly than predicted, blowing straight into the harbour from the open sea - nothing between us and the South Pole. Decision made, immediately and unanimously - haul anchor, slip free of the buoys and motorsail back 6 miles to the relative safety of San Sebastian (unfortunately open to the South but as they say 'any port in a storm'). By the time we had unspun the web of lines from bow and stern the rain was falling, lightly at first and then in fat drops. Passing the breakwater the sea was surging and laboured, white caps here and there. The wind blew steady just around 20 knots. The rain thickened reducing our visibility. The thunder started and lightening lit up the brooding sky.
In the harbour the water is red with mud and thick with debris that has surged downriver from the island's interior. Because the current was so strong and the heavy wind beam onto us we manoeuvred into a tight berth using long lines in addition to our engines. Fortunately half a dozen pairs of hands sprung into action to halp us fend off, tie on, avoid any breakages. And here we are, in port, the wind squeeling through the rigging of 300 odd boats, the relentless rain washing our decks clean, the barometre still falling. The pressure has dropped 9 bars in the last 3 hours. We're in for a big blow.



(just seen 46 knots on the anemonemometre)