HERE - Polynesian Catamaran Association

Tow ed - U K toNetherlands!t/do Tegethottakeshis newpurchase back hom e.W e hope you had a fine sum mer,anice meeting ofPcA-m em bers andaIIyour activities are going wel.Here is some news from Germany .Tangaroa - R o ngataiFirstofa1l:we sold Snails(see mag26)Iastweek.A man from Munichboughtherand he is going to takeherto Thailand by aeroplane,wherehe has a house som ewhere close tothebeach.(Puthim in touchwithusUdo,this sounds Iike an interestingman?)Here is a reportaboutourjourneywith 'Rongotai'from Hulto Vierlingsbeek,Netherlands. If You Iike tO,You can printitin the nextissue ofSeapeople.Iam surethetextneedssom eimprovements which Iask Youto do so.OnAugust,13th (Tuesday)wetookthe ferry atEuropod,Rotterdam directlyto Hull.W e arrived there onBehind 'ALBATROSS'Between Humber& W els nextthe Sea , ColinenjoyingthejourneyW ednesday morning and metDennisatthe m arina ofSouth Ferriby .He helped usaIIthe daytodo somefinalworks on Rongotai.OnThursdaym orning we wentthrough theIock about 7 o'clock and saileddown RiverHumberwith the tide ,butvery Iow wind.Nearly 40 milesIaterwe arrived atthe mouth OfR .Humberthe afternoon,when floodbegan..W e tried to go againstthestream undermotorand sails,butmade only litle progress. So weanchored for the night in shalowwater(5m deep)andhad a beautifuInightonthesea.WaterwaSverycalm ,tem perature was pleasant,windF 2 -3.The starswere shiningand the sea was phosphorescing,caused by plankton organisms,IikeNoctiluca m iliaris.W e really enjoyedthe atmosphere On the sea!David (12)was sleeping aInightIong,butElgin,ourfriend ColinandIchangedwithsleeping.On the nextday the wind broughtusa pleasantam ountto the east . butwith the tide going north and thisweakwindfrom thedirectionwherewe wanted to sailt0,there was noprogress to the Southeast.W henthe tide changed in the early afternoon,wedecided togosoutherly toW ells NextThe Sea.The sun wasshining,the sea was calm ,streamand wind letus m ade about5 to 6knots, the boat went through thewatervery easily.W e Iaid on deckand enjoyedit.W earrived atsunsetafterone of0urm ostpleasantsailswe everhad.Early enough to havesome lightIeftas a little help in afailed Ianding.W hatis bestknownintheory Ihad to testin practice:itis noteasy to Iand with the stream !Thanksto the hacbour-m aster,whogaveusa push withhisraftjustatthe rightmomentand rescued thesituation!lt was Friday evening and wewanted to be atRotterdam onSundayevening.Butthe forecastannounceda stable high and sameconditions forthe nextdays as well.W hat to do? lm possible to reachRotterdam undersails.Atthattimewe had not enough trust in theengine to take the risk Ofm otoring36 hours(now we have).ButIeavingRongotai there, going backhome and coming again meanttoIook fora new crew as David andElgin would have to stay athome:end ofschool-holidays.Italsowouldbecom e very expensive.So Iknewwhattodo whentheharbour-m astertold us about 'Albatross',the Iastsailing freighter.She was ready toPage 24