End of Day 3 - Beaufort NC towards Antigua

These Blog entries are edited versions of the messages we sent back as we completed the passage. They were sent by radio using a laptop that controls a modem and the HF/SSB radio, using the SailMail system. We sent the messages daily to Charlotte and she then forwarded them on to a list of family members.

2359hrs (EST, 5hrs behind GMT) 1 Dec 2018

Dear All,

Overnight last night (30 Nov to 1 Dec) the wind built up so that, in the early hours of the morning, we finally had the 15 knots or so that we had expected from the outset of the passage. BV bowled along nicely at 6.5-7.5 knots and sometimes a little more in the gusts.  The extra speed helped us in our plan to get far enough east to be on the edge of the next gale which will move up the east coast of the USA though, happily, the forecast we received last night has the strongest winds remaining further west than had been previously forecast.  We had previously been a little concerned that by dodging the strong winds we might end up in the virtually windless centre of a high pressure, which would have required us to motor to keep moving.  But it now looks as if that high pressure area will pass ahead of us and that our biggest problem is likely to be the wind backing from the west and southwest almost to the southeast.

Nearly 1900 local time and the picture shows our track being pushed
eastwards by the backing wind

At 0530hrs Nicky was on watch and judged that we had got far enough east to avoid the strongest winds forecast for Sunday and Monday.  So, she set BV on a course direct to Antigua, opting to make some distance south before the wind started to back which will put us on a close-hauled course, probably heading almost directly east by the time the weather pattern goes through. Indeed, the wind has already started to back; first thing this morning we were sailing on a broad reach but by 1100hrs the wind had gone round to the southwest so that we were close-hauled, albeit we were still (just) laying our line towards Antigua.  However, as the afternoon progressed our course became more easterly and, at midnight we were heading 120 deg M.

Good sailing conditions hard on the wind

In many respects this is no bad thing. By making our way east to, say about 062W somewhere south of Bermuda, we should be able to pick up the northeast trade winds (though they may be a bit easterly or southeasterly) and head south to Antigua from there.  If we continued on a direct course to Antigua we might well end up with brisk east or southeasterly winds as we got a bit further south, meaning that we would have to beat the final few hundred miles - not fun!  So, if you are watching our track it might seem a bit odd that we are spearing off to the east now but that will help us in a day or two's time.

Nicky dug out the sextant and took a noon day sight but then stopped short of completing the calculations because our fishing rod started to squeal into life.

I leapt out of the bunk and between us we slowed BV down and managed to reel in a metre-long dorado.  They have beautiful green and yellow colours when they are first landed but those fade quickly so we took some photos and then set about filleting it.  I’ve now been told not to do any more fishing for the time being because the fridge is now full!  That’s just as well, I suppose, because I need to get a new tip put on the rod as today’s catch has just broken the last one.

So that's about all for today.  We had an excellent fish and chips supper thanks to the dorado and we are now alternating on the night watch roster hoping that the wind will soon veer enough for us to sail towards our destination rather than away from it!

Love to all,

Reg and Nicky

Passage statistics:

Position at midday 1 Dec: N31 49 W72 20
Position at midnight 1 Dec: N31 28 W70 58
Midday to midday distance: 151 nautical miles
Midnight to midnight distance: 138 nautical miles
Total miles covered:  359 nautical miles
Approximate distance to go (direct line): 996 nautical miles

End of Day 3 Beaufort in North Carolina to Antigua