As I sit down to write this post, we are into our third day on passage to Antigua from Hampton VA.    Since leaving we have had to run the motor a good deal, racking up a total of 36 hours of motoring and 12 of sailing alone.  Of course, we kept the sails up for the motoring times as there was a little wind that helped us move along with reduced engine RPM.

That’s important to keep the RPMs down as it’s a long way to Antigua and we were told when we left that we’d be motoring much of the way.  In spite of my concern that we’d not be able to make the entire run without running out of fuel, I decided to leave anyway with the belief that the extremely light conditions would not materialize as predicted.

That was a good decision as here we are sailing along at between 8-9 kts, SSE in moderate winds on a close reach and we expect that these conditions will persist for at least the next 24 hours.  After that, the wind should shift more to the SE which will make it impossible to continue to sail in the direction we wish to go.

Based on that, Chris Parker recommends that once the wind shifts to the SE that we tack and sail to the NE to gain some easting.  The farther east we are, the better our chances of picking up the trade winds, later in the trip, which should give us easy sailing the rest of the way to Antigua.
Of course, “trades” are named that because they represent regular winds, both speed and direction  are very consistent so they were widely used by sailing ships to make long passages on fairly predicable schedules.

As we make our way south and east we hope to eventually hook up with the easterly trades to the Caribbean, which is good as it will make our trip more predictable, at least for the final third of the trip and eliminate any risk of running out of fuel.

As I mentioned, if I motor-sail and keep my engine RPM low, I can stretch my available fuel supply quite a bit and should be able to average about 6-.7gal/hr of motoring time.  As I hold (well the building plans say so, but I have never tested it) 150 gallons combined in my three tanks and I also have an additional 25 gallons in jugs.  That would give me something like 250 hours of slow motoring, perhaps a total of 1,500 miles.

However, I wouldn’t want to test this as I am assuming that I can use 95% of my fuel before the pickup no longer can reach the remaining fuel in the tanks and I don’t know if that’s correct.

In any event, I want to be sure I conserve fuel so I don’t find myself a few hundred miles short of Antigua drifting around with no more fuel.
As I will continue to monitor fuel use very closely, and Chris’s forecast now suggests that there will be enough wind to sail half of the distance, I doubt that there is any real risk that I’ll find myself running out before we get to Antigua.

The good news for now is that we should be able to put as many as 36 “carbon free” hours of sailing, perhaps  270 miles, in the bank over the next two days and then it looks like we will have a few days of motoring to endure before we hit the easterly trades and make our way the final distance to Antigua.

I guess that’s about it for now but all is well on Pandora and just about everything aboard is functioning as it should.  I say “just about” as my wind speed indicator was acting up a while ago but now seems to have settled down and the AIS was having problems but it too “healed itself” overnight.

Well, I guess that’s about all I can think of for now, so I’ll sign off so I can get a line in the water.  Perhaps we can catch a tuna or Mahi Mahi for dinner.  No luck yesterday though.

It’s good to be sailing, for a while at least.

Only 1,100 miles to go.

It’s Friday morning and the beginning of day two of our expected (fingers crossed that there’s some wind and we don’t end up out of fuel and drifting along waiting for wind) ten day run to Antigua from Hampton, VA.

We departed the marina yesterday morning expecting that we’d be hard put to find wind that was more than 10 kts for much of the way to Antigua and the first 24 hours has proven to be true to that forecast so the engine has gotten a good workout.

However, a few hours ago the wind picked up into the high teens so we are now sailing on a broad reach at close to 7kts.  With the effect of the Gulf Stream as we crab our way across, we are losing a knot as we compensate for the current that is pushing us north at about 3-4kts.   The strategy for crossing the GS is to make an assumption about the average current that you expect to encounter and how far north you will be set as you cross.  The strategy is to take into account the speed of the boat, time to cross and then adjust the course to an imaginary point that you will be set down from to exit at the desired location.  Does that make sense?  Not sure I am being clear.  If not, you’ll just have to trust me on that.

My assumption was an average current in the 3+ range and ten hours to cross so I picked a point that was about 20mn south of where I hope to emerge from The Stream.

