Just back from a 2 week charter/flotilla in the British Virgin Islands as part of our silver wedding celebrations, our friends who were married 8 days before us were with us, their previous sailing experience being 2 single weeks in Greece with us.
Arrived on Friday the 10th October and had mixed weather for the first couple of days, which brought some squalls, one lasting for 20 minutes with 40knt winds, near zero visibility and rain that would take the skin of you back, although it was warm rain. We had seen it coming and dropped the sails and motored into it, thankful for the spray hood, which is not normal on charter yachts in sunny climes.
We were informed that the mixed weather was being caused by a depression to the south of us and by Monday it was being classed as a tropical storm, which was moving slowly NW away from us.
Tuesday was a nice day but the news now was that the storm had a name, OMAR and had changed direction to NE and was heading towards us. It was decided that we should head for a safe harbour on Wednesday, the choices being back to base in Tortola or Spanish Town on Virgin Gorda, we all agreed Virgin Gorda. I reassured the crew that it would be no worse than when I was storm bound with SILKIE in Loch Aline for 2 days or trying to get round Mull again with SILKIE on the 2006 Chentlemans Cruise, “who was I trying to kidâ€Â
Hurricane Encounter
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Silkie
- Admiral of the Fleet
- Posts: 3475
- Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2005 12:55 pm
- Boat Type: Hurley 22
- Location: Bonnie Scotland
- Contact:
Not wishing to hijack your thread but remembered the following from a liveaboard friend which I received shortly after Ivan hit Grenada in 2004. Apologies for some of the language but I suspect he was still a bit emotional!
Move Maverick round to Clarkes Court Bay put as much stuff on the seabed as possible .This was quite a lot
Tues early IVAN coming straight in and intensifying;what an interesting word when you already have a forcast for 105 knots with gusts of 130; intensifying to what for fucks sake
Take the foresails off Pull out an old fisherman and attach approx 58 miles of all the the rope we possess This I arrange so if the boat drags her main anchors to ratshit maybe it would delay things So anc hored in CCB opposite the new ish marina the skies lower and the wind starts time has run out..Do what has been decided ,that is leave Maverick and seek shelter ashore.Easy to say difficult to do ,eight years for us to build and IVAN is looking for bird Bid her hasta luego touch wood and leave with heavy heavy heart.Get to the house of a friend of a friend as the wind picks up more.We ,in the house,are looking down on the anchorage and acrossto Hog Island and the marina.Wind is at about 80 knots and the boats are coping so can relax a little.Stop looking out the window at Maverick,sit on the bed---ears pop wind screams ,bang and the fornicating windows blow in glass flying across the room .Itssafe to look out the window no glass ,its bad movie time.Initially branches then. tree s become airborne ,big shudder and bangâ€â€
Move Maverick round to Clarkes Court Bay put as much stuff on the seabed as possible .This was quite a lot
Tues early IVAN coming straight in and intensifying;what an interesting word when you already have a forcast for 105 knots with gusts of 130; intensifying to what for fucks sake
Take the foresails off Pull out an old fisherman and attach approx 58 miles of all the the rope we possess This I arrange so if the boat drags her main anchors to ratshit maybe it would delay things So anc hored in CCB opposite the new ish marina the skies lower and the wind starts time has run out..Do what has been decided ,that is leave Maverick and seek shelter ashore.Easy to say difficult to do ,eight years for us to build and IVAN is looking for bird Bid her hasta luego touch wood and leave with heavy heavy heart.Get to the house of a friend of a friend as the wind picks up more.We ,in the house,are looking down on the anchorage and acrossto Hog Island and the marina.Wind is at about 80 knots and the boats are coping so can relax a little.Stop looking out the window at Maverick,sit on the bed---ears pop wind screams ,bang and the fornicating windows blow in glass flying across the room .Itssafe to look out the window no glass ,its bad movie time.Initially branches then. tree s become airborne ,big shudder and bangâ€â€
different colours made of tears