Leaving Gibraltar on the 8th November, with the weather forecast, this gave us the possibility of a direct passage to Lanzarote.
As the voyage progressed, the weather forecast changed as the low pressure of the Atlantic moved faster. This predicted us heading into 30 knots of wind and a 3m sea.
With this in mind, it was a simple decision to divert to Agadir to seek shelter from the weather and arrive early on the morning of the 13th November. As many other vessels had made the same decision, the port was extremely busy and required a discussion with a local ‘fixer’ to secure a berth for us.
As the weather passed, on Saturday, 15th November, we completed immigration and customs exit formalities and left for our 240-mile journey. Travelling at 5 knots using 18 kWh total and gaining about 7kWh with the solar.
If you were unable to make this layover is this vessel able to handle these sea conditions?
The Silent 62 can manage challenging conditions, but choosing when to slow down is part of good seamanship. With the forecast changing quickly, stopping in Agadir was the right call. It kept the crew comfortable and let the worst of the system pass before we continued. Plus it makes for happier crew if they don’t get knocked around too much.
Question: What would you all have done if you didn’t know any local “fixers” to get you a port berth?
There are always local fixers in African ports!