|
2005 Bermuda Reports |
| Home
Purpose Course Descriptions School Yachts Schedule of Courses Ocean Training Cruises ASA Certification Registration Info Our Location Our People Contact Us |
Departed Bermuda: June 8, 2005 @ 0800
On Sunday, June 5th our return crew arrived onboard
including Garner Bennett from Virginia who had sailed the outbound Bermuda
cruise with us last year; Hunter Botto from New York and a neighbor of Jerry's;
Steve Runals from Virginia who teaches with the Maryland School at the beginning
level; and Lee Garing from Pennsylvania who was a late addition to the crew.
Since we were anchored out, Jerry ran a taxi service back and forth to shore
with our souped-up dinghy at speeds calculated to soak the unfortunates who sat
in the forward part. By 0800 on Monday everyone was onboard and ready for
work. Weather was bright, calm and cool. We deployed each sail, inspected them
thoroughly to understand how they functioned and how to handle them, and
reviewed line and winch handling procedures. Reviewed use of the main boom
preventer and procedures for safely gybing in strong winds and emergency action
in the event of an accidental gybe. Bent on the storm trysail and, after
dropping, left it attached to its dedicated track on the mast and bagged it at
the base of the mast ready for emergency use. Rigged the boom crutch used to
safely immobilize the boom when the trysail, which is not rigged to the boom, is
being used. Discussed heaving to in heavy weather conditions and rigged the sea
anchor for training, and rebagged and stowed this important piece of ultimate
safety gear. Reviewed the Maryland School's Offshore Training Cruises
booklet including personal gear requirements and watch keeping procedures.
Discussed cruise route planning and prepared the navigation logbook and dead
reckoning (DR) plotting sheets. By this time it was late afternoon, and after a
swim overside, we dinghied ashore and went to a local restaurant for dinner. Tuesday, June 7th was another bright, clear day with
NE winds at 10-15 knots and we continued with pre-departure preparations
including the remainder of the Offshore Training Cruises booklet topics.
I assigned Hunter and Garner as Bos'ns to work with First Mate Jerry Nigro on
additional inspections of deck hardware and equipment; also, they climbed the
mast and verified all rigging and fittings aloft and at deck level. Steve was
assigned as Emergency Coordinator and charged with inspecting and verifying all
emergency equipment and procedures including abandon ship, fire, flooding and
man overboard. Lee was assigned as Engineer responsible for inspecting and
verifying all machinery and belowdecks equipment prior to departure.
We also did a belowdecks inspection of all equipment and
stowage; reviewed abandon ship procedures and conducted a simulated abandon ship
drill. Then we reviewed man overboard procedures and equipment, and discussed
celestial navigation theory. Later in the afternoon we inventoried food
provisions currently onboard and developed a meals menu taking into account
personal preferences of the crew, cruise duration and extra meals needed in case
of delay enroute; Jerry and I shopped for the needed supplies and lugged them
back in the dinghy. By late afternoon we were pretty much ready and the weather
forecasts looked good for departure tomorrow. Went ashore for dinner and cleared
out with Customs after promising that we'd depart tomorrow at 0800 local time
after the expected cruise ships made their entry into the harbor. Steve and Lee
setup the navigator's logbook and the plotting sheets used offshore, and laid
out the exit route and rhumbline back to Norfolk. And, I assigned watches as
follows: 12-4 watches, Garner and Steve; 4-8 watches, Lee and Tom; 8-4 watches,
Jerry and Hunter.
