Thursday, May 8, 2008

Delivery Manila to Hongkong 650 nautical miles





This is the true story of the delivery of racing yacht Sunset Strip from Manila to Hongkong across the high seas 650 nautical miles in time for the China Sea Race. I wrote it just a couple of weeks after the experience and found the manuscript after so many years.

We sail out Tuesday p.m. Betamax with Tony Gonzales. then footage of us under spinnaker and on the rails. must be good shots. Finally we go on a 650 miles trip. Wind has weakened. We go past Sangley, then we sight San Nicolas. Boss goes down to sleep. Sunset and I take shots with Bataan in background. we set up watches. I wonder my name is last. I sleep so I'm awake off Luzon point. We still have wind off west Bataan coast but weakening. lot of fishing boats. we make good distance while wind lasts. I helm past Luzon point towards Morong. at times I get close to pts., cliffs but I stab to border of holes. I move on. but wind's shifting fast. I can't point to Morong steadily. time off I sleep. next time I awake there's racket upstairs and lights I climb up. discover Peter erred going into Subic they had to backtrack and go out. also almost bumped into an island which Albert saw in time. I sleep again. then they run into a fish net and Albert had to dive and cut through it. Next day Wed. we see Capones Island and sail off course. wind has weakened a bit but we're still moving. sun is beating on us mercilessly. mountains recede gradually. we keep watches and set #1, we plaster anti seasickness thing to back of ear. next day thursday pretty much the same we still have good wind. we use spinnaker reaching. we have a good rhythmic swell pushing us. we use awning for cover and Peter helms on his back. fishermen far out at sea. in p.m. we sight a whale spouting. Then come dolphins playing around the boat. I go to the bow and see them swim ahead of the boat. take good shots. always look at sunset. next day wind dies and we motor bringing sails down. we begin to be impatient. I'm sawa of the meat food. we look for windlines and all around us are water. swells flog the sails. we see occassional markers. all ocean. it's so wide and yet it's so localized. I could sail to HK on a 110. we figure BB's storm has this residue swell, not realizing its a precursor to the storm we'll have. Peter swings from a halyard and takes an ocean bath. I would've followed too. I lean to jerk spinnaker so it's always full. nobody trimming it. Peter makes a speedo and they play a team taking pictures. we'd have lot of fun w/o Boss. me Bebot and Albert develop yachting talk Saturday night we get fog. I helm with motor and Boss is beside me worried of unseen ships. it means we're approaching China. morning we see fishing boats, Chinese we presume. we see markers, nets but no wind so we motor. optical illusion of clouds and mainland but still far off. I should be able to predict weather through clouds. p.m. we get some winds and we spinnaker. just before evening wind stiffens we bring down spinnaker fast. then wind still picks up. so we reef 1. then still faster we reef 2. This is just a squall we said. our course is straight out then back so we arrive at HK morning daylight. mistake why not straight. then terror begins. waves go 20 ft, wind goes 60 knots. Wabs helms. wonder whether to have storm sail but can't set it now. worse pitch dark. and we're not sure of our position. Peter cant give us a fix. we don foul weather gear and harness on w/ life lines. Wabs helms for 6 hours straight. I fear helming things might break down under my stint. Lyndon and Johnny get cold and get knocked out. Albert is OK. boat gets banging on waves and gets broadsided broaches. its good I have 110 experience just go to windward side and wait for boat to stand up. I take over helm with trepidation after a while it's enjoyable or I master it shouting commands to make them alive. I strain my eyes for waves and cut them at an angle. spray cuts to my face and I spit saltwater. I could almost kalabit the waves before meeting them. they develop respect for my helming. Peter is afraid or something? finally he comes up. I tell Bebot to go inside and at least see lights of HK. Peter says we tack back and forth. we look continously at my watch and painfully or joyfully count half hours pass by. Boss and Bebot decide to follow Peter. but I fear a Fastnet. I would rather go inside look for lights But I follow decisions and do a good job of helming. 5:00 am now one hour more. sky lightens up. finally we see waves. and Peter tries radio direction finder which is all washed up. he says we have a fix 30 miles from HK. whats direction? He can't tell. I go for a low angle and teach Wabs to ride waves from quarter stern. we see ships and follow . we try to ask Taiwan boat who won't tell. wind picks up again. last night wind was whistling and rain stabbed like needles on my face. Stars' illusions positive the picture. a.m. find a fix before it gets dark again. I was insistent. then miraculously we saw a light blinking identify it's Waglan! we shout with glee and I steer towards it. then mountains appear past fog and we take pictures. China. my first time to be abroad and in this manner. I give helm and go down exhausted. we motor into eastern channel. I go up not wanting to miss anything. strange sights. rocks mist cold. buildings then city itself. airport autobahns boats barges HK then the yacht club. I'm afraid I might be sick I take hot shower. take lunch. vegetable and sea food and go to boat to sleep cold and drizzling. after sleep I'm recovered. erred not study satnav radio direction finder and SSB. for future racing. also should've made good log putting down wind direction swell etc. that night lights presumably of ships kept us alive in no small way. at least there'd be some people rescuing us.




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