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Back in the saddle
"If something can be done offshore is usually when it happens." I think it is true … it is the relentless movement from the sea on your boat. Sure, I've been offshore several times where it was flat and I mean flat … Had to do a lot of racing with sailboat. Once I was coming from Port Everglades Inlet (Fort Lauderdale) to Beaufort North Carolina. There was not even a ripple as far as the eye could see. We would swim off the boat and around it …. this was fun until someone mentioned shark watch. Then all went on the ladder … it meant four people clamoring to stern. Another time was a Bermuda run Montauk to Bermuda in early June. Enough wind for the 150% Genoa and full-Main to catch on a tight reach. Just beautiful, and it was a four and half days drive. Even crossing the Gulf Stream was uneventful. Seeing the beautiful deep blue waters of the Gulf Stream were to remember … it is a color you think may only be on paper, but all around you this color seems endless and unreal. We dragged along a thermometer to see if there would be a change in temperature. I heard there would be one and to our surprise it went from 60 degrees to the mid 80s. What a planet. Gulf Stream keep the heat all the way from Florida and beyond. Here we are in the north, and it continues to provide the kind of temperature …. It's just amazing.
Now I have to say that I have been in some nasty things too. The worst was …. You're right …. The Gulf Stream going north from Florida to Beaufort, North Carolina again. This time in 2 ½ days, winds from the south were 58-64 knots and peaked in about four hours at around 74 knots. The whistling in the rigging was very intense, but as we slid down into the waves it whistling went farther and farther up the mast until it was gone. Out mast was 58 feet tall, the wave? You guess … But our sailboat rode well, although it looked like our cockpit canvas would explode at the seams.
That's what I thought of when my new crew, Emory and Katherine, checked on their approximate arrival at the summit Marina on C & D Canal (Chesapeake & Delaware Canal) for the second Part of the trip. It started from Herrington Harbor, just south of Annapolis MD. I was told Delaware Bay where it meets the C & D channel can be treacherous with 6-9 foot waves. I have reviewed all the charts and chart books I could about this, but just felt we had hit it at slack tide and light wind for no worries. What I found was the rarity of marinas and ports along the Delaware Bay. It is a 50-60 kilometer stretch. If the waves kick up along with the wind … we have lots by Lee Shore … Bad for sailboats.
I was stowing everything I could, and still leaves important things at arm's length in any room. I work throughout the boat in no particular order, but my final product is from bow to stern, inside and out. For example, the anchor is locked in a pin on the anchor mount. Chain snugged up onto the still air with a line on the anchor shackle to a cleat. I try to have three safe ties. The inflatable dingy on deck tied to the stanchions, deck holder, and railings from the D rings on the boat. We also tie it over the top. Fall is not running to the cockpit is bound to and wedged to mittens and tied again. Below in the anterior head, all secured in containers put away in locked cabinets. Everything lose assured, everything will have a seat. Ice box (refrigerator / freezer) top is hinged so that they will not going to fly in a Knock Down … books, coffee machine, pots pans, everybody gets their spot, but can also be immediately available.
The Weather Forecast says ocean off Cape May to Chesapeake is 12 to 15 feet with winds 25-30 knots gusting to 35 from the northeast … very bad! But the extra forecast says winds shift to the southwest, 10-15 knots tomorrow evening and southwest 50-10 knots then. With the wind coming in the opposite direction, they want quickly fall … very good! It actually means a front is coming out and another is that take place. That is the way you want it … Bad weather changing to good. Not having good weather now, and rushing to beat the bad weather coming in Everything seems to be falling into place.
Emory coming tonight and we will pick up Katherine morning from the airport. Emory has been Offshore with me many times, well come to think of it … all the major tours for several years I care to remember. He has been on some that, to say the least, not go smoothly. On some trips in the cabin Having looked like scrambled eggs. All was fine, but things would go wrong. As I mentioned before, "The Sea is Relentless." Emory will speak on "The Domino Effect." It seems when things go wrong it will start a domino effect. In a domino effect, one thing goes wrong, than another, than another. Not good, especially when you Offshore. How many parts do you have? Do you expect this or that? You are limited there. With Domino Effect, stop it cold, there's no port Offshore.