Wednesday, June 8th: At 0630 we raised anchor, went
to Dowling's to fill the water tank, secured the dinghy for sea, by 0755 cleared
out with Bermuda Harbour Radio, and at 0807 exited Town Cut Channel and headed
for Norfolk! Weather was clear and bright with winds NE at 10-15 knots, and a
forecast of high pressure remaining for several days producing NE to SE winds of
10-15 knots through Saturday. Once clear of Town Cut Channel we raised the
mainsail and motorsailed around the reef ever turning NW. At 1032 we passed our
departure point at 32º30'N-64º42'W, set a course of 295ºT along our
rhumbline, and secured the engine for a pleasant sail. At this point we began
keeping our DR logbook hourly entries, and plotted our DR at 4-hour intervals. At 1110 we were off soundings and the depth meter began its
usual nonsensical readings, which would last until we found bottom again. At
mid-day I took a Sun line and plotted it on our chart; later that afternoon we
began celestial shot accuracy drills with Steve, Hunter and Lee taking
repetitive shoots to hone their skills and shot techniques. At 1600 I took
another Sun line and a running fix that placed us about 3 miles S of our
rhumbline. That evening, Hunter and Garner thrilled us with a dinner of tender,
succulent steak, mashed potatoes and garden salad fresh from Bermuda. At 1830 I
ran the generator to charge batteries for an hour, which I usually do twice per
day when sailing. Continued to sail on starboard tack on a course of 293ºT with
full main and genoa in NE 10-12 knot winds.
Thursday, June 9: Weather continued clear and
comfortable with winds NE to SE at 10-15 knots and forecast to continue this way
until Monday. If so, winds will probably weaken as is usual in a persistent
high. Tropical storm Arlene is developing in the southern Gulf of Mexico and
traveling N; she's expected to continue N into the Gulf coast, but bears
watching as it's not unusual for such storms to turn NE and cross Florida into
the Atlantic, which would be a problem for us. Continued on with fine off wind
sailing. At 0830 I took a Sun line and another at 1230, which produced a running
fix placing us about 4 miles S of the rhumbline and on track for Norfolk. Later,
Garner and Lee took more Sun shots for accuracy and technique practice; Steve
took some shots and worked on calculations. Steve was assigned as weather guru
today and responsible to obtain voice weather reports from NMN over SSB radio,
compare these with the weather Fax printouts, and analyze our route and sailing
strategies in view of expected weather.
At 1400 we broke out the cruising chute and flew it on
starboard tack. After a short time I got a little concerned about some deep
chaff on the halyard; so we dropped the chute, changed the halyard and rehoisted
the chute. In late afternoon, I took a turn in the galley and prepared a chicken
and tomato stew with rice and veggies for dinner. By 1900 the wind had veered
further to SE and forced us considerably north of our rhumbline; so we dropped the
chute and deployed the whisker pole to allow wing on wing sailing downwind on
starboard tack with the genoa poled out to starboard. This allowed a course of
300ºT with an apparent wind of 165º on starboard. Current was setting us 10ºN
of our steered course. Continued wing on wing over night as conditions remained
steady.
Friday, June 10: Weather continued clear and
comfortable; winds SE 10-12. Sailing wing on wing overnight and all day. As
winds moderated our speed dropped below 4 knots by evening. At 2320 turned on
engine for motor sailing; first motor use since passing departure point near
Bermuda. Weather forecast continues the same with SE 10-12 through Monday;
tropical storm Arlene proceeding N toward Gulf Coast with no sign of veering NE.
I took morning and mid-day Sun shots and a 1226 running fix placed us squarely
on rhumbline. Hunter practiced celestial shot accuracy; Steve took several
additional shots and plotted lines of position. Wind direction is forcing us N
of our desired course. Garner was weather guru today. Hunter and Steve cooked
modified Dinty Moore beef stew for dinner. There's a huge Gulf Stream eddy about 100 miles ahead and
its northern edge is close to our rhumbline. Since it rotates counterclockwise,
we wanted to stay on or north of the rhumbline otherwise we could get entangled
in its strong opposing currents. This requires us to stay on starboard tack and
run a higher course than desired. Otherwise, we'd gybe and sail downwind on port
tack to get well S of the rhumbline before entering the Gulf Stream, allowing us
to cross the stream at a better angle and at its narrowest point. But, since we
didn't want to tangle with the eddy, we elected to stay north and take chances
later with the Gulf Stream. Saturday, June 11: Overnight, winds remained SE 10
and by 0700 they veered to SW 10; dropped the pole and motor sailed on port tack
with mainsail and genoa. Hunter was weather guru today. Weather forecast
predicts light SW winds for next couple of days; tropical storm Arlene safely
heading toward Gulf coast. Running fix at 1253 placed us 12 miles N of rhumbline
and on the northern edge of the eddy in its favorable current. Entered Gulf
Stream at 1700; sea water temperature rose to 81.6ºF from 75ºF a few hours
earlier; current 60ºM at 1.6 knots which is expected to increase considerably
as we enter deeper into the stream. Motorsailing on beam reach in light air on
course of 300ºM; COG = 305ºM; bearing to Norfolk is 307ºM.
