At sea
Trip Start
May 07, 2007
1
23
28
Trip End
Jun 15, 2007
The Atlantic,
Bermuda
Thursday, June 14, 2007
The departure was picture perfect. Six Nordhavns leaving together. All went well until we got to the tip of the island....a place where there a lot of high speed ferries cavorting here and there. I didn't see it, but I was told Beso (N40) was steaming ahead into what appeared to be a collision course with one of the high speed ferries. Jerry, our captain, was at our helm watching from astern as he sees Beso move closer and closer to an intercept with this 75 foot speedster. When it appeared a collision was coming, Jerry picked up the VHF mic, "Beso, turn starboard now!", he said. Somehow a collision was averted. No one seems to know how our friends on Beso got distracted, but they are none the worse for wear. When you are in the area of high speed ferries, you have to pay attention....I learned. It was good reinforcement for when Sue and I get up to the New York harbor area.
Yesterday, we got underway in another perfect day. The forecaster predicted something like 5-7 waves with 8 foot swell. It appeared he was wrong when we went down the south side of the island preparing to turn NNE, but it was I who was wrong. After a fairly flat day, by 1700 it was really rocking. By the time I went on watch at 2100, it was hard if not dangerous to move about. By then I could not see the sea state, but it appeared more lumpy than big, deep swells. Getting out of the helm chair was difficult and going down the steep wheelhouse steps an exercise in trying to become spiderman. Walking down the hallway to the berth area involved bumping right, bumping left and trying to not fall down. Still, no one got sick.
Sue had been trying to sleep in anticipation of her 0300 watch. She came up to the wheelhouse about 2300 complaining that the motion in the starboard stateroom was untenable. She was getting thrown out of the bunk and came up to try to sleep in the pilot berth. While I was trying to keep the watchful eye of Gilligan on the Minnow, I kept hearing her grunt and grown as she tired to turn this way and that. It dint work. When I came off watch at midnight, we both went back down to our cabin and flung ourselves on top of the pitching bed fully clothed. Any fairly flat surface, halfway suitable for sleeping would do. I felt sorry for her when she got up at 0300 for her watch, but that is how it works under way.
"Imagine", the N47 which felt it had to leave Monday due to professional schedule pressures finally radioed their status via SSB. Dr. Greg, the skipper said he was in the Gulf stream and that it was "pure hell....I would not wish this on an enemy". He reported 12 foot seas on the nose and it was tough going. Later, our forecaster reported that the Gulf stream should settle by the time we get their Saturday morning. I hope so. So it seems the forecaster I questioned was right....so far.
I felt a bit sick just before dinner last night, but as I did on the leg up from Ft Lauderdale I snapped out of it. I feel lucky. I also feel lucky, Sue seems to have done well in that regard. Old Chinese saying, "Happy wife, Happy life". Sue has been having a great time so ....happy.
Sue is not cooking this leg. Con has hired Joey as "Chef" for this leg. Recall, he is the fellow who cooked the great fish dinner at the MedBound pot-luck last week. Joey is a likable young (er) fellow who is also a captain, boat electrician and general "boat guy". He knows Norhavn very well so he is also an advisory mechanic. It means Sue does not have to do all those chores which should make the journey better for her.
Joey is sleeping in the saloon, which is not as bad as it sounds. Sans privacy, he may have the best ride as the saloon is far aft. There is less motion in the back of the vessel. Unlike most seamen he is traveling with three or four big suitcases and they tend to live under the dining table. Most sailors would travel light with small duffel, but for some reason he lugs all of this crap around. I hate it, but again, Im not the owner. If one could slip overboard on my watch, the place would be easier to live in. Just kidding... Thankfully he takes his smoking habit to the back platform. Seeing a young, strong fellow choosing to smoke is still a mystery to me. I don't care as long as the wind is going the opposite direction.
So today is a full day at sea. We are still about 500 miles from Rhode Island in deep blue water. I think the chart said something like 16,000 feet deep. It has smoothed out quite a bit...mostly sunny. As I sit here in the saloon with the comfort of having my feet on Joey's damn bags, I watch the 3-4 foot swell roll by. I've always liked the ocean. To me, it's the closest we get to raw natural power and presence. We humans can't comprehend the scale of the ocean. It's a place of mystery...especially here in the Bermuda Triangle. When Im on watch, I keep a sharp lookout at the radar to make sure there are still two other boats with us. Wink.
Stay tuned.
