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Wild ponies on Carrot Island, Beaufort, NC.
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Our sail from Beaufort, NC to St. Thomas - a record 8 days! With light winds we motor sailed across the Gulf Stream. As luck would have it there were 2 other boats within 100 miles of us heading to the Caribbean and calling Chris Parker's weather routing service on the single side band radio. We listened as Chris Parker said to make a rhumb line for your destination in the Caribbean as the winds would be turning to the NE and N by mid-week. No need to make our initial "easting" towards Bermuda as we usually do turning south once approaching 65 degree longitude. Our normal route that sets us up for easterly trades. But no need to do that this year.
Jerry took 3 videos during the passage but they're too long to fit on this post. Click this link for the first video: 1st Video
We barreled on in a southeasterly direction for 3 days before we decided we were going to have to turn up into the wind in order to not end up in The Bahamas. No northeast or north winds yet. A low pressure system off Bermuda set up 10-12 foot swells that broke over the cabin top covering everything with salt and made us grab for hand holds when moving around on the boat. We encountered a couple days of squall after squall which means continued reefing the sails.
Here is the link for the second video: 2nd Video
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| We added a lee cloth to the port cushion in the salon to keep from falling off onto the floor as we sail! Nothing like a good book to put you to sleep when you're not on watch. |
Link for the last video:
3rd Video
Our last day of sailing was perfect! The seas had calmed down, the wind finally backed to the northeast and the sun came out! Our salt encrusted boat had been rinsed clean with all the rain. St. Thomas, first a twinkle of lights poking up on the horizon, came into view as the sun came up. So different than approaching The Bahamas where the land is flat and low lying. St. Thomas and the outlying islands jut up into the sky covered in green.
Water Island, just off St. Thomas, our home-away-from-home for many years beckoned us. It was more crowded than usual. Every Thanksgiving a fleet of big sport fishing boats from Puerto Rico invade the island. They anchor along the beach with their bows facing out and sterns anchored towards the beach. A festive atmosphere for 2 bedraggled sailors! We prepared a late Thanksgiving day meal with turkey, stuffing and the works listening to latin music blaring and people celebrating all around us. Thankful to be here!
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| Persephone anchored at Water Island (sport fishing boats from Puerto Rico went home). |
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| Persephone at Water Island, Honeymoon Beach in the background. |
