Story - Voyage to Bermuda
Kalandia Web Diary
Bill Peach
Wed 11 May 2011 21:47
We left Hampton Virginia on Saturday 7th May at 1530. Thanks to Kate and Woody from Hampton Downtown Piers and Trudie from the Yacht Club who made us feel welcome.
Our concern was to get through the Gulf Stream before the expected strong winds. We motored for about 20 hours off and on when winds dropped below 10 knots. We took the easterly route hoping to use the current at its strongest, which supposedly was drifting that way, and then we would use the bit where it heads south east and weakens to get out of it as soon as we could. Unfortunately it never seemed to weaken and when the strong winds came it was not at all pleasant as we had wind against current for a worryingly long time. The strong winds turned into a gale which we suffered for two days and nights. Finally reached Bermuda early in the morning of 11th May and about 10 miles out, our genoa broke. The clew just ripped off. It had been under such strain. Bill bravely went forward as soon as it became light and fashioned some trickery to fasten the bit of sail we could not furl in. We had to do this because it was flogging and could have damaged the furler.
Jonathan swears that at one point in the mountainous seas we surfed down a wave at 19 knots. Considering 10 and 11 knots is brilliant and 8 knots was the average, this is amazing.
We are anchored in St Georges Harbour and although still a very brisk wind, we are fairly sheltered and there has been sunshine and showers. We had the pleasure of a warm welcome from old friends Bert and Leni from Heimkher. They have been here for a month. We shall see them again in Azores too. We will spend a week here and swap crew, Jonathan returns and Dick joins. Well it is off to the Sailing Club for a rum tasting seminar. Education is for life after all.