32 degrees 22.8 minutes North, 64 degrees 40.4 minutes West
November 4, 1999
Hello everyone -
We reached Bermuda a week ago tomorrow after a reasonable four and a half
day passage from Southport, Connecticut. Most of the time the wind blew
fairly strongly (20-25 apparent) and came from dead astern or straight up
the rhumb line. That kept things bouncing around, but allowed us to make
good progress through the water. Not always in the right direction though
- we spent a frustrating day sailing east on southeast winds. The last day
proved the best of the trip with 20-30 knot winds just aft of the beam and
lovely cotton ball clouds dancing overhead. Under double-reefed main and
staysail, Hawk was regularly hitting nine knots. I'm not sure who
was having more fun - her or us.
Our second day out we had a host of small, exhausted, bedraggled visitors -
song birds caught by the strong northwest winds and driven 200 miles
offshore of their coastal migration paths. Over the course of twelve
hours, we had seven different species aboard including a Grackle, a young
Cowbird and a Ruby-crested Kinglet. None would stay with us for more than
a few hours. We always felt saddened and helpless when they took off and
tried to head north or west, only to be driven south and east by the
relentless wind.
We arrived in Bermuda to find several boats we knew, including two we'd
last seen in Newfoundland. But for the most part, the boats here now are
huge, fully-crewed charter yachts in the midst of their annual southerly
migration. Most come in with their transoms or sides covered with engine
exhaust, get fuel, spend a night and head off again the next day. A few
tie up at the Dinghy Club dock for repairs - an informal survey revealed
watermakers, refrigeration and charging problems to be the most common. At
one point, we were the smallest boat in the harbor - quite different from
when we were here aboard 37-foot Silk seven years ago. We can't
help but wonder where all the cruising boats are. Did Hurricane Mitch last
year and the late season hurricane activity this year send more people down
the ICW or outside along the east coast? Or are they waiting for November
and they'll start arriving after we leave?
After a week of unsettled weather and primarily southerly winds, a huge
high has just pushed off the US east coast. We woke this morning to a
black band of clouds painted red and gold by the rising sun - a front line
being pushed east by the advancing high. Our winds remain southwest but
should shift late today. Tomorrow we'll clear Customs and head south for
the Caribbean.
We'll be in touch from there!
Beth and Evans
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