Lindsay came to me from The landing School in Maine, a mecca of sorts for boat people, where she was just finishing a program in Marine Systems. She has a boating background, and now the academic training. What she wants is to learn what it is really like, and to get out there and start doing it. She saw that she could sail back from Bermuda with me. . . . . and . . . .she caught an airplane to Bermuda and she came aboard last week. Something I really want is to pass on some of the knowledge and experience that I have gained over years on the water, and to share with someone else the adventures, big and small, that I experience. She wants to get experience, and to know what the adventure is all about. We made a good match. For the past week I have been putting her in situations where she was learning about the boat, me, the marine arts, and the boating community. She has become competent and independent in the dinghy. She is an excellent person to have on board. She is also observant, wants to learn, and comfortable to share close quarters with. She is from Minnesota, and commented once that she was shy and not an outgoing person. So she came on board. I took her to the Rally to the Cup social gatherings and encouraged her to get to know the other people here. She is not shy anymore, at least not with boat people. What she has discovered- - - is other women. That realization, and those friendships with other sailing women, has changed her goals and expectations.
Today she is with a woman crew aboard Avocation, and this evening having dinner with two other women in the fleet. And what she has realized is that she does not have to suffer the discomfort, hardship and indignities of being jammed into a small boat with a man she doesn't know, but she can be on a more comfortable boat, and in the company of an experienced woman. So Lindsay is not going to sail back to the US with me, she is following her own direction, and sailing for Antigua. Fair well and good sailing Lindsay. I have lost someone with whom I can share an adventure, but she has gained a new life.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
Thursday, June 22, 2017
Weekly catch-up Thursday 22June
Bermuda is the shape of a fish hook, with the eye at the upper right, the shank 45 degrees down to the left, the hook part curving up to the upper left where the barb would be. The capital is in the middle, the Dockyard and America's Cup Village is at the barb. Where I am, St Georges, is at the eye of the hook. All vessels large and small must enter from the sea at the opening in the reef at St Georges. All small boats, up to about 100 feet long, must go through Town Cut into St Georges Harbour, and check in. Large cruise ships enter at St Georges but go north outside the island but inside the reef to the Dockyard or Hamilton. There is a lot of boat traffic in St Georges and it all goes through the slice in the rock called Town Cut. It is so narrow the Harbour Ops stops all in and out traffic if a big boat is passing. Normandie calls this a boaty place. One day last week it was really boaty. Will and I are part of Rally to the Cup but we left early. The rest of the fleet, 35 boats, arrived Thursday. They were coming in past where we are anchored, at about five an hour. In the middle of this, all the boats in the return leg of the Marian-to-Bermuda 1,2 Race, about 30 boats, had their start in the western end of St Georges and were racing out through the cut, spinnakers flying, or flopping down into the water as the fickle wind in Town Cut would have it. So the racing boats were going out and the cruising boats coming in, and the ferries ploughing through the middle of them, the mega-yachts returning from their race, the pilot boat going and coming, local sport fishing boats, and to top it off, a J-Boat made her stately way in, spent some time in the harbour, then glided back out, pulling an inflatable dinghy of all things, a little inflatable, just like the kind I would have! For a few hours Will and I just gazed at the ever changing spectacle. You want boats? We had boats.
