We had owned Sea Eagle, a 56ft cruising ketch, for 3 years and this was our first extended cruise from Sydney to Tasmania to spend Christmas with Paul’s son in Devonport before cruising around Tasmania for 3 months.
We had a good sail down to Eden but decided to call into Twofold Bay when we heard of a front coming through in Bass Strait. We waited it out for a few days while winds increased to about 30 knots. After about 4-5 days the winds seemed to be easing a little and the weather report indicated that the front was passing so as we were anxious to make it down to Davenport for Christmas we decided to make a run for it. As we came around Gabo Island into the shallower waters of Bass Strait we were hit with seas increasing to 3-4 meters from the SW and winds to 35 knots from the SSW. We altered course to the south but could make little progress. We were being bounced around in all directions and massive waves breaking over the wheelhouse were terrifying and we were exhausted trying to tidy up while being thrown around continually. At one stage a fire extinguisher was knocked from its holder and slid across the floor and lodged in the bathroom door and proceeded to spray white powder everywhere. The boat was a mess.
We kept this up for about 18 hours making little progress until just before nightfall we decided that now was a good time to try out our Para Anchor. We brought in all sails and dragged the Sea Anchor up through the forward hatch after first attaching the rode end to the Samson post. Paul let the Parachute overboard on the port bow while we fed the rode from the bilge locker up through the forward hatch. As the rope took up the slack the anchor opened out and the boat came around to face into the wind and seas and Sea Eagle immediately steadied. We were able to tidy up a bit, make a meal and get some much needed sleep.
Next morning we woke to find we were still secured to the anchor and had only moved about a mile or so. We watched fascinated as the Parachute Anchor appeared to rise in the waves above the level of the top of the mast then dip below us as waves lifted us up again. Our biggest concern now was that the rope was starting to fray where the rope passed through the fairlead. (We have since fixed this problem by attaching a length of rubber hose to the rope where it passes through the fairlead). Later that day the predicted easing of the winds and seas finally occurred as the front passed through and we were able to retrieve the Para Anchor by motoring up to it and pulling it back aboard using the retriever rope and buoys. We then continued safely on to Devonport with the seas rapidly easing until Bass Strait was like as mill pond as we approached Devonport. We had learned our lesson not to venture out until conditions were safe, but we were extremely grateful to have our Sea Anchor to give us a break from the extreme conditions. Ours may not have been a life-threatening situation, but the Para Anchor certainly helped our peace of mind. This was my first and potentially my last cruise on Sea Eagle as I may have decided to give up sailing had the outcome not been so favourable. I have since gone on to enjoy another 10 years of safe, happy cruising and thankfully have not had to deploy the Para Anchor again, but it is reassuring to know it is there.
We had a good sail down to Eden but decided to call into Twofold Bay when we heard of a front coming through in Bass Strait. We waited it out for a few days while winds increased to about 30 knots. After about 4-5 days the winds seemed to be easing a little and the weather report indicated that the front was passing so as we were anxious to make it down to Davenport for Christmas we decided to make a run for it. As we came around Gabo Island into the shallower waters of Bass Strait we were hit with seas increasing to 3-4 meters from the SW and winds to 35 knots from the SSW. We altered course to the south but could make little progress. We were being bounced around in all directions and massive waves breaking over the wheelhouse were terrifying and we were exhausted trying to tidy up while being thrown around continually. At one stage a fire extinguisher was knocked from its holder and slid across the floor and lodged in the bathroom door and proceeded to spray white powder everywhere. The boat was a mess.
We kept this up for about 18 hours making little progress until just before nightfall we decided that now was a good time to try out our Para Anchor. We brought in all sails and dragged the Sea Anchor up through the forward hatch after first attaching the rode end to the Samson post. Paul let the Parachute overboard on the port bow while we fed the rode from the bilge locker up through the forward hatch. As the rope took up the slack the anchor opened out and the boat came around to face into the wind and seas and Sea Eagle immediately steadied. We were able to tidy up a bit, make a meal and get some much needed sleep.
Next morning we woke to find we were still secured to the anchor and had only moved about a mile or so. We watched fascinated as the Parachute Anchor appeared to rise in the waves above the level of the top of the mast then dip below us as waves lifted us up again. Our biggest concern now was that the rope was starting to fray where the rope passed through the fairlead. (We have since fixed this problem by attaching a length of rubber hose to the rope where it passes through the fairlead). Later that day the predicted easing of the winds and seas finally occurred as the front passed through and we were able to retrieve the Para Anchor by motoring up to it and pulling it back aboard using the retriever rope and buoys. We then continued safely on to Devonport with the seas rapidly easing until Bass Strait was like as mill pond as we approached Devonport. We had learned our lesson not to venture out until conditions were safe, but we were extremely grateful to have our Sea Anchor to give us a break from the extreme conditions. Ours may not have been a life-threatening situation, but the Para Anchor certainly helped our peace of mind. This was my first and potentially my last cruise on Sea Eagle as I may have decided to give up sailing had the outcome not been so favourable. I have since gone on to enjoy another 10 years of safe, happy cruising and thankfully have not had to deploy the Para Anchor again, but it is reassuring to know it is there.
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