Jerry Nigro and I had been watch mates on an Island Packet 40 trip from Bermuda run by the Maryland School of Sailing & Seamanship in 1996. We had a good crew with Tom Tursi as the navigator and Jack Morton as captain. This was my third trip with the school and Jerry's second. I ran into Jerry later in the year at the Atlantic City boat show. He was looking for a larger boat and wanted to make a round trip to Bermuda.  He asked if I would be interested in going as crew.  Later Jerry bought a used Skye 51 and started customizing the boat to his needs. Plans were laid for a June 98 round trip from Huntington Long Island to Bermuda with a crew of six. A weekend on the boat prior to departure provided for crew introduction and familiarization with the boat.

With all systems set, a great weather forecast, and trip planning recommendations for a rhumb line reach from Montauk LI to Bermuda we were ready to go. Leaving Huntington on June 6th winds were predicted to be N-NW at 15-20 knts for at least three days. Two hours after leaving Huntington we were motoring up (lake like) Long Island Sound toward Montauk. So much for weather forecasts. The wind finally came up the following day around noon. We set several sail combinations to maintain speed, while a pod of dolphins jumping through the bow wake provided several hours of excitement. Luckily we had been checking the bilge every hour (you wonder why you do that) when we noted rising bilge water levels. A loose set screw on the shaft seal turned out to be the culprit.  Late in the evening the wind began to build in squalls with gusts from N/NW to 25 knots. We triple reefed the main set the stay sail and rolled in the Yankee. We were rolling along at 9+ SOG as we approached the Gulf Stream. Although we checked weather several time a day, an unpredicted low-pressure area was forming over the stream.  As wind and seas continued to build we dropped the staysail and ran with the triple reefed main. In squalls, gust were recorded around 50 knots with hail the size of dimes. Many boats in our area were reporting 18-20 foot seas (they were big).  We surfed down these monsters, in control and making good time toward Bermuda. Day three brought some improvement with seas down to 12 ft and winds slowly diminishing. At 1000 we were 200 nm from Bermuda, but slowly sailing away from the rhumb line. Early on day four we finally had some sun but still moving away from the line we started the engine and motored the remaining 60 nm arriving late in the evening.

We spent two great days in Bermuda, resting, sightseeing and drinking dark and stormys with newfound cruising friends at the Dinghy club. There was also an Island Packet rally at the Dinghy club with many waiting for a weather window to head for East Coast ports.  There were a series of fronts moving across the states from West to East and some weather over the Great Lakes, which had delayed their departure for several days. A 'clear' weather window was predicted to be weeks away.

We departed Bermuda on the 13th of June in southerly winds and clear skies. The wind died in the early evening and we motored most of the night. The wind picked up in the morning from the S/SW, but a falling barometer kept the main triple reefed and the Yankee rolled. We still were making 7+ SOG in gusts to 25 and confused 4-6 ft seas.  Where to cross the stream on the return became a major concern with different fronts approaching. The wind had gone to the W/NW early on the 15th of June and we had started heading west of the rhumb line thinking that we should cross the stream before it turns to the northeast. (Herb's recommendation to several of the Island Packet boats heading back). We entered the stream, but decided we were too far west of the rhumb line and conditions were not that bad, so we gybed and beat right up the stream in following seas. We cleared the stream on the morning of the 16th 220 nm from Montauk. With clearing skies and warm weather we had our first dinner with the whole crew in the cockpit of the entire trip. An encounter with a passing ship reminded us how important it was to remain diligent. Our last night offshore ended with some unexpected squalls, which by now were the norm rather than the exception. We saw several large sharks off Montauk as we approached and a submarine entering its homeport. We reached our homeport early on the morning of June 18th a tired but satisfied crew. We were fortunate in some respects having north and westerly winds going down and south and westerly coming back which generally kept the seas astern.

Although there is still a lot to learn about sailing offshore, I believe it was with the skills and confidence gathered sailing offshore with the Maryland School of Sailing that we were able to successfully plan and accomplish this trip. I hope to have to opportunity to sail with them again.  
Mike McGovern
 

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