We figured out how to see the Anerica's Cup Races. The challenge was buying the tickets for the ferry and the event, and how to get the tickets, either a paper copy (we have no printer) or an electronic copy. I give Normandie in so many ways for making this trip successful. She had sent with us an ipad tablet, which I had no idea how to operate and Will had some knowledge. Once the Rally to the Cup folks got here we gained access to the Dinghy Club, and with their internet and wifi Will fumbled around enough, with the help of a laptop computer, so we could buy tickets, and taking the tablet with us could show the electronic copy for admission. I go into detail about all this because it was far-an-away the biggest challenge we have had to overcome. Go to americascup.com and see a picture of the village. It is really like that. Masses of people, and they were prepared for it. I think everybody in Bermuda has a part in making everything work. And I think they all have been coached at being nice. Bermuda has exceptionally nice, polite, welcoming people. Something that impressed us is how many children are there. Lots of families. Children everywhere. They have playgrounds set up for the children. Lots of food stalls, even have mist generators like large hoops you can walk through and get cool. If you look at the picture of The Village on the internet you will see that there are tow breakwaters that come to a point. On the far right is where the mega-yachts dock. On the far left is the admittance gate and security (similar to at an airport). About half way between the gate on the left and the point of the breakwaters is the grandstand. For Will's birthday Cotton gave us tickets to the grandstand for the challenge races. The America's Cup grandstand seats are sold out. Look to the right of the grandstand past things that are umbrellas, past a white square building, and there is a space (where the rocks in the water are). That is where Will and I can watch the race. The big building on the point is the official AC Building for special people, and on the outside wall facing us is a really big TV Screen. So we can look at the screen to see what you see on TV (minus the commercials) and look out and see the live action. They move the race course, and the finish line, to suit wind conditions, and the finish line is really much closer than shows in the picture. Ant that is what makes being there and seeing it live such a spectacular experience. The boats come flying across the finish line and have about 50 yards, right in front of us. to wheel about, kill their speed, and miss all the committee and press boats gathered. It is simply jaw dropping! The challenge races were close contests and heart stopping. The AC races between USA and New Zealand have not been close so far, but just the spectacle of those boats in action makes it a once in a lifetime experience. And just because NZ has won the first races doesn't mean USA is out. At the last races in San Francisco New Zealand won the first eight races. They needed one more to win The Cup. Then USA got better and better, and won the next nine races. It an't over till it's over. Normandie said that the races are televised on NBC Saturday and Sunday, 1:00 - 2:30. And I am there!
Last year Normandie bought for me a sunscreen shirt that is like long-underware top, except that, amazingly, it is cool! I wear it and a floppy hat and I am protected from the sun. I can walk through the mist generator, or wet the shirt with my water bottle, and the heat is not a problem. That is a breakthrough in comfort, and safety. All around there are water dispensing booths where you stick your bottle in and a stream of water flows, filling your bottle. I have a hip sack with water, camera and tablet, and I am ready for anything.
Yesterday evening the Rally to the Cup people had a Gosling Rum tasting event at the Dinghy Club where they put a sip of either Gold or Black Seal in a little plastic cup, and you could decide which you like best. And in case you had trouble deciding you could go back and get another sip to make sure. And then when you decided you could get some more to confirm your decision. Great get together! And then we had a display of Bermuda Gombay dancing. And that was also amazing, and totally unexpected! Wild traditional costumes, really tall feathers from their heads, wild dancing to loud drumbeat music. And it was jaw-dropping! All I can say is that I hope what is on the internet gives just a glimpse of what it was like.
On Monday Will's time here came to an end. His airplane was to leave at 3:300. At 1:30 we went to the dinghy dock and said our good byes. I get choked up just trying to write about it. It was a wonderful, absolutely priceless experience. God bless you, Will. I can not express how proud I am of you.
Tuesday I was coming back from the Dinghy Club when a man on a boat motioned me over. His dinghy gasoline was bad and he needed some fresh gasoline. No worries, I buzzed over to the gasoline station and got him 2 gallons (for $18.00) That solved his problem, and I ended up spending the evening with them. I may not get the name right, but they were members of SOS, Singles out Sailing, from somewhere in New England. Will met a woman who is crew on a Canadian boat who knew sigh language. In church, on a previous trip, I met Gillian Outerbridge, who sails a 20' Pacific Seacraft Flicka. She has it shipped to the US and singlehands it up and down the coast, all around New England, the New York lakes, etc. As it turns out she is the Church Administrator so I went by to see her today. She came motoring around the anchorage last week, I waved her over and we became reacquainted. She has written a book about her travels: Going About, a Waterway Adventure. My point is, Ladies, don't let the guys have all the fun. All it takes is saying "Yes".
