Time zone UTC + 0.00
Local hour + 1.00
09.00 - Departure from Tangier fishing harbour
Coordinates 35.º47’251N 005.º48’170W
Heading: 358 degrees
Wind speed: Force 3
Wind direction: South West
Water temp: 20.6 C
Cloud coverage: Clear
Visibility: Good
Sea state: Calm
Good timing with the Tarifa ferry, we managed to leave the harbouring between the arrival and departure of both ferries and get little effect from their wake.
Using tank 1 after cleaning the vents again.
10.45 - Rounding Cape Spartel
Coordinates 35.º49’853N 005.º56’030W
Heading: 254 degrees
Wind speed: Force 3
Wind direction: West
Water temp: 21.5 C
Cloud coverage: Clear
Visibility: Good
Sea state: Small crests
Lot’s of fisherman in little boats in the area we will delay hoisting the sails a bit more.
11.50 - Hoisting Mainsail and Genoa
Coordinates 35.º45’340N 005.º00’177W
Heading: 192 degrees
Wind speed: Force 4
Wind direction: North West
Water temp: 22.3 C
Cloud coverage: Clear
Visibility: Good
Sea state: Small crests
15.40 - John caught a fishing boat
Coordinates 35.º27’101N 006.º09’130W
Heading: 210 degrees
Wind speed: Force 4
Wind direction: West
Water temp: 20.1 C
Cloud coverage: Clear
Visibility: Good
Sea state: Calm
In reply to my request of: “…catch me lot’s of fish please”, John caught an entire fishing vessel.
we saw a wooden fishing vessel with an outboard coming in our direction from the open sea, way out from what we expected as we could barely see land. They were waiving at us and with the binoculars, we understood they wanted to sell us some fish (they were returning to the harbour). I gesture and screamed in French no, for them to go away but they kept coming towards us.
We only had time to run to grab a knife, grab the fishing rod we were trolling and cut the line. As they passed behind our stern 10 meters away from us their propeller caught our line. We lost our expensive lure and they added a few hours to their return to harbour, they were not happy and we took off, turning the engine on to gain distance. They didn’t look friendly at all.
17.10 - Start engine
Coordinates 35.º22’006N 006.º12’793W
Heading: 210 degrees
Wind speed: Force 2
Wind direction: West
Water temp: 20.2 C
Cloud coverage: Clear
Visibility: Good
Sea state: Calm
Wind is dropping.
06.10 - Close encounter with a fishing vessel in Larache
Coordinates 34.º417’169N 006.º48’178W
Heading: 190 degrees
Wind speed: Force 3
Wind direction: West
Water temp: 21.2 C
Cloud coverage: Clear
Visibility: Good
Sea state: Calm
For the last hour, I (Ana) have been dodging fishing vessels coming out of the Larache fishing town, they head out to sea already dropping nets. I had asked John to stay further out to sea but he must not have noticed them on the radar as we were approaching the area and since we changed shifts I’ve been avoiding them with the help of the engine.
But there’s always one that causes trouble. The last one I could see on the radar was coming in our direction with a steady course, we should be clear, close by but clear, just in case I adjusted to starboard to increase the clearance, there was another boat on our starboard but I could see they had no nets yet so it was safe. The vessel coming in our direction adjusted to port, getting closer again, so I adjusted again and again.
All of sudden they turn 90 degrees in our direction in a collision course, I wake up John to get to the helm while I run to the other side of The Dream to help to guide. John manages to avoid the collision!
As we passed them we see there’s no one at the helm, the fisherman wave us bye.
09.30 - Approaching Rabat
Coordinates 34.º07’924N 006.º51’400W
Heading: 2517 degrees
Wind speed: Force 3
Wind direction: South West
Water temp: 20 C
Cloud coverage: Clear
Visibility: Good
Sea state: Calm
We radio the marina for the pilot boat, no answer. We call them on mobile, they’re coming.
They arrive, instructions are to follow their course because of the sand bars. A powerboat appears a good speed from starboard they will make the entrance before us, the pilot boat leaves us behind and goes to them, returns to us and tell us to wait, it’s the king's boat they have to go but they’ll return.
We are almost by the breakwater, the fisherman had cleared the entrance for us but are now lying nets behind us, we are being dragged by the swell towards the breakwater and the fisherman are closing in on us from the stern. I scream in French for them to stay away, John manages to reverse and “keep” position as well as possible. We touch the sandbar twice gently we think.
I call the pilot boat again, they return and we make our way safely to the marina upriver.
11.00 - Arrival to Bouregreg Marina in Rabat
Coordinates 34.º01’663N 006.º49’373W
Wind speed: Force 3
Wind direction: South West
Water temp: 20.1 C
Cloud coverage: Clear
Visibility: Good
We waited for ages for customs, K9 unit didn’t show up.
Total hours of the trip: 26h
Total hours sailing: 4h
Total hours motor-sailing: 16.3h
Total hours motoring: 5.3h
Distance: 142nm
***In the spirit of sharing our dreams and experiences we have shared this blog post in the NOFOREIGNLAND.COM website sailors community.
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