9/16/2009
I am settled in to Provincetown now. I arrived on Monday just after noon - a 145 mile 24 hour passage. The first hour and the last two hours used the "iron jenny" - the noisy, smelly beast which rattles and vibrates under the cockpit (and which we love in a troubled, co-dependent sort of way - at least when it is not causing too many problems). The rest was a fast, wonderful, but seldom "set and forget" sail. I was busy much of the time. Puffy, clocking winds need to be adapted to - especially true when you are trying to beat the clock.
Following are some notes that I typed out while on passage. My intention to write something every 3 hours was quickly cast aside as the front passage, larger winds and seas and Captain fatigue all set in. Still ....
9/13/2009 1500hrs
I'm at sea - just passing Monhegan Island - with nothing but Atlantic Ocean ahead. I said to Glenn this morning that it would be AT LEAST Tuesday before I would head out for my passage to Provincetown. However, my first task on getting to the dock at Moxie Cove was to fire up the computer and start looking at the weather patterns for this week. The broadcast forecasts for individual areas had been baffling me. By downloading a 3 day wind and wave Grib file and looking at things in a graphical format, the patterns quickly became more clear. An hour later, after hoisting the dinghy on deck and rigging the jack lines, and after a hurried good bye to G & C, I slipped the mooring and headed out. Rigging the wind vane and other misc "Get Ready for Sea" projects were done while motoring down Muscongous Bay against the SW winds which had filled in.
By 1400 the rocks, ledges and other navigational pestilence of Muscongous Bay were behind me, the sails set and pulling, and the wind vane doing the steering. The two best points of the beginning of a passage are when the engine noise and the annoying motor whine of the electric autopilot are silenced.
The winds are SW right now - pretty much exactly the direction that we want to go. However, the winds are forecast to clock to the NW tonight which will eventually allow a wonderful beam reach with eased sheets. I am not sure when , exactly, that will occur. But we will be well out and away from land effects sailing the gradient winds by the time it does.
I've started a re-read of Tony Bailey's book "The Coast of Summer", one of the books in the permanent library on board. I am between reads right now and it is difficult to start a new book on passage. There are many distractions and I get tired. A re-read is easier.
2100hrs
I had intended to type a bit around 1800hrs but things got a little busy. The storm front picture shows my view around 1730 when I was having some dinner. It was a fast dinner as there were things I needed to do. By the time the front arrived a half hour later, the sails were both reefed and I was fully garbed in my best foulies and sea boots.
As majestic as the front appeared (the picture does it justice but cannot hope to give an idea of the scale), it was clear that there were no towering thunderheads ready to pounce - and there was no sign of lightning. Still - these things can come in with some punch. This one didn't. It did rain a bit and the wind clocked 30 degrees as soon as the front arrived. I was instantly laying a rum line course to P-Town. I love it when a plan comes together!
The punch arrived when the NW winds filled in about an hour after the front passage. We were seeing sustained 20-25kn winds on the beam. I kept reducing sail and reducing sail until the boat finally balanced out. That lasted about an hour and I have been adding and occasionally reducing sail periodically ever since.
In addition to the clear understanding of the wind progression that the Grib file provided, it also showed that the winds would mostly die off and back to the west sometime Monday morning. With a rum line distance of 120 miles, less than 24 hours of solid winds to sail it, and the chance of having to beat into light winds for the last miles the need for speed was clear. I needed to keep KR powered up or face a long motor sail Monday morning.
The sky is clear again and there is no moon. The stars are putting on quite a display although they are competing with the lights of Portland and Boston for attention on the western horizon.
We are now seeing around 15kn just behind the beam - still holding a direct course and averaging around 6 kn through the water. Nice. The earlier winds did stir up the seas a bit so it is somewhat bouncy but nothing serious. A great sail by any standards.
9/14/2009 0000hrs
It has been a fast few hours. The boat has been averaging 6-7knots - really fast for KR. She likes a broad reach.
The winds have moderated though - to around 10-14kn apparent. I'm hoping that they don't fall too much lower or it could become a rolly, heavy slog in the still bouncy seas.
The sailing is easier now. The main is fully out again and the jib nearly so. The night has been spent rolling in sail and letting it back out again. I have managed to close my eyes once or twice and nod off for a few minutes but that is only a temporary help.
A very orange sliver of moon is just rising in the east.
0300hrs
Winds still solid, boat still moving fast, stars still brilliant. The moon is there but not large enough to be much competition for the stars. I dodged a few fishing vessels and a cruise ship about an hour ago but have seen nothing else.
The 0300 to 0600 watch is the tough one for me - particularly now that nights are getting longer. I really just want to go below and curl up on the berth. The remaining few hours until first light will go fast, however. New energy will come with the sun.
When on passage, I set the timer on my watch to go off every 15 minutes. When it does I stop whatever I am doing, scan the horizon for ships, check course and speed and make any adjustments to the wind vane or sails required. Sometimes I will go below and lay down when this is done, making sure to put my watch wrist close to my ear - it is not a loud alarm.
0600hrs
The first glow on the eastern horizon was around 0500. There has been a glow on the western horizon all night. I scrambled a few eggs a little while ago and had a nice breakfast in the cockpit with the growing light. According to the celestial data on the GPS, the sun will poke over the horizon at 0618. It will be welcome.
I am purposely holding a course that is west of the rum line - trading some time and distance for a better point of sail if the winds do back to West as predicted. No sign of it yet, though.
The Pilgrim Monument in P-Town can be seen from a long ways out at sea - but is not yet visible. I am still 30 miles from Race Point with the boat speed holding 5.7-6.3k. My mind keeps calculating the time remaining. I really need to think of something else. Now that it is getting light, I will be able to read in the cockpit again.
0900hrs
The Pilgrim Monument is in sight, winds still solid, boat still moving well. It is a beautiful, sunny day.
Two sailboats are in sight to the East on converging courses and moving faster than we are. They are much bigger than KR although I can't see any real details.
Keeping my fingers crossed that the winds hold up. Listening to the NOAA weather broadcast a while ago confirmed that I am still fighting the clock. The winds will die - and soon.
1300hrs
The anchor is down and the passage is over.
The winds died when I was still 4 miles out from Race Point while I was fighting a foul current from the ebbing tide. I could have spent the next few hours drifting backwards towards Maine - a purist would have. I, on the other hand, started the engine and motored through the tide rips around Race Point and on to the harbor.
After a bit of downtime, I'll get the dinghy back in the water and stow all the sea gear. It will be a quiet afternoon and evening on board. I'll wander around P-Town (one of my favorite places to visit) tomorrow. Rich and Tim will arrive here on Friday and I will enjoy some time with them this weekend before moving on.
Best to all.
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Comments [3]
Finally - a picture of KR under full sail. Light conditions - but full sail.
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Jennifer Gennaker flying. She's a big girl!
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