Sunday, December 8, 2013

A Ruff Return

After lunch and a last snorkel we weighed anchor and headed to check out the iguanas about 5 miles south of Staniel but we noticed that the wind was picking up more than forecasted and so we went on down to Black Point where we knew that we could get good holding. The anchor did not set on the first attempt (only happened once before with this 45# manson supreme anchor) so we moved closer to the other side of the cove and got settled in for the night. The next morning the weather forecast continued to decline and the tides were going to make it harder to get in and out of the cuts later in the week so we elected to head on out. We reached Little Farmers around 10 am (high tide). Looking out the cut it looked quite ruff. We could see white caps quite a way out to sea and were unsure about heading out.There were several boats anchored in the area and a trawler coming around that we thought might be heading out the cut ( maybe check how he goes and follow him?) but he went on by to anchor. Things weren't going to be better any other day and the slack tide would be later putting us going through the cut at Georgetown in the dark  so on we went. Freddie did a wonderful job of steering us through the cut while I was strapped in on top of the roof on lookout duty. We get through the cut and head to Georgetown. Conditions were ruff but the wind was around 35 degrees off our bow (the closest to the wind that we can really sail) and we were averaging 6 mph motor sailing. The wind was averaging 20mph and the waves were around 5 ft with a 4 second interval and few breakers and the sun was shinning. Many are sailing purest (they hate to ever use their engines) but not us. We have no issues using our diesels to help us along. The same trip took us around 5 hours when we first traveled to Georgetown and that would put us coming into the cut at Elizabeth Harbor at slack tide just before sundown. Conditions deteriorated. The wind went up. We saw regular gusts in the 30's and at least one at 40 mph. The waves also grew and became more choppy with more breakers. The direction of the wind also moved more on our nose making it necessary to put up the jib and then re deploy it as the winds continued to change. All hands were drenched and everyone but Tripp became a least a little seasick. Poor Dana feed the fish quite a few times. This made a slow miserable slog to windward. Not the kind of sail you really want. Thankfully all the instruments worked perfectly this day. Our progress was so slow that we did not reach Georgetown until 9pm. With Tripp and Dana watching the water under a sliver of a moon, me tracking our waypoints on the explorer charts and Freddie doing his ever brilliant job at the helm we edged our way through reefs, waves and wind into Elizabeth harbor and to our mooring. We made a bowl of ramen noodles and fell into bed exhausted but grateful for a safe passage.

Sea state before things deteriorated. waves never look as large in photos as they actually are.

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