It is hard to keep track, but I think we are entering our fourth day at sea. Yesterday, despite the fact that is was one day after April Fool's Day Tom Trimmer awoke, reminding us that the 360 degree circle, performed full sail, in the dead of dark, was absolutely an April Fool's Joke. RIGHT.
The day found us with really beautiful conditions...great skies, flattening seas and a perfect tack. Toby did a little cleaning...yes even the head. Toby found some ball bearings. That is not a good thing on a boat. Spare parts belong in the spare parts bag. Not, on the deck. To Trimmer advanced on the deck reviewing all of the moving parts. The culprit, a blown to shreds block (non-sailors think pulley). Toby found some spares and a repair was completed. Yes Joanne, another trip to West Marine is coming. Tom reviewed the deck lines. We moved three of them. Night came, we reefed, they worked, and he felt relieved. The lines, I might add were John Hoffman's invention. However, they were installed by Toby. Toby insists the guys who had just completed deck work had moved some of them.
As fishing was pursued throughout the day, a great catch was expected. Occasional line retrievals found clean lines and uncluttered hooks. The lines went back out. As sunset approached the last line was brought in by John, to reveal a cut off medal leader...must have been one BIG fish.
We have been dealing with a great variety of currents. As we approached the southern side of the Acklin Islands there is a pass between the Island and a large low water reef. The current out of the Atlantic and down the Acklin's was running fast. It pushed us 30 degrees off course. Everyone was on deck as we realized we were way possibly going to spend the night in some reef, waiting to get into Emerald Bay Marina. I tacked into the cut, but the tide was still a problem. It was the wrong angle. I tacked back. No better. John looked at me and said, "Toby, Let's just drop the sails and motor." DUH
After the cut, it was full steam ahead, with the motor on to make up the lost time. The other side of the Acklin's was choppy and the strong current forced us 20 degrees off our heading. Norm was at the helm and we kept moving as north as possible to make sure we could get around Long Island during the night. The channel was rough. Water was banging the boat in the 2 foot waves and we started our shifts to bed with lots of noise and healing as the wind had picked up toward 18 knots. Ron and Norm struggled through these early hours moving us forward as north as possible, against the 1.5 knot current. Later in the night, with Tom and John on the helm, a tide shift, and improving winds, plus the ability to move slightly off wind because of Norm and Ron's hard work, they were able to hold our course and bring in high 7 knot speeds. Toby awoke for his 2 to 6 AM shift to beautiful fast sailing conditions. We were back on track for Georgetown arrival.
Tom Trimmer described this night as what they talk about when they describe sea kindly conditions. The sky was clear. A half-moon was rising behind us. The skies had been brilliant in the night before the moon made its arrival. Norm arose at 4:00 for his 4-8 AM shift (we overlap so there are always two on deck). Sitting behind the helm, with part of the Bimini open, and the Big Dipper right off the main sail, he commented on how beautiful sailing is in the evening. Ron awoke as the sunrise was just finishing. We called him up quickly as it was a stunning start to the day.
Tom Trimmer was back up later still talking about the brilliant conditions of last night. He also insists that the 360 degree turn was really just the compass spinning because of the Bermuda Triangle.
Yes, that says top speed 9.54...wow