Chapter 16: Night Running

The long-term forecast called for prevailing winds and mild seas for the next few days, so Alfred decided to sail on through the night. At the speed they were going, he figured they would make Ibiza tomorrow afternoon.

“Let’s get the kids up here and assign watches for the night, that way, we can keep sailing straight through,” Alfred said. So, Roland went to gather everyone. Alfred was an experienced Captain and knew how to organize a watch. He also knew that with the sophisticated controls and long-range radar on the large catamaran, he should be able to keep them out of danger. Plus each of the instruments was available on the screen in his stateroom, so he could keep an eye on things overnight.

Still, he meticulously went over each of the instruments and what to watch for as he assigned the watches. Charlotte and Mischa had the first watch from 6:00pm to 8:00 pm; followed by Henri from 8:00 to 10; Phillipe, from 10:00 pm to midnight; Vivienne from midnight to 2:00 am; Anna from 2:00am to 4:00am; and finally Daniel from 4:00 am to 6:00am.

After tonight, Charlotte would rotate to share duties with each of the others. Then Anna would take the rotating duty. This was because rotating messed with your sleep cycle and since they were the most experienced sailors, the duty fell to them.

“ ... make sure to use your checklists and if there is anything amiss, just pick up the intercom and call me. Don’t make the mistake of worrying about waking me up. It’s better to lose a little sleep than be faced with a sinking ship in the middle of the night,” he told them. “And if you feel a sudden change in the movement of the boat, everybody head for the flying bridge.”

“So, the auto pilot will compensate for any changes in wind speed?” Anna asked. She was probably the most experienced sailor among the kids. “Will we need to worry about changing the sails?”

“I’ll be up here throughout tonight to help you become acclimated to what you’re doing and what to watch for,” Alfred told them. “If the sails need to be changed, I’ll show you how and why. The thing you have to watch for is any sudden changes in the weather or any other boats that appear on the radar. The long-range radar will show that long before you can see it, and the chart plotter will keep us on track. Your job is to keep an eye on everything and let the boat do its job.”

“What if there are other ships out there that don’t show up on the radar?” Daniel asked.

“Good question,” Alfred told him. “We’ll try to stay away from acknowledged shipping lanes and any known land. But I would suggest we keep the front and side screens up to reduce the wind in here and only use the red light while you are on the bridge. Also, check your GPS positioning at the top of the hour and log it in the logbook. And then cross check it with this paper map.”

“What if we need to use the bathroom?” Charlotte asked.

“Try to use it before you come on watch. You really shouldn’t leave the bridge once your watch begins. Except for your inspections on the quarter hour. Every fifteen minutes, put on your life vest and step out onto the bridge wings and scan the horizon. Carry your binoculars with you just in case. Also, don’t forget to look up. Check the mast and the rigging. And be sure you attach your lifeline every time you step out there.”

He showed us that the lifeline was rigged to alarm if we were to fall overboard in the dark. And the life vest had automatic homing sensors so we could be found if we did fall overboard.

“Will I need to wear a watch?” Phillipe asked. “Because I didn’t bring mine.”

“For now, someone will wake you in time for your watch. You’ll need to learn to set the clock in your cabin to alert you before your watch. Also, this timer” he said, pointing to a device on the control panel, “is set to ring once every fifteen minutes. Every time it goes off, you have something on your checklist to do. Be sure you look at the cameras in the engine room at the bottom of the hour. It’s why we leave the lights on in there all the time.”

“What if no one comes when it is time for the next watch?” Vivienne asked.

“Whatever you do, DO NOT leave the bridge unattended!” said Alfred fiercely. “In the Navy, it is considered a capital offence and usually means arrest and time in the brig. On a boat like this, it could mean the deaths of everyone on board. If someone doesn’t show up, simply call Roland or me and we will address the problem. And don’t try to ‘cover’ for someone. If they don’t show up on time, they may be injured or have fallen overboard.”