Leaving Jose was easy and terrible at the same time. The place was so rich so nothing to do with sailing and the women so beautiful. Departure Jose de Banus at 11:57 easterly winds, rough , 24- 30 knots, but nice from behind. The waves are building, high seas approximately 3 m. I was on the helm for 2 hours, 2 long intensive hours. Third reef in the main sail of our Beneteau First, as winds increases. Nice average speed is 7 plus knots . The ocean becomes really narrow between Spain and Morocco, sea currents and winds both increase as well. A sudden wind shift of 30 degrees gets into the sail and with an enormous bang, the boom flies over. Wind increases and surprises us near Gibraltar, steady 38 knots with peaks up to 45 knots. It is hard to communicate the waves are banging against the boat and the wind howls . The sea is wild, white water, sometimes a mini tornado sucks up some water to drop it seconds later. Water is blown from the wave crests.
I feel fantastic fighting against the elements. I’m living in the now, the simple now, there is no past or future, there is just now. There is in general no future on a boat, there are no things you have to do, like calling somebody, except maintaining the boat, which has a clear purpose assuring you survive. No stress for tomorrow, just be in the now. I think I saw a large fish, nobody else saw it, may be I was wrong. 
The captain decides to motor into the harbor with still a mile to go. We lower the sails and we continue bare pole. I wonder if this is a smart thing to do. What if the motor fails? Without an engine the boat would be smashed against the rocks because of the strong winds and currents. Nothing happens, we get in save. In the harbor it is still blowing hard, the mast-lines hitting the mast making a strange music.
5-2-2009 Gibraltar
