Sunday, June 6, 2010

Race Won to Cape May - Just in Time...

Day #11, Sunday, June 6, 2010
Time 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