The Odyssey of Makoko

ATLANTIC CROSSING:  7^th- 24^th February

Cape Verde   16-53 degrees North 25 -00 West

 St Martin  18-04 degrees North 63-06 West

Our stay at Mindelo was cut short when the red dust blew in from the Sahara Desert. We had planned to stay until the big 6-7 metre swells in the Atlantic eased, but the remnants of the swell was creeping into the marina causing Makoko to lurch around and making sleeping rather difficult; this together with the red dust which was coating the boat and us so made us decided to set sail.

Our 2,150 nautical mile passage from Cape Verde to St Martin

We set sail late afternoon on the 7^th and had a good sail down the passage between the two islands with the headsail and ballooner poled out and the wind pushing us along at 7+knots. However when we got to the bottom of Sao Anatao the wind died and we were bobbing around like a cork in the huge swell. I was feeling very seasick, a combination of the sea state and nervous tension. I handed over galley duties to George and took myself to bed. We engined for an hour til we were clear of the island and then with great enthusiasm furled out the two sails just as the auto pilot switched off; sails flapped in all directions as we lurched up and down the big swell. Eventually we managed to furl in the 2 poled sails and get Makoko back on course. Not to be daunted, with the sun setting over our stern we launched the two sails again but disaster struck when the ballooner got tangled on the masthead light causing a small rip. Dave decided to try and continue with it up as getting it down in the dark in a big swell was not a welcome prospect.

At times keeping your balance was quite a struggle

Bowls and spoons were the order of the day as it was too rolly to eat  off a plate with a knife and fork

However at midnight the wind freshened to 25 knots and suddenly the ballooner was in two pieces; so George and John had to get up, don their safety harnesses and go up onto the bow in the lurching swell to help Dave bring the ballooner in. I was on the helm with strict instructions to keep Makoko into the wind, not an easy task when she was pitching from side to side. Now sadly we no longer had the benefit of the famous Amel 2 pole system designed for trade wind sailing. We had to make  good with the headsail poled out on one side and the mainsail sheeted out on the other. This worked well til one night when the auto pilot switched off when an unexpected strong wind squall hit us. Despite Dave turning on the engine to get Makoko out of irons and back on course the stress was too much for the pole which lost its fittings, some falling overboard and others to the deck. So for the rest of the voyage we had to gently nurse the one repaired pole as the winds moved around from the NE to SE pushing us westward

George enjoying the sunset

The 9^th Feb our third day at sea was Dave’s birthday. I was at last feeling my old self again. The swell had subsided to four metres and the rolly polly motion had eased enough for me to cook Dave a special dinner.

We thought our dramas were over but there were a few more to come to test the skipper’s patience. The out hall on the mainsail kept slipping and then to make matters worse on the seventh day, the electric furler for the mainsail stopped working so we had to hand operate the mainsail,  reefing manually for the rest of the trip. This was not too much of a hassle as the winds were pretty steady ranging from 10-20 knots with the occasional squall mainly at night between 20-30 knots. To play it safe we reefed both the main and headsail at night which slowed our average speed down a bit. Then Dave discovered sea water in one of the forward floor lockers. The seal on the bow thruster was leaking as we surfed down the waves. With a bit of ingenuity Dave managed to fix the problem by tightening the wire which pulls the bow thruster up and down.

As the days went by; the swell eased to 1-2 metres with the wind blowing mainly from the SE ranging from 5 - 20 knots. We actually had to use the engine one night for four hours as there was no wind. The motion on the whole was comfortable although we still got the occasional big rock and roll wave to remind us that we were in the middle of the Atlantic. Luckily I had pre-cooked a lot of meals before we left which cut down my time rolling around in the galley. I managed to do some baking but have to admit not too successfully; the corn bread was more like a cake while the beer bread did not rise and was  so chewy we had to  soak it in soup. In between galley duties I read and worked on my laptop sorting out thousands of photos I have taken over the last 15 years.

We all got happily into a routine of 3 hour watches during the night and short naps during the day. Early morning cloudy stormy skies gave way to lovely sunny days with the clouds and rain squalls returning in the evening. 

Without the benefit of the two poled sails we found ourselves further north than planned so decided on Tinks advice to head for St Martin rather than Antigua. Tinks is Dave’s cousin who has been a charter skipper in the Caribbean for the 30 years and we plan to visit her at Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.

On the fourteenth day disaster struck again when the sea water inlet pipe into the water maker leaked spewing water all over the engine room and into a box of spare parts. So Dave spent a few hours sweating down in the bowels mopping up water and replacing the pipe while George and John washed and dried the spare parts. Needless to say it did not leave him in a good mood and it was only over a beer at 6 o’clock that he cheered up!

John and Michele enjoying an evening meal

The 15^th day that is the 23^rd Feb was John’s birthday which we celebrated with a cooked breakfast of bacon and eggs. It was quite a feat cooking it as we rocked and rolled. I asked John “what he would like for his birthday dinner”; he said “fish” . We have had a line out most days and had only caught sea weed. I was just about to get some fish out of the freezer when suddenly as if on command a Mahi Mahi,  a beautiful lime green fish with blue dots decided to attack our lure.  John was so excited, what a great birthday present!

John showing off his birthday present

A 4 kg Mahi Mahi

George and I having fun cutting steaks

Our trip is now coming to an end and I must admit it has been a great experience and not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. We have had a few problems for the skipper and crew to sort but thankfully nothing too serious.  Makoko and the weather was kind to us and it was only the swell and confused seas which were uncomfortably annoying at times when out of nowhere a big wave would thump the side of the boat and send Makoko wildly rocking from side to side.  This always seemed to happen just as I was serving food. To be safe we ate most of our meals out of bowls with a spoon; only on a few occasions did we sit at the cockpit table, enjoy a glass of wine and eat off a plate with a knife and fork.

Sixteen days at sea has had its moments of excitement and frustration but overall we have had a great time. It is amazing how your mind and body soon get into a routine and adapt to the lack of sleep and continual movement. George and John have been good fun as well as a great support to Dave and me. We are all dreaming of setting foot on land and enjoying a steak, fresh fruit and lashings of ice cream. We are told St Martin with its French associations do great croissants too!

We arrived at Simpson Bay on St Martin at 6am on the 24^th Feb after sixteen and a half days at sea. We celebrated our safe arrival enjoying a cup of tea and pikelets as the rose over the mountains behind the bay. The end of one chapter and the beginning of the next!

Land ahoy

Sunrise in Simpson Bay on St Martin

Back in tourist land