Tuesday 01 March

Tuesday 01 March
That overnighter from George Town up to Eleuthera had a little bit of everything. Of course I raced the fleet up to the leeward mark, the out the cut to the Exuma Sound, which is the Ocean. The wind died. Boat speed 3 knots, 2.5 knots, 2.0 knots, 1.5 knots and the boat slowly turned in a slow circle, drifting aimlessly. But all calms come to an end. After 30 minutes she regained steerage and I charged off north-west at 2.5 knots.
At night I have a timer set for 30 minutes. It took me years to find a suitable timer. One day Normandie and I were in Hardee's getting a hamburger when over the noise and talking we heard Beep, beep, beep. The nice woman behind the counter showed it to us, and it was a turning point in my singlehanding. I also have AIS, which is wonderful, and the radar guard zone, which alarms if a target enters a defined area. As long as nothing is going on I sleep my 30 minutes, get up to sheck the sails, direction, wind, and look around for traffic, then back to sleep. If any boats are anywhere around I do not go back to sleep until I feel confident that, even if either of us changes directions or speed, it would take at least 30 minutes for us to come together. Last night the radar alarm woke me, showing a target approaching from astern, four miles back. Yep, there is a faint light way back there. I tracked his progress and he was gaining on me slowly. I modified the radar guard zone and went back to sleep. I repeated that until the guard zone was so small it was not really protecting me, so I stayed awake as the other boat caught up with me, slowly. He was going the same place I was and neither of us was going very fast. With him less than a mile away I could not go back to sleep. After a very long time I gave up and furled my genoa to slow down, just to get rid of him, which worked, but then after another eternity and he passed and I resumed sailing I had to make sure I didn't catch back up to him.
He finally passed and the light winds passed and by morning I was sailing 6 knots, then 6.5, and it was time to reef. The wind was blowing in the high teens and I was triple reefed when I got to the end of the Exuma Sound and the cut going onto the Eleuthera Banks. Exuma Sound is 5,000 feet deep, the Eleuthera Banks is from awash to 15 feet deep) The cut (or pass, or inlet) is an area where it is deep enough for a boat to go across the shallows, generally about 12 feet deep, and it goes in a north-east direction, and the 18 knot wind was from the east. I had to use the engine to get through. It was not a surprize that the engine would be necessary, but I had hoped that then light wind would be then. But no. Light winds were over and into the 18 knots and steep chop we went. Splash, spray, and busting through the waves into the wind, but the engine held together and we made it. Into deeper water (15 feet) where we could turn and sail for the destination. Beautiful sailing. 6.5 beautiful knots on a beam reach. This is going to be a beautiful day. My only regret was that I had been looking forward to going to Rock Sound Settlement. It is a good protected anchorage and a friendly village. A few years ago I went to Easter Services at the Anglican Church. I met and had a long conversation with the priest that day and I wanted to go back to say hello. When I got through the cut I would have to go straight into the wind to get to Rock Sound. So passed it by. But the sailing was wonderful. Another of those times when I wish you could be with me. For ten minutes. TEN MINUTES! and the wind suddenly dropped to almost nothing! It was so odd! It takes a minute or so for the boat to slow down, and the boat still had momentum and the sails were slack! But there was a little wind and after awhile it picked enough for me to go in the low 4's. It was one of those times when I didn't want to wind it was strong and when I wanted it, it went away. Ten minutes!
The next stop after Rock Sound is Alice Town at Hatchet Bay. It was 20 miles away. An alternate stop was Governors Harbour about seven miles away. I wanted to go to Alice Town because I may have to stay a few days, it is an excellent anchorage with a nice village. It was 15 miles farther along, and I would have to stop at Alice Town anyway. Last night I timed sunset and darkness. I determined that 18:30 there was enough light to enter a harbour but at 18:45 it was too dark. The Explorer's Chartbook says,"Carved as it is through a high rocky cliff, you can spot the narrow opening to Hatchet Bay only when you are almost on it." That is not the kind of harbour to enter in the dark. I had a firm no later than 18:30 arrival time. It was now 14:00. 20 miles to go. Boat speed was 4.5 kts. No, 4.4, 4.3, 4.5, 4.6 kts. To get there before 18:30 I had to go 4.5 kts. I was going 4.5, some of the time. After much anguish I turned for Governors Harbour, only seven miles away. Of course the wind picked up and I regretted the decision. I got to Governors Harbour and anchored about 16:30, the wind dropped to zero, and I was happy the way the day, and the jump up from George Town, played out.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II