Time zone UTC + 0.00
Local hour (Gibraltar) + 2.00
Local hour (Morocco) + 1.00
04.30 - Departure from Gibraltar
Coordinates 36.º08’151N 005.º421’656W
Heading: 255 degrees
Wind speed: Force 3
Wind direction: North West
Water temp: 20 C
Cloud coverage: Haze in the distance
Visibility: Good
Sea state: Calm
05.30 - Engine failure
Coordinates 36.º02’906N 005.º25’378W
Heading: 239 degrees
Wind speed: Force 1
Wind direction: North West
Water temp: 19 C
Cloud coverage: Haze in the distance
Visibility: Good
Sea state: Calm
Engine startled a bit. Testing tank 2.
07.30 - Passing Tarifa
Coordinates 35.º59’733N 005.º36’555W
Heading: 255 degrees
Wind speed: Force 1
Wind direction: West
Water temp: 19.5 C
Cloud coverage: Light Haze
Visibility: Good
Sea state: Calm
Good timing for the Tarifa ferries, both departing and arriving ferries crossing in front of us.
08.25 - Crossing TSS
Coordinates 35.º58’297N 005.º42’519W
Heading: 236 degrees
Wind speed: Force 2
Wind direction: West
Water temp: 20 C
Cloud coverage: Light Haze
Visibility: Good
Sea state: Calm
We’re going to start crossing the TSS, we’ve timed the cargo ships, tank 1 and 2 open.
08.40 - Raft adrift, engine problems
Coordinates 35.º57’846N 005.º43’393W
Heading: 236 degrees
Wind speed: Force 2
Wind direction: West
Water temp: 20.6 C
Cloud coverage: Light Haze
Visibility: Good
Sea state: Calm
Engine stopped and doesn’t turn on, we’re adrift in the “dead zone” in between the two lanes, we can see the adrift raft announced on the VHF, they have 3 300HP engines. There’s a helicopter AIS marker on the chart plotter identified as search&rescue and we can just see it now.
A speedboat from Guardia Civil just circled our yacht twice before heading towards the adrift raft.
09.30 - Out of TSS
Coordinates 35.º54’270N 005.º45’397W
Heading: 236 degrees
Wind speed: Force 3
Wind direction: West
Water temp: 18.1 C
Cloud coverage: Light Haze
Visibility: Good
Sea state: Calm
The engine is working again and we are heading to Tangier harbour.
11.30 - Arrival to Tangier fishing harbour
Coordinates 35.º47’251N 005.º48’170W
Heading: 131 degrees
Wind speed: Force 3
Wind direction: West
Water temp: 19.5 C
Cloud coverage: Light Haze
Visibility: Good
Sea state: Calm
Docked to a greasy smelly wall in between the 2 Moroccan Royal Navy/Coast Guard and some small power boats
Total hours of the trip: 7h
Total hours motoring: 7h
Distance: 46nm
***In the spirit of sharing our dreams and experiences we have shared this blog post in the NOFOREIGNLAND.COM website sailors community.