A bouncy night

Mooring up to the pier at Colonsay was lovely and calm until 2030 when the swell started to get up. We were so sheltered from the wind that we could not feel it, and we had hoped to lie with loose lines like at Frazerburgh, but Robinetta was moving too much as the swell came through the gaps in the boards we were tied against and the centre line tied on to the rope down the ladder was taking all the strain. Julian had tied it to the grab rails, and I could see them moving, stressing the screws that went through the deck and into the batons beneath. We retied the line to the shrouds and winch which gave the line more freedom to move on the ladder rope.

We had to tighten the bow line to stop the swell pushing Robinetta's stern against the boards, which meant we had to be up and down all night adjusting lines. Julian fixed a loop of shock cord on the bow line to buffer the snatching as she rolled. We got to bed at 2300, and took it in turns to get dressed and go out into the rain to check the lines every hour. Low water was at 0308 and we decided that checking at 0200, then not again until half five should be fine.

It was difficult to sleep with Robinetta rocking, but after Julian did his last check at 0200 I did manage to drop off, only to be woken by the sound of Worm knocking against the cabin. She was supposed to be tied fore and aft, but something must have happened. I scuttled up on deck to look (not bothering to dress) and saw that the line that kept her stern in had vanished. Finding another line and fixing it would take time, so I ducked back down and put on my hoodie and oily jacket.

Up into the dark wet night again I felt around, and discovered that we still had Worm's stern line. This is her main sheet, and runs on a horse across the stern while sailing. The shackle that holds the block on the main sheet must have worn through the thin line of the horse, and this is what had parted. I pulled Worm round, and ran the sheet through her quarter knee and retied her stern to Robinetta.

Down in the nice warm cabin again I undressed my top and dried my legs before checking the time. 0340. Uhg.

I did not want to wake up next time I should be checking Robinetta's lines; Julian was moving to do it for me before I could think about asking. Being part of a team is great!