Well the time is now 2000utc (4pm local) and I am back in English Harbour - Yup the place is cursed!
Just had a quick chat with Freya and now its time to let everyone know where I am to save any worries. I set out only to find the seas in a horrible state with the wind at 25kn and steep waves to over 4m and completely all over the place like it was boiling. Probably due to the shallow nature of the Antigua / Barbuda coastline.
The boat handled it ok, although I took a few on the beam that laid me almost flat when I misjudged the helming. I decided to turn back after about 2hrs, realising that I would have to manually helm through the waves probably for the next 48hrs and that would just about kill me!
So... Patience is a virtue!
I hate turning back but sometimes its the best option... its a shame because the boat was making a NE course with the wind from the East - perfect!
As I mentioned before the seas and winds are due to drop over the weekend and I can only hope the Azores high doesnt go running off too far. I decided to come back the extra 10nm to English Harbour as I will at least have some company and Internet access.
Thanks you guys for the kind words via comments and SMS messages. I'll probably look to set off straight from here either Sunday or Monday.
Thursday, 7 May 2009
Setting Off Alone
Freya called me from English Harbour to announce that she didn't feel ready to undertake such a crossing and has asked James to come with her back across the Atlantic. I am not sure at this time whether he will agree or not, being that he has a really good job here in the Caribbean and also a boat he is very interested in buying. If they do cross together it will not be for a week or so at least. Whatever happens guys good luck with everything.
Ben & Medi, It was really nice to meet you guys and who knows we may meet up in the Azores if you find another boat to cross with?
Well the wind has been blowing 20-25kn for the last few days and the seas are said to be pretty steep at 3m. While both wind and seas are due to go down around Saturday, I don't really want to wait around any longer and have decided to make a move and go for it straight from Green Island. It's now 0800am local time (1200utc) and I will be getting the boat ready and looking
to set sail around midday. It's going to be pretty uncomfortable for the first few days at least but things should ease once a few hundred miles north - I hope.
The strategy - Starboard tack as close to the wind as I can get (about NE) to get as much easting as possible and then punch through the variables to hopefully slingshot around the lower left of the Azores high to find the westerly winds above it - assuming its still there!
I'll post updates approx every 3 days or so. Wish me luck!
Ben & Medi, It was really nice to meet you guys and who knows we may meet up in the Azores if you find another boat to cross with?
Well the wind has been blowing 20-25kn for the last few days and the seas are said to be pretty steep at 3m. While both wind and seas are due to go down around Saturday, I don't really want to wait around any longer and have decided to make a move and go for it straight from Green Island. It's now 0800am local time (1200utc) and I will be getting the boat ready and looking
to set sail around midday. It's going to be pretty uncomfortable for the first few days at least but things should ease once a few hundred miles north - I hope.
The strategy - Starboard tack as close to the wind as I can get (about NE) to get as much easting as possible and then punch through the variables to hopefully slingshot around the lower left of the Azores high to find the westerly winds above it - assuming its still there!
I'll post updates approx every 3 days or so. Wish me luck!
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
Antigua to Green Island
We checked out of Antigua on Monday and headed for Green Island around midday. It was a 10nm beat against steep 1.5m swell and 20kn winds. While conditions were not ideal it was great to be sailing again after nearly 2months at anchor! The weather is turning really squally and as soon as we were anchored in the picturesque Ricketts Harbor anchorage (I arrived a few hours before Otahi) the winds picked up to 32kn and it poured with torrential rain for most of the night.
Another boat in front of me pulled their anchor and missed hitting me byless than 10ft, it was lucky I went up on deck to check my anchor and see them getting closer and shouted in time for the skipper to take action. It seems I am destined for anchor stories wherever I go. The wind was so strongI had to tie a safety rope to Freya's dinghy and let her blow back to Otahi in case she got blown out to sea.
With the wind still blowing and the seas getting bigger we decided to leave for Barbuda on Wednesday morning. However, Tuesday evening Freya discovered that one of her ships water tanks is empty meaning she is missing around150L of water for the Atlantic crossing. Nobody is sure why or how she failed to fill it and therefore she has decided to return to English Harbour to refill with water.
It is now midday and I am alone (aside from the frequent visits from daytrip boats filled with on average 50 tourists) in Green Island waiting for Otahi to return tomorrow (Thurs 7th May) morning.
Its not sure whether we will continue to Barbuda or start the Atlantic crossing directly from Green Island. Watch this space.
Another boat in front of me pulled their anchor and missed hitting me byless than 10ft, it was lucky I went up on deck to check my anchor and see them getting closer and shouted in time for the skipper to take action. It seems I am destined for anchor stories wherever I go. The wind was so strongI had to tie a safety rope to Freya's dinghy and let her blow back to Otahi in case she got blown out to sea.
With the wind still blowing and the seas getting bigger we decided to leave for Barbuda on Wednesday morning. However, Tuesday evening Freya discovered that one of her ships water tanks is empty meaning she is missing around150L of water for the Atlantic crossing. Nobody is sure why or how she failed to fill it and therefore she has decided to return to English Harbour to refill with water.
It is now midday and I am alone (aside from the frequent visits from daytrip boats filled with on average 50 tourists) in Green Island waiting for Otahi to return tomorrow (Thurs 7th May) morning.
Its not sure whether we will continue to Barbuda or start the Atlantic crossing directly from Green Island. Watch this space.
Monday, 4 May 2009
Last minute nerves
Well all the last minute jobs have been done. James and I serviced the engine over the weekend which was a good thing as my impellor was missing a tooth, checked the rig over and yesterday spent a few hours scrubbing Doris’ now bare bottom.
This morning I made breakfast for Frey & James before giving him a big hug before he set off for work. James man, thanks for all the help with the boat and I look forward to hooking up again soon. Good luck with finding the next boat!
All that remains to do is check out of Antigua and get going. The weather this morning is squally and the fact that I haven’t sailed for nearly 2 months make conditions look worse than they really are. It’s only about 10nm around to Green Island and then on to Barbuda for a night or two before going for the big one…
This is probably my last dose of internet for a while but I will be posting regular updates via the Sat phone.
So signing off for a while and we should set sail about midday today…. With the Atlantic crossing beginning around Weds 6th May.
A new adventure begins …
This morning I made breakfast for Frey & James before giving him a big hug before he set off for work. James man, thanks for all the help with the boat and I look forward to hooking up again soon. Good luck with finding the next boat!
All that remains to do is check out of Antigua and get going. The weather this morning is squally and the fact that I haven’t sailed for nearly 2 months make conditions look worse than they really are. It’s only about 10nm around to Green Island and then on to Barbuda for a night or two before going for the big one…
This is probably my last dose of internet for a while but I will be posting regular updates via the Sat phone.
So signing off for a while and we should set sail about midday today…. With the Atlantic crossing beginning around Weds 6th May.
A new adventure begins …
Sunday, 3 May 2009
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