Any Port in a Storm

We plan our trips around the weather. But when there is even a small chance of bad weather, you plan for that too. Our 1040 nautical mile trip from Bora Bora to Niue included some options for big winds and seas. Historically, this route had a small chance of boisterous seas. So we planned our route to go within 50 miles of 3 different atolls that could offer shelter from the waves if things took a turn for the worst. The route was also at the northern edge of where storms had historically taken place. This would allow us another option of sailing north away from the area if the waves became to big.

Our weather information showed the wind was to increase from 10 knots to 15 to 20 knots in two days then from 20 to 23 in about 5 days. On day two, we found the wind was actually blowing 20 knots gusting to over 25. The forecast had under predicted the winds, by about 5 to 10 knots. If the wind speed continued to increase the waves could build to a dangerous height. The wind continued to build. We decided we would head for the closest shelter, Palmerston Atoll. The atoll was 170 miles or about 36 hours away.

While underway we broke our boom and the gooseneck on the boom. Now the option of hoving-to was gone. Our sailplan was crippled. We wanted …any port in a storm.

Palmerston Atoll didn’t have a port, but it would have to do. Their would be no shelter from the wind, but their would be no waves. The atoll is only a few feet above sea level with coconut trees on it giving the impression the atoll is maybe 50 feet tall.. The unlit atoll would be almost impossible to see at night. So we motorsailed with the foresail for the last 12 hours to increase our speed so we would arrive before dusk. The wind was blowing a solid 30 knots, gusting over 35 knots.

The 13 foot seas ( that’s big) obscured our view and radar image of the atoll until we were almost on top of it. When we were 3 ½ miles away from it we saw the atoll.

It wasn’t the perfect spot to do a McGyver job on the boom and gooseneck but it had to do. After arriving safely the wind blew 30 to 40 knots for the next two days. In the next two days after we arrived, other boats arrived with damage to sails and rigging.

It took 3 days work to make and install brackets to reinforce the boom the gooseneck . On our fourth day we explored Palmerston Island. On the morning of the 5 day we departed for Nuie. The seas were mirror flat and with less than 5 knots of wind we motored the first 12 hours.