A date to remember or never forget? 13.09.01 The thirteenth of September Two thousand and one. An insignificant day to many but we all remember what happened only 2 days before! Thursday the 13. My first time sailing. The plan was to sail overnight from Plymouth to Falmouth, at the time I thought this would be a routine passage knowing nothing about sailing I didn’t realize how ambitious the skippers were yes, skippers, we had 2. The trip was booked 3 months in advance and at last the day came. 3pm, 5 crew members gathered in the marina bar while the skippers took possession on the charter boat, 4pm load provisions & equipment onto boat. 5pm safety brief & familiarization most of my familiarization was centred on the Galley as the least qualified crew member it was my job to feed the rest of the crew, a job I don’t mind doing. Set sail! No slip mooring, at 6pm ish we set off, it would take about an hour to reach the open sea so with 7 of us huddled on deck I remember thinking how boring it was. Just the gentle sound of the Diesel engine and no one really talking. The reason everyone was so quite was probably because of the recent bombing of the twin towers & the Pentagon. We were nearing the estuary when one of the skippers appeared from below deck and announced the wind was force 7 and getting worse. A vote was taken on whether to turn back or push on, we pushed on. This is where the story starts. We still had some way to go before the open sea by this time I had been tasked with nothing, so I asked “anything I can do?” Make the tea was the reply which rang out from all the crew in unison. I duly went below filled the kettle just about to put it on the gimble when the biggest wave in the world, ever, hit us causing me to fall to the floor, having pulled myself up one of the crew members appeared. By this time the craft is being tossed all over the show, several more attempts to put the kettle on the gimble failed this was with the help of another crew member he had his foot in my back forcing me towards the gimble. So, I failed on my first task. Back on deck, full wet gear & life jacket, I started feeling a little unwell. I won’t go into all the details, but, I was sea sick and how! I have experienced sea sickness before when fishing in the north sea I can remember thinking if I had a gun I would shoot myself, if I had a gun on this trip there was no way could have shot myself the boat was moving with such force I would have missed and shot another member of the crew. Still we pushed on we were now making for Fowey, but the weather had got worse 8 going 9 it was absolute hell, but for some strange reason I never felt frightened I had known one of the skippers for many years and had faith in him. At one stage around 11pm I looked at one of the crew, having been on this roller coaster for 4 hours and shouted (leaving out any bad language) “you call this **** fun? As soon as we get to Fowey I am getting a TAXI back to my car” his reply was priceless “I’ll come with ya”. Having endured another hour on the roller coaster we were nearing the Fowey estuary, time to get the sails down start the engine & head in, once the sails were down & the engine plodding I felt fine went and made the tea no problem, back on deck the skipper announced we were looking for a beacon flashing 6 times holding 7th I can remember feeling very relived when the beacon was spotted I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. We eventually tied to a buoy at 01.30am. One of the crew then announced to the rest of the crew “Pete’s got something to say” I was supposed to say I am getting a TAXI back to my car. What I did say was “well done skippers”. Having warmed a few pizzas and downed a few beers it was time for bed. The following day we were off to Mevagissey then Falmouth Helford, back to Mevagissey where we moored against the Harbour wall for the night. I have sailed many times since but this is the most memorable! Annon Comment on this story Tell us your story Your Comments: