ADVENTURE
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Bret and Chad Van Roden's voyage of the broken compassPublished: March 01, 2011
February 2011 blog from the Broken Compass
ON TO TONGA
We rode down to Tonga on a string of squalls. Each dark grouping of clouds came with mixed feelings. Without them we made almost no headway due to lack of wind. Unfortunately wind's buddy, rain, always tagged along for the ride.
Beyond the constant adjustments of the sails, it usually isn't that bad sailing three days in wet weather. The challenge this time, however, came when we discovered a noxious leak below the cabin. We quickly became nauseous and couldn't figure whether it was a propane leak, fuel leak or a punctured can of paint, epoxy or resin in the v-berth.
Concerned about propane, Chad closed the valves. Unable to ventilate the cabin due to the continuous rain, we didn't have hot food for two days. Cold, wet and sleepless, we were tempted to enter the cabin, which had become an attractive alternative – until 15 minutes later, when we retreated to the rain with pounding headaches. Once I came back out and vomited over the railing, ranting that I was not seasick (for record's sake) and cursing our toxic cabin.
We had no natural concept of time for three days as the dark clouds covered both the moon and sun. On day four, the rain resided, the sun emerged, and the wind died. We were able to open the hatches, and we soon found our three-day nemesis: A half-gallon-sized can of acetone lay empty under scores of ropes, tools and sails in the v-berth.
By the time we were within 20 miles north of Vavau Island (pictured, above), we were wearing dry clothes and eating hot food. It never felt so good to have no wind at sea, and playing backgammon in the sun was bliss.
The next day we were hit head-on with a 40-plus-knot squall as we tacked up into the island group. Entering the Neiafu harbor, our friend Elisabeth, who had flown from Norway, called on the radio. After her three days of flights to Tonga traveling halfway around the world, somehow the South Pacific winds brought us to the same place within 15 minutes of each other. Talk about timing!
| Bret and Chad Van Roden's voyage of the broken compassPublished: March 01, 2011 |
February 2011 blog from the Broken Compass
ON TO TONGA
We rode down to Tonga on a string of squalls. Each dark grouping of clouds came with mixed feelings. Without them we made almost no headway due to lack of wind. Unfortunately wind's buddy, rain, always tagged along for the ride.
Beyond the constant adjustments of the sails, it usually isn't that bad sailing three days in wet weather. The challenge this time, however, came when we discovered a noxious leak below the cabin. We quickly became nauseous and couldn't figure whether it was a propane leak, fuel leak or a punctured can of paint, epoxy or resin in the v-berth.
Concerned about propane, Chad closed the valves. Unable to ventilate the cabin due to the continuous rain, we didn't have hot food for two days. Cold, wet and sleepless, we were tempted to enter the cabin, which had become an attractive alternative – until 15 minutes later, when we retreated to the rain with pounding headaches. Once I came back out and vomited over the railing, ranting that I was not seasick (for record's sake) and cursing our toxic cabin.
We had no natural concept of time for three days as the dark clouds covered both the moon and sun. On day four, the rain resided, the sun emerged, and the wind died. We were able to open the hatches, and we soon found our three-day nemesis: A half-gallon-sized can of acetone lay empty under scores of ropes, tools and sails in the v-berth.
By the time we were within 20 miles north of Vavau Island (pictured, above), we were wearing dry clothes and eating hot food. It never felt so good to have no wind at sea, and playing backgammon in the sun was bliss.
The next day we were hit head-on with a 40-plus-knot squall as we tacked up into the island group. Entering the Neiafu harbor, our friend Elisabeth, who had flown from Norway, called on the radio. After her three days of flights to Tonga traveling halfway around the world, somehow the South Pacific winds brought us to the same place within 15 minutes of each other. Talk about timing!
We rode down to Tonga on a string of squalls. Each dark grouping of clouds came with mixed feelings. Without them we made almost no headway due to lack of wind. Unfortunately wind's buddy, rain, always tagged along for the ride.
Beyond the constant adjustments of the sails, it usually isn't that bad sailing three days in wet weather. The challenge this time, however, came when we discovered a noxious leak below the cabin. We quickly became nauseous and couldn't figure whether it was a propane leak, fuel leak or a punctured can of paint, epoxy or resin in the v-berth.
Concerned about propane, Chad closed the valves. Unable to ventilate the cabin due to the continuous rain, we didn't have hot food for two days. Cold, wet and sleepless, we were tempted to enter the cabin, which had become an attractive alternative – until 15 minutes later, when we retreated to the rain with pounding headaches. Once I came back out and vomited over the railing, ranting that I was not seasick (for record's sake) and cursing our toxic cabin.
We had no natural concept of time for three days as the dark clouds covered both the moon and sun. On day four, the rain resided, the sun emerged, and the wind died. We were able to open the hatches, and we soon found our three-day nemesis: A half-gallon-sized can of acetone lay empty under scores of ropes, tools and sails in the v-berth.
By the time we were within 20 miles north of Vavau Island (pictured, above), we were wearing dry clothes and eating hot food. It never felt so good to have no wind at sea, and playing backgammon in the sun was bliss.
The next day we were hit head-on with a 40-plus-knot squall as we tacked up into the island group. Entering the Neiafu harbor, our friend Elisabeth, who had flown from Norway, called on the radio. After her three days of flights to Tonga traveling halfway around the world, somehow the South Pacific winds brought us to the same place within 15 minutes of each other. Talk about timing!
