I am in Newport, RI, and this is where the sailing portion of Woody's Passage ends.
It has been over a month since turning loose the dock lines in Beaufort, SC. A blockage in the fuel line on the third day heading to Bermuda caused a diversion to Southport, at Cape Fear, NC. This delay caused a change of plans to by-pass Bermuda and sail straigh to Nova Scotia. On advice of my weather router, Jennifer Clark, on the third day out of Southport we dodged a storm by diverting into Cape May, NJ. From Cape May we dodged another storm by ducking into Montauk. Then, for the fun of it we stopped for 2 nights in Nantucket on the way to Lunenburg,Nova Scotia.
JD Shiver sailed with me all the way from Beaufort to Nova Scotia and we got along wonderfully passing the hours discussing philosophy, history, and interpretations of current events. JD did most of the foredeck work, never complaining about being woken up for a sail change or other tsks. He fixed gourmet freeze-dried meals. He stayed in Nova Scotia, planning to spend a month or more exploring the Canagian Maritime Provinces.
My hosts in Nova Scotia, Bill abd Kerstin Gilkerson, were most generous with their hospitality as I waited for a weather window to contine the Passage back to the USA. My biggest frustration was that I left my wallet at the marina in Nantucket and my cell phone (an 9Phone) died from salt water infection. What are the two things you need most when travelling? Money and a means of communication. My wife, Alice, fortunately flew up and was there to help with creative work-arounds. The weather window arrived the same day as my wallet (by FedEx) and I departed from Lunenburg solo for the voyage across the Gulf of Maine.
The Gulf of Maine can be benigb or it can be a mean body of water. For my passage it was both. The prevailing wind is from the southwest, exactly where I was headed. The distance to Provincetown is about 350 nm from Lunenburg, and the trip can be made in a Flicka in 4 days. The first hundred miles is just to get clear of Nova Scotia. The currents were generally adverse in the returning direction. It is important to get out at least 30 miles in order to not get sucked into the massive tides on the north side in the Bay of Fundy (65 feet vertical). The first two days of sailing were benign with winds from the southeast. I made 185 miles. Then I had a day of heavy wind pretty much on the nose, with large waves, but still made another 90 miles.
On the night of the third day a weather front came though bringing with it thunder storms. I took 3 cells of the storms, the first hitting with my sails up and slamming Jubilee nearly flat. I got the jib down and then the second cell hit before I could get down the mainsail. I clocked the wind in this one at about 35 kts. I fortunately got the main down before the third cell arrived. I rode out this cell, with lightening flashing all around and winds well in excess of 40 kts on bare poles, slumped down seated on the cockpit floor. Junilee took this all in stride. The final cell lasted only 20 minutes. It was 9 PM. I was tired and drifted off to sleep in the cockpit.
When I woke at 11 PM the night was crystal clear and a 10 kt breeze was filling in from the northwest. The moon was full and the scene was indescribably beautifyl, I raised the sails and got comfortable swated (or slumped) in the "barco lounger" on the leeward side, on a starboard tack close hauled, the full moon 45 degrees off my port bow. This became the most magical moment of my passage, and I must tell you about it.
I am sailing along on the leeward side, heeled comfortably, drifting into a transcendental state. I am fully in the moment, yet in another world. I am aware of the water and the wind and the motion of the boat over the confused sea. I am more than aware. I am fully, completely, a part of it, inseparable, and in tune. I may have slept some...I don't know...my consciousness wandered, drifting lazily along... This lasted a couple of hours. I will never forget it. Then, around 1 AM, I became aware that Jubilee was heeling much more. The winf had strengthened to 15 to 20 kts. I snapped out of my meditation and put one reef, and then a second, in the mainsail, and went back to sleep.
As the sun rose around 4:30 the wind died. I tried cranking the engine but it would not catch and sustain itself. I figured maybe I had run out of fuel, but my calculations told me this was unlikely. So I figured maybe there was some residual trash in the fuel or maybe I had taken water into the fuel air vent at the bow. I waited and then tried again and again. No engine. I was just 15 miles off from the buoy where I would turn at the northern tip of Cape Cod toward Provincetown, and probably just 30 miloes from Provincetown. I waited until 10:30 before calling for a tow. I was drifting toward some reefs.
The BoatUS tow service from Provincetown arrived at 1:30 PM. Meanwhile I had called by satellite phone into the U.S. Customs office to announce my impending arrival. The gal on the phone wanted to call me back but could not on the sat phone. An hour into the tow, at about 7 kts, I again called Customs and was informed that I could not get clearance in Provincetown, that I would have to go to Plymouth, on the west side of Cape Cod to clear. "But my brother-in-law, Bill Tumlin, is in Provincetown waiting to sail with me to Newport", I protested. "He can't get on your boat in Provincetown" she said. So, I called Bill and asked him to meet me in Plymouth and then told the tow boat to tow mme to Plymouth.
After 5 1/2 hours in tow, Jubilee and I arrived in Plymouth at 7 PM where I attached to the customs mooring to await boarding by the customs officials who arrived in short order. Clearance took only a few minutes. Meanwhile I had figured out the problem with my engine. After the third cell hit I had cut the engine but in my fatigue I had failed to properly return the engine-stopping handle to its correct, re-stert, position. Not wanting to admit this embarrassing error, I accepted the customs offer for an escort to the Brewers Marina.
I slep that night on the boat at brewers gas dock, and Bill remained at Provincetown for the night. The next day Bill took a bus to Plymouth and we got a room at the Governor Bradford Inn and walked about the town, seeing what by lore is supposed to be the original Plymouth Rock where the Pilgrims landed December 20, 1620.
We departed Plymouth with the ebbing tide the following morning at 7 o'clock. The wind was clam so we motored down to the Cape Cod Canal, arriving there just before high tide at 11:30. The timing was perfect. The canal ebbing tide runs east to west, our direction. At times we exceeded 7 kts with the help of the tidal current, quickly transiting the 7 nm of canal length. The light breeze was, of course, on the nose from the southwest so we continued using the motor toward Newport in Buzzard's Bay.
Around 4 PM the fog closed in around us. We vhad the radar going but neither of us knew how to read it. We put up the radar reflector in the rigging and got out the ship's bell. Happily the AIS (Automatic Identification System) was working and it identified all commercial traffic for us and identified us to all commercial traffic. The AIS was a great investment, much better than radar as it flashes warnings on the GPS, identifies the other vessels by name, shows their location on the GPS screen and shows their direction and speed. Wonderfully comforting in pea soup fog.
We came into Newport Harbor at 2 AM, pitch black conditions in a fully enveloping miasma of dense fog. We managed to work or way slowly through the field of multi-million dollar yachts until we found a vacant mooring to which we tied up. We went to sleep, Bill on the sole of the cabin and me in the cockpit in my bivy sack. At 8 o'clock we motored over to Bannisters Wharf and tied up and rented a room.
This would e the end of Woody's Passage.
A month of sailing mostly at sea has been enough for me to realize my dream of making a long passage in a small boat. Crossing the Gulf of Maine solo was enough to scratch the itch for a solo passage. I am tired. It now is time for me to conclude this chapter in my life. I am more a racing sailor than a cruiser. I have now seen enough of bad weather at sea to know that I do not want to be caught out there in a 20-foot sailboat, even in a Flicka, in an extended or really serious storm. I get frustrated with a full day or more of calm wind, especially when this condition is accompanied with a sloppy state of sea. I get frustrated with multiple days of adverse wind direction in the face of short-period wave conditions. I had a schedule to meet, with various friends and relatives meeting me at different places to sail a leg for a few days, and this compelled me to press forward to stay on schedule or revise the plan at inconvenience to those expecting to sauil with me. Cruising should be done without a schedule.
I am safe and happily satisfied with my journey and with Jubilee. I coupld not have done this without the support of my family and many friends. To all who have helped to make my dream happen successfully, I am eternally grateful.
I am leaving Jubilee at a mooring near Newport today. She is for sale, and I will deliver her with her trailer to any location on the East U.S. or Canadian coast. Anyone interested in buying her shoould contact me at snorwood3@me.com .
I will return to Atlanta tomorrow and return with Jubilee's trailer in mid-July ready to deliver her to her next lucky owner. She is priced to sell quickly.
Woody
Newport
June 29, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Soggy OREOs & Sea Tow
Day #31, June 25, 2010
Time of Report: multiple reports over the last 24hours
Woody has been in survival mode, dealing with some serious thunderstorms that finally subsided around 11pm last night. A storm snuck up on him from out of no where and knocked him and the boat down. He was under full sail and looked at his his anemometer and and saw 37 knots. The sky was crazy and once the boat righted he called BT who had just arrived in Portland Maine. He asked BT what was going on and how many more storms were on the way. BT was looking at the Doppler and said "quite a few and there is a severe storm watch going on now and people are being advised to take cover". BT called our pilot friend, Chris for more details and he said it was going to be pretty rough for the next couple of hours, on and off. Woody tried taking down the sails so he could simply ride it out but the next storm cell came too quickly and kncked him down again. He said there was a lot of lightening. He called BT again and then finally was able to get the sails down. Before Woody hung up BT said, why don't u call me a little later after u survive the next storm and Woody replied that the next call he may make would be to the coast guard. Not too much later BT got another call from Woody who reported that his Oreo cookies were soggy. BT said "at first i thought he had gone mad, completely undone and then I heard him laugh and said to him 'i see u have your sense of humor back Wood Bones'". The weather settled down and the night turnrd calm for a little while. Woody hoisted the sails again and off he went! The wind started building again and Woody had enough fun for one day and therefore cranked the motor and caught a couple of hours of some much needed shut eye.