All sub and over have been tightened, fuel and water were crowned, spare parts such as filters, SOLDERLESS plugs, wires, epoxy and tools are readily available. Anyone who counts now is the weather, and it seems to be cooperating very nicely.
Katherine has had many hours on the water, and by owning his own 18 foot run-about she knew boat handling and inland waterways. Docking was no problem for her, it came easy. She has a sense of feel, not all of us. But this is her first time Offshore without soil in sight. She was nervous but confident at the same time. I've known her for a few years and found her level headed and curious. Not afraid to voice an opinion or an object. I felt we could have used one more crew member, but I will find out a good schedule that suits us all. With the Watch List, you can not get it feel like work, it just has to flow.
It was late, but Emory was thrilled when he arrived. He had not seen the boat yet, just pictures and what I sent him, he liked. Once onboard he could not believe the space below. He looked in every room stunned by all storage. I told him about weather window, came when he checked out "Island Time". We talked and listened to weather reports over VHF radio. The second front was coming out. It sat offshore to the northeast up to New England for quite a long time, threw the wind and waves. We talked about Katherine arrival next morning, made some coffee and also discussed how we would round the Cape May We could take it down the fairway and out to the Atlantic, or if the weather was so good as they were predicting … we could cut her close to shore and I feel close because of some shallow areas and make it out that way, saves miles and hour. But we'll see when we get there. Cape May Canal is also a great way to go instead for rounding the Cape, but in our case, be a sailboat, our mast is 60 feet and will not fit under the bridge. We turned in for the night. Tomorrow, we headed over to Baltimore International Airport to pick Katherine. She was all smiles when she jumped into the car all excited too. "I can not believe I'm here," she said … "I'm nervous for Offshore … I know I will be okay, but I can not believe I'm here. "The tension in the car was electric. We were all set to go. Arriving on board, we went right for VHF and listened to the weather. There were still waves of 8 to 10 feet, but the winds had turned to the southwest at 10 knots. Predictions were now five to 7 meters tonight, 3 to 5 meters in the morning, making it easy to determine an early AM departure tomorrow. We ended up having lunch in Chesapeake City and check the surrounding area.
The alarm sounded … it was still dark this early AM, but the final check to be made weather and finally chart plotting. Tides and currents also need to be dealt with, plus I always give the crew plenty of time to get himself together. And coffee helps! We untied her lines and pulled away from the dock. It was fun moving of a forest, but the marina was sitting in one. Completely wrapped. I knew this would be against us in the C & D Canal. It had about an hour and a half, until it turned out together with us. The marina was just on the north side of C & D Canal, so you leave the marina you are in the C & D. I have a Tide Tracker unit from years ago that tells you tides and currents from Nova Scotia to the Virgin Islands. It's a great little portable electronic mail, for fast control (not done more I hear). This morning showed the current at 1.7 knots against us, but declining rapidly. When we left the marina I expected this, but it really took us. We have a winged keel at 5 feet draft, and I was just thinking if we had a full keel … wow … it would carry you way back. I eased the throttle forward, turned her more to port and slowly she bow to. Our progress to say the least was slow, so check the sites were no problem. The bridges here, one after another beautifully made. A difference from the next. We slowly made our way east through C & D. No wind to speak with and seas flat. Weather window makes big, blue sky, as we do our way out of C & D Canal in Delaware Bay. I do not remember breakfast, and I can not remember hungry so someone must have done something.
As we turned south down Delaware Bay serenity is taken up by the nuclear plant. I've never seen one so close up like this, but it is expansive. Speaking of scenery … it went by quickly. The tide pulled us out …. We were being sucked out to the Atlantic. Winds were very light … they predicted 50-10 knots. We continued monitoring, see the bog like the coast yesterday. In the distant past bog were trees to the ground with slightly rising. It seemed wide open. Cargo ship traffic picked up as they passed us north toward C & D Canal. As we continued south winds improved slightly, to let us open up to full sail. "Island Time" heeled slightly to port, and when we shut the engine down the drone of the exhaust gave way to the water rustled by. Our slow progress under sail was made up by the outgoing tide. It took only six hours to get into the Delaware Bay. We made the decision to round the Cape May near, so Emory took helm of the autopilot. He would match the latitude and longitude I gave him the paper charts, to that on the plotter, move the cursor. As you move the cursor, your latitude and latitudes change. We agree that the title of the marker, or if not, Emory would give me his coordinates. All went smoothly around Cape May, a little dense, but wind and waves were cooperative. We discussed moving into Cape May harbor to fuel up. I did not know about the electronic tank indicator was accurate, then topping off would alleviate this issue and also tell me the fuel consumption per hour at our four-cylinder Yanmar 56 horsepower.
