Position:    36:29.01N   75:08.32W

 

Phew!

Last night was a horrendous night!

 

Our progress yesterday was a little slower than we’d had hoped and this meant that we hit the Gulf Stream a little later than we had hoped and instead timed it perfectly with a nasty cold front from the north west whilst we were in the Stream.

The cold front produced winds consistently of 27 to 30 plus knots and peaked over 37 during the night.

As the wind was from the NW to N and the Gulf Stream flows to the NE at this point, this all resulted in huge waves, crashing, banging and water everywhere. Yet again the benefits of a sound full canopied cockpit proved it’s worth. Although we were wet and the canopy dripped – this was nothing to carnage that could have been for everyone.

 

Our weather experts were quite clear before we left Bermuda. “Go now or 12 hours ago unless you want to be held up in Bermuda for the next week.” The winds will not be conducive to a crossing to the NE of the US from Bermuda for at least a week.

I think we were right on the very last minute edge this time and it also looks like we might have to motor for the next 50 miles to Chesapeake Bay due to head winds from the NW.

 

However, apart from some issues with our water and our generator everything is fine.

We are now roughly 55 miles from the “Bay”.

 

We expect to arrive at the entrance (and more importantly, the mainland!) comfortable before dark. Our final destination is just under 100 miles up the bay.