June 2, 2008
As dawn came today we had multiple wind shifts, and wind velocity changes.
I was in on about 5 sail changes during my 4 hour watch. In the end we
started the engine. We have finally just finished a seemingly endless
battle with the Gulf Stream! It’s 1245 and we’ve just now been released by
the awful current that was keeping our speed over the ground at 4.2 knots.
Aaargh! Now we’re motoring directly toward home with our SOG increased to
6.5 knots (still not the 7.5 or better that we’re accustomed to).
We have a bright clear sunny day. The water temperature has dropped to 61
degrees (as we exited the Gulf Stream), but the air temp is 73 degrees.
During the afternoon all the guys have had a rousing card game going. We’re
finishing up all the produce on board (we’re not allowed to bring foreign
produce into the U.S.). We’ve been eating fruit all day. There’s a huge
salad planned for dinner, a big breakfast for tomorrow morning with fried
potatoes, and I’ll make onion soup for lunch. Anything else we’ll have to
throw overboard.
This period approaching and coming up on the shelf is when we have seen most
of the wildlife in the past. Unfortunately, because we were delayed so long
by the foul current, we will come up on the shelf about 2000-dark.
However, ever the optimists we’re all keeping our eyes peeled for something
exciting. The Rookie had the first sighting: a humpback whale about 30′
away from the boat. Everyone on deck had a good look at him. Unfortunately
he didn’t perform by breaching or slapping his tail. He merely sank out of
sight. Next were 2 sightings of Atlantic spotted dolphins in the distance,
followed by an ocean sunfish about 50 yards away. Next came 2 different
pods of common dolphins dancing through our bow wave. One pod stayed for
about 15 minutes and Rookie took lots of photos. Later we saw another large
pod of dolphins about half a mile away, but they didn’t come close. And
finally we saw a pod of about a dozen pilot whales surfacing and swimming
about 200 yards away.
As for fish, the score remains the same: Jake 0, Peter 1, Fish 5. The
fishermen are disgusted and discouraged. They only caught one fish, and it
was that barracuda just off Antigua.
I’m writing this at 0400. It’s a beautiful clear starry night with a light
breeze. It’s not too cold. (But perhaps I say that because I am wearing so
many layers that I look like the Michelin man!) We’re flying the main,
Yankee and staysail and motoring, making 8.5 knots. We can see the lights
of the Newport Bridge, we’re picking up the light on Beavertail. This is a
lovely way to make landfall. The computer predicts that we’ll be in
Jamestown between 0630 and 0700 in the morning, and then we’ll have to clear
customs.
All the best from the crew of avalanche, looking forward to our big
breakfast and being home!
Monday June 2 Latitude 39 37.72 N Longitude 70 28.92 W (111 miles)
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