Sunset at sea http://iob.imgur.com/uYGg/Vr8QX76wAy
Here in the South of France, next to the Pyranies, the winds become quite volatile in the winter. It's been said that this can be one of the worst times and areas of the Mediterranean. Here we experienced and read forecasts of calm, slow winds of less than 2 or 3 knots that would sudden pick up to 25 - 30 knots n the span of 2 or 3 hours, only to die flat and calm again in the night only to peak again at 35+ knots in the early morning and have the Slice of Life rocking and swaying. Captain Vincent (here later referred as 'Black Sparrow') had been wall moored for a little over a week waiting for new crew (myself) and favorable winds to set out down the coast into Spain. After two nights sleeping on board, storing and preparing everything we were both getting a little restless. The feeling was to take a next available window of gentle to mild winds and begin hoping down the coast. Checking wind conditions online was a constant. Finally seeing several hours of calm\mild forecast and watching a few other sailing boats leave the marina we decided to push out as well. Motoring out into Very calm waters and almost no wind (1-3 knots) seemed very favorable for us both, for myself as it had been a little over a year since I'd been sailing, and for Captain Black Sparrow as he was giving everything an observation and test. Twenty minutes outside the marina entrance we had raised the head/jib sail and were feeling happy to be moving with a feeling of freedom. And then the motor stopped.
The motor is a simple outboard 2 stroke engine that had served the Slice of Life well and without fault all the way from its start in Sweden's North Sea, through the heaviest trafficked canal of the world (more traffic per year than the Panama canal), into the busiest harbor of the world Rotterdam, through the Canals of France and to here, Mediterranean France. There was no idea what was wrong. As I began to feel and learn the reactions of the rudder and attempted keeping course on the light winds, Captain Black Sparrow began checking and troubleshooting the situation. After over 2 hours of rechecking fuel lines, removing and cleaning the carburator, and more, we decided it was OK, that we were really 'sailing'. The slow 'retirement 'home' winds would be picking up to 13-18 knots in a few hours, and feeling very good in energy and confidence we said we would continue into the night with the hopes of seeing the sunrise from the Spanish side of the Pyranies. With the continued low winds and waves I stepped below to prepare us dinner. I am semi professional chef who loves cooking and experimenting in the kitchen and this day would continue to give me many new experiences. I prepared and cooked us two tenderloin steaks, pasta with a cheese sauce and a few potatoes on a small 2 burner stove while in motion with the Ocean. I'm a vegetarian, this was the first meat I had cooked in possibly 4 or 5 years and the first I ate in over 12 years. We ate on deck watching the coast crawl by and the sun slip slowly behind the mountains. Life is Great.
As we approached dusk the winds began picking up some, and Captain raised the main sail. At about 1800 hours we began picking up in speed and were cruising beautifully at between 6-7 knots boat speed. We felt great with real freedom and happiness. We checked our navigation and wind forecasts. Wind speed was picking up fast and forecasts spoke of a small gale around the Spanish border. We continued on, keeping the coast in sight and constantly rechecking different weather services. The option to pull in to a next available port was always available to us, as was pushing on, into the night and the edge of life we were riding.
Continued in part Two, "A Change in Winds" the dangers of sail ripping and a standstill in the waves.