Off to the Virgins on Monday or Tuesday or ...

killarney_sailor · #1 (**permalink**) 10-26-2009

We are leaving Chesapeake Bay for St Thomas as soon as we get a weather window from Monday onward. The estimable Valiente will be one of the crew. We are looking forward to the trip. It has been a long time coming and a great many hours (not to mention a great many boat bucks) have gone into prepping Ainia back to her former glory as a trans-Atlantic vet and Bermuda Race entrant (back in the day when the term racer-cruiser meant something).

Wish us luck.

Greenflash35 · #2 (**permalink**) 10-26-2009

Way kewl, and weather dances for y'all. We're preparing Green Flash for a Caribbean Circumnavigation starting in a year or two. Are you turning south from Bermuda or taking the Gentleman's route?

Faster · #3 (**permalink**) 10-26-2009

Bon Voyage! Hope you'll be connected enough to keep us posted!!

killarney_sailor · #4 (**permalink**) 10-26-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greenflash35

Way kewl, and weather dances for y'all. We're preparing Green Flash for a Caribbean Circumnavigation starting in a year or two. Are you turning south from Bermuda or taking the Gentleman's route?

We are doing the aim for Bermuda and miss routine. We sailed to Bermuda in June and may be back there in the early summer if we go to Europe as planned so probably would not stop this time unless there is a good reason to do so.

Vasco · #5 (**permalink**) 10-26-2009

Good luck. Have a safe voyage.

aerie · #6 (**permalink**) 10-27-2009

I'll be heading south the same time with the Caribbean 1500. Where are you waiting for your weather window?

Where are you planning to cruise after you reach STT? I'll be cruising in my own boat, Gaiamar, after we arrive in the BVI. I will watch for Ainia this season as I explore the Leewards and the Virgins.

speciald · #7 (**permalink**) 10-27-2009

We leave Baltimore on Thursday for Hampton to join up with the 1500 - Scheduled to leave early next week for Tortola. From there we will go to St. Maarten for the Winter. We will be in Oyster Pond for most of our time there using Captain Olivers as our base for cruising. We intend to cruise between Puerto Rico and Antigua this season.

killarney_sailor · #8 (**permalink**) 10-27-2009

Is Speciald the name of your boat?

It will keep my eyes open for your boats this winter. I am currently in Toronto but the boat is in Mobjack Bay. We are returning to the boat on Sunday and can leave any day from Monday onward. If the weather is not cooperating we might move closer to the entrance to Chesapeake Bay to leave from.

It is interesting looking at the 96 hr (and longer) weather forecasts to try to get a sense of when we can go. There is a remarkable low over southern Hudson's Bay on the 96 (Atlantic Briefing Package) with a central pressure of 966 mb. Lets see, that is Saturday morning. Give it a day or so to move eastward (including the stationary front across the southeastern US) and it might be a go for Monday or Tuesday.

Our plans for the winter are pretty fluid. I think we are going to spent a couple of weeks in the USVI and BVI and then head to the Grenadines for a time and then slowly work northward in the spring.

Faster · #9 (**permalink**) 10-27-2009

We'll keep an eye out around Antigua/Barbuda late February if you think you'll be that far then...... Have a great trip!

Valiente · #10 (**permalink**) 10-27-2009

I just bought a bunch of AAAs for my headlamp, Bruce, and put new ink in the printer so I can run off a few sextant calculation sheets.

See you Thursday.