Bermuda or Bahamas?..... Bahamas.

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After a frantic refresh/re-do of a few projects in Newport, Rhode Island, we are in dire need to be sailing South! We were told in Maine that we needed a new headstay foil simply shipped in from Europe. (a cute little 18 foot long piece of equipment for holding on our head sail). We ordered it in February and were told that we would have it by the time our riggers were putting the rig (all the tall stuff on deck) back in. It didn't make it. So we were told we would have it before we departed for Newport. It didn't make it (this time due to the volcano in iceland erupting.. of course!). We were told it was in Customs and we would have it in Newport. It didn't make it. We had many many phone calls to the point I heard Cyrus mutter words like "contacted by our lawyers" and "aren't you a professional shipping company?"... We found they had been lying and it never left Europe. Then it was going to meet us at our next location... well, needless to say, we must depart and the weather was being crazy... new lows forming, possible first tropical storms. great.

Due to this weather situation and the fact that technically we would be sailing through the hurricane region during the beginning of the hurricane season (begins June 1st) we have to extend our insurance. We now have and extension to June 15th. We also hire a professional weather router. (yes, they exist). So we would have an extra set of eyes watching our route and watching for weather we would want to avoid or find, watching currents and eddies, studying sea temperatures and buoy reports and various pressure systems. So we could get an email telling us to duck and run if we need it. Mostly, we wanted to have a professional backing up our own personal predictions just to see if we were coming up with the same conclusions. Even many of our technicians didn't really understand why we were in such a rush. Many don't realize how various seasons affect prevailing winds, currents, storm systems, insurance and thus boat routes. It isn't like we can just look for a nice day and go sailing. (though that is nice too). We have to study weather maps and predictions, be sure we feel we have the boat and crew that can handle situations if the predicted weather doesn't arrive and the unpredicted weather hits us in the face. We try to sail with 2 other crew (at least) when going for multiple days. Volpaia sails like a dream, but is actually not so easy with only two people, especially if one is at the helm, leaving only one to deal with all of the sails. Now sail for 24 hours a day and it is just too exhausting for two and thus dangerous. We like to have at least two people on deck all the time.. so if there is only two, we have a problem. So we sail with at least 4. Many boats you can sail with only one or two, but Volpaia is not really set up this way. We want to fly in crew right before we feel we are about to depart so we don't waste time and money... but the weather is weather and it is hard to get an accurate prediction until about 3 days out, and even then,,, it is still just a prediction. So there is a lot of hoping and planning and simple guessing involved. Crew that does not sail professionally all the time we find ask us when we will be going a lot. Professional crew, tell us when their window of availabilty is and they know they may get a call to hop on a plane a train or a ferry with little or no warning. It is Mother Nature and even the best predictions may not be even close. We always can tell the weather when we are out there and experiencing it. Up until that point... you never know.


So due to weather predictions, we depart for the Bahamas instead of Bermuda. Bad weather between us and Bermuda... and inexpensive flights from New Providence Island, where we would need to be swapping out crew (thanks to cruise ships and casinos) make us decide on the Bahamas. We also have a 12 foot draft which greatly limits where we are able to go. Luckily, we have a friend in Newport who told us about Lyford Cay marina on New Providence, usually reserved for yacht club members there. With him as our connection, we have a reservation accepted. There was no where else for us to go but Atlantis (yes, the big waterpark/casino craziness in Nassau) but they were completely booked and we couldn't fit anywhere else. So Lyford Cay it is!

Bruce the almighty sailor is still with us and Tyler joins us. Tyler has helped us GREATLY with our electronics and systems and is our land support guy and well... LOVES sailing. Rich is now apparently addicted so he gets his passport rushed to him so he can join us and he is also has an engineering mind and is a professional metal worker (it has a fancier name, but I cannot think of it right now). With 5 of us onboard, we can have a more comfortable watch schedule of 4 hours on and 6 hours off to rest. And the chase begins.

We are chasing the wind... and have to motor the first few days... while receiving reports that there is good wind JUST south of us! Man... getting away from the North is like pulling teeth! The good news is that we actually decided to hug Cape Hatteras and it was quite calm! How nice! That is not the norm for sure!

As we move along the shelf towards the gulf stream we meet many flippered friends! Pilot whales, bottle nose dolphins, spinner dolphins.... Then hear a military jet screaming overhead... and another... then we see a large military ship on the horizon. Then we are contacted. uh oh.

As Cyrus answers the call, we are told that there is a full military training exercise going on and we shouldn't be near. Cyrus asks where we should go to avoid them... the answer is? of course..... North. Head North. WHAT? We have been North! We have been North for almost a year! We have had enough of North and are headed due South! We were just getting wind to sail too! We were even sailing SOUTH! Not North! The look on Cyrus' face says it all. In that moments pause before asking them if we should just sail around them to the North... we can all see in his eyes... NORTH???? You are asking me to turn around!!! Not alter course!!! So we have to pull in our beloved sails and yes... head North.... ish. Trying to skirt them. Binoculars and cameras at hand... we watch as we see an aircraft carrier, battle ships, a sub? We are in a game of battleship and losing. Their game is right in our way and we certainly don't want to get in their way. Tyler is thrilled and attempting to get photos and figure out exactly who they are... Bruce is wanted to explain to the fleet of our plight and how we really need to head South... Rich is happy to be on the sail boat and not on a military ship... and I see more dolphins headed our way... grabbing the video camera happily.... Cyrus notices that as we are trying to sneak by them to the North... they are turning and headed more North! ( and they can go a tad bit faster than us) As Cyrus exclaims this, we get the next call. The head honcho (though I am sure that is not a military term) calls us. They have turned around and we can continue South, though in an hour or so, they will be coming at us... so scoot on out of the way. OK! South it is! And in the excitement of changing course one more time... seeing all of the military parade in front of us and dolphins are surfing at our bow... we turn happily and scoot as quickly as possible out of their way. We are done with North. We are headed South.

and though we had a very lumpy time in the Gulf stream... rolling rail to rail... we are now rewarded with a final three days of pure bliss sailing. The can't-get-the-smile-off-your-face sort of sailing... with a beautiful 20-25 knot breeze, fairly flat waters and fun waves to surf down... we joyfully compete for speed, thrill at the sunsets, sunrises and moonrises... enjoy the churning green phosporescence at night as we peel off the layers of clothes... I can't believe it. I think we are South! Not just heading South but I think we are there! Flying fish and boobies confirm that we are certainly not North and as the water turns from green to blue, I can feel a snorkel trip sneaking up on me... ahhhhh.... it is wonderful to feel the wind and the warmth and the reminder of why we do this. Bahamas... here we are!!!

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Photos

High Winds
Bruce hangs on while Brooke sails through some gusting winds!