Will and I were surprized at how cool the water is here. Every evening Will would jump in for a swim before his shower but I did not want the experience. Day before yesterday I dropped a thermometer in so I had a number to write about, and was surprized that it was 82 degrees! Will, you have been holding out on me! So I jumped in and splashed around a bit. (I love it.) I looked at the botom of the boat, and there are barnacles just starting. I am glad I found them before they got big enough to be hard to remove. Yesterday morning the wind was calm so I rigged the hookah air pump that has a scuba mouthpiece, so I could go under the boat and clean the bottom. What I do is take a 3M scratchy pad and rub off the barnacles, and the outer layer of anti-fouling paint that has lost its effectiveness. In doing so the paint is "refreshed", and stops future growth. I start by running six ropes from side to side under the boat. I hang on to these ropes for support, and use them to pull me down deeper under the boat. Yesterday I got the six ropes run, and got about 1/4 of the bottom refreshed. I stopped out of caution because I was exerting a lot of effort and did not want to over do it. The ropes remain in place and the hookah is set up, so when the water settled down I will go down and do some more.
The wind is down and it is not too choppy. I think I will rig the Hookah, get in the water, and have a refreshing swim.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
We figured out how to see the Anerica's Cup Races. The challenge was buying the tickets for the ferry and the event, and how to get the tickets, either a paper copy (we have no printer) or an electronic copy. I give Normandie in so many ways for making this trip successful. She had sent with us an ipad tablet, which I had no idea how to operate and Will had some knowledge. Once the Rally to the Cup folks got here we gained access to the Dinghy Club, and with their internet and wifi Will fumbled around enough, with the help of a laptop computer, so we could buy tickets, and taking the tablet with us could show the electronic copy for admission. I go into detail about all this because it was far-an-away the biggest challenge we have had to overcome. Go to americascup.com and see a picture of the village. It is really like that. Masses of people, and they were prepared for it. I think everybody in Bermuda has a part in making everything work. And I think they all have been coached at being nice. Bermuda has exceptionally nice, polite, welcoming people. Something that impressed us is how many children are there. Lots of families. Children everywhere. They have playgrounds set up for the children. Lots of food stalls, even have mist generators like large hoops you can walk through and get cool. If you look at the picture of The Village on the internet you will see that there are tow breakwaters that come to a point. On the far right is where the mega-yachts dock. On the far left is the admittance gate and security (similar to at an airport). About half way between the gate on the left and the point of the breakwaters is the grandstand. For Will's birthday Cotton gave us tickets to the grandstand for the challenge races. The America's Cup grandstand seats are sold out. Look to the right of the grandstand past things that are umbrellas, past a white square building, and there is a space (where the rocks in the water are). That is where Will and I can watch the race. The big building on the point is the official AC Building for special people, and on the outside wall facing us is a really big TV Screen. So we can look at the screen to see what you see on TV (minus the commercials) and look out and see the live action. They move the race course, and the finish line, to suit wind conditions, and the finish line is really much closer than shows in the picture. Ant that is what makes being there and seeing it live such a spectacular experience. The boats come flying across the finish line and have about 50 yards, right in front of us. to wheel about, kill their speed, and miss all the committee and press boats gathered. It is simply jaw dropping! The challenge races were close contests and heart stopping. The AC races between USA and New Zealand have not been close so far, but just the spectacle of those boats in action makes it a once in a lifetime experience. And just because NZ has won the first races doesn't mean USA is out. At the last races in San Francisco New Zealand won the first eight races. They needed one more to win The Cup. Then USA got better and better, and won the next nine races. It an't over till it's over. Normandie said that the races are televised on NBC Saturday and Sunday, 1:00 - 2:30. And I am there!
