Departure update
Pipedream
Mon 18 May 2009 05:54
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So after a frantic week of last minute projects,
executing countless lists of things that just had to happen before we could
leave, we left a day latter than planned on May 16th . Not bad for having
set the departure date some 6 months before. Mary drove Chris and I back
to the marina after dropping our trucks for a 2:30 PM departure at high
tide.
 Wayne &
Chris
The other members of our crew George Schneider, and
Phil Daniele were hard at work storing provisions when I started the
engine.
 Away from the
dock.
 Leaving the Marina full of fuel
and water.
We cast off and on the way out met the local
Carnival Cruise line ship, Wanderer? also departing on the ebb tide.
After a brief radio discussion with the Wanderer's bridge crew we
decide to let them go first. They are about 1000 times our
size steaming down a comparatively narrow channel with no breaks. If
something goes wrong, we get squashed like a car running over an
empty beer can. We are headed up to Cumberland Island to anchor
until dawn before striking out across the Gulf Stream and a 6 or 7 day passage
to Bermuda. We had been loosely following the weather for the last couple
of weeks and decided to check it one last time.
That is when we hear about the low pressure
front coming across from the west and the likely gale force north east
winds forecast for the next couple of days. Lets see the Gulf Stream
is running at 4-5 mph to the north and the wind will be blowing directly
across it from the opposite direction at say 40 mph - no fun...
and since both Pipedream and the low are headed east, we would likely
get to enjoy each other's company half way to Bermuda ... dah.
Given the choice of anchoring at Cumberland Island to wait out the weather or
returning to the marina we decide the marina with hot showers and the chance to
continue with a few more last minute projects is the best choice even with
having to listen to the comments of the other boaters like ' gee I thought
you would be half way to Greece by now...' I checked with 'Herb' a retired
meteorologist/sailor on the short wave radio. He now does weather
routing for small sailing yachts from his home in Ontario and advised we
would likely not be able to get a good weather window until at least
Thursday or Friday. (May 22nd) Back at the dock that night we
shared bottles of adult beverages and swapped sea stories with
other boat crews as we wait for the weather to
clear.
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