(last Friday) Sleep was patchy, every now and again a log calling for my attention.
Dawn broke sopping with heavy rain and gusty E/NE wind blowing water into the back of the cabin. In the early hours a plan had formed, and so I started re-arranging some of the lines in readiness. I’d decided to leave the jetty.
(flood photos courtesy of Chris of the double-ender)
Current Sunshine was vulnerable here – she’s so wide and that means her main hull is out in the stronger current, more subject to flotsam catching on her, and with her float even wider, offering to trap any boat that comes drifting by.
I woke Steve and Miki to help me – but it turns out they were already awake. So they leant a hand to re-adjust the lines, and set up for moving into the little bay thats formed by the cutting for the slipway. The plan was to just loosen the lines bit by bit and let her go downstream towards the bay. Then we’d just ease her into the protected backwater of the ramp.
Inglelooseberg was dragging. A big steel schooner dragging right towards Current Sunshine. Oh no. Quick, let the lines now. But no, she’s dragging too fast she’ll be on us in half a minute. I get the knife I’ll have to cut the lines. But even that is not quick enough. She’s on us already sticks her fat arse between the main hull and the outer float.
I can see the float being torn off in the next seconds. She’s about to be destroyed.
But the big schooner stops in her tracks just as Current Sunshine starts creaking and groaning. I despair at what’s about to happen. But we have been given a second chance. By now there’s plenty of hands – others have seen whats happening. We take a moment to figure which lines to cut or release so she can swing out of the way of Ingleloosenberg and into the bay.
We cut some lines and motor her backwards quickly, with the inside float still tethered she should swing into the bay. But Ingleloosenberg is coming with her. We’re trapped. Steve notices another line that needs to be cut. Others secure Loosenberg so she stops. Finally Current Sunshine’s free and her turning circle just makes it into the protected bay of the slipway ramp.