Last year Normandie bought for me a sunscreen shirt that is like long-underware top, except that, amazingly, it is cool! I wear it and a floppy hat and I am protected from the sun. I can walk through the mist generator, or wet the shirt with my water bottle, and the heat is not a problem. That is a breakthrough in comfort, and safety. All around there are water dispensing booths where you stick your bottle in and a stream of water flows, filling your bottle. I have a hip sack with water, camera and tablet, and I am ready for anything.
Yesterday evening the Rally to the Cup people had a Gosling Rum tasting event at the Dinghy Club where they put a sip of either Gold or Black Seal in a little plastic cup, and you could decide which you like best. And in case you had trouble deciding you could go back and get another sip to make sure. And then when you decided you could get some more to confirm your decision. Great get together! And then we had a display of Bermuda Gombay dancing. And that was also amazing, and totally unexpected! Wild traditional costumes, really tall feathers from their heads, wild dancing to loud drumbeat music. And it was jaw-dropping! All I can say is that I hope what is on the internet gives just a glimpse of what it was like.
On Monday Will's time here came to an end. His airplane was to leave at 3:300. At 1:30 we went to the dinghy dock and said our good byes. I get choked up just trying to write about it. It was a wonderful, absolutely priceless experience. God bless you, Will. I can not express how proud I am of you.
Tuesday I was coming back from the Dinghy Club when a man on a boat motioned me over. His dinghy gasoline was bad and he needed some fresh gasoline. No worries, I buzzed over to the gasoline station and got him 2 gallons (for $18.00) That solved his problem, and I ended up spending the evening with them. I may not get the name right, but they were members of SOS, Singles out Sailing, from somewhere in New England. Will met a woman who is crew on a Canadian boat who knew sigh language. In church, on a previous trip, I met Gillian Outerbridge, who sails a 20' Pacific Seacraft Flicka. She has it shipped to the US and singlehands it up and down the coast, all around New England, the New York lakes, etc. As it turns out she is the Church Administrator so I went by to see her today. She came motoring around the anchorage last week, I waved her over and we became reacquainted. She has written a book about her travels: Going About, a Waterway Adventure. My point is, Ladies, don't let the guys have all the fun. All it takes is saying "Yes".
Will and I were surprized at how cool the water is here. Every evening Will would jump in for a swim before his shower but I did not want the experience. Day before yesterday I dropped a thermometer in so I had a number to write about, and was surprized that it was 82 degrees! Will, you have been holding out on me! So I jumped in and splashed around a bit. (I love it.) I looked at the botom of the boat, and there are barnacles just starting. I am glad I found them before they got big enough to be hard to remove. Yesterday morning the wind was calm so I rigged the hookah air pump that has a scuba mouthpiece, so I could go under the boat and clean the bottom. What I do is take a 3M scratchy pad and rub off the barnacles, and the outer layer of anti-fouling paint that has lost its effectiveness. In doing so the paint is "refreshed", and stops future growth. I start by running six ropes from side to side under the boat. I hang on to these ropes for support, and use them to pull me down deeper under the boat. Yesterday I got the six ropes run, and got about 1/4 of the bottom refreshed. I stopped out of caution because I was exerting a lot of effort and did not want to over do it. The ropes remain in place and the hookah is set up, so when the water settled down I will go down and do some more.
The wind is down and it is not too choppy. I think I will rig the Hookah, get in the water, and have a refreshing swim.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Thursday, June 15, 2017
Monday
Normandie had pre purchased ferry tickets for Sat and Sunday, and had bought us tickets for the races on Monday, but we did not have ferry tickets to get there, and as it turns out, there is no way to buy tickets except on the internet. We did not have internet to buy the tickets, and if we could buy them there was np way to print them to take them to the ferry. Things don't open here until 10:00, and while we were fumbling around going from hither to yon trying to find out how to get ferry tickets, the commuter ferry came and left. This is what we eventually determined: There are two ferrys, the regular commuter ferry that takes bus tokens, and a special ferry just for America's Cup folks. The AC ferry goes to the America's Cup Village, the commuter ferry goes to a ferry landing about a mile away, at the Dockyard. By the time we learned the rules both ferrys had come and gone. But in spite of our tribulations we had a delightful 1.5 hour bus ride out to the Village, and got there early enough to get good seats in the grandstands, directly behind the broadcast booth.