The seas were lumpy, 3-5 meters as expected. Cape May harbor to seaward, but piers calmed things down. As we made our way into the harbor, we were greeted by a pair of guinea pigs happily play round. Marina entries in this Harbor was not labeled, and local knowledge was a must. We phoned ahead after trying this way and that and got the secret from the marina. After refueling, I found our consumption a little less than 1.3 gallons an hour. The electronic tank indicator should be monitored because the fuel is pumped on board did not match indicator. It seemed to show that we had more fuel than we had. When we left the marina we all knew to drive to Montauk Offshore has begun. The Offshore Watches were discussed, and basically put together high. I would have the 20:00 to 23:00 shift, the Emory 23:00 to 03:00, and Katherine the 03:00 to 07:00, but I would be on deck with Katherine on her watch. Daytime was up for grabs … meaning we knew someone would be on deck, we all pulled our weight during of day light hours … we all did what we wanted, but we knew that cover daytime.
Sails up and the Atlantic Ocean at 6:30. The wind came from the southwest, the oceans as I had mentioned was very lumpy at 3-5 meters. The waves were mainly coming from the southwest, but a lot came from the east, there were outstanding from the last front. It made the trip in the first offensive. Once you get used to the motion the second clumped wave would come at you from a different direction. I called the seas crowded because they were not typical for what you might expect. A normal sea waves coming from one direction by the wind, rolling on at a distance from each other somewhat evenly. The larger sea, the farther wavetops is. As the winds took the bigger waves crest a bit here and there. This is what you find Offshore typical. Lumpy conditions from a wind shift, usually abruptly. Waves will come from wind, but the waves from the last front is still rolling in from another direction. When they meet, they push each other around causing rolled up waves of confused directions. This is as I said, uncomfortable in the location of wind speeds around 10 knots. Can you imagine it at 20 or 30 knots? This is where skill comes in and danger begins. The waves are incredible, because a move into another gives a larger wave. Prudent sailors waiting in port for better weather, but others less fortunate, coming from a remote port get stuck out there … problems can certainly begin. In our case the weather improved require small wave height and lighter winds. I think engine flying more comfortable in these seas, and do not want Katherine to feel discomfort. We are making 6.6 knots SOG (speed over ground) with a course of about 60 degrees (the oceans are moving around a lot). As you remember the knot meter was intermittent, and now closed completely. I am cautious about this, thinking if it is electric, my other electronics going out one by one? My backup is a handheld GPS that will give us the width and length, easy to put on a paper chart to see our progress. I turn off all unessential equipment basically just running electronics and running lights, all other circuits are off. This is what I do normally anyway. I try to keep Domino Effect in Chess. I give a last look around including swamp and through hull fittings, security something that should be. So let the clocks begin … oh wait, I'm up. Emory makes an easy dinner … some soup into warm cups to heat us up and broke. With the wave action, light and easy was good. After Emory got some shut eye and I watched the stars appear. The evening was getting chilly and a jacket was in order. I can tell you that every hour that went by, the sea got more and more from the southwest, making the trip more enjoyable. This was the first night race with "Island Time "and found the engine gauges had a switch to illuminate them, and the red night lighting in the room was convenient for quick check around. All I can say is that boat seemed tight, not groan or squeak was coming from earth movement or any other undesirable places. Things are looking good and strong. Emory is on deck … I know my watch was fast. We talk about my watch and what to keep an eye on. Through the years my crew do not change anything in while I'm off ur asleep (As captain, I really do not know if I sleep … maybe deep rest). They know to alert me of any changes, especially electricity. I had a crew years back, not listening, and I awoke to the sound of switches that turn on and off, one after the other. They were marked, but he was just by switching them all to whether. To say the least, I forbade him from the panel and explained again, I needed to be there in case something happened … I would hate to be woken to an electrical fire. Things happen Offshore from the relentless movement … we're miles and miles from any help. How do you say that? "Better safe than sorry."
