From Bathin' Suits to Welly Boots
09 June 2015 | En route Norfolk to New York
We finally tore ourselves away from Norfolk's unlimited hot water, electricity and eateries to make the 48 hour hop up to New York.
Before we left, at the Harborfest we caught the Plain White T's live in concert. Perhaps the first time we've seen a band younger than we are.
However, stuck in my '70's time warp, afraid they just didn't work for us. We hung out for a while trying to look cool then gave up and went for some nosh and back to the boat to prep for the morning departure.
Dawn came early so we ignored it and slept till 8am.
All turned out to help extricate Time Bandit from the tight pile mooring and with some tugboat style help from Ken in his dinghy, we pulled off and away. Leaving Norfolk, we passed the world's largest Navy docks, aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers all around. We left in illustrious company (pun intended) with the Coast Guard barque Eagle behind us and aircraft carrier 75 in front.
It took a few hours to get out the estuary and back out into the wide blue yonder. Absolutely baking weather, clear blue skies, 20-25 knots beam reach and we scorched off into the blue wearing just shorts and sun tan cream. We carried the wind all night; a cold damp wellies and full oilskins night, waking to a light grey dawn but with the promise of sun later.
We need the sun, at least the solar panel and batteries do as once again, I've lost count of how often, the Duogen packed up. It sounds like either the interior drive shaft coupling (again) or the bearings (again) or both. More DIY for yours truly.....or maybe I'll just bin the dammed thing.
We are 40 miles offshore, about 30 more than planned but the wind pointed us this way. 40 miles out and still in just 40 metres or less but hopefully getting a slight kick from the Gulf Stream. Not that we need it as at current speed we arrive too early in the dark so sometime later we may need to slow down to get a daylight entry.
We passage planned at 6 knots but once again we've whacked that and currently about 6 hours ahead of schedule.....which gets us there in the dark. Not a great plan!
Finally, thanks to Gary and Greta, the OCC Port Officers in Norfolk whose hospitality and dock we thoroughly enjoyed.