At 2245 z yesterday he was 60miles from Cape Cod and today, mid day he was about 15 miles from the Cape and tried cranking the engine again because the wind died, but due to a fuel problem, it did not start. he decided to call Sea Tow to get towed in. A minor detail that was overlooked was where he would clear customs and Provinetwon, where BT is now awaiting Woody is not a US Custom staffed port. He could dock at Oops! So Sea Tow is towing him another 20 miles or so to Plymouth (just like the pilgrims) and he should arrive there this evening around 7pm. He and BT will connect tomorrow and take it easy for the day and then on Sunday, set sail for Newport. Hopefully we will get a blog post from Woody while he at port.
I'm glad he is safe and will soon be in the company of one of his very best friend and longest friends, BT.
tracy
Time of Report: multiple reports over the last 24hours
Woody has been in survival mode, dealing with some serious thunderstorms that finally subsided around 11pm last night. A storm snuck up on him from out of no where and knocked him and the boat down. He was under full sail and looked at his his anemometer and and saw 37 knots. The sky was crazy and once the boat righted he called BT who had just arrived in Portland Maine. He asked BT what was going on and how many more storms were on the way. BT was looking at the Doppler and said "quite a few and there is a severe storm watch going on now and people are being advised to take cover". BT called our pilot friend, Chris for more details and he said it was going to be pretty rough for the next couple of hours, on and off. Woody tried taking down the sails so he could simply ride it out but the next storm cell came too quickly and kncked him down again. He said there was a lot of lightening. He called BT again and then finally was able to get the sails down. Before Woody hung up BT said, why don't u call me a little later after u survive the next storm and Woody replied that the next call he may make would be to the coast guard. Not too much later BT got another call from Woody who reported that his Oreo cookies were soggy. BT said "at first i thought he had gone mad, completely undone and then I heard him laugh and said to him 'i see u have your sense of humor back Wood Bones'". The weather settled down and the night turnrd calm for a little while. Woody hoisted the sails again and off he went! The wind started building again and Woody had enough fun for one day and therefore cranked the motor and caught a couple of hours of some much needed shut eye.
At 2245 z yesterday he was 60miles from Cape Cod and today, mid day he was about 15 miles from the Cape and tried cranking the engine again because the wind died, but due to a fuel problem, it did not start. he decided to call Sea Tow to get towed in. A minor detail that was overlooked was where he would clear customs and Provinetwon, where BT is now awaiting Woody is not a US Custom staffed port. He could dock at Oops! So Sea Tow is towing him another 20 miles or so to Plymouth (just like the pilgrims) and he should arrive there this evening around 7pm. He and BT will connect tomorrow and take it easy for the day and then on Sunday, set sail for Newport. Hopefully we will get a blog post from Woody while he at port.
I'm glad he is safe and will soon be in the company of one of his very best friend and longest friends, BT.
tracy
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Day 28 Report - Norwood Time
Day #28, Tuesday, June 23, 2010
Time of Report: 2200 Z
Position: 42.37, -67.17
Heading: Southwest
Speed: Not reported
BT called me today, just after 5pm EST in a bit of a panic. Despite the 6 hours Comcast (our trusty cable company here in Marietta, GA) spent at his house yesterday, his internet was out and he needed to get the weather report for Woody. BT takes this job very seriously and for the first couple of weeks, he waited by the phone each day for Woody's call at 5:00pm. We all move in different rhythms and consistency in call times from Woody has not been a reality. This should have come as no shock, as Woody has never been known in our family for his timeliness, in fact, BT has trademarked "Norwood time" - but not just because of Woody, a couple of others in the family have similar traits (and I'm not namin' names). Low and behold, wouldn't you know it, today, he did call at exactly 5pm, and this was probably the first time BT wasn't ready with the report. Damn internet! Luckily I only live approximately 1 nautical mile (which is 1.15 statute miles) from the BTs so he was here within minutes to check the weather and prepare his report for Woody.
The weather was rough today, with lots of rain and winds between 25 - 30 knots. The fog has been very thick as well. The thought of cold rain, combined with strong wind and fog makes me shiver. Woody was getting a little concerned about the possibility of hypothermia, but was able to get in the cabin, change into some dry clothes and warm up a bit. Hydration and food consumption is important too. He also started increasing his movement around the boat, keeping himself more active moving which increased his body temperature, and made him start feeling better.
By this evening the winds had settled to 15 - 20 knots but had shifted to the West, Southwest, which means it's right on the nose (he's heading right into it). This will slow him down in reaching his destination. At the time of the report, he was 134 nm from the outside buoy at Cape Cod, and his ETA into Provincetown is now Friday afternoon.
No report on what he had for dinner. I'm picking BT up tomorrow (Thurs) to drive him to the Atlanta airport for his flight to MA to catch up with Woody, and I think I'll slip a little care package into his duffel bag. Will a can of chicken noodle soup make it through airport security? I'm guessing not, but I bet a can of SPAM will!
In honor of this part of Woody's voyage, being that it is solo (even though it wasn't originally planned to be), I'll close with this quote, by author Jules Verne:
"The sea is everything. It covers seven tenths of the terrestrial globe. Its breath is pure and healthy. It is an immense desert, where man is never lonely, for he feels life stirring on all sides."
Peace ~ Tracy
Time of Report: 2200 Z
Position: 42.37, -67.17
Heading: Southwest
Speed: Not reported
BT called me today, just after 5pm EST in a bit of a panic. Despite the 6 hours Comcast (our trusty cable company here in Marietta, GA) spent at his house yesterday, his internet was out and he needed to get the weather report for Woody. BT takes this job very seriously and for the first couple of weeks, he waited by the phone each day for Woody's call at 5:00pm. We all move in different rhythms and consistency in call times from Woody has not been a reality. This should have come as no shock, as Woody has never been known in our family for his timeliness, in fact, BT has trademarked "Norwood time" - but not just because of Woody, a couple of others in the family have similar traits (and I'm not namin' names). Low and behold, wouldn't you know it, today, he did call at exactly 5pm, and this was probably the first time BT wasn't ready with the report. Damn internet! Luckily I only live approximately 1 nautical mile (which is 1.15 statute miles) from the BTs so he was here within minutes to check the weather and prepare his report for Woody.
The weather was rough today, with lots of rain and winds between 25 - 30 knots. The fog has been very thick as well. The thought of cold rain, combined with strong wind and fog makes me shiver. Woody was getting a little concerned about the possibility of hypothermia, but was able to get in the cabin, change into some dry clothes and warm up a bit. Hydration and food consumption is important too. He also started increasing his movement around the boat, keeping himself more active moving which increased his body temperature, and made him start feeling better.
By this evening the winds had settled to 15 - 20 knots but had shifted to the West, Southwest, which means it's right on the nose (he's heading right into it). This will slow him down in reaching his destination. At the time of the report, he was 134 nm from the outside buoy at Cape Cod, and his ETA into Provincetown is now Friday afternoon.
No report on what he had for dinner. I'm picking BT up tomorrow (Thurs) to drive him to the Atlanta airport for his flight to MA to catch up with Woody, and I think I'll slip a little care package into his duffel bag. Will a can of chicken noodle soup make it through airport security? I'm guessing not, but I bet a can of SPAM will!
In honor of this part of Woody's voyage, being that it is solo (even though it wasn't originally planned to be), I'll close with this quote, by author Jules Verne:
"The sea is everything. It covers seven tenths of the terrestrial globe. Its breath is pure and healthy. It is an immense desert, where man is never lonely, for he feels life stirring on all sides."
Peace ~ Tracy
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Michelin Man Look-alike headed towards Provincetown
Day #27, Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Time of Report: 2100 Z
Position: 43.13, -65.37
Heading: Down the coast of Nova Scotia
Speed: Slow, winds are light and motor is on
Woody reported in to both weather reporter, BT and the communications/blogger team around 5pm EST Tuesday and informed us that he had traveled roughly 90 miles from his time of departure which was on Monday and was just passing the tip of Nova Scotia. He had accomplished this with the sails up but due to a lack of wind, he had been motoring most of the time. He had about 250 nm left to go to Provincetown which is his next destination and he expects to be there on Thursday. Weather reporter BT (who is Woody's brother-in-law and my father) will be arriving in Provincetown, MA on Thursday evening to sail the next leg.
I asked Woody how it was being solo on this leg and he said "well, it takes a lot longer to do things!". He spoke of the division of labor he and JD had mastered and he also mentioned that is is being more conservative (whew!). The winds were expecting to build through the night, so Woody planned to do a sail change before the sun set to a smaller sail. This way, when he has it on auto-pilot, and sleeping in the cockpit, the boat won't be as overpowered. Woody described looking like the Michelin Man, as he is wrapped up in as many clothes as he can fit on his body.
He said staying warm is a big challenge. The temperature is in the low 50s to high 40s during the day and drops into the 30s during the night. Brrr!
Without JD on board to cook, dinner consisted of a couple of packs of M&Ms, crackers, sardines, an apple, plum and potato chips. We'll see how he does when BT comes aboard with the dinners!
All and all, Woody seemed to be in good spirits but sounded tired. A good rest once he gets into Provincetown will be in order!
More Soon ~ Tracy ;)
Time of Report: 2100 Z
Position: 43.13, -65.37
Heading: Down the coast of Nova Scotia
Speed: Slow, winds are light and motor is on
Woody reported in to both weather reporter, BT and the communications/blogger team around 5pm EST Tuesday and informed us that he had traveled roughly 90 miles from his time of departure which was on Monday and was just passing the tip of Nova Scotia. He had accomplished this with the sails up but due to a lack of wind, he had been motoring most of the time. He had about 250 nm left to go to Provincetown which is his next destination and he expects to be there on Thursday. Weather reporter BT (who is Woody's brother-in-law and my father) will be arriving in Provincetown, MA on Thursday evening to sail the next leg.
