Bermuda Short
10 June 2009 | Duh
On June 9, 2009 at 5:10 local time we entered St. George's Harbor on Bermuda. This constituted (technically speaking) the completion of Blue Stocking's circumnavigation since we started west from here in January of '07 and arrived from the east, crossing our wake in the entrance channel of Town Cut. Bermuda welcomed us (as Opua had seen us off) with an intense little thunder shower and I might have stood off for a while if I was totally unfamiliar with the entrance. But I felt confident about my position and orientation even though the visibility was poor and the approach went smoothly.
The entire trip north from St. Martin was smooth and pleasant. We had plenty of wind for the first two thirds--still in the trade wind belt. Around 28 north we entered the Horse Latitudes and the wind (and our daily runs, which had been 140 miles or so) dropped dramatically. The winds were light for the last three days or so, but enough to keep going and our final voyage time was just about seven days for 870 miles.
Fred caught a nice big mackerel on the first day, so we ate royally. I had even sprung for a couple of rib eyes so we continued the great eating through the third day. (The little Koolatron Peltier-effect cooler Fred brought from the US is providing just enough refrigeration--cold, but not ice-cold, beer and confidence-inspiring mayonnaise.)
We'll be hanging here for a week or so and start the last leg--back to Cape Cod--soon after my younger son arrives by air on the 15th.
I have a great sense of satisfaction from completing the circumnav and, especially, from managing to get the boat back home considering the apparent hopelessness of my situation in New Zealand. The not-so-great part is that I no longer have the dream of carrying out a circumnavigation to sustain me spiritually as it did for the last several decades. I was well aware when I set out that I would be left with this void when (or if) I completed the voyage and I've been keeping my mind open to possibililties for the next chapter of my life all along. There have been a few hopeful developments, but I face another set of daunting tasks on arrival home. If the US economy is as bad as I have been hearing, it may not be a simple matter to rebuild my cruising kitty, or perhaps even to hold onto the boat. If any of my readers have advice or suggestions, please feel free to send them along. Thanks to all for your continuing interest and support.