November 2017

At 09:00 today Pandora slipped her lines to head for Antigua.  The weather forecast suggests that we will be motoring much of the way and I am cautiously optimistic that we will have enough fuel to make landfall in Antigua as planned, perhaps about ten days from now.

Here’s her able crew, Chris, Jim and me just before departure, all smiles. The big question is if we will have enough wind to sail at least part of the way as the winds are forecast to be quite light, in the 10kt range for much of the run.  I expect that as long as we have a little wind from a good angle, not on the nose, we should be able to squeeze as much as 1,400 of the 1,500 miles with the engine running.  However, as what little wind that is forecast is likely to be from a favorable sailing angle for close reaching, we should be able to make it.

Here’s what Chris said about boats like Pandora regarding the wind in his message to the fleet last evening…

“HAMPTON TO BERMUDA/E CARIBBEAN:
When to depart?

The following vessels could depart Thu2:
–vessels able and willing to motor 80% of trip
–vessels desiring to go to Bermuda
—vessels easily driven in light air, especially those with “Code-0” sail for extremely light upwind work (these vessels may be able to sail up to 50% of trip)
–vessels on a tight schedule which meet sufficient above criteria to reach intended destination (i.e. sufficient fuel and/or refuel in BDA and/or sail well upwind in extremely light air).

Vessels which do not meet the above may wish to consider delaying departure until there’s more wind for sailing.

Next opportunity with high probability of more wind for sailing would be departure at whatever time appropriate to reach GulfStream EXIT near 34N/74W (200mi from mouth of ChesapeakeBay / about 230mi from Hampton) sometime btwn Sunset and Midnight Mon6 night.”

Yes, it looks like there will be more wind for sailing if boats wait until next Monday to depart but that would likely strain my crew and would certainly not be appealing to Brenda who will be arriving in Antigua on the 15th.    However, Pandora fits into the “easily driven with big sails” category so perhaps we will get lucky and be able to sail a good amount of the way.  50%?  That would be awesome.

All and all, I’d like to make the trip with more wind but just don’t want to hang around Hampton for another 4-5 days so off we go.  And, I have to say that a light wind passage would be a treat after our 4.5 days of gales last January on our way to the BVIs.  That’s something that’s fun to talk about but I’d prefer to avoid a repeat this year.

I agree that the most dangerous thing to have on a boat is a schedule and I agree.  However, there is no particular danger in leaving today with the obvious  risk of running out of fuel.  However, I’d rather drift around for a day or so if we just find ourselves feeling stressed about fuel than to delay a few more days.

Besides, as Chris Parker has said so many times in the past, “well, that’s a long way out and the forecast could change”.  Me, I hope it does change so that the trades fill in sooner than expected.

Yup, that’s me, ever hopeful.

Oh yeah, one more thing.  Brenda misses her gardens while we are away so she sent some plants down with Jim.  I planted them in a “window box” and am hopeful that they will survive the trip.  After this post, done within cell range, I’ll be sending my posts to Brenda who will put them up.  Alas, it’s tough to send photos so let’s hope that my prose will make up for a lack of pictures.

Of course, don’t forget to follow us on this site as well as on the rally site.  So refer to my last posts for details on how to do that if it’s not already clear.

So, for now all I can say is “Antigua or bust” or should I say until Pandora’s outof fuel.

Until tomorrow…

 

Well, the title might be an exaggeration but I have to admit that I have been wondering if perhaps “you can’t get there from here” might be true for our run to Antigua.

The last few days of weather briefings by Chris Parker here in Hampton with the other 70+ boats in the Salty Dawg Rally have made me wonder if the 180 gallons or fuel will be enough to get us the 1,500 miles to Antigua given that the short and long term forecast suggests that we will be in for a very light wind trip.

Chris suggests that for boats that can sail well in very light wind, like Pandora, we may perhaps be able to sail, or at least motorsail, much of the way.  However, his overall assessment is that we will be in conditions in the 5-10kt range for much of the trip which is a LOT of motoring.

Pandora, when motorsailing in light wind, burns less than .7 gph so that gives us a range of nearly 10 days of full time motoring, perhaps 1,300 to as much as 1,500 miles.  However, that assumes that we have access to nearly all of the fuel in the tanks, which is not likely as there is surely going to be a little left below the fuel pickup tube when the engine finally dies.  I have never run the engine on a tank until it died so I don’t really know how much of her three 50 gallon tanks I can actually use.  I also carry 30 gallons of reserve jugs and I know I can use all of that.

If we wanted more wind, Chris did say that it might be better if we delay our departure until Sunday, four days from now, but I am not prepared to stick around and hope that the long range forecast is as predicted so off we go.

I guess that’s all that I can say for now so if you’re curious, follow along at “where in the world is Pandora” or on the shared rally page.   Be sure that you put in SDR as the group on the shared page to see where everyone is.  Of course, on my own page you can get an update every two hours and only twice a day on the shared page.

So, if more is better, check out my own page.  However it’s alot fun to see how we are doing relative to the others in the rally.

Do note that some, perhaps a lot, of the boats are likely to stick in Hampton for a few days with the hope that conditions will improve or stop in Bermuda to wait for stronger winds.  One way or the other, there will be plenty of tracks to follow so enjoy.

I plan on putting up posts most days to let you know how things are going so visit regularly.

Well, wish us luck and hope that indeed, you can get there from here with 180 gallons of fuel.  Fingers, or perhaps fuel lines crossed.

It least I know that it’s views like this that await when we make landfall in Antigua.   If that’s not enough, there’s a full moon in a few days.   And let me tell you, there is nothing like a full moon at sea.

Here’s to a great trip.