A Slow, Cold Start of the Season

The winter weather is stubbornly holding on. But with Mekicevica ready and in better nick than ever, we couldn't wait any longer. The first, short outing, which was also the inauguration of the new rigging was on Pentecost Thursday. There was a brief window of dry weather but it was blowing harder than we would have wished. After the last preparations, late in the afternoon, we decided to give it a try. Just a short toir around the Mosselenbank. The new rigging behaved very well, but the need for a few tweaks was evident.
Unfortunately, the rest of the long weekend was spent at home watching the rain.
During the week I was alone, so on Wednesday I went to the boat considering going out on my own. Again it was a bit too windy, but by late afternoon it seemed to calm somewhat. So off I go, a bit nervous and with a feeling of dry mouth. It went rather well, but after a couple of hours the wind start veering North, earlier than forecast, a came right on the nose just where the Grevelingen gets narrow. Not daring to beat single-handed (not yet) I decided to turn back. I am glad I did, because the weather on Thurday morning was miserable. It wouldn't have been fun to return to Bruinisse alone in the cold rain.
Finally, on the 18th of May we really had a start of the season. SW, weak to moderate wind on Saturday, and a forecast of strong Northerly on Sunday. Off we go to a trip to Ouddorp, on the NW end of the Grevelingen.
It was still very cold, and the forecast outbreak of sunshine only came late in the afternoon when we were nearly arriving. Or so we tought, because the wind died to nearly nothing. At first it was pleasant to be close-hauled on the gentle breeze hearing only the noise of Mekicevica cutting through the ripples on the water, and the birds. But then the wind really vanished, and we had to destroy the calm by switching on Yoyo Ma, as we call our outboard.

As forecast Sunday was sunny but with a NE 5 Bf. We put a reef in the main and out we go. We were glad that with were going mostly downwind. Under reefed main only we were doing 3 to 4 kn, or close to Mekicevica's hull speed. The waves following us were unusual for the Grevelingen. On the most exposed part there were even breaking waves. The large yachts coming the opposite direction were heeling a lot, and most had reefed sails (except for a few gang-ho skippers who like to stress their rigs and their crews).

In this wind, the return to Bruinisse was really fast.
Unfortunately the long weekend finished with a cold, wet Monday and we decided to return home.

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