I asked Woody how it was being solo on this leg and he said "well, it takes a lot longer to do things!". He spoke of the division of labor he and JD had mastered and he also mentioned that is is being more conservative (whew!). The winds were expecting to build through the night, so Woody planned to do a sail change before the sun set to a smaller sail. This way, when he has it on auto-pilot, and sleeping in the cockpit, the boat won't be as overpowered. Woody described looking like the Michelin Man, as he is wrapped up in as many clothes as he can fit on his body.
He said staying warm is a big challenge. The temperature is in the low 50s to high 40s during the day and drops into the 30s during the night. Brrr!Without JD on board to cook, dinner consisted of a couple of packs of M&Ms, crackers, sardines, an apple, plum and potato chips. We'll see how he does when BT comes aboard with the dinners!
All and all, Woody seemed to be in good spirits but sounded tired. A good rest once he gets into Provincetown will be in order!
More Soon ~ Tracy ;)
Monday, June 21, 2010
Ready to sail solo NS to Provincetown
I have a weather window to sail from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia to Provincetown, MA at the tip of Cape Cod. I'll do this solo and hope to arrive by Thursday night.
My hosts here in NS, Bill and Kerstin Gilkerson, have been wonderfully generous in thir support and sharing their time.
I had the misfortune of leaving my wallet at the marina office in Nantucket when paying for fuel. They have sent it FedEx and I hope it arrives today as I will leave as soon as I can settle accounts at the marina in Lunengurg and buy provisions.
My brother-in-law, Bill Tumlin, plans to meet me in Provincetown to sail from there to Newport.
Woody
My hosts here in NS, Bill and Kerstin Gilkerson, have been wonderfully generous in thir support and sharing their time.
I had the misfortune of leaving my wallet at the marina office in Nantucket when paying for fuel. They have sent it FedEx and I hope it arrives today as I will leave as soon as I can settle accounts at the marina in Lunengurg and buy provisions.
My brother-in-law, Bill Tumlin, plans to meet me in Provincetown to sail from there to Newport.
Woody
Friday, June 18, 2010
Plan Update
By skipping Portland and going straight to either Cape Ann (Gloucester) where I have friends, or to the Cape Cod Canal, we could get back on schedule. We might be able to depart Nova Scotia as early as Tuesday. It is about 364 nm to the Cape Cod Canal by way of Provincetown, 4 days's sailing with a decent wind direction. With an overnight stop to rest and recover, the remaining passage to Newport should be a full day (24+ hours) from Cape Ann or less from the CC Canal. Going through the Canal requires proper timing with the tides. The Canal itself is abour 8 miles long and it empties into Buzzard's Bay. Even with a departure from NS as late as this Wednesday we could be in Newport on Tuesday, June 29.
A day of R&R in Newport, departing June 30, we could reach Centerport July 3. Then we would be set for a July 7 passage from Larchmont down the East River by Manhattan, over to Sanday Hook and be back on schedule.
Please keep fingers crossed for favorable winds Tuesday through Friday for the passage across the Gulf of Maine.
Woody
Martins River NS
A day of R&R in Newport, departing June 30, we could reach Centerport July 3. Then we would be set for a July 7 passage from Larchmont down the East River by Manhattan, over to Sanday Hook and be back on schedule.
Please keep fingers crossed for favorable winds Tuesday through Friday for the passage across the Gulf of Maine.
Woody
Martins River NS
Thursday, June 17, 2010
"Stuck" in Nova Scotia
The wind from the west and southwet will make a departure from Nova Scotia impossible until Wednesday or Thursday. It is a 3-day passage across the Gulf of Maine from here in Mahone Bay with decent wind fronm anywhere other than the West or Southwest. Normally the prevailing summer wind is from the south. The jet stream, however is farther north than usual, blowing constantly from the direction we want to go.
Bill Hickman did not check emails this morning before heading by bus to Logan airport in Boston. He did not think to turn on his cell phone all day to get our numerous attempts at reaching him. He flew from Boston to Halifax with never turning on his cell phone. After waiting in Halifax for his link with Alice, my wife, who was to be his ride down from Halifax to Mahone Bay, he finally turned on his cell phone not to check messages but to call his wife, Joyce. We had been hoping all day that he might check in with Joyce, and Joyce, who also had been trying to reach Bill all day, knew the situation and then Bill called me in Mahone Bay. I had to tell him to get the next flight back to Logan as there would be no sense coming to Mahone Bay to wait for a week for good weather. When the weather clears I'll get a local here to sail with me to Portland and I'll pay for his return flight. I also will be paying for Bill's return flight.
There are few place I would rather be "stuck" in than Nova Scotia. This is a fabulous place. Everyone is friendly. Everyone knows everyone. They are cheerful and generous. The town of Lunenburg is informal and just a bit touristy. My friends Bill and Kerstin Gilkerson are warm, hospitable, and have offerred their guest house to me for the duration. Meantime, with Kerstin's help, I have gotten agreement with a local electrical rigger to come work on Jubilee Saturday so I have left her in Lunenburg. I plan to sail her over to Mahone Bay Sunday.
Time to relax some. The major part of the passage is done. I view making it to Nova Scotia was a major goal accomplished.
This does, however, change everything regarding the return to Beaufort. The wait until next Wednesday or Thursday means my plan for Portland to Newport is postponed, and Newport to Centerport cannot be completed before July 4. So I figure to have lost my crew partners on these legs. Also probably New York to Annapolis. Loss of my crew partners means a re-assessment of the whole return trip program. I'll be figuring this all out in the coming days.
Woody
Mahone Bay, NS
Bill Hickman did not check emails this morning before heading by bus to Logan airport in Boston. He did not think to turn on his cell phone all day to get our numerous attempts at reaching him. He flew from Boston to Halifax with never turning on his cell phone. After waiting in Halifax for his link with Alice, my wife, who was to be his ride down from Halifax to Mahone Bay, he finally turned on his cell phone not to check messages but to call his wife, Joyce. We had been hoping all day that he might check in with Joyce, and Joyce, who also had been trying to reach Bill all day, knew the situation and then Bill called me in Mahone Bay. I had to tell him to get the next flight back to Logan as there would be no sense coming to Mahone Bay to wait for a week for good weather. When the weather clears I'll get a local here to sail with me to Portland and I'll pay for his return flight. I also will be paying for Bill's return flight.
There are few place I would rather be "stuck" in than Nova Scotia. This is a fabulous place. Everyone is friendly. Everyone knows everyone. They are cheerful and generous. The town of Lunenburg is informal and just a bit touristy. My friends Bill and Kerstin Gilkerson are warm, hospitable, and have offerred their guest house to me for the duration. Meantime, with Kerstin's help, I have gotten agreement with a local electrical rigger to come work on Jubilee Saturday so I have left her in Lunenburg. I plan to sail her over to Mahone Bay Sunday.
Time to relax some. The major part of the passage is done. I view making it to Nova Scotia was a major goal accomplished.
This does, however, change everything regarding the return to Beaufort. The wait until next Wednesday or Thursday means my plan for Portland to Newport is postponed, and Newport to Centerport cannot be completed before July 4. So I figure to have lost my crew partners on these legs. Also probably New York to Annapolis. Loss of my crew partners means a re-assessment of the whole return trip program. I'll be figuring this all out in the coming days.
Woody
Mahone Bay, NS
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Looking for a Weather Window
The 4 days from Nantucket were varied. The first two days were over 100 nm each,with10-20 kts wind from the south west. Then it turned light Monday, and on the nose so we motor-sailed very closed hauled going 4 miles off course alternating starboard and port. Tuesday the wind developed from the northwest and grew steadily to 25-30 kts with gusts to 35. In this range the tops of the waves were being blown off. We reefed once and then twice on the main, and then we reefed the jib. Still, on a port tack reach we were burying the lee shear and occasionally taking on water into the cockpit to leeward. We struck the jib and put up the storm jib, just a hankie of a sail but enough for good balance and to boost the speed in the slot between the jib and the main. Jubilee drove hard in this weather uncomplaining, but in the short period waves it was actually dangerous to be below. Our little Flicka was tossed about by these waves, with sudden major moves side to side. JD and I both experienced being thrown across the cabin banging our heads on the far side. The wind and wave action subsided somewhat around 8 PM Tuesday. We hugged the southern coast of Nova Scotia and arrived at Lunenburg harbor at 4:30 AM just as the sun was coming up.
We tied up at a randomly-selected wharf and went to bed, JD on the cabin sole and me in the cockpit. We slep peacefully until 10 AM when we were told we would have to move. Weotored over to the Marina and called for customs clearance. Most of the information was communicated by phone but an inspection was ordered and set for 1:30, but we would have to move to Government Wharf, which we did. While we awaited the customs officials (who arrived at 2:15) the end of the dock caught fire and I called the fire department. The fire was quickly extinguished....it had nothing to do with our presence.
After a lunch of local mussels and beer we went in search of a B&B. Booking a room with 2 bedsfor $109, we then returned to the boat and took her back to the Marina dock for the night. It is sunny and warm, and we had been drying out the interior of Jubilee, our clothes, the sleeping bag, etc. We walked back to the B&B with our overnight stuff, and JD went off to the laundromat with our soiled clothes while I started to plan our next leg of sailing: destination Portland, ME.
