Fort Lauderdale towards Beaufort NC End of Day 4

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.

1800hrs (EDT, GMT -4) 23 May 2020

Dear All,

Lightning and clouds bubbling off on our starboard side but a good long way away, thank goodness

After midnight the wind built nicely from the southwest and we had a fast downwind sail which was great after all of the motoring we have done.  There were still a few distractions: my 5am logbook entry read, "Lightning in our 3 o'clock, 1 o'clock 5 o'clock and 9 o'clock!!!".

It looked much nicer when the sun came up (R) but there was still a thunderstorm off to our left (L) coming towards us

We got a quick answer back from Chris Parker about our question of whether or not to set off immediately towards Guernsey. He wrote, "OK, actually not a difficult answer. I think there's a possibility a Tropical Low forms about a week from now, near Bermuda, and its most likely track is N or NE, which would potentially be in your path if you were sailing across the Atlantic.

I really have never seen this bad a weather pattern for heading E across the Atlantic in all my years doing this. I don't know if the pattern is going to change in the next few weeks, but it just looks ugly now, with no big persistent RIDGE - except N of area, which means you're going to tend to have more E winds than W winds. It's just bizarre.

If you can hold off a bit and wait in Beaufort NC, I would...Chris".  So, Beaufort NC as our immediate destination it is then!

Lovely sailing on the final leg in towards Beaufort NC

However, and on a brighter note, we finished the passage to Beaufort NC with a glorious sail.  Bright sunny skies, 10-15 knots of wind on the beam or aft, and BV romping along at up to 7 ½ knots.

Race on!  Lots of yachts heading for Beaufort NC

It was also a bit of a racing finish with a total of 6 yachts showing on the AIS all seemingly rushing towards the entrance to the harbour.  Actually, most of them changed course and went off to the anchorage at Cape Lookout which was a good thing for us because we got one of the last few spaces in the anchorage in Taylor's Creek.

Nicky dolphin-gazing

We were welcomed to the approaches of Beaufort by a pod of dolphins, including a baby one.  Nicky got a good look at them but they swam off as soon as I appeared on the foredeck with my camera.

Getting into Beaufort was not difficult but it’s a long channel to motor up and we were constantly being overtaken by sports fishing boats rushing into port like a scene from the cartoon ‘Wacky Racers’.

Working our way into Taylor Creek, Beaufort NC

Lots of holiday weekend boat traffic in Taylor’s Creek

It's a big holiday weekend here in the USA (Memorial Day) so Beaufort is madly busy on the water and seems to be so ashore too.

Anchored in Taylor Creek

In terms of our passage, the ship's log measures the distance run through the water and it clocked 519 nautical miles.  Our planned passage distance on the GPS between Fort Lauderdale and Beaufort NC was 573 nm so, allowing for an extra 15nm sailed because of our dodging thunderstorms, it seems that the Gulf Stream gave us a boost of around 70 miles.

Love to all,

Reg and Nicky

Passage statistics:

Position at midday 23 May: N34 15 W76 53

Position at 1800hrs 23 May: N34 43 W76 40

Midday to midday distance: 158 nautical miles (average 6.6 knots)

Midnight to 1800hrs distance: 115.7 nautical miles (average 6.4 knots)

Total miles covered:  519 nautical miles

Approximate distance to go (GPS route to Beaufort NC): zero nautical miles

End of Day 4 Fort Lauderdale towards Beaufort North Carolina, USA