Steaming in the Stream

Yesterday morning we got underway at 6:00 before it was light. We delayed
our departure a little bit so that we wouldn’t hit the open ocean before
dawn. (I wanted to be able to see the sea-state.) I was glad we waited. As
we cleared the protection of land, I had just turned into the wind to unfurl
the sails when a swell exploded over the boat and soaked me where I stood at
the wheel. And it was even daylight enough to see it coming! Before that
splash I was warm, dry, and salt free, but that all changed 45 minutes after
departure, not the way to start a 4 or 5 day trip.

Our start was wet, but fast. We had great sailing as we headed east, but we
knew the winds would be dying throughout the day. Late that afternoon the
boat speed varied between 4 and 7 knots, but we still averaged 6 nm every
hour. At 9 that evening though, the wind finally died for good. Since then
we’ve been motoring.

So far the only fish I landed was a small barracuda that I caught in deep
water just north of the Berry Islands yesterday afternoon while Sabrina
napped. Shortly after I threw him back, I watched a 4′ cow mahi dart in with
her tail half out of the water and leaving a wake. She attacked my squid,
hooked up, and jumped twice before she shook loose. It was an awesome sight
to watch and a beautiful fish – but I wasn’t too sad to lose her. I’m
getting really tired of mahi! (I know it’s crazy, but what I really want to
catch while fishing is a dozen spicy garlic buffalo wings, with maybe a
draft beer, mmmm….)

We established a watch schedule based largely upon my favorite shows on our
XM radio. I wanted to be up for the St. Patrick’s Day edition of “Celtic
Crush” this morning from 7 till 10 on “The Spectrum,” Channel 28 (it’s my
favorite show and Sabrina’s not as much of a fan.) So we decided I’d take
3:00-7:00 p.m., Sabrina would do 7:00-11:00, and so forth for 11-3, 3-7,
7-11, etc. We were both able to sleep during our first off watch, something
that doesn’t normally happen on the first day of passage. I attribute our
ability to fall to sleep to our two early mornings on Thursday and Friday.

Friday night we were motoring through the North East Providence Channel
which leads to Nassau and the Caribbean. I think every cruise ship in the
Florida fleet was heading out that way (or heading back.) It looked like a
boat parade extending from horizon to horizon. After we turned towards Grand
Bahama the cruise ships were replaced by tankers heading into Freeport. All
in all, it was the busiest traffic night we’ve ever seen, and we’ve been
past some busy ports in our travels. (Side note: Our AIS receiver was
indispensable in this situation, and I highly recommend AIS to all boaters
that travel at night.)

We’re now steaming north in the Gulf Stream trying to reach the forecasted
winds that are to the north of us. Hopefully we can catch them soon, or
we’re going to have to pull over earlier than we wanted to take on diesel.

While we would always wish to be sailing, the calm seas and gentle swell
have been relaxing. I’m typing this email in the cockpit, and I had the time
this morning to make spam and eggs for breakfast. Sabrina was able to whip
up chicken enchiladas for dinner, and Nermal will get to play on deck until
dark tonight.

Gotta run, right now I need to switch out some fishing lures, what brings in
buffalo wings again?