The weather outlook is not favorable. We will not attempt a crossing of the Gulf of Maine on an easterly or southeasterly wind. It looks like this is what we will have until June 22. Big winds on the nose are just not where Jubilee performs. In short period waves we just sit there and habby-horse, barely making headway. It is just not fun. So, I am advising my sailing partner for this leg to postpone his arrival here until we see a window. Bill Hickman has reservations for a flight tomorrow into Halifax.
Such is the nature of a sailing adventure in a small boat. It is almost impossibe to schedule with any degree of certainty. This may also push back other commitments, from Portland to Newport and Newport to Centerport, New York City, and down to Annapolis. Stay tuned.
Woody
We tied up at a randomly-selected wharf and went to bed, JD on the cabin sole and me in the cockpit. We slep peacefully until 10 AM when we were told we would have to move. Weotored over to the Marina and called for customs clearance. Most of the information was communicated by phone but an inspection was ordered and set for 1:30, but we would have to move to Government Wharf, which we did. While we awaited the customs officials (who arrived at 2:15) the end of the dock caught fire and I called the fire department. The fire was quickly extinguished....it had nothing to do with our presence.
After a lunch of local mussels and beer we went in search of a B&B. Booking a room with 2 bedsfor $109, we then returned to the boat and took her back to the Marina dock for the night. It is sunny and warm, and we had been drying out the interior of Jubilee, our clothes, the sleeping bag, etc. We walked back to the B&B with our overnight stuff, and JD went off to the laundromat with our soiled clothes while I started to plan our next leg of sailing: destination Portland, ME.
The weather outlook is not favorable. We will not attempt a crossing of the Gulf of Maine on an easterly or southeasterly wind. It looks like this is what we will have until June 22. Big winds on the nose are just not where Jubilee performs. In short period waves we just sit there and habby-horse, barely making headway. It is just not fun. So, I am advising my sailing partner for this leg to postpone his arrival here until we see a window. Bill Hickman has reservations for a flight tomorrow into Halifax.
Such is the nature of a sailing adventure in a small boat. It is almost impossibe to schedule with any degree of certainty. This may also push back other commitments, from Portland to Newport and Newport to Centerport, New York City, and down to Annapolis. Stay tuned.
Woody
Arrived in Nova Scotia & Cleared Customs
Day #22, Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Time of Report: 1930 Z
Position: 44.38, -64.31
Heading: at Port in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
Speed: moving rapidly by foot to a hot lunch and then hotel for some much needed rest!
Woody & JD have arrived on solid ground, in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia which is where the red circle is towards the bottom on the map!! They arrived around 830 Z this morning but did not clear customs until 1600 Z - a long wait. Reports over the last couple of days have been minimal and through Bill Tumlin (BT), the weather reporter. All I know is they put on some miles and had times where there was little to no wind and they were motoring to times where they were in winds of up to 35 miles per hour. I believe at one point they were "Heaving To" - for those non-nautical folks, "Heaving To" (also heave to) is a way of slowing a sail boat's forward progress, fixing the helm and foresail position so that the boat doesn't have to be actively steered, thereby allowing the crew to attend other tasks. It is commonly used for a "break" while waiting out a storm, or by the solo sailor as a way to provide time to go below deck or attend to issues elsewhere on the boat (including taking a lunch break) - thanks to Wikipedia for the explanation.
BT said the guys were headed to grab a hot meal and then to a hotel for some much needed rest. We'll look forward to an update from Woody & JD once they've had time to regroup. According to the plan, I believe tomorrow they will set sail for the Martin's River to Mahone Bay (circled in red at the top of the map) which is about 20 nm from Lunenberg, I believe. Woody will spend several days with his lovely wife, Alice and great friends, the Gilkerson's (see the last blog post for information about these interesting folks) and start shopping for a vacation home while there. I believe JD will head on to do some exploring around this gorgeous area by foot and then head south?
Woody & JD's sailing time together is coming to a close and I absolutely can not wait to hear their recount of the trip in person at the "Home Coming Party" which we'll start planning for some time in August. And on that note, I'll end with the following quote:
“There are those who pass like ships in the night, who meet for a moment, then sail out of sight with never a backward glance of regret; folks we know briefly then quickly forget. Then there are friends who sail together, through quiet waters and stormy weather, helping each other though joy and through strife. And they are the kind who give meaning to life.” ~ Author Unknown
Tracy ;)
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Day 18 report - Brrr!!!
Day #18, Sunday, June 13, 2010
Time of Report: 2330 Z
Position: 42.46, -67.78
Heading: NE, towards Nova Scotia
Speed: Slow now, due to very light wind
Woody & JD reported having a great 24 hours of sailing, having departed Nantucket on Saturday, June 12 around 1930 Z. During their first 24 hours, they covered 115 miles. They have a little competition going on amongst themselves, as to who covers more miles while on watch. Both took a 6 hour watch (typically they do a 4 hour watch), and JD covered 30 miles, while Woody covered 27 - so JD's in the lead.
The winds have started shifting around to the nose and are lightening up. Woody said they would likely go off course a bit and probably motor through the evening. Dinner this evening was eggs and soup. They are trying to keep warm, as they estimated the temperature to be in the low 50s. Keeping warm has been a challenge as it has been raining the last 30 hours, and while their foul weather is keeping them dry, their gloves don't stay dry, so their hands are freezing! Woody said they are layering up but trying to get to sleep with the chill in their bones has been a challenge. Let' all send warm wishes their way, shall we?
Upon arrival in Nova Scotia Woody will have a warm welcome from his wife, Alice Lynch who is flying in on the 17th. Woody & JD will part ways, and I believe JD will do some exploring of the area before he flys home. Woody & Alice will be staying with their friends, Bill and Kerstin Gilkenon in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia for a couple of days. Alice and Kerstin have been friends since they attended the University of Texas. Kerstin is from Sweeden and was a Neiman Marcus model. It was she who had a Herreshoff 12 1/2 (a gorgeous classic boat) and in 2003, introduced Woody to it. Woody immediately fell in love with it and promptly put an order in to have one built. Bill is a well-known marine artist and the author of several books, and he is considered one of the world authorities on scrimshaw and on fire arms used on ships - http://www.williamgilkerson.com/. For those not familiar with scrimshaw, a quick search on wikipedia shows: "Scrimshaw is the name given to handiwork created by whalers made from the byproducts of harvesting marine mammals. It is most commonly made out of the bones and teeth of Sperm Whales, the baleen of other whales, and the tusks of walruses. It takes the form of elaborate carvings in the form of pictures and lettering on the surface of the bone or tooth, with the engravings highlighted using a pigment, or small sculptures made from the same material. The making of scrimshaw began on whaling ships between 1745 to 1759 on the Pacific Ocean, and survived until the ban on commercial whaling. The practice survives as a hobby and as a trade for commercial artisans. A maker of scrimshaw is known as a scrimshande."
Friends and family are such an important part of our lives and I hope to post of picture of Woody, Alice, Bill and Kristen in an upcoming post. Here's a picture of Woody, his son Parker (right) and son-in-law Bob (left) in mid-May 2010 at Parker's son, Braxton's high school graduation party near Denver, CO.
I'll end with this quote:
To me, nothing made by man is more beautiful than a sailboat under way in fine weather, and to be on that sailboat is to be as close to heaven as I expect to get. It is unalloyed happiness. ~ Robert Manry, author, Tinkerbelle
Until next time, Tracy
Time of Report: 2330 Z
Position: 42.46, -67.78
Heading: NE, towards Nova Scotia
Speed: Slow now, due to very light wind
Woody & JD reported having a great 24 hours of sailing, having departed Nantucket on Saturday, June 12 around 1930 Z. During their first 24 hours, they covered 115 miles. They have a little competition going on amongst themselves, as to who covers more miles while on watch. Both took a 6 hour watch (typically they do a 4 hour watch), and JD covered 30 miles, while Woody covered 27 - so JD's in the lead.
The winds have started shifting around to the nose and are lightening up. Woody said they would likely go off course a bit and probably motor through the evening. Dinner this evening was eggs and soup. They are trying to keep warm, as they estimated the temperature to be in the low 50s. Keeping warm has been a challenge as it has been raining the last 30 hours, and while their foul weather is keeping them dry, their gloves don't stay dry, so their hands are freezing! Woody said they are layering up but trying to get to sleep with the chill in their bones has been a challenge. Let' all send warm wishes their way, shall we?
Upon arrival in Nova Scotia Woody will have a warm welcome from his wife, Alice Lynch who is flying in on the 17th. Woody & JD will part ways, and I believe JD will do some exploring of the area before he flys home. Woody & Alice will be staying with their friends, Bill and Kerstin Gilkenon in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia for a couple of days. Alice and Kerstin have been friends since they attended the University of Texas. Kerstin is from Sweeden and was a Neiman Marcus model. It was she who had a Herreshoff 12 1/2 (a gorgeous classic boat) and in 2003, introduced Woody to it. Woody immediately fell in love with it and promptly put an order in to have one built. Bill is a well-known marine artist and the author of several books, and he is considered one of the world authorities on scrimshaw and on fire arms used on ships - http://www.williamgilkerson.com/. For those not familiar with scrimshaw, a quick search on wikipedia shows: "Scrimshaw is the name given to handiwork created by whalers made from the byproducts of harvesting marine mammals. It is most commonly made out of the bones and teeth of Sperm Whales, the baleen of other whales, and the tusks of walruses. It takes the form of elaborate carvings in the form of pictures and lettering on the surface of the bone or tooth, with the engravings highlighted using a pigment, or small sculptures made from the same material. The making of scrimshaw began on whaling ships between 1745 to 1759 on the Pacific Ocean, and survived until the ban on commercial whaling. The practice survives as a hobby and as a trade for commercial artisans. A maker of scrimshaw is known as a scrimshande."
