Well the days have been getting shorter, it’s getting dark at about 1700 now and not really warming up till 1000 in the mornings. Also the weather forecasts have become a lot less stable. A check in the morning shows a forecast for the next day as light Southerly, and a check later in the day shows 20k Northerlies. I guess its getting toward the time of year they can’t predict the weather so well and since our daily lives depend so much on the weather, its time to head back to Barcelona to prepare Sephina for her Winter hibernation.
We have had a fantastic time aboard Sephina this year and I don’t want to try push our luck with the conditions deteriorating. We have a good forecast for tonight and tomorrow to make the 100M crossing to Barcelona so if we leave around midnight we should arrive around lunchtime tomorrow. We prepared for the crossing and layed down to catch a couple of hours sleep. At midnight Jen and I retrieved the anchor and headed out into the pitch black night. I had to trust the chartplotter as there wasn’t even enough light to make out the cliffs either side of the bay. Jen stood on the bow with a torch to make sure we cleared the mooring boys and small fishing boats. Some flashes of lightening out to sea and not much wind. We motored on into the darkness without the forecast 10k Southerlies, but hoped they would kick in later. As we continued it was a strange night, very dark with a lot of cloud, but as we reached about 40M offshore all hell broke loose with the lightening we had seen from Majorca. 
Arno and I were keeping watch while Jen slept in the saloon. We discussed the best way around the wall of lightening that was descending on us and had full sail and both engines on max revs to move along at 8 knots or so while we beared away slightly East to try flank the storms. Lightening a yacht is best avoided, it can fry electronics and leave you without navigation lights or power to run anything and also cost a lot of boat dollars to repair. We had this scene of fork lightening striking the water to our West and North and it was bearing down on top of us at an estimated 10 knots. The thunder was intense and followed the lightening by a few seconds, definitely too close for comfort.
Maybe the weather gods had decided we have had it too easy and were sending a little extra our way. Arno asked a few times if it was safe and of course I assured him everything is fine….
Finally after a couple of hours we flanked what seemed to be the worst of the storm and adjusted our course up to Barcelona, only to see another electrical storm directly ahead. By this time there seemed no escape from it so we maintained course directly for it, hoping to be in and out the other side without any carnage. Fortunately it subsided as we approached and to top it off the first rays of dawn started to give us some visibility. Finally we began to enjoy the sail. The wind increased and we took in a reef in the main. It increased more to over 20 knots. It must have been a stormy night in Barcelona because a little Sparrow had blown out to sea and was trying to find refuge on Sephina.
Jen gave him some water and bread. He was a bit scared and not very steady on his perch. I managed to get a weather update and was surprised to see a Gale warning now in force for Barcelona and still 4 or 5 hours till we arrive. We made haste as the wind continued to fill in over 25 knots now. Maybe the weather gods have some more fun in store before we reach our final port for 2012…
Unfortunately it was too much for the little bird and he blew off the lifelines. He tried to catch us but the wind and Sephina’s speed made it a bit too difficult for the little guy. Jen wanted to turn around for him but my thoughts were on reaching Barcelona before the gale (sorry Jenijane and little bird). I reassured her that I saw a ship on the plotter about 5m astern and that he would find refuge there…
We eventually reached Barcelona 15 hours after departing Majorca at about 1500 and motored in to Marina Port Vell in the centre of the town. This marina is in a great location, you step outside and you are right in the middle of the city. Its a really nice place and I have to say I was extremely happy to have survived the night in tact when we finally tied up. We did make sure Sephina was well secured in the stern to berth as the forecast Gale was yet to arrive.
Definitely tome for a celebratory drink that we have safely sailed over 1500M since we launched Sephina in Les Sables D’olonne and spent every night and day aboard and discovered some of the most amazing places, beautiful sights and met some fantastic people along the way. Thankyou Jenijane and Balrog. I love you ! J’taime, J’taime
