Skippers log
 Annapolis to Nassau
 November 07 to 21 2002                                                  

 
Sailed a total of 1170 miles and motored for 56 hrs

40 knots  on the nose

Not all  of the legs are smooth sailing

"I should have know" it started of with me giving the wrong instructions to Marilyn  who was steering the boat as we left Annapolis harbour "rounded the marker on the wrong side". So we came to an abrupt halt in solid mud. You should have seen this! all five of us ran from one side to the other side with Mr Yanmar doing overtime in reverse. quite the sight!

The brave crew
Marilyn, Andy ,Don and Cliff

One night
 at anchor and an other night  under engine power, we finally made the 150miles to Norfolk after battling choppy seas  in the Chesapeake Bay with a strong Southerly wind on the nose.

After
Showers, beer at Hooters, Chesapeake crab dinners and $ 50 worth of bread
we set out to cross the Gulf Stream an Cape Hatteras
Nassau here we come!

The strategy for crossing the Gulf Stream
was to shoot straight out to sea with a SW wind and to cross
the stream at a "right angle" there for minimizing our crossing time. This plan actually worked well but we had
not anticipated the many lightning storms that we ran into. It was quite scary at times specially when you see
the  bolt's of lightning hitting straight into the see "not very far from the boat".
It feels strange to wear sunglasses during your night watch.

"Got some bad news and then some really bad news"
4 am weather forecast
There is a cold front approaching from the South with 40 knot plus winds out of the South and
South East, it is supposed to last for 3 days and nights.
and we are heading South!
 

That morning it was very quiet during breakfast.
We had been battling a lot of adverse winds and seas all ready.
Four days out at sea and we where still a stone throw away from Cape Hatteras. Okay we made it  across  the Gulf stream all right but after that, we just got hammered with  big winds and pelting rain even down to a storm jib.
Yes all wind on the nose....our daily runs where pathetic. So we prepped the boat and us..... the best we could........made a big pot of soup.......got the drogue "ready just in case".......inner forestay up ......storm sails at the ready......everything buttoned up inside......than during the calm for the storm we all went for a dip in the  warm deep blue clear Gulf Stream waters.
Remember ! it is not man against the sea .......it is man "with" the sea .
                                                                            

The crew was fabulous  

we where well prepared  and also "the creator of all that is" was looking after us.
Being out there in the middle of the ocean away from any civilization with an ocean that start's to build and then  build some more until we are surrounded by breaking seas and waves that tower well above us. Than you realize that we are sooooo small ......sooooo incredibly small compared to our surroundings. The wind started shrieking ...... now it is blowing spume of the breaking seas.....all the hatches are buttoned down...it is very hot and humid inside  "no fresh air".......once in a while we get hit with a BIG one crashing  on the hull like somebody is hitting us with a sludge hammer......the cockpit fills with water again.....the windows are all most continues under water .....we eat sitting on the floor, reading books, trying to nap, telling jokes. When I stick my head out of the hatch  I am in awe of the large waves and howling wind.......it looks beautiful........even a little sunlight brakes through the clouds  lighting up the breakers and the dark horizon.......now I realize that we are safe and we have reached  a comfortable "oneness with the seas".......we blend right in........we are sailing WITH the seas.......and it is absolutely beautiful !

      What a Sail and Learn voyage       

We arrived one day overdue in Nassau.
Everybody said they loved the voyages and learned a lot.....nobody got sick!.
Thank you Marilyn hope your hand heals well ......thank you: Andy, Cliff, Don and off course the
Ar Seiz Avel. But above all .....Thank you "creator of all that is"  we could not have done it without you!

Wishing you all Fairwinds
Paul Mulder