GREAT SEAMANSHIP
TAKING A STEEL KETCH THROUGH THE RED SEA IS A TEST OF NERVES FOR DENNIS KREBS
Sailing Suleika by Dennis Krebs is a long sea-mile from a typical description of an extended cruise. Dennis met up with the 43ft steel ketch and her redoubtable skipper, Sally, when he was stationed on an island half-way between New Zealand and Fiji. Sally and Suleika were on their way around the world from Shoreham in Sussex, UK. Dennis signed on and sailed, as ‘bosun, musician, chef and first engineer’.
It turns out that Dennis’s talents do not end with the engine room and the galley. His writing is fast, pithy and often extremely funny. It has always been the mark of the true sailor that he makes light of his troubles. The extract below takes us with him and his skipper on the first part of their passage north up the Red Sea where troubles come thick and fast. Join them as we contemplate the aptly named ‘Gate of Sorrows’ together.
Approaching the Straits of Bab el Mandeb – the Gates of Sorrow, named for reasons we hoped never to encounter – there remained 1,200 miles to the Gulf of Suez. Then another 150 miles to Port Suez and the start of the Suez Canal, leading to the Mediterranean Sea. There are yachting tales concerning travels up this sea which run from the delightful – 10 days of a southerly taking them all the way non-stop – to those which have taken three to four months, to those who never made it at all, and worse, those who have disappeared without trace.
Come 1100 on the morning of 4 March, the wind whispered then strengthened from a southerly direction. We hauled up the anchor, and before long were sailing in 20 knots making good progress towards the straits.
“Oh, wouldn't it be wonderful if it stayed like this for five or six days and got us halfway up in one shot?” said Skip, looking forward to the challenge. “It sure would,” I replied, fingers crossed. At this point she went forward to tighten the main halyard. Putting the winch handle into the winch she laid into it with all her weight.
“Yow! Ow Ow Ow!” While dancing around the foredeck holding her hand, the mainsail dropped. I guided Sally back to the cockpit to check it out. “What happened and how does it feel?” “I don't think I've broken anything. Maybe I dislocated my thumb and it's popped back in, whatever it's bloody painful.”
Come evening it had not improved so I put her arm in a sling. Night had fallen and it was pitch black. The wind had risen to 30 knots and the seas were short and pitching 2m. For another hour we endured rough conditions before heading inshore to anchor while still off the coast of South Yemen and relatively friendly people.
START TO THE RED SEA
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