Katherine comes in the aft cabin to let me know that she is wary. I groggily coming awake thinking it was an instant before I just relaxed. As I get on the boat, I can tell erratic movement has largely subsided. Let the late watch begin! It was Katherine's first offshore shift guard. She would be sure not to make a mistake, and we reassured her that she would not. Emory bought us up to speed on our location, course, sea conditions and changes. Nothing out of the ordinary and this time, things were running smoothly. Katherine Emory asked a few questions to get a feel of the evening. And within few hours Katherine seemed comfortable with her abilities and environments. It gives a good crew. I told her how the stars get so close to you at night, but a brighter glow off the port prevented this. We realized Atlantic City was the only area bright enough to do this. It's fun … when you're sailing you realize the amount of energy needed to make something bright. You realize your simplicity to it, but the glow that high in the atmosphere and so far out at sea is amazing. Katherine was behind the helm, as I strolled on the starboard side of the cockpit of one of these adjustable lounge seats …. Oh what perfection. I dozed with her permission and her knowledge I was there at a moment's notice. She would become familiar with the plotter and other electronics, ask me here and there, as she figured out every knob, button and switch.
Dawn started to bring color to our guard. In the evening, everything seems black and white around you … and then dawn. It's like seeing a color TV for the first time, a great feeling. Emory came on deck. At around 6:30 I noticed a large-sized super white moths come flying in the wind was generally behind us, and I thought something like this till a second, and another and another came on board. Within 20 or 30 minutes, flocks of them came in on us. I had to close the hatch. This made me think of the movie "The Birds" by Alfred Hitchcock. Moths would disappear under the cleats, coiled lines, hatch away, wherever there was an opening. And with all this disappeared and it was just as it does not happen …. Until …. A black and yellow breasted sparrow type bird showed up. Just one and very little of it. He landed on the aft deck, jumping around. But as it turned out … he was looking for the moth. He pulled them out of their hiding spots, shake them hard to knock off the wings, and than devour them. For over an hour he was amazing and relentless. He pulled them from anywhere … places I would not expect. He knew his trade and with a bow before he left, he missed the flight. Talk about natural and so far out at sea. We were all surprised.
Breakfast went down easily in the soothing ocean. None shore seen as looking for whales, dolphins or other sea life was exciting. You did not know what you would or would not see. We were clicking off the miles and found that we had 70 miles to go. Montauk here we come. During the day the cockpit remained busy with conversation. I went under control and bilge through hull fittings again and give an all-round check. No problems to report was brought back to the cockpit and with that all found their comfy spot. Sandwiches were consumed at lunch; music from CDs came out of the background. We talked about our bird buddies and Emory said that he discovered that the yellow breast a kind black Bowtie. For dinner, chef Emory brought ravioli with a big salad. The sailing was great, was the weather window holding up, and the company was Toping. The sunset was amazing. I have seen many offshore before, but this one drew my attention and camera. The skies turned red as it spread along the horizon. The red sun settled on the ocean top ready to throw below. Instead, stacked like pancakes do an intense red. A halo around stacking formed by different shades of red. When finished stacking the hanging that says "I'm not going away yet," and appeared to muscle it up … like a feather, a slight downward movement was noted. And like a feather it stayed up a while. And gently down again as pancakes red slowly, but then slowly got swallowed by the sea. Its remaining in the sky above changed shades of red that seemed to be a part of the whole sky.
Again an inspection down and some remediation is done. We are a zoning at Montauk and will be there in two hours or so. It would make it near 23:00. It gets dark, but we will have plenty of sea room to round Montauk. Coming in a foreign port at night is not really sensible, but it's no problem. I have decided to anchor in a slightly cut on the east side of Gardner Island in the evening. It will add a few more hours for the trip, but will give us a spectacular view coming morning. If the trip offshore was longer, I feel convinced that this crew would have no problem handling it. We all gelled nicely and time went quickly. Seeing the lighting of Montauk lighthouse excited us all. I thought of offshore trip we have just achieved with ease. Mainly soil bound for the last 4 ½ years was not a factor at all … I guess it's like riding a bike … ya just get it. The combination of crew weather, sea conditions and the boat was the key to an enjoyable trip. No other component on board barked back, but do not think I was not ready … you never know …. Happy sailing.
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