We had a good start from New Jersey and spent the first day in 15 to 20 knots from the northeast. The wind began building and was running 20 to 25 with gusts to 30 from the same direction . We were heading for a warm eddy in the stream and picked it up perfectly while the seas and wind moderated to 10 to 15 .We had a great dinner and shared a bottle of wine. It was downhill from there as we cleared the gulf stream very well but the winds began to buld out of the North 20 -25 and veering south as we sailed .Over night we had gust in the 35 to 40 range but were moving well. We talked with Herb and he suggested that if we continued at that pace we might not be able to enter Bermuda due to easterly or ENE winds in the 30 knot range so he suggested we slow down and try to arive Tuesday instead of Monday. Sooo we reefed in the sails and took a beating on the stern quarter, if we could hold it there. We kept rounding up due to the 15 foot seas and took a few waves very hard. One wave broke through my new dodger and almost washed one fellow over. Luckily he was able to grab something in time. he had just undone his harnes sto go off watch and stopped to chat for a second and wham. We had a foot of water in the cockpit. We damaged several of the grommets holding the bottom of the dodger on the port side. Very good lesson for rwearing a harness at ALL TIMES. It was an exceedingly long and nerve wracking night as we anxiously awaited another wave like that one. We took a few more very hard smacks but no damage and lots o fwater over the boat. Morning we had only done about 16 miles due south and felt we had slowed enough as this had pushed us well south of our Rhumb line to make the north end of Bermuda. The winds kept up for the next two days constantly inching their way more easterly so we gave up on going around the north side and aimed for the south end hoping that Herbs predicton of moderate winds would be correct. Tuesday night the seas began to subside and so did the wind. We made our mark at the south end and turned up the coast. The winds were light maybe 10 knots but on the nose. It was pleasant compared to the previous few days but we had to motor to get into the dock by 1600. Thanks for a great crew, Ray, Richard, Dave, Vid, & Max!
All in all the guys did a great job.We ate well in spite of the waves and had a fabulous reception at the dinghyclub when we finally got tied up. The drinks were flowing and we did a big steak BBQ. I only lasted til 2000 or so but the guys closed the bar at 0130.
Since then I had the bad news tha tthe fellow who was coming to crew broke his collarbone at home so we were left with just two for the next leg. Max took pity on me and decided to come back after a weekend in New York to help. So as soon as he arrives and the weather window opens on Monday/Tuesday we should be heading south..
Bermuda is very comfortable for u sCanadians at this time of year very much like an average summer day. The people are friendly and the food is great. Just expensive $80. for a lobster dinner.
We then waited for five days for a weather window to go south. We talked with Herb and left on Dec 13th. We started out with a fresh wind of 20 knots from the North. The north wind stayed with us for most of the trip. It increased over the second day to 30 plus with an occassional 40 knot puff. The seas built up to 20 feet. We were surfing downwind at 15.6 knots on the really big waves. It was quite exhilerating. The wind stayed steady in the 25 to 30 range until we got south of 20 degress and then it diminshed to 15 to 20 then 10 knots. We ended up motorong the last 24 hours to make it in time to beat a big low pressure system that was coming in and is here now two days later blowing us at the dock in 30 knots with 4 to 5 meter seas outside. The trip only took us 6 days and four hours. 955 nautical miles. Pretty good eh! We only had three people so it was 2 hours on single handed and 4 off. Thanks to a great crew again, Max & Kevan. So all of the crew have left and I am on my own through this week. Depressing since it is the holidays. Couldn't get any of the family down over the holidays. I have people coming New years day to sail to Antigua. Sitting at Simpson Bay St. Maarten doing work on the boat.
I ended up making some new friends who invited me for a New Years celebration adn it turned out to be just great. Thanks Chita, Peter, Carly & crew.
