Going to sea and sailing non-stop, day and night, learning to keep watch and feeding the crew is the purpose of Level 2 training. We did 401 nm in this endeavour and huge fun was had. Our crew was comprised of a number of competent sailors and we quickly gelled.
Divided into two watches (port and starboard) each with six crew, two mates and skipper, we set sail after lunch to make use of the tide. I was paired with Swede Aser, my opposite watch number, to take on the first of the mother watches. Being mothers meant; cleaning the yacht and providing meals and drinks. This task comprises relentless washing of dishes and preparation of meals, all the while adapting to the changing needs of the crew’s taste for hot drinks. We were both happy with arrangements as the week started with a light breeze and this was to be our only mother watch. The adjustable fiddles on the gas stove failed to hold the pots in place and they both slid off the back of the gimbal. This had me with my knee on the oven to prevent losing the pasta and sauce, unable to move, without something nearby to rescue hot pots by their handles. Nothing I could do but call out for help. Oven gloves should always be kept within reach.
I joined my watch on deck for the first of three, four hour watches and got to witness an unbelievable sunset and magical evening by the light of a waning full moon. Sleep did not come easily for at least my first three off-watches succumbing to such a deep sleep 5 mins before supposedly being wakened on my first, which caused me to be late on deck. Me answering you with my eyes open doesn’t mean I’m awake. Gary in the lower bunk promised to shake me violently thereafter. The motion of my top bunk and the sound of washing machine noises on the other side of epoxy glass skin, the dragging of harnesses and thumping of feet on deck, grinding winch noises, flogging sail vibrations, all of which were new to me.
I have yet to develop faith in my leecloth and fear being woken abruptly on a sail bag. The following night was dark and overcast with a lot more wind. Stumbling around in the dark on a sloping deck tethered to a jack stay, seeing only the white horses, is a novel way to live and will take some getting used to.
Towards the end of the week we pulled into Blackpool Sands and the Skipper Jacob’s mates paddled out on paddleboards to say hello. We all wanted G&T’s delivered from the beach but had to suck up our disappointment. Paddleboarding must be hot work as none of them seemed warmly dressed. One in shorts and hoodie, others in wetsuits pulled down to their waists. A night was spent back at Sandown Bay off the Isle of Wight – this time anchored without the rolling swells.
I got to helm the yacht in 30 knots while sail trim was taught to the remaining crew. Immensely exhilarating but difficult to arrest 46 tonnes hell bent on turning into wind after laying over with weather helm. Earlier, in far lighter winds, I was told I had ‘a very light touch on the helm’ by mate Anna in her ‘Joanna Lumley’ accent. I take it, this is a good thing and do hope that this means I draw a straight line on the chartplotter without dragging the rudder sideways too much.
Returning the sails to the sail locker, Kate stumbled over some rope and fell into the snakepit. Alarming, looking down at her crumpled on the deck, she bounced back saying she was fine and unhurt. I,m sure I’d have been a bag of broken bones.
The following morning the watches were reunited on deck after all taking turns on anchor watches in threes. Back to Gosport and a rowdy return to the Castle Tavern chocker with crews finishing their training. Knackered and wanting only to return to a horizontal position as soon as possible I followed the others for a tour of the pubs and nightclubs of Gosport.
The next day was spent ‘deep cleaning’ the yacht for the next crew. Another night at Mel’s by which time her daughter Isabella had changed her name from Izzy to Bella. Next time, Crew Allocation and skipper assignment. Should be fun and afterwards a potential tour of the Marlow rope factory and Level 3 training.
Mangled Neuron 