BVIs towards the Cayman Islands End of Day 1

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 my daughter Charlotte and she then forwarded them on to a list of family members.

2359hrs (AST, GMT-4) 15 Jan 2020


Dear All,

Leaving the British Virgin Islands behind us

As I write this the lights of Isla de Vieques in the Spanish Virgin Islands are visible 10 miles off to starboard and the last of the lights of St Croix are disappearing over the horizon over my left shoulder.  Behind us, and now out of sight, are the British Virgin Islands which we left this afternoon at 1400hrs.  BV is sailing downwind in 18-20 knots of wind under an almost complete canopy of stars; what a change from the last 6 days when we have had 25-30 knots of wind, gusts up to 40 knots, rain squalls and grey skies.

Earlier in the day, US Virgin Island of St John off to starboard

For most of those 6 days we were hunkered down in Great Harbour on Peter Island sitting out the worst of it, but yesterday we took BV to Road Town on Tortola for a shopping trip to prepare for this passage.  As a result, we have a fridge full of food and are all sorted for the next 6-7 days at sea.

Earlier in the day, US Virgin Island of St John off to starboard and St Thomas beyond

We are heading for the Cayman Islands, a passage of around 900 miles, routing south of Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba but north of Jamaica.  To give the seas a little time to settle down our original plan was to set off tomorrow but there is an area of light wind forecast between Haiti and Cuba in a couple of days’ time and we want to try to avoid getting stuck in it so a slightly earlier departure made sense.  It does mean that we might arrive off Cayman Brac with some quite strong northerly winds blowing and have to wait a day or so before it's safe to get ashore, but 6 days is a long time ahead for an accurate forecast so we'll keep sailing and see what happens.

Love to all,

Reg and Nicky 

Passage statistics:

Position at midday 15 Jan: N18 22 W64 35 (Great Harbour, Peter Island, BVI)

Position at midnight 15 Jan: N17 48 W65 37

Midday to midday distance: N/A nautical miles

Midnight to midnight distance: 73 nautical miles

Total miles covered:  73 nautical miles

Approximate distance to go (direct line to Cayman Brac): 831 nautical miles

BVIs towards the Cayman Islands, End of Day 1