Have I mentioned a cold front? it is now an occluded front from Florida, right across Bermuda. The weather forecast calls the weather "unsettled". New Zealand needed one more win to become the challenger. The race started in about 12 knots of wind. (In 12 knots of wind the boats can go 45 mph!)And the wind started dying. By the third leg NZ was ahead, and the boats were going about 15 knots in 5 knots of wind. Then the boats were not going fast enough to stay up on the foils and they dropped down into the water. It became an old fashioned light air sailboat race, at about 3 mph. The crew was doing things like holding the "sails" out with their hands to catch that little bit of wind. I found it exciting, and lots of fun. Then there was the only disapproval I have heard since being in the delightful community, boo-ing. They stopped the race due to no wind. BOO- BOO-!
New Zealand was ahead, and the race was stopped, just like the race in 2014 when Team US won The Cup.
We milled about, enjoying the people and the experience, seems that there was rain involved in this, and then and hour or so later the wind picked back up and they started the second race. Now it is history, NZ won the race in a near perfect performance, making them the challenger to race the US Boat in the America's Cup Race. I think it will be best 5 out of 9, scheduled for the next two weekends.
The one mile walk to the commuter ferry, and a delightful ride back to St George's. On the way Will met the couple sitting beside us, delightful people from Australia, Ocean Cruising Club members, who had just bought a boat in Newport, and this was the first of their cruising the US east coast. (sailing back to US from here.)
Back to the boat and the dark 'n stormy evening, still not knowing how to buy ferry tickets.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Have I mentioned a cold front? it is now an occluded front from Florida, right across Bermuda. The weather forecast calls the weather "unsettled". New Zealand needed one more win to become the challenger. The race started in about 12 knots of wind. (In 12 knots of wind the boats can go 45 mph!)And the wind started dying. By the third leg NZ was ahead, and the boats were going about 15 knots in 5 knots of wind. Then the boats were not going fast enough to stay up on the foils and they dropped down into the water. It became an old fashioned light air sailboat race, at about 3 mph. The crew was doing things like holding the "sails" out with their hands to catch that little bit of wind. I found it exciting, and lots of fun. Then there was the only disapproval I have heard since being in the delightful community, boo-ing. They stopped the race due to no wind. BOO- BOO-!
New Zealand was ahead, and the race was stopped, just like the race in 2014 when Team US won The Cup.
We milled about, enjoying the people and the experience, seems that there was rain involved in this, and then and hour or so later the wind picked back up and they started the second race. Now it is history, NZ won the race in a near perfect performance, making them the challenger to race the US Boat in the America's Cup Race. I think it will be best 5 out of 9, scheduled for the next two weekends.
The one mile walk to the commuter ferry, and a delightful ride back to St George's. On the way Will met the couple sitting beside us, delightful people from Australia, Ocean Cruising Club members, who had just bought a boat in Newport, and this was the first of their cruising the US east coast. (sailing back to US from here.)