Chris Parker gave us an entry as well as an exit point as well as a course to hold after that to navigate a large eddy along the south side of the GS.  If we hit it right, the eddy will give us a 3-4kt boost for up to 100mn after we exit.   Stray too far from that exit point and course to the third waypoint and we’d find ourselves bucking the wrong side of the eddy and see our speed over the bottom fall to 3kts or less.  That’s compared to perhaps 10kts over the bottom if we hit the eddy just right.   That’s makes for a huge difference on how long it will take to cover the distance until we are in clear, current free water.   Hit the eddy wrong and it might take us over 30 hours to cover the same 100 miles that we might cover in about 14 hours if we hit it right.  That “mistake” alone could cost us an additional ¾ of a day on the passage.

Of course, the coordinates for the eddy are imaginary and derived from a satellite map so getting it exactly right is more art than science.  However, this particular eddy is really large so I am hopeful that there is enough room for error to allow me to navigate the distance effectively.

Also, as I can’t send photos over my SSB high frequency radio, you’ll just have to imagine what it was like last night to see a nearly full moon rise in the east as a fiery sunset lit up the western sky, with the brilliant moon transiting the entire sky and finally setting just before daybreak.  It was beautiful.

Pandora’s crew seems to be settling into the rhythm of life at sea, eating, standing watch and resting as we make our way south.

Let’s hope that the wind holds out but, more than likely, as we leave the warmer water of the Stream, the wind will fall away as forecast.   For now, we will have to just enjoy what’s been thrown our way and appreciate the opportunity to put some “fuel free” miles into the bank.   For sure, I’ll need  to accumulate about 500 of these “free miles” in order to be certain that I will have adequate fuel to make it to Antigua.

If not, I’ll just have to take what the wind offers, sit around waiting for more wind which will add several days to our trip.

Well, it’s time to cast out a lure and see if we can catch something for dinner.  I’m excited as I have a new type of lure that is “guaranteed” to catch everything but seaweed.

Wish me luck.

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.

It’s Monday and the participants in the 2017 Salty Dawg Rally to the Caribbean are in Hampton VA preparing for their 1,500 run to Antigua.  Chris Parker, the official weather router for the event, suggests that we will probably be able to leave as planned on November 2nd, Thursday.

Yesterday, after a run of beautiful weather, turned nasty with rain all day and really strong winds that kicked in after the cold front and rain passed.  Before yesterday, wind was generally light and from the south but it abruptly shifted, following the rain to the northwest and strengthened, bringing with it much cooler temperatures.

Such a major change in wind direction and temperature is a good illustration of why using a weather router is so important for a trip like this.   Of course, after 4-5 days into our expected 10 day run, we will generally have to just deal with whatever we encounter as there won’t be any place to hide.  However, knowing that nasty stuff is coming will go a long way toward keeping us safe and moving as we will generally have time to prepare and develop a plan to deal with changing conditions.

Having worked with Chris Parker now for 6 years, I know that his daily briefings on the SSB radio and emails to me will give us the information I need to make informed decisions as we make our way south.

It’s looking like we will have settled weather as we depart Hampton and I am hopeful that this is the sort of sunset that we will enjoy for the first few days.  After that, who knows but I am optimistic that all that I have done to be sure that Pandora is in good shape for the run will pay off.

Let’s hope that the days of gales that Pandora and her crew endured last January on our run from Beaufort to the BVIs aren’t repeated.  This shot of a wave passing under Pandora doesn’t do justice to what sailing along in 20′ waves felt like.  My crew, Chris and Jim arrive today and tomorrow and it will be good to get together a few days before we depart so we can get settled in and be sure that everything is ready to go when we depart.

I am very hopeful that we will have a good and speedy run and that by mid November we will be snug at anchor in Falmouth harbor Antigua enjoying a Carib beer while enjoying the nighttime views of the harbor. So, while we prepare for our run, you too can get ready by bookmarking the Ocens site which will track each one of the 70 boats in the Salty Dawg Rally fleet making the run along with Pandora.  Just click here and put in SDR in the “group” area.  Each boat is required to transmit their position twice daily, in the morning and evening.  Twice a day not enough for you?  Check out “where in the world is Pandora” on this site for position reports every two hours.  And, you can even right click on any “spot” along the way to see how fast, or not, we were going when that position was reported.

Well, this morning, as Antigua Port Captain, will be presenting to the fleet on what’s in store once we arrive.  They’d better have fun as they know who to talk to.

Yes, I’d better sign off for now.  Lot’s to do and Antigua beckons.