18.19N 64.52W Berthed at Oasis Cove Marina, St Thomas: Monday, May 5, 2014
Before a passage we test out a lot of stuff to ensure it is working at least when we start: after that, it may stop working - the ocean is not friendly to electronics on a yacht. (As long as the crew keeps working, then the skipper should be thankful!) So Hayden just reminded me to test our track for posting to this blog from our long-range SSB radio. Good idea, Hayden!
Unlike the mega motor yachts heading over to Europe at this time of year, our rhumb line to Falmouth 3,413 nautical miles away will not be the route we will take: instead we will sail 840nm due North to Bermuda; this sail is typically in a pretty straight line as we will have beam trade winds from the East to start, and then probably little wind as we get into the Bermuda High area also called 'The Doldrums'. From Bermuda, it will depend on the weather, but we will almost certainly not sail the straight line to the Azores, but will first head NNE for a few hundred miles, until we get about level with the Delaware, before turning starboard and due East: this leg will be about 1900nm. Our final leg to Falmouth will be about 1250nm, again not in a straight line. So we expect to log about 4,000nm in total.
Our little ship is up to her ears in food! We have provisioned all the way to the Azores, as food supplies can be spotty in Bermuda. To give you an idea: we have 24 frozen dinners in the reefer; and lots of starch, breakfast cereal and snacks. We have 24 litre boxes of long life milk, and will load up more potatoes and apples this week before we leave.
We carry 250 gallons of fresh water; it is, regrettably, all in just one tank. So in case we were to spring a leak in that tank and lose it, we carry 25 gallons of water in one gallon jugs, stashed in the hold.
We expect to leave here on Thursday am, as it looks like we will then have at least a couple of days of trade winds.
John and Nancy, with Dave; waiting for Bob's arrival this Monday eve.
In 2014 Adventuress sailed to Europe. She made landfall in Muxia Spain; then England. After cruising the English South Coast, and the Channel Islands, she wintered at Woodbridge, England. The next three summers we cruised England, Holland, Norway, Denmark, France, Spain, Portugal, and Gibraltar. For the foreseeable future Adventuress will sail in Europe. UPDATE: it's October 2021 and we are sailing her back to the USA: Transat passage will be Nov/Dec: expect to be in Florida end of January.
