![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/9-15-12-001.jpg\" "\\"OLYMPUS")
<\/a><\/p>\nWhat a perfect day to be making passage. \u00a0We are indeed off to a great start for our voyage. \u00a0 \u00a0These shots don’t begin to do justice to the beautiful view. \u00a0\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n
It’s 10:30 on Saturday morning and we are about 5 miles from shore and less than 10 miles from Manasquan inlet headed to Atlantic City or Cape May. \u00a0 I am sitting in the cockpit with the laptop typing away plein air this post. \u00a0 Brenda’s taking a nap down below and the auto pilot is cranking away as move along down the coast. The winds are as forecast, blowing from the North West at 15-20kts. \u00a0The boat is handling beautifully and blasting along on a broad reach at between 7 and 8 knots. \u00a0In gusts she really goes, beating 8 kts. \u00a0I wish that I had cleaned the bottom again as I expect that we would be doing even better. \u00a0 There’s very little traffic with just one other sailboat nearby.<\/p>\n
We left Atlantic Highlands at 08:00 this morning motoring into a very snotty 20kt NW wind to get up to the tip of Sandy Hook where we could put up the sails and bear off into the ocean. \u00a0Brenda was none too happy with the conditions which were not pleasant as heavy spray was coming over the bow as we motored directly into the wind. \u00a0The fact that we were one of the first boats to leave didn’t make her feel particularly confident in our plans.<\/p>\n
However, after settling onto our course south for our 75-100 mile run, I was able to put out the genoa and full main which really got us going. \u00a0To sail on such a great point of sail for hours and hours at between 7 & 8kts isn’t something that happens every day. \u00a0 \u00a0The good news is that while the wind is blowing nearly 20 kts in gusts, we never see apparent wind much above the mid teens as we are going along with the wind, a very pleasant way to go.<\/p>\n
The forecast calls for another day of these conditions and then it is supposed to shift to the south and blow fairly hard for a few days. \u00a0 The weather router specifically noted that Tuesday is going to be nasty so recommended that we find a safe place to anchor while that blows through.<\/p>\n
Our plan is to head to Atlantic City or Cape May, spend the night and then head up the Delaware Bay when the wind shifts to the south.<\/p>\n
After that, into the Delaware and\u00a0Chesapeake\u00a0Canal and on to\u00a0Chesapeake\u00a0City to ride out the nasty winds on Tuesday. \u00a0 \u00a0 As no post is complete without a few photos, here you go<\/p>\n
Nice shot of the ensign. \u00a0Makes me proud to be an American. \u00a0 What a perfect day to be making passage. \u00a0We are indeed off to a great start for our voyage. \u00a0 \u00a0These shots don’t begin to do justice to the beautiful view. \u00a0\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n