rockDAWG on the move to BVI

[rockDAWG]

rockDAWG is on the move to BVI this Monday. This will be my second to last trip this year. The last planned trip will be on Thanksgiving from sailing CT to Cape May.

Objectives of this trip are:
1. To gain more sea miles in the pond
2. To experience the sea motion of a flat bottom coastal boat. The most concern for mine is the pounding.

To me, the most comfortable ride was in a Passport. It really sailed like a dream. Two week ago, I test sailed a brand new DuFour 40E with the new owner. Wow, what a fast boat. It sailed so effortless and overtaking every boat on the bay in that one Saturday morning. I really like it. The quality is far better than Jeanneau 409. DuFour may NOT be the right boat for the long term cruising away from homeport. Have a chance to discuss with the owner, he was very happy with the boat. He also has considered 409 and was a past owner of a C&C 35 for 25 years. His input was helpful.

Here is my SPOT link:
SPOT Shared Page

Update:

Day 0, Nov 7,2011 - Sunny, 63*, wind calm.
Three hour before departure, WCC called for an emergency meeting delayed the departure for 48 hours.

[FarCry]

I will be on the lookout. Thanks for the warning.

What boat should I be looking out for???

[smackdaddy]

Very cool dawg! I'll be following along!

[rockDAWG]

Originally Posted by FarCry

I will be on the lookout. Thanks for the warning.

What boat should I be looking out for???

Hahah..... we might not make it if their kept delaying our departure.

Originally Posted by smackdaddy

Very cool dawg! I'll be following along!

Thanks SD.

[rockDAWG]

Day 0, Nov 8,2011 - Sunny, 62*, wind calm.

I went back to office last nite taking care some urgent stuff and I don’t feel like hanging at the marina do nothing, although the crews, captain and his wife are super nice. I am so glad.

But anyway, WCC announced today that the next departure will be on Thursday. I have a feeling that they are much more caution this year than in the past, due to the tragedy of Rule 62. I guess it is prudent to be on the safe side. I don’t like it, but I respect their decision.

Based on Passageweather.com, there is no telltale sign of problem. They claimed that there are 20 to 30 ft swells out there from the south. But I am not sure why the swell is the problem. I need to learn more to see if I have missed something important.

Either I will take a bus to Hampton tomorrow for 8 to 16 bucks or my wife will drive me down again. She'd likes to see us off the Rally. Also she can stop at the observation/fishing pier at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay (Bridge-tunnel) to take pics as will we sail into the Ocean. From the SPOT she will know exactly where we are. Love the technology.

More to come.

[rockDAWG]

Ahhhh, I found the reason:

[Slayer]

Which rally is this?

[rockDAWG]

This one:

News articles from World Cruising Club: Caribbean 1500

[rockDAWG]

Tropical depression had become tropical storm Sean has delayed our departure from Last Monday to Wednesday, to Thursday and now on to Friday morning. The depression has not moved much for the last few days until now and heading toward east of Bermuda. We will catch the tail end of it.

Despite the delay, everyone is in high spirits, quite a number of boats lost crews because of the delay. I hope we can get to BVI in 10 days, otherwise it will cut very tight for my next sail thru NYC to Ocean City, NJ. I want to motoring down East River on Thanksgiving Day and spend an evening in Manhattan with my family NOT eating turkey.

We have high hope that we will sail out Blue Water Marina, Hampton tomorrow. Thinking to leave the dock at 6 am to avoid congestion. It is about 70 boats of us heading either to Bahamas or Nanny Cay.

I hope my spot will start moving after tomorrow. Please use the above link. We will restock out provisioning especially bread, lunch meat and Veegie. We still have a pound of "Maryland" made crab lump meat on board (Crab meat from VA sucks). I think we will take the advantage of calm marina to bake our Crab Imperial tonite with a side dish of saute garlic butter fresh green beans and pasta. With the courtesy of Captain's boat. We will table cloth and wine, but no candles..... LOL.

The Captain is super nice and the crews are cool. It is alway nice to see that everyone reciprocating kindness here. It will be a wonderful trip. Hope we still have some wind left.

[CalebD]

Flew down from LaGuardia, NY (LGA) to W. Palm Beach on Wednesday afternoon. We followed to coast until after the Pamlico Sound barrier beaches. Once we were over open ocean I could see the crenelations (look it up) on the water from the winds down below. This was from 30,000 feet. There were some white caps and I can't imagine how tall the waves were way down there on the surface. I am one of the window watcher type of airplane passengers and even open water somehow amuses me. I am also a bit of a nervous Nellie when it comes to what the ocean can dish out.
Hope you can still catch some of the remaining southerly winds but waiting out a weather window is not the worst thing.
Hang in there.
I'll be in NYC for Thanksgiving and love the East River run. I'm in lower Manhattan on the Hudson side near the Holland Tunnel.
Hope your trip to the BVI's or points south goes smoothly.