Bypassing Bermuda
Day 4 November 18, 2009
32 31.3 N
64 31.9 W

It is almost 6:00 pm AT. We can see Bermuda, but we are not planning to stop. We have had another day of heavy air sailing with the winds averaging 30 knots all day. We sailed just under 200 miles! It was way too rough for fishing, bathing, and just about everything else. However, we had a work party after lunch and made quick repairs to our water maker, a block on deck, and furniture in the salon that got bumped in the rough sea. What a team! Chris and Peter handled the furniture; Chris the water maker and deck block; Leo steered and kept the boat going. Jake and Kim both got some much needed rest. Kim appeared part way through the projects and pitched in to help, while Jake appeared just as we were testing the water maker. Aside from the fact that we were heeling too much to actually make water, the repair was perfect. As for me, I took various areas apart; moved things to secure places, then reversed the process. We did good work! Three repairs made in less than three hours, the boat restored to order, 2 crew members rested for their watches, and the others taking a rest.

We made the decision to bypass Bermuda after talking to Herb at 4:00 pm. We have just less than 1000 miles to go. That means we have just less than 6 days remaining at sea. We are going to have strong winds through tomorrow thanks to the remnants of Ida and the high pressure system you are probably enjoying. We should have 2 to 3 days of good sailing, and then will have to find wind for a day or so. We have enough fuel for 2 days of motoring. We are betting we will find enough wind to make it! You will know how we make out.

Because we’re rolling so much and heeled over I’ve had to be somewhat creative in the galley. For example, even when the oven is gimbaled items in it will slide around. One year the spare ribs slid off the back of the oven rack and lay on the back wall of the oven. To avoid a similar occurrence I haven’t used the oven in this windy weather. Tonight I heated the lasagna in the double boiler! It worked fine it just took longer than expected.

As I’ve been writing Jake and Leo just got hit by a huge wave. Leo had water up to his knees, while Jake was sitting in a mere 6”. The wave shorted out the auto pilot momentarily, and left piles of Sargasso weed on the deck, caught under lines, looped over the lifelines and piled up against the life raft. If it’s still there in the morning we’ll try to send you a photo.

All the best from the crew of Avalanche, carrying on toward Antigua.

Sailing fast
Day 3, November 17, 2009
35 20.9 N latitude 65 36.7 W longitude

Hello Everybody,

We’ve been sailing most of the day today in 20-25 knot NE winds under partly cloudy to overcast skies, and we’re making 8.5-10 knots speed over the ground (SOG). We’re trying to stay high so we can make Bermuda if necessary because the prediction is for the wind to shift to the east and increase in velocity. All those things together mean we’re heeling about 15-20 degrees and going way too fast to fish or even bathe. The water is 75 degrees and the air temp in the mid 70′s, but we’re getting hit by spray. While it’s not an uncomfortable ride, it means we have to work hard to move around, prepare meals, brush our teeth, etc. It also means that I’m having trouble not sliding off my seat and keeping the computer from sliding away as I type. Therefore, I’ll bid you good night from the crew of Avalanche making great time south! (199.8 miles today)

Day 2 November 16, 2009
Entering the Gulf Stream
38 19 N latitude, 68 58 W longitude

Today began gray, but without fog; a terrific improvement over yesterday. And then about mid day the gray overcast burned off, replaced by bright sun and blue skies with just a few clouds ahead in the Gulf Stream. The 100% humidity and fog (felt more like 150%) that we left Jamestown in has diminished and we are drying out. Yesterday every surface was wet: walls, floors, mirrors. While we still have lumpy seas and big rollers, the wild sea conditions have subsided somewhat. We have been motoring since Jamestown, but the wind is beginning to fill in. Perhaps we can sail later today.

We have been eating very well, and certainly not because we have a dedicated chef. Kim brought homemade mushroom/potato/leek soup, butternut squash soup, and apple/raisin crumble, which we have all eaten with relish. Tonight we’re having her sautéed zucchini and peppers with brown/wild rice and Mahi sautéed in garlic & onions. Don’t you wish you were here?

Leo caught a Mahi Mahi just before lunch, so Peter decided that he would first have lunch, then clean the Mahi Mahi on the aft deck and finally have a bath to clean up. So that’s what he did! Leo raised the first fish flag, a Mahi Mahi, on the port courtesy halyard. The score is now Jake and Leo 1, Peter and Chris 0. That might mean a record for swimming at the furthest north point in any of our trips: 38 degrees 28.25 N latitude, 69 degrees 06.48 W longitude. Unfortunately we can’t confirm the previous record until we get home, but this one will be held by Peter, barely ahead of Leo, Jake and Chris.

We expect to be in the Gulf Stream for about 8 hours, which puts us on the other side before midnight tonight. The current air is 69 and the water temperature is74. We are all really enjoying this fine weather. Compared to last year when we had to wear long underwear; winter hats, coats, and gloves; sea boots and foul weather gear well south of Bermuda, wearing short sleeves and swim suits is wonderful!

We are trying to upload a photo to Ben. If we are successful, the picture is of Kim and Chris smiling through the fog. We will send more if it works!

All the best from the crew of Avalanche, eating our way south.

Chris Powell sent me some shots of avalanche leaving the dock Sunday morning. I was actually up and out shooting the sunrise in Narragansett and got to Jamestown an hour late… If you want to see how big the waves were that morning, check out my shots here (they were huge!).

Thanks Chris!

[Show as slideshow]

Day 1 November 15, 2009 5:15 AT.

40 31 .98 N and 70 39.78 W

Well we did it.  We got underway at 6:54 AM this morning.  Left Jamestown in the fog in the aftermath of IDA and the Assault on the Atlantic.  We just finished talking to Herb.  The seas are slowly calming down, but we are still rolling around a lot.  We are still in fog with about 1 mile visibility.  The winds are too light to even motor sail so we will be rocking and rolling until tomorrow night when the winds fill in.  Herb predicts that the seas will mitigate through the night.  We would all love to get our sails up since they stabilize the boat in this kind of sea.

Everyone is doing fine.  This trip we are trying something new.  We have upgraded to a proper yacht!  We have a chef! And our chef is an Admiral! After all these trips we all realized that it might be a lot better for Marnie if she removed herself from the watch (as only Admirals can) and did only 2 jobs instead of 3.  She is the official boat admiral and chef.  Since she has prepared almost all the meals, with wonderful help from Peter and Kim and Nikki Jacobsen, and she know exactly how she wants them served and exactly where everything is stored, she was more than happy to give this new watch a try.  This will keep our boat much better organized, keep the sailors happy and on watch, and allow Marnie to finally get her fair share of rest.  So far so good, or really so far so great!  We had a wonderful lunch with Kim’s mushroom, leek,and potato soup and beautiful roast pork sandwiches.  She is preparing beef stew as this is being written.  So we are all looking forward to the change.  The crew still has to sort out breakfast on its own, and one of us is assigned to help with the galley clean up, a very small price to pay for a wonderful meal.  And then there is all the organization and housekeeping and constant unpacking of all our stores, food, beverages and supplies that Marnie has always done off watch.  This is another big job and now she can it done on a more routine basis, rather than when she is supposed to be sleeping.

We hope to be fishing and sailing tomorrow.  The sea temp has risen from 56 to 60 and in another 3 hours or so we should drop off the continental shelf into deep water.  This too should help the seas to lie down.

All the best,

From the Rolly Polly crew of Avalanche