Friends and family are such an important part of our lives and I hope to post of picture of Woody, Alice, Bill and Kristen in an upcoming post. Here's a picture of Woody, his son Parker (right) and son-in-law Bob (left) in mid-May 2010 at Parker's son, Braxton's high school graduation party near Denver, CO.
I'll end with this quote:
To me, nothing made by man is more beautiful than a sailboat under way in fine weather, and to be on that sailboat is to be as close to heaven as I expect to get. It is unalloyed happiness. ~ Robert Manry, author, Tinkerbelle
Until next time, Tracy
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Departing Nantucket
We arrived in Nantucket from Montauk Yesterday (Friday) just after 5 PM and tied up at Straight Warf, slip #1022. Our first task was to retrieve the mailsail halyard. In the middle of Thursday night, while motoring into a head-on light breeze, the breeze shifted enough (30 degrees) off the nose so that we could make some use of the mainsail. JD was sleeping quietly on the sole. As I hoisted the mainsail I noticed there was not much resistance. Flashing the light at the mast I could see that the halyard shackle had come loose from the sail, and now it was too far up to retrieve. I woke JD and asked him to bring up the boat hook to try to retrieve the flailing halyard. No Luck. But JD cleverly used the jib halyard to hoist the main. We were sailing again but with the continued help of the engine to provide additional speed in the 5 MPH breeze. Once in port we hoisted up the MastMate, a series of foot-holding strap loops that attach to the mast with slugs that go up the sail slot. Without hesitation JD climbed the mast useing the MastMate and retrieved the main halyard, afterwards noting that he had been deathly afraid of heights. He went out of his comfort zone and thereby expanded his comfort zone and felt deservidly pretty good about his accompolishment. Our dock neighbors offerred us beer which we readily consumed with thanks. I treated us to 2-pound lobsters and a bucket of clam steamers for dinner at the Lobster Trap restaurant.
We are having some issues with the electronics, particularly the radar and AIS. I am trying to get help for these here in Nantucket before we depart at 2 PM but the only local knowlegibe about these things works in a retail store and says he can't get off until later in the day, by which time we will miss the tide and again fall behind in our plan which we constantly revise as circujmstances dictate. We can do it the old fashioned way, using our radar reflector, ships bell, and fog horn in the event of fog, but the other stuff would provide additional comfort.
Nantucket is a nice small walkable town. The cobble stone streets were made from ships' ballast stones in the 18th and 19th centuries. We spent the night at Hawthorn House, a B&B about 4 blocks from our Jubilee's berth in the boat basin. JD did the laundry this morning and is off exploring the town. Real estate is not cheap here. A basic place with a water view (from the second floor) starts at about $2 mil. A nice place with a good view can be had for abour $3.5 mil. There is a very nice estate here with some acreage that could be yours for $23 mil.
Woody
We are having some issues with the electronics, particularly the radar and AIS. I am trying to get help for these here in Nantucket before we depart at 2 PM but the only local knowlegibe about these things works in a retail store and says he can't get off until later in the day, by which time we will miss the tide and again fall behind in our plan which we constantly revise as circujmstances dictate. We can do it the old fashioned way, using our radar reflector, ships bell, and fog horn in the event of fog, but the other stuff would provide additional comfort.
Nantucket is a nice small walkable town. The cobble stone streets were made from ships' ballast stones in the 18th and 19th centuries. We spent the night at Hawthorn House, a B&B about 4 blocks from our Jubilee's berth in the boat basin. JD did the laundry this morning and is off exploring the town. Real estate is not cheap here. A basic place with a water view (from the second floor) starts at about $2 mil. A nice place with a good view can be had for abour $3.5 mil. There is a very nice estate here with some acreage that could be yours for $23 mil.
Woody
Thursday, June 10, 2010
On to Nantucket
We stopped at Montauk after a couple of 100+ nm days to take shelter from waht was expected to be 45+ kt winds in a rapidaly moving low that came up from the south. Turned out that the storm fizzled and all we got was rain and max 25 kt wind.
Today we are going to Nantucket. It is right on the way to Nova Scotia and JD has been reading Moby Dick (Nantucket was a whaling center and the Pequod sailed from there). We have booked a slitp in the Basin at Main Street and a B&B on Chestnut Street just a 5 minute walk away. Then on to Nova Scotia with expectred arrival in Lunenburg to clear customs on the 16th and into Martins River on Mahone Bay on nthe 17th.
Want to lose some weight? Take a cruise on a small sailboat like a Flicka. We have not been sea sick, but the appetite is not big and we use up the clarories we take in, plus some. My pants are now so loose around my waist that they would fall off without a belt which is on its tightest hole. We mostly snack on things like crackers with peanut butter or cheese, Chex-Mix (Traditional), Oreo cookies, Planters peanuts, and M&Ms. JD got the M&Ms with peanuts and I got the plain, and that is how we distinguish his packs of rations from mine. We have one nice hot meal each day usually in the evening fefore the start of the 8 o'clock watch.
Our watch pattern is JD does 8 to midnight, I do midnight to 4 AM, JD does 4 to 8 AM, and I do 8 AM to noon. We are usually both up from noon to 8 PM. Sail changes usually get us both involved although JD has gotten really good at doing it solo so as to not disturb my slumber. We are now so far east that the pre-dawn gray is coming on when I go to "bed" at 4 AM. We are north enough where we live in our fleece and bundle multiple layers at ni8ght.
Woody
Today we are going to Nantucket. It is right on the way to Nova Scotia and JD has been reading Moby Dick (Nantucket was a whaling center and the Pequod sailed from there). We have booked a slitp in the Basin at Main Street and a B&B on Chestnut Street just a 5 minute walk away. Then on to Nova Scotia with expectred arrival in Lunenburg to clear customs on the 16th and into Martins River on Mahone Bay on nthe 17th.
Want to lose some weight? Take a cruise on a small sailboat like a Flicka. We have not been sea sick, but the appetite is not big and we use up the clarories we take in, plus some. My pants are now so loose around my waist that they would fall off without a belt which is on its tightest hole. We mostly snack on things like crackers with peanut butter or cheese, Chex-Mix (Traditional), Oreo cookies, Planters peanuts, and M&Ms. JD got the M&Ms with peanuts and I got the plain, and that is how we distinguish his packs of rations from mine. We have one nice hot meal each day usually in the evening fefore the start of the 8 o'clock watch.
Our watch pattern is JD does 8 to midnight, I do midnight to 4 AM, JD does 4 to 8 AM, and I do 8 AM to noon. We are usually both up from noon to 8 PM. Sail changes usually get us both involved although JD has gotten really good at doing it solo so as to not disturb my slumber. We are now so far east that the pre-dawn gray is coming on when I go to "bed" at 4 AM. We are north enough where we live in our fleece and bundle multiple layers at ni8ght.
Woody
Brief stop in Montauk, NY
Day #14, Wednesday, June 9, 2010Time of Report: 2200 Z
Position: 41.07, -71.9311 (as of 2100 Z Wed, 6/9)
Heading: At port, Montauk, NY
Speed: On solid ground
We have gone a couple of days with out voice to voice communication with Woody & JD, however both BT (Bill Tumlin) and I have received voicemails. Due to weather patterns, Woody & JD made a quick stop into Montauk, NY in route to Nantucket and stayed there last night and planned on leaving this morning to sail on to Nantucket.
The voicemail I received on Tuesday was a report on their dinner. This dinner was the most special one they've had so far (much better than the freeze dried foods) as it was a fresh fish they caught off the stern of Jubliee. They sliced it up and enjoyed some sashimi (raw fish for you non-sushi lovers) and said it was delicious and had more than they could eat. The winds were light and they were motoring. BT did talk with them on Tuesday and had advised them of some severe weather heading in their direction, so again, it was a race against the weather! The weather router was also in agreement that they should head for shore. BT figured the best spot was Montauk, NY.
A little about Montauk, NY (from http://www.montauknyguide.com/): It is located on the farthest tip of Long Island. Different than the Hamptons in so many ways, Montauk is well situated far enough from its neighbors that it is unpretentious and peaceful. Sometimes compared to Ireland, Montauk is home to a vibrant Irish community. Montauk’s temperatures are usually 10 or more degrees cooler than New York City in the summer, and at least 10 degrees warmer in the winter. Montauk's shores are high and breezy and the wind always seems to blow with a slight taste of salt. A lighthouse – New York State's oldest, dating from 1796 – forms an almost symbolic finale to this stretch of the American coast.
If JD and Woody did indeed leave this morning, they should be heading East to Nantucket and according to weather reporter / navigation man, BT, he expects they'll arrive tomorrow morning. He did mention that there were some heavier winds building and they may be shifting in an unfavorable direction (on the nose, which means coming right at them - which entails a lot of chop and tacking). If this proves to be true, I bet they'll be quite tuckered out by the time they reach Nantucket. No "spots" have been dropped since yesterday, but we'll look forward to seeing some hopefully later today (Thursday), as well as getting an update from them.
Reporting from Atlanta Yacht Club's Junior Week (sailing camp), where we've had great breeze and cooler days all week. Being a cabin parent (and responsible for 4 16 year old boys), like Woody & JD, I'm one tuckered out gal! Tracy
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Learnings and Nantucket Bound
Day #13, Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Time of Report: Have not received an "official report", i.e. a call from Woody
Position: 39.64,-73.42
Heading: Towards Nantucket
Speed: Not reported
Woody & JD are back at sea! As of their latest Spot Finder tracking, they're heading north. They must have found a window in the weather as from what I can decipher, they left yesterday afternoon, with the ebbing tide, bound for Nantucket.
