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# 3

29 April to 1 May 03

West Palm Beach to Charleston

29 Apr

Now I know what it feels like to be an ocean racer. We arrived at the fuel dock in West Palm Beach about noon AND IN ONE HOUR, the guys fueled the jugs, topped off the internal tank, change the oil (we have run 60 hours since we left), and got rid of the oil residue, while I paid bills, checked the weather, and sent off email. It was like watching a racing pit crew in action. By 1 PM, we were headed out of the harbor.

We worked our way north and east to the Gulf Stream, but decided we didn't need to be in the middle of the Stream so we set a course directly for Charleston S.C. (360 NM north from West Palm Beach). Estimated time in route was just over two days. We should arrive Thursday, 31 April about noon.

It was a nice day--.winds from the east at 10 knots, sea 3-4 feet, and a nice roll. On the way we saw flying fish in groups (flocks? schools?). They are small fish about 4-6 inches, with wings, and can fly a foot or less over the water for about 100 feet or so. Chris said the flying is an escape mechanism and that they take advantage of the ground effect like airplanes do (compression of air between wings and surface provides lift at very low altitudes, like inches).

After a dinner of Dinty Moore Stew, we readied the boat for nighttime. The winds picked up to 15 knots, still from the east and steady. T had the sails set and the helm balanced so the boat maintained close to the desired course. We planned to be on that course for almost two days so it was worth fussing over it. We were making good time, generally about 10 knots, and very pleased with how we were doing. The sunset was lovely again -- a bright orange ball sinking right into the ocean.

I had the first watch and by the time I took the helm, the wind was 20+ knots. T had been sailing and had the boat balanced with the correct sail set. The auto pilot was not able to handle the conditions in an efficient manner so we were hand sailing the boat. The problem was that the auto pilot would make a correction, say to the left, and then the bow would be hit by w wave and the boat would swing even more in that direction . Over correction resulted and by the time we got dampened out, we had lost speed. No problem; just co it the old way -- steer by hand.

The night was fairly clear, but other vessels were not around. Even lights in the distance were generally missing. Basically, it was dark and the stars were beautiful.. With the boat set on the required heading to produce the desired track, the north star was just off the bow, so we all tended to steer using the stars. She was heeled over about 25-30 degrees, the wake on the low side was bright white and phosphorescent (done by the marine life) as we sliced through the waters speeding toward our next objective at speed of 10.5 knots. Top speed was 12.9 Knots.

It was delightful. I was awake, T was napping in the cockpit and Chris sleeping below, the boat was flying through the water making great time, the rest of the world was out there in the darkness and the stars were guiding us. Good thing too because with the need to hand steer, I didn't have time to check instruments and plot positions. It was all I could do to just keep the boat 'in the groove'.

I chuckled at myself when I realized I was confident now -- sailing with a strong wind, heeled way over and really sailing on the edge, for me. Conditions were similar to the first night when I was very uncomfortable, but now I was used to it. T and Chris had helped me stretch outside my comfort zone by demonstrating it could be done and showing their confidence in me that I could do it also. About Midnight, T woke up in the cockpit and took the helm. I was exhausted and went to sleep.

30 Apr

I came back on watch as standby and T was sailing again. We talked about life. Seems like the appropriate thing when we are the only human life for hundreds of miles. After a while, I realized I was next at the helm and was too tired to focus well so I asked T if he could stay on watch for a while longer while I took a power nap (about 30 minutes). I snoozed in the cockpit for what I thought was only a few minutes, but it was probably much longer. Anyway, when I woke up, I was ready to take over. Soon the sun rose and all was right with the world (it's much easier to stay awake and to get a sense of what the ocean is doing in the daylight). In the dark, all you can see is a couple of feet beyond the boat, black beyond that and stars overhead.

As the sun rose, we had coffee in the cockpit and noticed another flying fish had visited us during the night. We took a picture and threw it overboard.

About thirty minutes later, a pod of dolphins began swimming just in front of the bow. It was great to see them play with our bow wake!

We shook out the reef in the main sail (raised it a notch after it was lowered for the high winds last night). Winds were 10 knots from the east southeast and the sea was following on our quarter (45 degrees off our stern) -- each time a wave would approach, the stern would rise to accommodate it and the boat would swing left or right. The motion is easy, but the heading is something you have to keep after. Our speed dropped to about 9 knots (with the Gulf Stream). Still a good deal, but not as wild as last night (often 12 knots). All afternoon it was bright and sunny. We sailed all day an never saw another vessel

The wind stayed generally the same all day. It was easier sailing and we all shared the load. The weather was sunny, the wind steady at 10 knots from the east and northeast and the sea was about 3 feet. Lunch was cold cut sandwiches (we are trying to eat the food we had put on ice) and dinner was Chris' famous potatoes and cheese (chopped potatoes, onions, cheddar cheese, and other ingredients he would not reveal -- real stick to your ribs food for people staying up all night). The weather forecast was for winds to increase to 15-20 knots and sea to swell to 6 feet.

Turns out, wind stayed 10-15 knots and sea stayed about 3-4 feet and the waves were quartering off our stern -- hand steering again.

I was at the helm through dinner and until about 9 PM. I turned it over to Chris, told them to call me if they needed me, and retired to the forward cabin where I tried sleeping perpendicular to the length of the boat so I would be rocking less. It was comfortable and I slept until 5 AM.

1 May

I got up and Chris was at the helm again. Chris and T tend to both stay in the cockpit and swap off whenever one gets tired. I offered to take the helm and Chris went below to get some sleep. T and I talked about the meaning of careers and the effect of career choices for a couple of hours. Winds were 10 knots and sea 2-3 feet, as it had been all night. We arrived and entered the channel into Charleston Harbor by cutting into it just outside the rock jetties on either side of the channel. They break the waves, but are disastrous if you try to cross them.

We took down the sails and readied the boat for docking. As we approached Charleston, we passed very near Fort Sumter in the mouth of the harbor.

Soon the Charleston historic district was visible and we made our way around the Battery (seawall) to the Municipal Marina, called the dock master and asked for a slip for the night. He sent us to J dock. T took the helm, I talked to the dock master and also helped Chris with the dock lines

.

Once docked, Chris washed the salt off the boat and we all took long showers (we reeked from 3 ½ days of sweat). While the boys were changing the oil, topping the fuel tank and jugs, and doing laundry, I went to get provisions (to replenish our perishables and some oil filters.

As luck would have it, my next door neighbors (Rob and Sue Linehan) were cruising in their boat to here. They left 4 days before we did and arrived a day before us. They had a much more leisurely trip. They were accompanied by two other boats in their boat club and they were met by a local resident they met ran into while cruising the Bahamas last year. Bob, their local friend was kind enough to drive everyone, including me around town to get needed supplies. He also gave us a driving tour of the historic district. It was nice to see old neighbors and to meet new faces (some of which are also my neighbors in Punta Gorda).

Thursday evening, Chris, T and I went into the historic district for dinner at a seafood place. Great shrimp! We have been having fun introducing T to southern foods like okra and fried green tomatoes. I left them in town since they wanted to explore and I returned to the boat early to complete this email and get some needed sleep before we shove off early tomorrow.

I just checked the weather forecast on the VHF radio. Gale force winds (up to 30 knots) in the ocean north of here and sea rising to 12 feet. Thunderstorms are also forecast. We'll check it again in the morning. If it looks bad, we WILL still leave, but may stay inside going north using the Inter-coastal Waterway. Who knows?

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