Perfect Storm

18th July

It just gets more challenging...

Gale warning, extreme attention, sea state ' 7' (6-9m waves)

I was woken up and ordered to put on my PFD. It had been another rocky night, getting progressively worse. Brett had woken early and prepared Dune for a bit of rough weather. I was feeling a little under the weather myself. Made my way up on deck and lay down for a while and tried to go back to sleep

0820 (1st pic) Brett lengthened the rope on the tender, as the waves were taking it under the boat and spitting it out again. At this stage, even though the photo taken doesn't justify it, it would of been too risky to attempt to bring it back up on board
(2nd pic) Not long after, we lost our tender and outboard when a large wave hit us. Tender out of sight behind a wave
Conditions prevented us to make an attempt to retrieve it, we were in shallow waters with waves pounding on us

The waves were coming in hard and growing on us. There was huge noise from the bow, I thought the genoa had collapsed. Brett caught sight of the anchor chain been lifted off the windlass and the chain was being freely reeled out

From that moment on it was all go. Brett flew below deck flicked on all necessary switches and yelled, "we've got to get the anchor up"
I turned around to find Marie making her way up to the bow to weigh anchor, the waves were breaking over her. At this stage we had become a submarine. I harnessed up and made my way to Marie with one for her. Marie was having difficulty bringing up the anchor. Before I could get harnessed up, I witnessed her go under a big wave. Hanging on for her life with one hand and anchor remote in the other. She later shared with us that she had near choked on sea water. Her black and blue knees were a tell tale sign of what she took on

To make the situation a little more challenging the anchor came up the wrong way round, and to avoid being dragged into shore we had the motor forward. Being lifted and dumped by the waves the bow received a few scratches from the anchor

Underway was breath taking, the waves just kept getting bigger and bigger. Dune was riding the huge crests and then was being dumped into the troughs, with a mighty big crash. I was given the job of looking out for cray pots and fish farms. 

Both Marie and I had our stomachs in our throats. I found standing on the seat looking over the spray hood with the wind in my face some relief. It actually felt like I was surfing, I got a good work out on my legs too

We watched multiple thunder storms work their way around us. Luckily they were traveling South East and away from us

1230 Next 2 photos. Out of the worst of it. The sea had tried to dictate our path, but we made it to a port in Rimini.  Where we literally surfed in down a narrow channel with concrete blocks on either side to take shelter.  The water was still choppy, we moored along side the fuel station.  I couldn't get off the boat quick enough and kissed the ground we stood on!  Brett and Marie took off together to sort a mooring for Dune in the marina.  I couldn't bring myself to step back on the boat for now.  Below deck was a disaster, it looked like it had been hit by a tornado

Along the way I caught a glimpse of Brett scanning his rough weather manual, boat on auto pilot
There was a silence that day.  I don't think a word was uttered during the whole experince, we were just all focused on survival and making it to calmer seas

1700 Safe and sound, moored in Marina Rimini

Would just like to use this opportunity to say, "I owe you my life bro"

Brett handled the whole experience extremely well, all that text book theory put into practice ;-)

Brett took the crew out for a combined breakfast, lunch & dinner!  Where we reflected over our ordeal

Later we got to hear that this sheltered marina was hit by 40+ knot winds earlier that day

Long hot running showers all round!!  Woohoo