A Rough and Irritating Day
24 July 2010
Bob did a beautiful job last night, sailing us across the gulf stream, mostly at 7-8 knots, which is quite fast for us.
Then at dawn this morning the wind came up, and we found ourselves slogging to windward in 25-35 knot winds, with waves generally about 4 to 6, but another series that was about 10 - 14 feet high. We shortened sail because we really dont need everything up at 35 knots. in fact, that would be too much sail. so we had the staysail, the double reefed main and the mizzen. In spite of the fact that this was plenty of sail for that much wind, the waves, especially the big ones, just hit us right on the nose and stopped us, then slothered us around so the sails could not possibly still be full and then let us down. Wet and wild.
We put on the engine slowly, to help keep us going forward, so the sails would stay somewhat full. but we had slowed to about 1.5 knots, and had a good 150 to 160 miles to Norfolk. You figure out how long that would take - of pretty punishing stuff. Not dangerous, per se, but uncomfortable.
We called Commander Weather, who have not been right about most anything so far on this trip and they said that wind would continue and we would basically be beating ourselves on the head for hours and hours before getting into Norfolk and running into the cold front due Sun night or Monday.
So we altered course for Delaware Bay, which at least allowed us to make 6-7 knots in the right direction. We still slammed with the waves, but at least we were makiing progress.
So we are now heading towards Delaware Bay, and are about 75 miles out. The big waves have been gradually getting smaller and less difficult, and for the past several hours we have been having a dream sale, with the wind at 60 degrees and gentle rocking. Still rolling a bit too much to keep food on plates or pans on the stove, even with gimbles. But this kind of sailing is what makes sailors forget the bad weather and like sailing.
We hope to enter Delaware Bay sometime in the morning, and will decide then whether to stop and anchor to sleep, or whether to continue on up the bay to the canal. We have never been through the canal, so that should be fun.
More Tomorrow.
Jenny