Wave view from from the top

I promised to write an exciting story from under way to Fiji. Well, it was the next day after we left Minerva heading for Fiji. The winds were so light we decided to put up the spinnaker sail early in the morning just at sunrise. Once the spi was hanging the wind was unstable, changing direction and strength. That made us get the spinnaker back in. Since we expected more wind from the right direction a little bit later Marcus decided to just put the „condom" (that's what I call the cover) down and tie the spi to the mast but still tied up to the top. The wind however played too much with this construction, we were afraid it would not be good. So, take this whole bag down. Easier said then done. The boat was rolling the waves, the bag banging left to right. During that banging the bag itself (the cover) got caught in the second spreader (Saling) and decided to hold on tight - probably afraid of shaking around even more. Well, the boys tried for a long while until it was clear someone had to go up. Of course the someone was me, since I have waited 4 years to be allowed to go up the mast while out on the ocean. Sounds crazy - and it is. Even more since I could not go up the mast but had to go up the outer side stay (whatever you call it in English; in German it's „Want"). Why does it make a difference, you might ask. Well, there are a few reasons:

1) you're about 1,5m to the side of the mast so the acceleration force to the sides is a lot more when the boat is rocking side to side at about 20degrees angel - you have to hold on even more

2) there is nothing really to hold on to. At the bottom you can hold on to the inner side stay. But while the outer side stay goes straight up the inner one goes up in an about 30deg angle towards the mast. So if you go up the outer one you have to stretch your arm and leg more and more to be able to stabilize yourself. At about 3,5 m height it gets impossible To hold on to the inner one. On my first attempt up I then let go and found myself winding around the outer stay in a speed I did  not expect. At this time Christian was holding on to the spinnaker bag, Marcus was pulling me up by hand on the main haylyard and Peter was in the cockpit also on the main haylyard winching. Why was I spinning around? Have you ever tired to hold on to a wire that's about 1/4 of an inch thick while someone gives you a spin around it? There is NO way you can prevent yourself from spinning around. So if that happens and you don't get down quickly, you might get tangled and stuck up there. Luckily I was spinning once to the left and once to the right on a diameter of about 1,5m. I was not too happy about that. So a quick yell and Peter let me down quickly before I get tangled. By that time my arms were already sore from trying to hold on. At least I was wearing gloves, otherwise I would have hurt my hands. So now I was back down but the spinnaker was still trapped. That meant we had to find a way to get me up safely. We had some discussion on how to do it. I wanted a securing line to the inner stay - the problem is that the distance varies and while I am busy holding on to the outer stay I would only have one had to adjust and hold on to the inner one. At the end Marcus decided that he would secure me. which felt very scary to me, since he can't keep me from swinging left to right, only from spinning around - if the does not go overboard, that is. So, that's what we did on attempt no. 3. I took a deep breath, the adrenalin was kicking in with lots of power. Christian was still holding on to the spinnaker while Peter started winching me up (Marcus wanted me to climb and help, but there was no way I could pull myself up on a slippery thin wire) as Marcus took a line and walked back besides the cockpit. When it was time to let go of my stabilizing inner stay I was a bit nervous. First I took my hand off but still had managed to use my toes for stabilizing, but the last meter of about 5m I had to be without everything. Of course as soon as I let go I swang to the left side, Marcus however prevented me from spinning. Then with the next wave I swang back to the right and then to the left again. It went on until I finally reached a height to grab the spinnaker. Yes, I am there, I thought and grabbed it to pull it out. But no, I did not have enough power to pull it out from about 50cm above my head while I am still swinging back and forth. So Peter had to pull me up a bit more, knowing that every inch in height adds a lot to the acceleration force of the side swings. Finally I made it, the spinnaker came off and Peter could quickly let me down again. When I was back on the cek I could hardly move, I was exhausted. When I was done untieing all the security knots and lines and had taken my mast seat off I went into the cockpit and sat down and did nothing for the next couple of minutes. I couldn't move, my hands were shaking, I was sure I was going to be REALLY sore. Luckily it was not too bad the next day. I was a bit sore, but not as much as I had expected. What an adventure. Of course I'd do it again. Luckily I am usually the lightest one and the only one not afraid of heights - and quite familiar with the mast. This is actually the first time I did not take a picture while up there, neither did anyone else. Sad. 

You might be able to imagine the situation when you look at the following picture: 

This ia about how much we were healing over in the worst waves - to both sides as the boat was rolling. Now you can see the first spreader, the one I had to go up to, just still in the picture. From the outer end of it you can barely see a wire going down to the side of theboat. That's the one I went up. Then from where the spreader meets the mas (top left corner of the picture) the inner wire stay meets the mast and then goes down and out to meet the bottom of the outer stay on the deck. CAn you imagine how difficult it is to hold on to this construction? But fun!