Sailing with Antara

Cyclone station Antara had just completed a month on the seas and we were out sailing with friends. As we motored towards the sea, Dilip looked up at the sky and pointed out that the combination of sun and clouds augured bad weather ahead. As if in response, the waves were bigger than usual and the troughs deeper, creating a rollercoaster effect. No sooner were we beyond the lee of the land, the wind picked up to 30 knots, which is about 54 kmph. After attempting to sail for a bit, we realised it would be smart to return to shore. Two of our berthing lines broke while securing her, so as we watched Antara lurching on the pontoon, we decided to wait till the tide changed. While there, we noticed unusual activity by the other residents and asked why. That's when we first heard about Cyclone Vayu, and the penny dropped. After a quick meal and shower at home, we were right back on Antara, to spend the night on board. The high tide, incoming waves and winds gusting to 26 knot

Team Antara at Captain of Ports jetty A ntara made her way towards the seas on May 10, 2019, and it’s been a rollercoaster ride ever since.   Week 1 We motored her to the Captain of Ports jetty and put up her mast with the help of a crane and a dozen helping hands. Antara sailed to Dona Paula the next day. It was a bit tricky putting up the genoa near the casino boats on the Mandovi river, even with Chatty helming and Dilip and I managing the sail. The Genoa is two thirds the length of the boat and tends to get stuck in the stays. Eventually we made our way around the headland and into the Zuari river. Where we inadvertently rubbed noses with a submerged wreck! A dive late in the week showed no damage, so that was that. Office space As she was to be anchored offshore, our first task was to put in a sinker to which we could moor Antara. It took us, newbies, the better part of the afternoon to figure how to place the sinker, tie the anchor cables and float the marker.