Be careful for what you wish for.
Now it was a question of taking the sail down. I stepped up into the cockpit and started to move forward when a large wave washed all over the port side of the boat. Time to clip onto the life lines, turn all the outside lights on and secure the sail. Not a difficult job because Malua was still running before the wind and waves. The autopilot handling the situation well.
When the sail was secure I only had a small furled staysail out and Malua was still doing 5 to 6 knots along the rhumb line to Tonga - 6 days away.
I slept well the rest of the night but by morning the seas from east of New Zealand had built to a massive 5 to 6 meters. Thankfully quite ordered and pushing me in the right direction.
That afternoon while I was in the captains chair at the nav station the boat was slam
I set about getting rid of the water by sweeping it into the bilge. Days later I was to find the batteries swimming in a sea of water in their purpose built battery compartment. There was water everywhere in the aft section of Malua. My quarterback was wet so was things and bed sheets. The final water damage would be revealed days later.
I then realized that there was something flapping in the cockpit. I opened the companion way and looked out to find all the canvas from the bimini and weather cloths ripped to pieces. The two fenders secured at the stern had gone. The stern anchor tied to the lifeline was over the side attached to the boat at the end of the anchor chain. The life recovery ring was trailing astern on its line. All the sheets and lines kept in the cockpit and under the hard dodger we somewhere else. It was a mess.
Luckily it was light so I set about retrieving the things trailing overboard and securing the other lines in their correct place.
I was to find out later that the engine fan vent located in the cockpit had been flooded along with the large cockpit locker containing the one outboard engine. The other on the rail had had a good sea water submersion.
What could I do. Just run before the wind with only the small furled staysail to give me direction and drive. Five day later I was off the northern tip of Tonga hoping for a tow into the harbour by one of my friends. You soon find out who your friends are. I had to take a commercial tow and a mooring buoy in Niefu harbour. Relieved that I had made it to a place where I could get the engine fixed and repair the sail. That is a story in itself.