Too much wind!

After several days of bobbing around with no wind i was treated to an nighttime thunder shower. I had already taken down the main and had reefed the jib to 50% when it became clear from the weather radar that I was going to be bit. What I was not expecting were 45 knot winds - sustained for about 15 minutes. I attempted to furl the fib futher but only succeeded in turning the jib sheets into a Gordian knot. This is only the second time in my four years of cruising offshore that I have been faced with winds and waves of such violence. Now that I think of it, maybe the third time. In any event it scares me s*(&(less. I remember the last time a halyard was loose and I spent the time listening to bang bang bang like Chinese water torture. The end rresult - the jib needs to be restitched and the sacrificial cover (which sacrificed) replaced. One more expense for the overhaul. At some point one of my Tacktick remotes was swept overboard. Another $600 gone. The joys of cruising.

I ended up rigging a spare jib sheet so that I could undo the knot. It was under tension so did not want to give. It was great fun hanging over the side of Reboot threading the spare sheet through the jib. Did I mention we still have 8 foot waves? And yes I had a life jacket and harness on, but I was not really ready to go swimming.

I have reached what I call the point of indifference. Because of the curvature of the North Carolina coastline I am equadistant from any port of call - with 100 NM to go in any direction. So off to Morehead City, hopefully making landfall (without a thunderstorm) tomorrow.

Fair winds and following seas.

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