Back to the boat and the dark 'n stormy evening, still not knowing how to buy ferry tickets.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
Sunday
Sunday morning. Rain. And wind. And we were groggy. Now I did what I should have done earlier and looked at the tickets that Normandie had accumulated for us. It was that that I realized that Normandie had bought ferry tickets for the 10:00 ferry, and it was just pulling away. No problem, the tickets only cost $5 so we will buy tickets for the 12:30 ferry. In the rain we learned that nothing can be bought on Sunday, not even bus tokens. Two soggy sailors were beginning to panic. We had grandstand tickets and no way to get there. In desperation we walked in the rain to the ferry terminal at 12:00 to see if we could get tickets. Nobody there. The ferry arrived and other soggy sailing enthusiasts started boarding, tickets in hand. We got in line, showed our 10:00 tickets to the attendant, and I could have kissed him. The ferry was not full, and he welcomed us aboard. Huge soggy sigh of relief. We settled in starboard seats, and realized that the island was on our port, and all we could see was ocean, we could not see the coastline of Bermuda as we traveled. Of course there were comments about the desirability of being POSH: port out, starboard home.
And then we saw them. J Boats. Not 1/4 mile away. Not racing but going through their paces. Hard upwind, heeling at 30 degrees, downwind with huge spinnakers. This display of beauty was worth the hardships. Look them up. J Boats. These were the boats that Sir Thomas Lipton sailed against Cornelius Vanderbilt for the America's Cup in the 30's. This is the first time all existing J Boats have ever sailed against each other. The sight was simply amazing.
We left the magnificent creations of the past in the wake of the high speed ferry, and soon we landed at The America's Cup Village, and the tension and excitement of the international spectators was strong. The races that determined the challenger had been in progress for a few weeks and it was down to two boats, Sweden and New Zealand. We were late arriving so the part of the grandstand seats sheltered from the rain was full and we sat in the dwindling rain, but the wind was still blowing, and the boats were on the course preparing for the start. And they really do look just like on TV, except in real life the speed they are going really is felt. This is a real spectacle. These boats are real, not some computer generated fantasy.
For those of you who did not see it on tv, Sweden won the first of three and New Zealand won the 2nd and 3rd. The races were close, high speed competition. Very exciting. The last race was somewhat of an exception with NZ having an ever lengthening lead. NZ was several hundred meters ahead, sailing up on the foils at 40 mph, 1/4 mile from the finish line heading for a sure victory, when a major mess -up occurred, They almost hit a buoy) and they went dead in the water. Fighting to get back up and foiling again the Sweden boat caught up to them at the finish line. The finish line is right in front of the grandstand, and the grandstand was pandemonium. New Zealand won by 1/3 boat length at 40 mph. Gosh golly.
If NZ had won all three races they would have been the challengers for the cup. But since they lost one of the races the deciding races would be run the next day, Monday.
Will and I happily got on the ferry, for a most enjoyable ride back to St Georges. On the way Will started talking with the couple beside us. The man is a geologist with a local research station. They had a lot to talk about. Small World.
Back on the boat, showers, and Dark 'n Stormy.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
And then we saw them. J Boats. Not 1/4 mile away. Not racing but going through their paces. Hard upwind, heeling at 30 degrees, downwind with huge spinnakers. This display of beauty was worth the hardships. Look them up. J Boats. These were the boats that Sir Thomas Lipton sailed against Cornelius Vanderbilt for the America's Cup in the 30's. This is the first time all existing J Boats have ever sailed against each other. The sight was simply amazing.
We left the magnificent creations of the past in the wake of the high speed ferry, and soon we landed at The America's Cup Village, and the tension and excitement of the international spectators was strong. The races that determined the challenger had been in progress for a few weeks and it was down to two boats, Sweden and New Zealand. We were late arriving so the part of the grandstand seats sheltered from the rain was full and we sat in the dwindling rain, but the wind was still blowing, and the boats were on the course preparing for the start. And they really do look just like on TV, except in real life the speed they are going really is felt. This is a real spectacle. These boats are real, not some computer generated fantasy.
For those of you who did not see it on tv, Sweden won the first of three and New Zealand won the 2nd and 3rd. The races were close, high speed competition. Very exciting. The last race was somewhat of an exception with NZ having an ever lengthening lead. NZ was several hundred meters ahead, sailing up on the foils at 40 mph, 1/4 mile from the finish line heading for a sure victory, when a major mess -up occurred, They almost hit a buoy) and they went dead in the water. Fighting to get back up and foiling again the Sweden boat caught up to them at the finish line. The finish line is right in front of the grandstand, and the grandstand was pandemonium. New Zealand won by 1/3 boat length at 40 mph. Gosh golly.
