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Freezer full... fridge full of booze and a lettuce (fish food?)
Weather report crappy with a possible Tropical Low forming in my path in a few days.
Well, ya can't just sit here!
Wish me luck. I prefer sunny days 10-15knots at 120 on the starboard side.
Mark - I just landed in Washington D.C. From St. Thomas... 5 hour flight vs. the 8 days the trip down took me. Have a good and fast passage with your new rig and see you again next season
I'm counting days ahead on my fingers and toes and it would seem, if he left about 5 days ago, Mark would meet up with TD Bonnie, as it heads east. It's downgraded to a depression with 30-40kts, although, maybe 20ft seas at the center.
He knows what he's doing, I just hope he has a good ride.
I'm counting days ahead on my fingers and toes and it would seem, if he left about 5 days ago, Mark would meet up with TD Bonnie, as it heads east. It's downgraded to a depression with 30-40kts, although, maybe 20ft seas at the center.
As I recall it took him about 12 days last year from St. Martin. So as of today I would guess we should look for him heading into New York anywhere from five to nine days depending winds, Gulf Stream conditions and no other issues.
I did see East of Hatteras a large area with 8' waves and 8 sec period, but maybe Mark is past that by now because that must be uncomfortable . At least the waves are reported heading 180-240.
I would surprised/impressed, if he's past it already. If he left the day of his post, he's been at sea for 8 days. It would have needed to be 8 100+ mile days in a row to make that kind of headway.
I am on the dogiest wifi in the world so this post may no come through at all.
I have not been able to read the resposes to this topic but can see there has been 24 so I guess some people think I am dead... or theres a story to tell..
I diverted to Bermuda arriving this morning. It wasn't an easy decision but theres lots of things in that decision that you will find interesting and some things you may find useful.
For a starter, its was a 220NM diversion to Bermuda which is 2 days motoring in the wrong direction... and refuling in Bermuda cost me $1.68 per LITRE!!!! ie x 3.78 per gallon. And I used 135 litres... anyway.
I have a screenshot of the chart plotter when I made the decision and I will post it tomorrow if I can aand you will see why I needed to make th decision.
I was working my way up into a 'block hole' where I had to cross the Gulf Stream at the same time as a cold Front pushed down by tha Great Lakes Low, and a few hours after Bonny had left the area... But Collin (then TTD3) kept moving its projected track north so it coud have conincided with the transit time of the Gulf Stream. If youremember Perfect Storm it was a Great Lakes Low hitting a Tropical Hurricane... OK this wasntgoing to be that bad, a TD v's a Low/front, but f me, how bad do you want it?
so I bailed ou.
in the hours after the projected course of Collin, still in the Gulf of Mexico was projected to be further north near my track to New York. How the hell can they project so FAR with accuracy??? they cant! So they were indeed just saying No One KNows.
The other bit I used was the nose. I don't want this to sound like some old dogs salty folklaw, but the air didn't feel right. It cooled down north of the Porto Rican Trench but then got hotter, more humid and less wind the further north I went... just like the Caribbean in the middle of Hurricane season. It FELT like hurricane weaher! But none of the clouds were convecting. No squalls! It weirded me out! It was one of the main things that made me abort. the feel of the weather. so keep your nose out and sense it and use yor own intuition,.
Intuition based on your experience is a good sense to have and follow. Safety comes first. Glad you are safe . You'll have plenty of time to finish the journey
In Hamilton or St. George's?
Expensive island. Was there in April for 3 days at BnB outside Hamilton.
Bermuda fish chowder is pretty nice as is Black Seal rum which is made there.
In your spare time you can try to arrange a private meeting with Michael Bloomberg or Ross Perot on the golf course. The cabbies will help you out with this!?!
They still tell a story about R. Perot blowing up some part of a reef so he could get his 100' speedboat into his private cove - 20+ years ago. We took a lot of cabs while there to visit both St. George's & Hamilton.
In Hamilton or St. George's?
Expensive island. Was there in April for 3 days at BnB outside Hamilton.
Bermuda fish chowder is pretty nice as is Black Seal rum which is made there.
In your spare time you can try to arrange a private meeting with Michael Bloomberg or Ross Perot on the golf course. The cabbies will help you out with this!?!
They still tell a story about R. Perot blowing up some part of a reef so he could get his 100' speedboat into his private cove - 20+ years ago. We took a lot of cabs while there to visit both St. George's & Hamilton.
I am sure he would be in St. George's, that is where all the cruisers hang out. Not much for sailors in Hamilton other than the yacht club and it is very posh and expensive and Mark's grandfather may not have had the right connections to get him a visitor berth there. You could go to the marina in the Dockyard but few do. We were in St George's last spring on our trip up from the Caribbean - by plan in our case since we love the island. We were there for a week and the weather was lousy, we had three days when winds in St George's harbour were 30 to 40 knots and going ashore was a wet experience since the harbour is quite long so there is a fetch (or course the winds were from the west down the length of the harbour).
Bermuda is an expensive island, they have no income tax for the residents. Instead they use consumption taxes so the cost of running the place is shared by visitors and residents. I seem to remember beer was closer to $9 but the White Horse next to the harbour in St. G has become a total tourist trap with lousy food and costly drinks. Used to be quite good. We have never taken a taxi in Bermuda on our many visits. The bus system is terrific and if one of the ferry routes coincides with where you want to go they are outstanding. Last year they had opened one from St. G to the Dockyard that was a great ride. We came back from the Dockyard by bus - you need to change buses in Hamilton.
Mark, if you get this we found quite good wifi at the visitor centre on the square in St G and it is free!
Whether one's nose or gut is accurate, it's smart to accept it. There is some science around the idea that your brain processes information too subtle to consciously understand. Although, not with perfect accuracy. Nevertheless, if you're not in a good mental state, your reaction times and decision making will be impaired. Marks a smart man for bailing out. Colin really sealed the deal on this passage.
Hey Mark, would you remind us what enroute weather resources you use.
Here is my plot at the moment I made the decision to divert to Bermuda.
The yellow highlighting is the Tuesday PM projected locaton of Colin (still TD3 at the time).
My location projected for Tuesday 4pm at my entry to the Gulf Stream.
The other Line as for Bonnie. So Coin was expected to track exactly in Bonnies path a day or 2 later.
After I made the decision the projected trak of Colin was moved north a few times. Until, finally, today it shows the EYE of the storm going DIRECTLY OVER my Tuesday evening entry into the Gulf Stream!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
At least I feel better with it more northerly course because if it had dissipated in the Gulf of Mexico I would have felt bad about being in port..
Here is my plot at the moment I made the decision to divert to Bermuda.
The yellow highlighting is the Tuesday PM projected locaton of Colin (still TD3 at the time).
My location projected for Tuesday 4pm at my entry to the Gulf Stream.
The other Line as for Bonnie. So Coin was expected to track exactly in Bonnies path a day or 2 later.
After I made the decision the projected trak of Colin was moved north a few times. Until, finally, today it shows the EYE of the storm going DIRECTLY OVER my Tuesday evening entry into the Gulf Stream!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
At least I feel better with it more northerly course because if it had dissipated in the Gulf of Mexico I would have felt bad about being in port..
Yikes! Would definitely not have been a fun night tonight on board Sea Life had you not made for Bermuda. I think another drink toasting your good fortune and intuition is is order.
Beers may be expensive there, but they are going to taste much better than they would have in the conditions you would have seen had you continued on your path! Heck with the waves you likely would have seen the beers would have been to shaken up to even open till you got to NYC.
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