Monday 29 February #2

Monday 29 Feb #2
It is 80 miles up to the bight of Eleuthera. At that bight the pass is narrow and goes between land and some shoals. At five knots that 80 miles takes 17 hours. I don't want to do that pass in the dark, so I was not in a hurry to leave this morning. About noon everything was ready to go and I could time my arrival for daybreak. I upped anchor, set the genoa, and headed up the five mile long harbour, not realizing that the start of the annual George Town regatta was at 12:00. So I, and all the upscale racing boats head up the bay. There are more than 300 boats anchored all over the place, and the race course is right through the anchorage. That make it quite a spectator event; people hollering comments to their friends and future friends. And they all thought that I was racing, and I still had the mainsail cover on. I got lots of comments like, "You take 'em, Advent!" or "Hey Cap'n, I like your style." Of course the race boats slowly passed me, but I was still ahead of some of them when we got to the turning mark. Two other boats and I approached the mark together. They made beautiful racing turns, gybing around to beat back upwind, while I just blissfully kept going, and left them to their competition.
The wind forecast yesterday was for wind in the high teens today and tomorrow. That would have been OK, but uncomfortable. Yesterday's wind was quite strong, and last night was the first time I warmed my shower water. This morning today's wind was forcasted to be in the low teens. Good sailing. I just did not want to arrive before daylight. I departed about 12:00, and after I passed all the race boats, I went through the cut to the ocean. The wind in the ocean is maybe 6. Boat speed in the high 2's and low 3's. The big drifter is on the code zero continuous line furler, and it is exactly what I need. Thank you Normandie. But even with the big drifter I am doing not much more than just drifting. If this keeps up it may be after sunset tomorrow when I get there.
But for now it is beautiful, easy, smooth sailing. And warm again. Back up in the 80's. The moon will rise about midnight. I look forward to a comfortable night. Wish you were here.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II