Bermuda - USA 2
SV Meshugga
Nicholas & Deidre Mace
Wed 12 Jul 2017 15:06
Hey,
All safe and well aboard.
The last 24 hours have been peaceful.
Last night just before sunset we put one reef in, and as predicted the wind got up again during the night to over 25 knots true, and our call to reef for a good nights rest was the right one. This morning the wind has settled in at around 20 knots from the South East and we’re trotting along very comfortably at 230 deg at 8.5 kn speed.
The temperature is 29 deg inside - hot outside in the sun. Humidty 65%. The ocean is brilliant Blue, Blue Blue with Flying Fish on the trampoline.
No Foul Weather Gear needed, and I’m sailing in my nickers.
Our third day on the water, and we’ve settled in to ‘normal’ life aboard during a crossing of sleeping at odd times, eating only when hungry, but keeping up with our tradition of ‘Cocktails’ every evening at around 5-6pm.
The USA does not allow one to land with any fresh/frozen meat, fruit and vegetables, so I am making up menus to use up these products before we make landfall - otherwise it’s turf them over into the sea - rather than pay USA Quarantine to bag and take them away for safe disposal.
Lots of people ask what we do on a crossing:
Today I’ve decided to sort out all the photos of 7 weeks in Bermuda, as I have a few hundred.
Nicholas is at his desk reading reports from the office and catching up with emails.
Further, we need to decide exactly where we’re going to make landfall to clear Customs and Immigration, as there are so many Ports of Entry on the Florida coast line. We also need to read up on where we can get marine services to assist with welding stainless steel tubing for our new Wind Generators support poles, and get our new Solar Panels installed on top of our fly Bridge awning. Both these two systems will help with our huge demand for power on Meshugga and decrease the number of hours we need to run out Generator to charge our battery bank.
Further, depending on the wind and our angle sliding down to Florida, we will probably pass through the Bahamas, and so the question is ‘whether to stop or not’. Not a quick answer and all depends on our research - which we still have to do - as to 'Where to Clear In and Out', and obviously the Weather, both in terms of Hurricane Season of a potential hurricane on the way and bolt holes, and then the wind direction of getting to Florida without having to Beat.
On top of all this, it’s sail the boat, try catch fish, do my 12 o’clock plot and update of the Ship Log book, and write this email…. Everything takes lots of time.
Happy Birthday William.
Take Care