Isla Mujeres Race, Part 2

Strategies were becoming apparent as we could see which vessels were settling in on what course. Some were choosing to follow the most direct and shortest path, the rhumb line, while others were going out to look for currents and eddy’s to up the speed along the course. We choose the longer path, but with the fastest currents. The prevailing theory was that even though we would have further to go, we would get there faster. This was a strategy that paid off very well early in the race.

The Elice II is a regular cruising boat, not a racer. The fastest this boat had ever seen in the past was a bit over 9 knots. We laid the Elice II over on her starboard side under full sail. Sitting at the helm you could reach over the lifeline and drag your hand in the water as we were heeling over somewhere around 35-40 degrees. We were being propelled through the water at over 9.5 knots. Combining our speed through the water, and adding in the speed of the current our navigator had found, rewarded us with numbers the GPS had never shown this boat before. 12.4 knots, we were very well pleased with ourselves.
With that much wind however, comes the downside. Waves. Lot of them, lots of very big ones. My turn on the helm that night was both exciting and concerning. I could lean my head back from under the bimini and see the most incredible view of the sky. This is what everyone saw before the light pollution of mankind occluded the night sky. The Milky Way galaxy, I could actually see it with the naked eye. A pulsating light showed me a rotating satellite transiting from one horizon to the next. Shooting stars, I had lost count early on. I had thought celestial navigation too difficult as you do not have enough stars to plot your course by. There had always been plenty; I could see that now that I was away from civilization. I was in awe of the sky.

The waves had increased in size. The tops glowed with phosphorescence as they were blown off by the night winds. By sunrise we were surfing the backside of some of the larger waves. I was happy to be relieved of duty as I wanted to go below for some shuteye. I decided that by being the newest member aboard was how I was able to draw the middle of the night watch. My stomach was growling as I arrived in the galley, my official station aboard. Hanging on and surveying the possible food choices I had decided upon a sandwich. Nothing that required too much preparation or thought as my brain was about as worn out as my body at this point.
I reached into the galley sink and wetted my hands to get all the salt off, and applied a dab of dish detergent to wash up with. About that time the boat departed my small little part of space and time. I did some kind of floating human magic trick. My body departed the port side galley, twisting 180 degrees around and landed upon the starboard side navigation station table. I could hear a loud crash and thud. It was an easy sound to identify as it was I who had made it.

Scratch the sandwich. My main goal was to get to the aft stateroom, lay abeam the bed with my feet halfway up the starboard bulkhead for support. I needed to lay there a while and lick my wounds. I now had some major bruising developing which added to a previously cut knee, (lifeline cotterpin) cut toe, (companionway ladder) bruised shoulder (fell into the binnacle – twice) and a slightly twisted ankle (unknown origin).

Part 3 in a day or two! Stay tuned-

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Filed Under: Travels

Tags: Mexico • sailing • travel