Fresh Gale

We could see thunderheads in the distance to the southeast mid-sail between Marth’s Vineyard and Block Island. It felt a little silly to be taking precautions given that the sky was sunny and blue above our mast. We put up the bimini and put on our life jackets. We passed that system, but saw another, bigger thunderhead to the north. We took down the happy sail and put up the jib. This thunderhead was growing and likely going to cross our path. Michael decided to change from jib to staysail. I reminded him to put on the running backstays to stabilize the mast and he did. Soon the cumulonimbus grew into a huge wall of steely grey and we put two reefs in the main. We watched that wall darken, widen, and creep across the ocean towards us. I saw lightning. We heard thunder. We took everything off the deck (glasses, deck cushions, sunglasses, phones, kindles) and stowed it away. We put the third reef in the main. We took out the tethers and hooked one end to the padeyes in the cockpit and one end to ourselves. At this point, we still felt a little silly, as the sky above our mast continued to be sunny and blue and we were sort of bobbing and waiting. Waiting for what, we weren’t quite sure. The radio started chattering with mayday calls in Narragansett Bay of knockdowns and capsizes. The previews had begun. It was going to be a big show.

I had already been feeling awfully sea sick for over two hours from the upwind beat over wavy waters and for the moment, I was too distracted by a terrible headache to focus on the menacing clouds in front of us.

Amazingly, nothing cures seasickness like a squall!

From when we could first see the water dance from the approaching wind until the gust hit us was an instant. I thought, “Shitters, I think this is really happening!” I looked at Michael and we both smiled. “We got this,” is what we were both thinking and we both knew it. Amidst all the excitement, I heard Michael shout, “Ow! Hail is pelting me in the face!” I laughed and my captain snuggled next to me under the dodger where there was protection from the hail. The wind quickly reached around 45 knots before it started tapering. When all was said and done, we figure it was about thirty minutes of adrenaline, but we knew Gerty would keep us safe the whole time. Good girl Gerty. With three reefs and the staysail she was perfectly happy sailing through the storm in low gear.

Next time a gale approaches, in addition to all the sail and safety preparation, we will remember to put on our rain gear!