Bermuda Triangle
Bamboozle
Jamie and Lucy Telfer
Sat 9 May 2009 13:56
32:22.533N 064:40.471W
We arrived safely in
Bermuda last night after a less pleasant passage than we had
hoped. The Ocean Passage Pilot paints a reassuring picture for
the trip saying "the prevailing south west winds are favourable" and "the early
summer weather is usually pleasant even if the winds are light, at least the
weather is warm". Although we waited nearly a week for good
looking forecast once we set off the wind sadly didn't do any prevailing
from the SW and if the weather was so warm why did I have to wear a woolly
hat each night. The wind actually stayed stubbornly in the S and SE so we
sailed the whole 650 miles close hauled hard on the wind trying to eke our way
far enough south. Not only did the wind blow from the wrong direction
for us, but did so in a robust fashion.......25 knots plus for much of the trip
and gusting considerably higher. The really good news is that
Bamboozle handled it all amazingly and despite a lot of water over the decks and
some torrential rain in the squalls neither Lucy or I actually ever got
wet. We had been repeatedly told by more seasoned cruisers that a
hard dodger (windscreen and hood) is an absolute "must have" on an ocean
cruising yacht and I am now a true believer.
The really good news is that when we got close to
Bermuda it looked exactly like local tourist board would want you to
believe.....the the sun shone through and the water went very very blue. Customs
greeted us with a warm smile and a handshake, something I think more customs and
immigration officers should encouraged to do around the world. We are now
anchored in St Georges towards the top end of the islands and once we have
washed the salt off Bamboozle we will be off to explore.