top of page
Writer's pictureSailing The Dream

2017-09-15 Gibraltar > Tangier, Morocco

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.

Search&rescue helicopter AIS on chart plotter

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.


0 comments

Comments


bottom of page