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wind won't do anything to it. Sails split when
they flap out of control, but the force of the wind
won't tear them if they have one or two reefs taken
in. Since most yachtsmen today use roll sails,
find a way of tautening the trailing edge.
All of the valves that stop water getting in have to
be closed. Some ships have more trouble with
this, some less, but it is important to close them
all.
Things on deck have to be fastened down, and
everything below deck put in its place. If there are
children aboard, have them sit in the cabin with
someone older.
Those who stay on deck prepared for life and
death battle (joke) have to put on their safety
harness. It is not a good idea to buck yourself up
with long draughts of spirits because you have to
get used to the fear. And anyway, you can be quite
certain that the storm can do nothing to you. It is
a lot more dangerous living in the city.
Before the stormhits, remember the course on the
compass that guarantees to take us away from the
land. It might happen that there is such a
downpour that it will prevent us from seeing
anything around the ship, and one has to trust to
the compass and the course one has remembered.
When the first gust hits then sail! Sail into the
wind, into the storm. And you will be surprised
how a ship made ready in this way will find its
ownway through the wind and the waves. It won't
be fast, but it will be safe.
Don't even consider any sea anchors or ropes to
stabilize the ship. You will only get tangled up in
them. This is for the ocean, and for the very
experienced.
There, the storm has gone by. And when the rain
stops, what a surprise. We are already just off
Unije.
If we are just at the beginning of the cruise, and
contact with civilization seems a bit beside the
point, we can take refuge in Vrulje Bay, which is
located in the southern part of the island (it's a
good refuge only from the bora). The bottom of
the bay is pebbly, and an anchor is not very
reliable.
The settlement of Unije is on the western coast of
the island. Abutting on the very centre of the
village, a smallish pier extends into the sea, a red
lighthouse at the end of it. There is space for a
dozen yachts, and the depth of the sea at the head
of the pier is greater than five metres. You can tie
up only on the inner side of the pier. If there is no
space on the pier, then anchor in themiddle of the
bay. One anchors at a depth of 5 to 10 metres.
During anchoring, we can give ourselves some
help by drawing a line in the mind's eye between
Unije