End of Day 6 - 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.

Dawn on Tuesday 4 December

2359hrs (AST, 4 hrs behind GMT) 4 Dec 2018

Dear All,

As we had expected the wind veered a little overnight so the sails could be eased whilst still making the same course. It also made for a much faster point of sail and so when Nicky handed over to me at 0400hrs BV was romping along at 8 knots.  That continued for the whole of the rest of the day achieving our fastest 23 hrs period (due to the time zone change yesterday) on this passage: 171 miles averaging 7.4 knots).  Beaten only by our midnight to midnight run of 185 nautical miles, an average speed of 7.7knots through the water.

It was a bit of a maintenance day today. We've been monitoring the fridge closely because I topped up with R134a coolant gas before we set off.  Having never done this before, and with all the documents I had consulted on the subject being rather vague as to the actual pressure of gas required in the compressor/holding plate system, I had rather overfilled it, so the monitoring included some adjustments to get it working at its best.  It seems pretty well set up now, with the holding plate frosted all over (before there was a section at the top that never froze) but we'll also check it when we are anchor and BV is upright.

The 2 cleaning cartridges

The other maintenance task was cleaning the watermaker membranes.  The cleaning cartridges were tucked away at the foot of the pilot berth so we had to move a fair amount of stuff to get to them; not easy on a moving platform.  We also had to get to the pump valves and the flushing tank which are hidden under the aft cabin bunk, so there was LOTS more stuff to move from there before we could start!

The saloon became the temporary storage area as we cleared out lockers to get access to the watermaker components

The filter housing where the cartridges were
 inserted for the big clean

The watermaker needed a fresh water flush followed by a flush with each of 2 cleaning cartridges in turn, followed by another long flush (using sea water this time) to remove the taste of the chemicals.  The first cartridge gave the membranes an organic matter clean to remove any algal build-up and other debris (let's not think about those nasties too closely!) and the second cartridge gave the membranes a chemical clean to clear any scale build-up.

Nicky adding fresh water to the tank under the aft cabin for
flushing the watermaker system

Following the cleaning we fitted new filters and let the watermaker whirr away for an hour, dumping the output to waste, before trying the water.  All in all it took 5½ hours and completely disrupted our watch routine but we now have water that passes the 'Nicky taste test', so we're busy filling the tanks right now!

Nicky’s 'shipping triple point'

Nicky writes:  Just after dinner the chartplotter showed what I call a 'shipping triple point' - 3 vessels (BV and 2 cargo ships) all aiming for the same tiny patch of ocean.  It's amazing. After days of only seeing other vessels at a great distance as AIS paints on the chartplotter, like Number 10 buses, now 2 ships appeared at once, both nearly close enough to run us down! In this instance, the 'shipping triple point' was even more spectacularly coincidental: the forecast track lines of the vessels all intersected at 60 degree angles, much like the playing piece 'pies' in a Trivial Pursuits game.  The 2 ships were both cargo vessels, about 200m long and about 30m wide (BV is 12.8m by 4m), each travelling at around 12knots.  When the closer of the 2, CS (Cargo Ship) Candy, was about 10nm away I tried calling it on the VHF radio, just to ask if they could see us on AIS and how far out they had seen our transmission.

I called on VHF channel 16 but got no reply.  Ch16 is the international hailing and emergency channel but there is no longer a legal requirement for crews to keep a listening watch.  So I tried DSC calling (using our radio to specifically page the ship's radio using the MMSI number associated with the ship's AIS trace) but still there was no response.  That's rather worrying as, legally, the ship's crew isrequired to keep a DSC watch so that they can be called by any other vessel that needs to speak to them. Charitably, I'd like to think that the on watch crew was dealing with something important.  Cynically, I wonder if they'd got the volume turned up too loud on the film they were watching.  Happily, CS Candywas always going to pass 6nm clear of us, so I didn't need to speak to them and there was no reason to keep on trying.  But it's disappointing, particularly as it's not the first time that we've had this happen and we pretty rarely call up big ships to check they have seen us if we are passing close by.

The second ship's track was a little more problematic.  Rather than pass well clear like CS Candy, Apollon Highwaywas likely to pass less than 2nm in front of BV, less if BV hit a good gust of wind or Georgina steered an erratic course.  Not filled with hope after my lack of success with CS Candy, I called Apollon Highwayon VHF Ch16 and was amazed to be answered immediately.  The watchkeeper said that he couldn't see BV’s lights (not surprising as we were nearly 13nm from him at the time, though I could see his lights) but that he could see us on AIS.  Excellent news.  I told him that I would manoeuvre to pass behind him if he kept his course and speed.  He was happy with this and so was I as we now had an agreement and both knew what to expect of the other.  In the end, the wind dropped off a little and the ship passed 2.5nm ahead of us, but it still looked remarkably close on an otherwise pitch-black night.

The amazingly blue, and now settled, sea – hence ‘Blue Water Cruising’

Georgina kept us on course whilst we spent much of the day down below

And so those have been the excitements of the day today.  Even though we have spent much of the time down below tending to the watermaker, it has been another fine sailing day.  The sea temp is over 26 degrees Celsius now and the air temperature is up to 27 degrees Celsius.  Life in flip-flops has recommenced!!!

Love to all,

Reg and Nicky

Passage statistics:

Position at midday 4 Dec: N28 03 W65 41
Position at midnight 4 Dec: N27 08 W64 31
Midday to midday distance: 171 nautical miles (NB only 23 hours due to clock change)
Midnight to midnight distance: 185 nautical miles 
Total miles covered:  840 nautical miles
Approximate distance to go (direct line): 619 nautical miles

End of Day 6 Beaufort in North Carolina to Antigua