Touch ‘n Go
May 28, 2010 Day 7
33 38.1N 66 14.3W
Hello Everybody,
Our fuel stop in Bermuda was carried out even more efficiently than we had imagined. Instead of slowing down as threatened we continued at speed because we had a string of squalls coming at us. It seemed a better idea to get into Bermuda and out of the squalls even if it meant anchoring for a few hours than to dawdle along getting wet. As it turned out we steamed through Town Cut just before 5 am (which was 6 am Bermuda Daylight Saving Time). Customs was open for us so we went directly to the Customs dock where we cleared both in and out. From there we were directed to tie up at the gas dock and wait the 15 minutes until they opened at 7 am. The nice guys at the gas dock were just opening and allowed us to begin pumping immediately. Brian needed to get a case of beer to Bermuda Radio but the liquor store didn’t open until 9 am. We had several cans of Heineken aboard, threw in a bottle of Antiguan rum to make up the difference and Brian and Ruleo took that to Bermuda Radio, returning just as we finished fueling. There was little wind so we didn’t have any adventures getting out of the fuel dock, and at 6:15 our time, 90 minutes after entering Town Cut, we headed back out through it! Talk about efficiency!
Unfortunately Mother Nature had plans that she hadn’t shared with anyone. There was a low around Bermuda (that’s where our squalls came from last night), but it was dissipating. The rest of the forecast all the way home looked quite benign. We expected to head north, get clear of the gray clouds and do some lovely satisfying sailing. Well, that isn’t how it turned out. We had winds of 25-30 until about 8 pm and they were accompanied by a strange lumpy bumpy wave pattern. We assume that some sort of current was at work. The wind has now dropped to about 22 knots and the ride has smoothed out. Herb tells us that tomorrow should bring winds in the 15-20 knot range. That will be much more pleasant!
I don’t know what our 24 hour “Herb to Herb” mileage at 4 pm was, but we have gone 112 miles since leaving Bermuda, leaving 537 miles to home. The computer has said that we will arrive any time from noon Monday to noon Tuesday, but experience tells us that it usually takes 3 and a half days so sometime around sunset on Monday would be a good guess. We’ll see as we get closer.
All the best from the crew of avalanche, hoping for some fun tomorrow!
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