The night continues with its squalls and we continue to sail in a small band within sight of Basia. Half way through my watch I spot a strobe light flashing away and know it’s not Eowyn or Tucanon so wonder if it’s Ariane. I call them on SSB and VHF but don’t get an answer and by the time I pop my head outside again the yacht is right alongside us. I nearly jump out of my skin and run down to get Mike. He comes up and says it is Ariane as he recognises the strobe at the top of the mast. She is about 100 yards away from us but gradually drops back for which I am grateful because I hate being so close to another boat especially at night and under sail.
The morning dawns bright and sunny but unfortunately with a heavy swell. I shoot straight off to bed when Mike gets up, mindful that I won’t get my full morning’s sleep as we are going to do the fuel transfer. In the distance I can see Basia for the first time, a woeful sight without her mast, boom and rigging. She looks so small and defenceless without it all.
Photo: Basia minus her mast and rigging
Photo: Tucanon, Ariane and Eowyn ready for the fuel transfer
All the boats get ready by lowering their sails and motoring within half a mile of Basia. Tucanon lowers her dinghy and Bev and Moe go over to collect Mike from Eowyn then the three of them go over to collect the 100 litres of fuel in jerry cans from Ariane. After depositing them on Basia they come for ours.
Photo: Jerry cans at the ready and Basia waiting in the distance
It’s a precarious journey for the three of them. The sea is still heaving and the dinghy disappears at times looking like it has been totally engulfed by the waves, only to appear seconds later riding the crest of another one. Ugh. It makes me feel sick just looking at it.
Photo: Fuel deliveries by dinghy
Mike has got the jerry cans lined up and long lines over the side for Bev and Moe to grab on to. I attempt to film the handover but the boat is going all over the place so it’s not very easy but eventually they are all successfully handed over.
Photo: Handing over the fuel
Photo: And off they go on the crest of a wave
Typically as all this is taking place, a freighter comes along. Graham gets on the SSB, calls him and the freighter gives us a wide berth. I suppose five boats in the vicinity are just too many witnesses should he have chosen to plough straight through – he couldn’t have got us all at the same time!!
Ariane take advantage of the good wind to head off to Grenada. Their haul out at Grenada Marine is before ours and they have a problem that needs attending to.
The four of us set off again, making good speed as the current is still with us and is quite strong. As Basia, under engine power, is making a pretty constant speed, the rest of us waggle around going in different directions, speeding up then slowing down to keep roughly in a group around her.
The evening arrives without the usual squalls thank goodness, although the sea continues to heave us around unpredictably. We close ranks around Basia like a group of broody mother hens around a single chick, Tucanon in front, and Eowyn and ourselves on the starboard and port sterns respectively.
I have now wrenched my shoulder as well as my arm and Mike’s sore throat has turned into full blown tonsillitis although thankfully he only feels grotty from the neck up and has no temperature.
Exhausted, I flop into bed expecting to drop off immediately but don’t. However, after an hour or so I eventually give in to sleep.
Our position is: 05 deg 29 min N, 50 deg 11 min W
Distance so far: 23744 nautical miles
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