Repositioning Cruise

Last Sunday, September 30th, my friends Bjarne Hansen and Peter Holland assisted me with repositioning Scream to her new home in Victoria's downtown inner harbour.  As the date and course were fixed, the weather decided to punish me for my presumptuousness.  The winds wailed all night, and the forecast was for Gales35-45 on the nose, easing mid day.

Having graduated more than a couple CYA courses, I knew that recreational boats should not set out in a gale.  But I had a schedule to keep, and the forecast said that the wind would ease before I encountered it.  We motored out of Tsehum harbour into 30 knots of appearant wind.  I brought up the main double reefed, but the staysail did not co-operate, so we motor sailed close hauled.

Once past James island, we encountered 2-2.5 meter waves at 4-5 seconds, still on the nose.  This proved only a little uncomfortable.  Near ten mile point we encounter a single larger breaking wave.  It looked like it belonged in a surfing movie.  Scream rode up it's face, through the top, and crashed down the backside.  Shortly afterwards we turned into Oak bay where we were sheltered from the waves, and the wind eased until there was none as we approached clover point.

Motoring into Victoria harbour was a little interesting.  The only other time I've been through the harbour on a boat was 2am for the finish of this year's swiftsure.

We're all snugged down at the end of B dock infront of the Empress.