Based on a post Woody submitted on the Flicka site, he shares some of his learnings:
"We have learned that passages in a Flicka are better done in 3 or 4-day segments. This way, weather is reasonably predictable and fuel consumption is not an issue. We now plan to depart Cape May this afternoon with the ebbing tide, bound for Nantucket wich we should make in 3 days. Then it will be 4 more days to Nova Scotia with arrival there expected to be June 17.
We have learned that our Airbreeze wind turbine and our solar panels are not sufficient to make us independent of the engine for electricity. The Airbreeze starts putting out a trickle at 10 kts of apparent wind. At 15 kts our experience is that the output is only 2 Amps. We the wind behind us at 15 to 20 kts and our speed at, say, 5 kts, the output is just enough to maintain basic instruments and nav lights. Not enough to support the autohelm. It takes 25 kts apparent to really do its thing."
Communications Crew (Tracy Tumlin Allardice) and Weather Reporter (Bill Tumlin) are hoping to hear from him this evening with a report.
“Thought is the wind, knowledge the sail, and mankind the vessel.” ~ August Hare
Time of Report: Have not received an "official report", i.e. a call from Woody
Position: 39.64,-73.42
Heading: Towards Nantucket
Speed: Not reported
Woody & JD are back at sea! As of their latest Spot Finder tracking, they're heading north. They must have found a window in the weather as from what I can decipher, they left yesterday afternoon, with the ebbing tide, bound for Nantucket.
Based on a post Woody submitted on the Flicka site, he shares some of his learnings:
"We have learned that passages in a Flicka are better done in 3 or 4-day segments. This way, weather is reasonably predictable and fuel consumption is not an issue. We now plan to depart Cape May this afternoon with the ebbing tide, bound for Nantucket wich we should make in 3 days. Then it will be 4 more days to Nova Scotia with arrival there expected to be June 17.
We have learned that our Airbreeze wind turbine and our solar panels are not sufficient to make us independent of the engine for electricity. The Airbreeze starts putting out a trickle at 10 kts of apparent wind. At 15 kts our experience is that the output is only 2 Amps. We the wind behind us at 15 to 20 kts and our speed at, say, 5 kts, the output is just enough to maintain basic instruments and nav lights. Not enough to support the autohelm. It takes 25 kts apparent to really do its thing."
Communications Crew (Tracy Tumlin Allardice) and Weather Reporter (Bill Tumlin) are hoping to hear from him this evening with a report.
“Thought is the wind, knowledge the sail, and mankind the vessel.” ~ August Hare
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Race Won to Cape May - Just in Time...
Day #11, Sunday, June 6, 2010Time of Report: 2200 Z
Position: 38.95, -74.91
Heading: AT PORT - Cape May, NJ
Speed: Woody & JD are exhausted, but very happy and physically moving at snail speed on the ground!
Woody & JD made it into Cape May, just in nick of time. As you can see from the attached map, there is severe weather and a Tornado watch has been issued until 2400 Z tonight.
The arrived around 2030 Z this evening and the boat has been stowed safely. By the time I talked with Woody, he had gotten a shower and they were heading out for some grub. Spirits were quite high, there was a real sense of relief and both guys are truly exhausted. They reported the last four days have been the most incredible sailing days of their lives. With the winds coming out of the Southwest, the last two days they were on a port tack quarter run. With the wind in this direction, the swells were gianormous (gigantic/enormous combo word) and had the boat pitching and rolling. This movement did not bode well for sound sleeping as the sound of the cold drinks in the ice box rolling back and forth was quite noisy. Also, the last report about the stowaway fly having walked the plank, apparently he did, but sent about 10 of his friends into the cabin. So 10 buzzing flies, a noisy ice chest and Woody's aggravated herniated disc in his neck have left him with very little sleep over the last 48 hours. Both guys think they'll sleep a solid 12 hours tonight once their bellies are full.
What is next will be determined by the weather. There are a lot of weather systems heading in their direction and they think the earliest they will be able to head back out to sea will be on Friday. If they do, and it looks like they'll be able to make it to Nova Scotia by the 17th, they'll go for it. If they won't be able to make it to Nova Scotia by the 17th, they'll get as far as they can and then fly there. JD will say goodbye to Jubilee and do some traveling around, and Woody will reunite with Alice and some great friends - and will start house hunting. I'll let him tell us all more about that, as we can expect some blog postings from him this week.
Woody & JD - all of us that love you and know you are glad you are SAFE!
"We rest here while we can, but we hear the ocean calling in our dreams,
And we know by the morning, the wind will fill our sails to test the seams.
The calm is on the water and part of us would linger by the shore.
For ships are safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for."
~ Song "Ships" by Tom Kimmel & Michael Lille.
Tracy
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Racing Weather to Cape May
Day #10, Saturday, June 5, 2010
Time of Report: 2130 Z
Position: 37.26N , -73.57W
Heading: North, Northeast
Speed: 6 knots over the water
The last blog posting "Slicker than Chicken Teriyaki" was a little late in getting reported, my apologies for that. The race is on to Cape May as winds are expected to be between 20 and 25 knots by the time they arrive tomorrow. Winds at the time of this report were South, Southwest from 10 to 15 knots. They are sailing with full sails (they took out the reefs) and are about 100 miles from Cape May and expect to be there in the morning.
Dinner was simple - Veggie Soup.
Woody reported that his best purchase and most highly used item is his GO ANYWHERE chair that he bought from West Marine. He referred to it as his "BarcaLounger". Note the difference between the two!
Looking forward to getting an update directly from Woody tomorrow or on Monday when he settles in to Cape May! And I'll close with this fine quote, by Mark Twain:
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
Tracy ;)
Time of Report: 2130 Z
Position: 37.26N , -73.57W
Heading: North, Northeast
Speed: 6 knots over the water
The last blog posting "Slicker than Chicken Teriyaki" was a little late in getting reported, my apologies for that. The race is on to Cape May as winds are expected to be between 20 and 25 knots by the time they arrive tomorrow. Winds at the time of this report were South, Southwest from 10 to 15 knots. They are sailing with full sails (they took out the reefs) and are about 100 miles from Cape May and expect to be there in the morning.
Dinner was simple - Veggie Soup.
Woody reported that his best purchase and most highly used item is his GO ANYWHERE chair that he bought from West Marine. He referred to it as his "BarcaLounger". Note the difference between the two!
Looking forward to getting an update directly from Woody tomorrow or on Monday when he settles in to Cape May! And I'll close with this fine quote, by Mark Twain:
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
Tracy ;)
Nothing Slicker than Chicken Teriyaki
Day #9, Friday, June 4, 2010
Time of Report: 2100 Z
Position: 35.67 , -72.94
Heading: North, Northeast
Speed: 6.3 knots, on a port tack reach, with a lot of help from the gulf stream
Woody & JD reported electrical problems and are heading towards Cape May, NJ to get it fixed and should be there on Sunday. There's such little electricity at this point, they are not able to run the GPS. Part of the challenge is the wind is coming over the stern and the speed of the boat isn't generating enough "ummph" to produce the electricity. The solar panel is generating a little, but not enough. The engine is running fine though. They will likely stay in Cape May for the week, as a bad weather system is forecasted, and both the weather router and weather man (BT) advised he stays off the water for this type of storm which is estimated to have winds of 40+ knots, coming from the wrong direction and huge waves.
Thursday night Chef JD made Chicken Teriyaki. Woody ate his portion and JD decided to hold out on his as he wasn't feeling particularly well. He left his portion in the pot, on the stove and not long after, Woody headed into the cabin for his 4 hour sleep. The place where they sleep is on the floor, in the cabin which is about 7.5 feet long and 1.5 feet wide. The winds started to pick up to about 20 knots and there were thunderstorms happening all around, and they were trying to dodge the lightening too. Jubilee started rockin' and rollin' and the JD's chicken teriyaki slung out of the pot, all over Woody and the inside of the boat. As Woody was recounting this story, in between laughs he said "if you ever need a good lubricant, try teriyaki!". Chicken and Brocoli was on the menu for Friday night.
Woody did note that being out in the big ocean, in the middle of the night, when it's pitch black dark, with nothing in sight and hearing the rumbling of the thunder and watching the lightning in the sky can generate some anxiety! Overall Captain and Crew are doing well!
For the record, and as a follow up to the last blog posting, the stowaway "walked the plank" yesterday.
More again soon! Tracy
Time of Report: 2100 Z
Position: 35.67 , -72.94
Heading: North, Northeast
Speed: 6.3 knots, on a port tack reach, with a lot of help from the gulf stream
Woody & JD reported electrical problems and are heading towards Cape May, NJ to get it fixed and should be there on Sunday. There's such little electricity at this point, they are not able to run the GPS. Part of the challenge is the wind is coming over the stern and the speed of the boat isn't generating enough "ummph" to produce the electricity. The solar panel is generating a little, but not enough. The engine is running fine though. They will likely stay in Cape May for the week, as a bad weather system is forecasted, and both the weather router and weather man (BT) advised he stays off the water for this type of storm which is estimated to have winds of 40+ knots, coming from the wrong direction and huge waves.
