JonDLundyn Parker adventure 2 #4
December 31st 2006 06:44
Te-Ahuni was being well pressed under shortened sails. She was not terribly strained by the wind which had doubled in strength over the last twenty four hours so much, but passing her half way point home she was over the top of a “peak” or “mount” that was over one hundred and thirty meters deep but still shallow enough to create fairly turbulent seas. The tips of her solid spruce masts were rolling through three hundred and sixty-degree arcs. Her hull was heavily built, like the proverbial brick dunny, with red cedar and iron bark on steamed oak frames. She could handle just about anything.
Just about anything…Inside a turnbuckle holding the back stay a slow but determined seepage of water had over years created a weak point. Not noticeable as it was inside the turnbuckle itself. The deterioration had worked its way upward and was now almost level with the edge of the fitting.
Sailors believe that at sea each one-thousandth wave is rouge. The trouble is when should you start counting and how can you keep score? Te-Ahuni rose to the wave. She was double reefed in her main and foresail and was carrying two small high cut headsails. Not a lot of sail for the conditions. In fact just right, not moving her too fast and not allowing her to drag through the water. The rogue wave was not overly big but much bigger than the confused sea she was sailing through. She slowed dramatically as she neared the crest of the wave. Full laden at close to thirty five ton she squatted low in the water at the top of the wave then as it passed under her stern she started to race down the other side. Gathering speed with the near gale force wind, at first roaring in her rigging, everything seemed to go quiet as she neared the bottom of the wave, out of the wind. Her hull hissed now, as the wind in the rigging became temporarily calm. She fairly sizzled as she coasted down and then bought up to an almost jarring stop as she reached the next wave to climb up. In the quiet the snapping of the rigging sounded like a small cannon going off. With her back stay gone and the masts whipping through incredible arcs the pressure was to much for the side stays and they in turn snapped, then sent the mainmast off her step on the cabin, over the side in one piece. The fore mast cracked half way up and toppled over the side. With the rigging and timber masts dragging along her sides Te-Ahuni came to a stop, a hulk dragging in the mighty seas.
Sailors believe that at sea each one-thousandth wave is rouge. The trouble is when should you start counting and how can you keep score? Te-Ahuni rose to the wave. She was double reefed in her main and foresail and was carrying two small high cut headsails. Not a lot of sail for the conditions. In fact just right, not moving her too fast and not allowing her to drag through the water. The rogue wave was not overly big but much bigger than the confused sea she was sailing through. She slowed dramatically as she neared the crest of the wave. Full laden at close to thirty five ton she squatted low in the water at the top of the wave then as it passed under her stern she started to race down the other side. Gathering speed with the near gale force wind, at first roaring in her rigging, everything seemed to go quiet as she neared the bottom of the wave, out of the wind. Her hull hissed now, as the wind in the rigging became temporarily calm. She fairly sizzled as she coasted down and then bought up to an almost jarring stop as she reached the next wave to climb up. In the quiet the snapping of the rigging sounded like a small cannon going off. With her back stay gone and the masts whipping through incredible arcs the pressure was to much for the side stays and they in turn snapped, then sent the mainmast off her step on the cabin, over the side in one piece. The fore mast cracked half way up and toppled over the side. With the rigging and timber masts dragging along her sides Te-Ahuni came to a stop, a hulk dragging in the mighty seas.
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