Sandy Ground Bridge

Wednesday 3 July 2013

Almost as predicted by GRIB (Generally Ridiculed Idiotic Bunk), but more, wind picked up last evening. We're bouncing around like a squirrel on a caffeine high in 20-25 knots on the beam and lumpy sea. Fighting against over a knot current we're still beating feet when only a rap on the knuckles would do (If you made sense of that, you've been reading this crap too long and should get out more). However, hate to slow greatly as it doesn't much help the ride and arrival soonest wouldn't suck. Although we may anchor in Bay off Marigot (called, oddly enough, Baie Du Marigot) would like to keep option open to make first bridge opening at 0815 into the more protected Simpson Bay Lagoon (Grand Etang De Simpson Baai) nearer chandleries and (since it's still iffy) outboard engine facility.

- A little later

Promised tropical wave has complemented the adventure with, so far, one 35 knot, 3.5 meter squall. HF propagation last 2 days was too poor to confirm, but pleased to say that is now redundant. Looking forward with joyful anticipation to periodic repeats over next 24 hours. Except for the walls of water that rear up above port beam every several seconds and hurl us skyward like an elevator, we feel becalmed when wind drops to 22. Another appendage or two for cleaving to boat would be helpful in these situations. Prehensile tails are way underrated.

Have been asked if, on passage, one anchors for the night. Seriously. OK, seems like a good idea. Drop the hook, pop on the anchor light and go to sleep secure in the knowledge that proper maritime rules have been observed. Last night we were about 7000 meters above the bottom. A bit of ciphering indicates that a minimum of 60,000 lbs. of chain would be necessary (boat weighs 27K) and link breaking strength is a factor of maybe 7 less than that. Or, alternatively, enough nylon rope in compact rolls would take up around 27 cubic meters of room (anchor locker is maybe 3). So, there we are stuck to the bottom, without stabilization from the sails in a 3 to 4 meter sea. We normally sail through the night because it gets us in quicker. Jan takes second (twoth) watch from midnight to 0400 because she doesn't like getting up early.

Thursday U.S. Independence Day

Landfall after a long passage is less cause for amazement than it once was, but still exciting. Glow from Anguilla was visible quite a while before discrete lights could be seen. Still looking to make early opening in St. Martin if bridge tender isn't on holiday celebrating American independence. Hey, he could be. The French gave us that big green statue didn't they? OK, maybe celebrating liberty wasn't as important as pissing off the British because of that Napoleon thing, but still... We should know in a couple of hours and either way a pan du chocolat or two are in our near future.

Jack