Thursday night Chef JD made Chicken Teriyaki. Woody ate his portion and JD decided to hold out on his as he wasn't feeling particularly well. He left his portion in the pot, on the stove and not long after, Woody headed into the cabin for his 4 hour sleep. The place where they sleep is on the floor, in the cabin which is about 7.5 feet long and 1.5 feet wide. The winds started to pick up to about 20 knots and there were thunderstorms happening all around, and they were trying to dodge the lightening too. Jubilee started rockin' and rollin' and the JD's chicken teriyaki slung out of the pot, all over Woody and the inside of the boat. As Woody was recounting this story, in between laughs he said "if you ever need a good lubricant, try teriyaki!". Chicken and Brocoli was on the menu for Friday night.
Woody did note that being out in the big ocean, in the middle of the night, when it's pitch black dark, with nothing in sight and hearing the rumbling of the thunder and watching the lightning in the sky can generate some anxiety! Overall Captain and Crew are doing well!
For the record, and as a follow up to the last blog posting, the stowaway "walked the plank" yesterday.
More again soon! Tracy
Friday, June 4, 2010
Record Breaking Speeds on Jubliee!
From the beginning of the trip, on May 27, 2010, here's a view of where Woody and JD have been so far: 
I don't have the typical stats that we've been posting on the previous blogs, as I was so excited to hear from them, I forgot to ask - oops!
On my commute home this evening from Decatur, GA to Marietta, GA, my new Android phone started buzzing and I was delighted to hear Woody on the other end when I answered. Like Woody has been a bit challenged with some of his technology devices, I too have been with my new phone and it feels like a great success when I can simply answer it with ease. As we talked, Woody and JD were speeding through the water at 8 knots and over the water at 5.5 knots – a record speed on this trip, and maybe ever on a Flicka? The wind was blowing between 12 and 15 and the seas were 4 to 5 feet. They were sailing happily in the Gulf stream and had covered 170 nautical miles (nautical miles are longer than statute miles. For the record...a statute mile is 5,280 feet in length and a nautical mile is 6,076.11549... feet in length) since leaving Southport, NC. Upon leaving Southport, they cleared the first buoy which was 90 miles out in less than 24 hours, and then over the following 12 hours covered 80 miles. Spirits were quite high as Woody was recalling their experience to me and JD was chiming in with tidbits of information in the background. Thunderstorms were all about last night but they managed to dodge them. A school of porpoises followed them for 45 minutes as they sailed through the Gulf Stream and graced them with their presence on both the starboard and port sides of the boat. JD and Woody both enjoyed the visit from the porpoises. Dinner last night was Shepherd’s Pie, prepared by the renowned REI freeze dried food trained chef, JD. For the ladies that are reading this, JD is a single man – and at the moment, “looking for love in all the wrong places” – being at sea, but you now know the man can cook, and he is “sea-worthy”. JD is 26 years old, ridiculously smart, very handy, a hairy hottie (as you can tell by his picture) and obviously has an adventurous side. He talks like a sailor but can clean it up too and from the little time I spent with him, he was someone our family looks forward to learning more about and getting to know better! Here's a picture of he and his father, Joel Shiver, who is a Public Defender Attorney, in a number of counties in northern GA. It was Joel who heard of Woody's passage and connected Woody, and his son JD. Joel is a lover of fine beer and was delighted to find his favorite Micro-Brew at a reasonable price in Beaufort (Joel, please post a comment and let us know what the name of that beer is!)
Back to the food – so I asked Woody what was for dinner this evening and he said “well Bugs, what ever we pull out of the bag – it’s a surprise every time”! Love it and look forward to reporting what they had for dinner tonight, in an upcoming blog post. Speaking of food – while they were in Southport, they headed to the grocery to stock up on more supplies, as their first estimate of the distance to Nova Scotia proved to be off a bit. Instead of 700 miles, it’s 940 miles so they anticipate that it will take 11 or 12 days which puts them there somewhere around the 14th of June, give or take a bit.
Woody described the sails and said they had put two reefs in the main sail. He had caught a weather report from his VHF and they expect the winds to increase to up to 25 and seas of 9 feet in the coming days. They’ve been heading East for a bit and will be turning North shortly. One of the challenges they’re having is they’re not generating enough electricity which means they are having to do a lot of hand-steering (no auto-pilot). Though there is plenty of wind, the wind-generator isn’t doing its job so with the trickle of a charge it is producing, they’re using it for the navigation lights.
A stow-away was picked up in Southport and has settled comfortably in the cabin of Jubilee.
It’s a very active and noisy Fly that tests both JD and Woody’s ability to drift off to sleep or remain asleep. I asked if they had named the fly yet and the name that came to mind from Woody was “DEAD”. DEAD tickles their noses, buzzes in their ears and kisses them goodnight or good morning, depending on their watch. More in my next report about DEAD, they Stow-Away Fly.
The speed at which JD and Woody are moving is different from most trips that most of us have taken in our lives. They made an analogy to help us understand. So imagine traveling from Atlanta, GA to New York City. Got it, can you imagine it? Ok, now, imagine getting there by bike. While at the moment, they’re moving faster than a brisk walk, they’re not moving much faster than an average Joe could ride a bike. So, sailing from Beaufort to Nova Scotia is similar to riding a bike from Atlanta to Nova Scotia - a long way, and slow - but wow, a beautiful journey on many fronts.
Captain and Crew sounded like they were having a fabulous time. As Captain Woody said “there’s still a lot of water and weather ahead”. We’ll look forward to reporting more soon! Stay tuned! And in closing, here's a picture of my Mom, Beth Norwood Tumlin (Woody's sister) and Woody at the Bon Voyage party in May
Tracy
I don't have the typical stats that we've been posting on the previous blogs, as I was so excited to hear from them, I forgot to ask - oops!
On my commute home this evening from Decatur, GA to Marietta, GA, my new Android phone started buzzing and I was delighted to hear Woody on the other end when I answered. Like Woody has been a bit challenged with some of his technology devices, I too have been with my new phone and it feels like a great success when I can simply answer it with ease. As we talked, Woody and JD were speeding through the water at 8 knots and over the water at 5.5 knots – a record speed on this trip, and maybe ever on a Flicka? The wind was blowing between 12 and 15 and the seas were 4 to 5 feet. They were sailing happily in the Gulf stream and had covered 170 nautical miles (nautical miles are longer than statute miles. For the record...a statute mile is 5,280 feet in length and a nautical mile is 6,076.11549... feet in length) since leaving Southport, NC. Upon leaving Southport, they cleared the first buoy which was 90 miles out in less than 24 hours, and then over the following 12 hours covered 80 miles. Spirits were quite high as Woody was recalling their experience to me and JD was chiming in with tidbits of information in the background. Thunderstorms were all about last night but they managed to dodge them. A school of porpoises followed them for 45 minutes as they sailed through the Gulf Stream and graced them with their presence on both the starboard and port sides of the boat. JD and Woody both enjoyed the visit from the porpoises. Dinner last night was Shepherd’s Pie, prepared by the renowned REI freeze dried food trained chef, JD. For the ladies that are reading this, JD is a single man – and at the moment, “looking for love in all the wrong places” – being at sea, but you now know the man can cook, and he is “sea-worthy”. JD is 26 years old, ridiculously smart, very handy, a hairy hottie (as you can tell by his picture) and obviously has an adventurous side. He talks like a sailor but can clean it up too and from the little time I spent with him, he was someone our family looks forward to learning more about and getting to know better! Here's a picture of he and his father, Joel Shiver, who is a Public Defender Attorney, in a number of counties in northern GA. It was Joel who heard of Woody's passage and connected Woody, and his son JD. Joel is a lover of fine beer and was delighted to find his favorite Micro-Brew at a reasonable price in Beaufort (Joel, please post a comment and let us know what the name of that beer is!)
Back to the food – so I asked Woody what was for dinner this evening and he said “well Bugs, what ever we pull out of the bag – it’s a surprise every time”! Love it and look forward to reporting what they had for dinner tonight, in an upcoming blog post. Speaking of food – while they were in Southport, they headed to the grocery to stock up on more supplies, as their first estimate of the distance to Nova Scotia proved to be off a bit. Instead of 700 miles, it’s 940 miles so they anticipate that it will take 11 or 12 days which puts them there somewhere around the 14th of June, give or take a bit.
Woody described the sails and said they had put two reefs in the main sail. He had caught a weather report from his VHF and they expect the winds to increase to up to 25 and seas of 9 feet in the coming days. They’ve been heading East for a bit and will be turning North shortly. One of the challenges they’re having is they’re not generating enough electricity which means they are having to do a lot of hand-steering (no auto-pilot). Though there is plenty of wind, the wind-generator isn’t doing its job so with the trickle of a charge it is producing, they’re using it for the navigation lights.
A stow-away was picked up in Southport and has settled comfortably in the cabin of Jubilee.
It’s a very active and noisy Fly that tests both JD and Woody’s ability to drift off to sleep or remain asleep. I asked if they had named the fly yet and the name that came to mind from Woody was “DEAD”. DEAD tickles their noses, buzzes in their ears and kisses them goodnight or good morning, depending on their watch. More in my next report about DEAD, they Stow-Away Fly.
The speed at which JD and Woody are moving is different from most trips that most of us have taken in our lives. They made an analogy to help us understand. So imagine traveling from Atlanta, GA to New York City. Got it, can you imagine it? Ok, now, imagine getting there by bike. While at the moment, they’re moving faster than a brisk walk, they’re not moving much faster than an average Joe could ride a bike. So, sailing from Beaufort to Nova Scotia is similar to riding a bike from Atlanta to Nova Scotia - a long way, and slow - but wow, a beautiful journey on many fronts.
