This was our step off point for Mallorca.
Howard and Jayne [ Just Imagine ] 30-Aug-2005You can lose each other on a 38ft boat.
We woke up a bit groggy in the anchorage at 0430 to leave for Mallorca. While we were picking up the anchor on the bow in the dark, Jayne told me that she was going below to get a flashlight so that she could look for fishing pots.
With the anchor up I returned to the helm and started to motor out of the bay, but no sign of Jayne. I stuck my head down the hatch and called out to her, but no reply. Must be in the head.
A few moments later, still no Jayne, so I went below opened the head, no-one there. Maybe she went back to bed. Went to the fo'c'sle and felt around in the dark, no Jayne. Back to the head to check again. Maybe she collapsed on the floor. Turn on the light. She is nowhere below.
Thinking she must have gone overboard I went frantically running up to the cockpit, and started yelling her name back into the dark anchorage while awful images flashed through my mind.
That's when she answered calmly from the bow, "Yes, what's the problem".
I just whimpered quietly with relief and we continued to motor out of the bay.
The whole incident took no more than a few seconds, but it is one of the scariest sailing experiences that sticks most in my mind.
Howard and Jayne [ Just Imagine ] 29-Aug-2005