WEST WIND MADNESS
On one of my sailing trips to Port Owen I invited two friends to join me and my brother. We left Gordon’s Bay about 01h00 on a Saturday morning in a howling South Easter. The plan was to round Cape Point at day break, but with the strong South Easter we arrived there before the sun came up. Approaching Cape Point I noticed the familiar signs of “rooky” sailors for a desire to call “george” it wasn’t long after that before the full opera started. We arrived at Dassen Island just before sunset with one of the new sailors still in that mode. After a traditional braai we tucked in and woke up the next morning and was greeted by a calm beautiful day. We motor sailed to Port Owen and before of the end of daylight were safely moored at our destination.
One of the invitees, previously a motor boat owner immediately fell in love with West Wind and it was not long after that we drove up to Port Owen to bring her to Gordon’s Bay.
Pee Dee Q and West Wind did the normal thing in and around of Gordon’s Bay, catching crayfish, sailing over the bay to Simon’s Town etc. One Sunday morning I had a call from the owner of West Wind saying that he is stuck in Gans Bay without a rudder. He sailed the odd 49 miles from Gordon’s Bay the previous week and returned that day in a strong South Easter when the rudder blade broke. He had to turn around to Gans Bay against the strong wind and waves had only the engine to steer it with. Some of the local ski boat owners told him that the waves were so high that at times he could only see the mast of West Wind.
Plan “B”, was to borrow a rudder from a Holiday 23 in Gordon’s Bay and because his crew was not available the next day I was asked to join them. That evening with the borrowed radar safely installed I enjoyed the hospitality of West Wind and her owner watching the sunset with a 10 year KWV and a juicy steak simmering on the push pit hung braai.
Next morning the wind did not disappoint us and we were “blown’ out of Gans Bay towards Hangklip light house. With the wind subsiding as we got closer to Gordon’s Bay we safely moored West Wind in her berth.
Asking why he got sea sick that morning when we sailed from Gordon’s Bay to Port Owen he said that he got the fright of his life. Normally any ski boat owner would not even consider going out any harbour in a strong wind as we had. Just outside the harbour with no sails and the wind speed meter saying hello to 40 knots my brother announced that he is going to take a nap in the quarter berth. At that stage he was convinced that he was trapped onboard with two guys who escaped from a mental institution.
Just shows you, you can take a Holiday 23 anywhere!!
Ed.
