Day 9 - Crossed the Gulf Stream

Blue Note
Marco M.
Thu 14 May 2015 16:55
Date:  Thursday 14/05/14 - Time:  12:30 EDT
Position 35:47.7N  75:4.296W
COG 307M SOG 6.0kt, Wind 258T 15.7 kt,
Temperatures: Air 18C, Sea 12.9C, Humidity 85%
Barometer: 1017 mB
Last 24h Sailed Distance: 139 NM
Last 24h Decrease Distance on rhumb line: 135 NM
Sailed distance since departure: 1225NM
Time since departure: 9d 0h 20m
Average Speed since departure: 5.61  kt
Average VMG since departure:   5.46  kt
Average VMG speed last 24h:   5.64  kt
Intention: sail to Chesapeake Bay
Distance to End on rhumb line: 87 NM
ETA: Friday May 15, 2015 @ 8 am

Detailed Track (50 is the maximum number of point, i.e. once the last point reaches 50, the last point always is 50):
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0EIVGO9oiEYLjqAfRxhderm34cEEF9dMP

Battery was changed in SPOT since I noticed that last evening "spot" did not go thru.

All good here.
Luckily the autopilaot have not lost yet the rudder reference since those 6 hours during the cold front.

Crossed the Gulf stream with 20 kts of wind sailing on a close hauled on starboard tack
with two reef in the main and staysail with also a bit of the genoa out.
Not too bad sailing sea conditions that looks like the typical Mediterranean with short and steep waves.
Now north of Cape Hatteras 20 NM from the banks and this morning I counted 12 non-AIS equipped fishing boats in sight.
Definitely much busy here than the blue Atlantic Ocean.
Did not catch any fish this trip but did not try too hard.
Now will probably be a good place but not sure I want to have to deal with bringing a fish on board and cleaning it while the boast is heeling 20 degree

I am now in shallow water with a depth of 160 ft. Because the wind is from the North it might take a couple of tacks to reach the entrance of the Chesapeake
It might actually be a good choice to go back and catch the North bound Gulf Stream to get some help.


Of course, as usually happen in this area, this morning there were numerous call on VHF ch 16 from US-warship announcing to conduct live ammunition fire exercise and to keep clear of their position. They do repeat their position twice but still it is a scramble to get it right and write it down.
For this problem I now keep a simple voice recorder near the nav station and I am usually able to get it started in time to  have a record of their position
for later plot and to see if Blue Note is at risk to become a live ammunition "target".
 
Should enter the Chesapeake tomorrow morning. And hopefully reach Oxford Md on Saturday.

sunset
Last night sunset after cold front went thru.

sail
Close hauled sailing towards the Chesapeake entrance.