Sunday, June 12: Overnight, Gulf Stream current
continued to increase reaching 4.9 knots at 095ºM by 0500 making our COG = 335ºM
on a course steered of 310ºM; boat speed = 6.5 knots and SOG = 3.5 knots. Sea
water temperature = 83.8ºF. This is the price we're now paying for not being
able to get further south of the rhumbline before entering the stream. Lee is
weather guru today. Weather forecast continues to indicate clear skies and winds
SW at 10-15 knots for a few more days; tropical storm Arlene now inland over
Tennessee. By 0900 sea water temperature dropped to 75ºF indicating
that we were exiting the Gulf Stream but continued to have opposing currents of
3.0 knots. At 1410 a Sun-Moon fix placed us 15 miles N of the rhumbline.
At 2000 sighted a Naval aircraft carrier directly ahead at
what appeared to be 2 miles; we could clearly make out her flight deck,
superstructure and bow shape visually, but radar indicated that she was 12 miles
away. We were heading into the setting sun at this point and I assume that light
refraction made her appear close; in fact she looked so close that I was ready
to take evasive action. Contacted the carrier on VHF and she confirmed her
position and distance as 12 miles and her identity as CV-69; she was on a course
of 240ºM and ours was 295ºM; we agreed to pass to the north of her. Monday, June 13: Conditions remained steady
overnight with winds SW 10-15 and clear skies. Continued motorsailing on port
tack at 6 to 7 knots; current favorable at 1 knot. At 0800 CV-69 announced a
"live fire exercise" over VHF-16 and gave her position and
instructions for all ship traffic to stay clear by 5 NM or more; we were 20 NM
distant at the time and pulling away. Steve laid out the port entry route and
waypoints that would take us through the southern Traffic Separation Zone past
Virginia Beach; across the Danger Zone where the N and S separation zones
converge; into the inbound auxiliary channel adjacent to Thimble Shoal Channel;
through the Chesapeake Bay Bride Tunnel opening to red buoy "12"; left
turn toward Little Creek Harbor and the outlying sea buoys; and between the rock
jetties with their tall quick green and quick red lights.
At 1546 a sun running fix placed us on track just two miles
below our original rhumbline. At 1700 contacted Virginia Pilots on VHF-16 that
we were entering the Traffic Separation Zone and would proceed to Little Creek
Harbor. At 2030 contacted US Customs 24-hour Duty Officer by cell phone and
advised that we were a US yacht returning to Norfolk from Bermuda; after
answering numerous questions about the yacht, equipage, crewmembers, route and
more we were given entry clearance by phone. At 2245 we docked at Taylors Landing Marina at Little
Creek, tied to the fuel dock, had a few beers in celebration of our enjoyable
cruise and swapped a few new sea stories. By midnight Steve, Garner and Lee left
for home. The rest of us sacked out for a welcome rest. Tuesday, June 14: Hunter left at 0500 to catch an
early flight. Jerry and I proceeded with boat cleanup; topped the fuel; moved to
a slip. Jerry tried valiantly to get an early flight out and returned from the
airport after the flight that Delta scheduled him for to New York was actually
destined for Holland. He went back to the airport later for his scheduled flight
only to find that it was cancelled; back to the boat and return to the airport
at 0500 the next day, and finally got home. Thus ended a very pleasant ocean
cruise... I then prepared HALIMEDA for arrival of
Captain Jack Morton and his crew for the next Bermuda cruise. Captain Tom Tursi |
Web site design by F. Hayden Designs, Inc.