Captain and Crew sounded like they were having a fabulous time. As Captain Woody said “there’s still a lot of water and weather ahead”. We’ll look forward to reporting more soon! Stay tuned! And in closing, here's a picture of my Mom, Beth Norwood Tumlin (Woody's sister) and Woody at the Bon Voyage party in May
Tracy
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Sailing Again
Day #7, Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Time of Report: 2100 Z
Position: 34.17 , -77.84 (from the spot finder at 1825 Z)
Heading: East
Speed: Heading East @ 6 knots, 5 over water, On starboard tack reach, Winds SW @ 12 expected to increase during the night.
Departed Southport, NC at 14:30 Z. Motored to Masonsboro, NC and cleared the cut at 1900Z.
Now in open water, and the boat is really sailing well. They are on their way to Nova Scotia. The wind generator doesn't seem to be turning fast enough for the wind conditions but hopefully it will improve. Captain and crew are very well and enjoying the beam reach. Will probably reef the main tonight.
As an FYI, shorter blogs like these are typically when Bill Tumlin (BT) talks with Woody, and provides the report to Tracy. When Tracy is lucky enough to talk with Woody, the blog entries will be a bit longer. I think we'll have a good mix of both of both reports. We're all super glad that they're back on the water and looking forward to more reports!!
Tracy
Time of Report: 2100 Z
Position: 34.17 , -77.84 (from the spot finder at 1825 Z)
Heading: East
Speed: Heading East @ 6 knots, 5 over water, On starboard tack reach, Winds SW @ 12 expected to increase during the night.
Departed Southport, NC at 14:30 Z. Motored to Masonsboro, NC and cleared the cut at 1900Z.
Now in open water, and the boat is really sailing well. They are on their way to Nova Scotia. The wind generator doesn't seem to be turning fast enough for the wind conditions but hopefully it will improve. Captain and crew are very well and enjoying the beam reach. Will probably reef the main tonight.
As an FYI, shorter blogs like these are typically when Bill Tumlin (BT) talks with Woody, and provides the report to Tracy. When Tracy is lucky enough to talk with Woody, the blog entries will be a bit longer. I think we'll have a good mix of both of both reports. We're all super glad that they're back on the water and looking forward to more reports!!
Tracy
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Engine Problems Solved, we think
We were experiencing engine problems and electricity generating problems on the way to Bermuda. If it had been just one of these problems we might have pressed on, but the combination persuaded us to turn back toward the USA at about 11:30 AM Sunday. We decided to go to Southport, NC, ironically the departure point of Charles Huneycutt abord Flicka "Ranger". We mere mostly through the Gulf Stream and so had to make our way back through a lot of lumpy seas, but the SE angle of the wind, which had been on the nose ever since we got started, was finally excellent for the diversion to Southport which was essentially northwast from our turning position.
The sailing was wonderful until about 10 PM. Then it stopped. For the next 13 hours we had only zephyrs up to 5 kts. In 5 kts of wind a Flicka barely has steerage. Without the engine we could not generate electricity...it was night so the solar panels were useless, and the wind was too light for the wind turbine. We used only the navigation lights in order to conserve electricity.
Finally a little breeze began to develop around 11 AM Monday, and by noon we were again barreling towards Southport, arriving at 4:30 PM. This being Memorial Day week-end, shore accommodations were tight but we found The Riverside Motel, a room with two beds with a view of the dumpster, clean sheets, and a shower and TV for $83. The proprietor, Jeramy, came to the Southport Marina to pick us up and diagnosed the engine problem on the way back to the motel, about 3 blocks distant. Fuel contamination.
This morning, Tuesday, I was at the marina's office when they opened at 8. Their man Sean walked to the boat with me, and after finding that the fluids were fine sheckked the Racor (primary) fuel filter. Sure enough, bad stuff (algea and sludge) in the filter. We also checked the secondary filter and found just small traces of bad stuff. We drained the fuel from the tank and inspected the inside of the tank. Small scaling, not bad, and a bit of sludge on the bottom, again not too bad. We put 2 gallons of fresh fuel in the tank, let it settle, and tried using the boat's electric fuel pump into a bucket to see the contition of the fuel. Well, the fuel pump worked only intermittantly. A tap with a wrench would cause it to work for a while, irregularly. Sean checked for blockage in the fuel line coming from the tank (in the bow) to the engine (in the stern). You won't believe this. Sean sucked on the line until a blob of something other than fuel entered his mouth. He spit the blob into the bucket. "Well there's the real problem" he said casually as I handed h9im a Wint-o-green breath mint. There is a 90 degree elbow in the fuel line where it emerges from the tank, famous for creating blockages. We figured the blockage in the line, combined with the contamination in the fuel, had stressed the electronic fuel pump and wore it out. So we replaced the fuel pump and replaced both folters and bled the air out of the line, and the engine cranked up and sounded perfect. We let it run on high idle for a while. We think this is fixed.
We checked the output of the wind turbine generator, and it is fine. I have an on-off switch for the generator in the head, and inadvertantly the switch had been turned to the off position, causing an unexpected and unexplained drain on the batteries. They are now re-charging.
Our plan is to depart tomorrow (Wednesday) for Nova Scotia. I will lay out the route tonight. I expect this to take 9 or 10 days. We have not been achieving the 3.5 kts that had been built into my plan. Several factors. First, the wind has been consistently on our nose. A Flicka is a fine boat, but going to windward is not its long suit. In the lumpy seas associated with the Gulf Stream it is necessary to let this boat "foot". We are sailing to windward at about 45 to 50 degrees from the apparent wind. The true wind is about 60 degrees. So, tacking takes us through a 120 degree arc from port tack to starboard (and vice versa). Second, the wind has been exceedingly light, mostly zero to 10 kts. We celebrate when we are moving 3.5 kts to windward. Third, we are loaded with more weight than in a normal sail. We started out with provisions for 18+ days, a big inventory of sails, and lots of gear.
Nova Scotia is about 700 nautical miles from here. If we can make 80 miles a day we'll make it in 9 days. The wind direction and velocity will be the determining factors. We'll get off to a good start tomorrow with 10 to 15 kts from the SW.
I am relieved that the engine and generating turbine are again working, and I look forward to having a good passage to Nova Scotia. JD and I are both disappointed to not make it to Bermuda.
Woody
The sailing was wonderful until about 10 PM. Then it stopped. For the next 13 hours we had only zephyrs up to 5 kts. In 5 kts of wind a Flicka barely has steerage. Without the engine we could not generate electricity...it was night so the solar panels were useless, and the wind was too light for the wind turbine. We used only the navigation lights in order to conserve electricity.
Finally a little breeze began to develop around 11 AM Monday, and by noon we were again barreling towards Southport, arriving at 4:30 PM. This being Memorial Day week-end, shore accommodations were tight but we found The Riverside Motel, a room with two beds with a view of the dumpster, clean sheets, and a shower and TV for $83. The proprietor, Jeramy, came to the Southport Marina to pick us up and diagnosed the engine problem on the way back to the motel, about 3 blocks distant. Fuel contamination.
This morning, Tuesday, I was at the marina's office when they opened at 8. Their man Sean walked to the boat with me, and after finding that the fluids were fine sheckked the Racor (primary) fuel filter. Sure enough, bad stuff (algea and sludge) in the filter. We also checked the secondary filter and found just small traces of bad stuff. We drained the fuel from the tank and inspected the inside of the tank. Small scaling, not bad, and a bit of sludge on the bottom, again not too bad. We put 2 gallons of fresh fuel in the tank, let it settle, and tried using the boat's electric fuel pump into a bucket to see the contition of the fuel. Well, the fuel pump worked only intermittantly. A tap with a wrench would cause it to work for a while, irregularly. Sean checked for blockage in the fuel line coming from the tank (in the bow) to the engine (in the stern). You won't believe this. Sean sucked on the line until a blob of something other than fuel entered his mouth. He spit the blob into the bucket. "Well there's the real problem" he said casually as I handed h9im a Wint-o-green breath mint. There is a 90 degree elbow in the fuel line where it emerges from the tank, famous for creating blockages. We figured the blockage in the line, combined with the contamination in the fuel, had stressed the electronic fuel pump and wore it out. So we replaced the fuel pump and replaced both folters and bled the air out of the line, and the engine cranked up and sounded perfect. We let it run on high idle for a while. We think this is fixed.
We checked the output of the wind turbine generator, and it is fine. I have an on-off switch for the generator in the head, and inadvertantly the switch had been turned to the off position, causing an unexpected and unexplained drain on the batteries. They are now re-charging.
Our plan is to depart tomorrow (Wednesday) for Nova Scotia. I will lay out the route tonight. I expect this to take 9 or 10 days. We have not been achieving the 3.5 kts that had been built into my plan. Several factors. First, the wind has been consistently on our nose. A Flicka is a fine boat, but going to windward is not its long suit. In the lumpy seas associated with the Gulf Stream it is necessary to let this boat "foot". We are sailing to windward at about 45 to 50 degrees from the apparent wind. The true wind is about 60 degrees. So, tacking takes us through a 120 degree arc from port tack to starboard (and vice versa). Second, the wind has been exceedingly light, mostly zero to 10 kts. We celebrate when we are moving 3.5 kts to windward. Third, we are loaded with more weight than in a normal sail. We started out with provisions for 18+ days, a big inventory of sails, and lots of gear.
Nova Scotia is about 700 nautical miles from here. If we can make 80 miles a day we'll make it in 9 days. The wind direction and velocity will be the determining factors. We'll get off to a good start tomorrow with 10 to 15 kts from the SW.
I am relieved that the engine and generating turbine are again working, and I look forward to having a good passage to Nova Scotia. JD and I are both disappointed to not make it to Bermuda.
Woody
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