If NZ had won all three races they would have been the challengers for the cup. But since they lost one of the races the deciding races would be run the next day, Monday.
Will and I happily got on the ferry, for a most enjoyable ride back to St Georges. On the way Will started talking with the couple beside us. The man is a geologist with a local research station. They had a lot to talk about. Small World.
Back on the boat, showers, and Dark 'n Stormy.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Monday, June 12, 2017
Saturday
Part of the reason to depart when we did was because a cold front was forecasted to cross eastern US a few days behind us. sweep out about 1/3 of the way to Bermuda, stall, and dissipate as a warm front. Everything went as forecasted except that it didn't stall, it kept coming, right behind us all the way. It was the reason we had the strong winds. "Marine Synopsis - A low pressure system passing to the northwest will induce moderate to strong winds through Saturday evening while a cold front nears Bermuda. The front will stall in the vicinity, decreasing the winds and impart showers through the weekend, before dissipating on Monday. "So that front, after chasing us for a week, has caught us, and will sit on us for awhile. After five days of 20-30 knots, it is now calm, no wind, and raining.
We had wanted to arrive just at daybreak before customs opened, anchor, make the dinghy, then go to customs after we organized. Strong wind and we were making our schedule when Bermuda Radio called us and told us to delay arrival at the sea bouy until 06:00 when a cruise ship was arriving. So we slowed down, the second largest cruise ship in the world, "Festival of the Seas", arrived, and we followd her in, were directed to the Customs Dock, where we made fast to land. An hour later were anchored in Convict Bay, asleep.
Sleep, wonderful sleep. Both of us awoke about noon, groggy and fuzzy. Some straightening up, and a shower (hot water because the engine had been running.) We decided to take a bus ride from St Georges at the north east end of the island, around the fish hook shaped island to the dockyard and cup village at the north west end. When you have plenty of time, and want to see Bermuda, the bus is a great ride. If you want to get to the America's Cup Village, it takes a long time and you see a lot of Bermuda. In the middle of the ride there is a transfer to another bus route we had to figured out. A note is that there is no public service on Bermuda that you can pay for at the location of the service. You can't pay the driver; you must buy tokens at a ticket office. So far we had figured out how to buy tickets and how to transfer.
We made it to the village about the time people were leaving after the Saturday race. A few weeks ago Normandie had bought tickets to get into the village, and we had printed copies, so getting in was not an issue. The village is just like it is on TV, or when you go to Americascup.com. And the boats were there. You could see them, and once again they are just like on TV. I was totally impressed. This is the real thing. Cotton had bought for us grandstand tickets for Sunday so we knew we were coming back. Both of us were exhausted so we did not stay long, then stumbled back to the bus stop for the interminably long ride back to St Georges.
After a passage filled with weather, we had made it to Bermuda, and the America's Cup Races.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
We had wanted to arrive just at daybreak before customs opened, anchor, make the dinghy, then go to customs after we organized. Strong wind and we were making our schedule when Bermuda Radio called us and told us to delay arrival at the sea bouy until 06:00 when a cruise ship was arriving. So we slowed down, the second largest cruise ship in the world, "Festival of the Seas", arrived, and we followd her in, were directed to the Customs Dock, where we made fast to land. An hour later were anchored in Convict Bay, asleep.
Sleep, wonderful sleep. Both of us awoke about noon, groggy and fuzzy. Some straightening up, and a shower (hot water because the engine had been running.) We decided to take a bus ride from St Georges at the north east end of the island, around the fish hook shaped island to the dockyard and cup village at the north west end. When you have plenty of time, and want to see Bermuda, the bus is a great ride. If you want to get to the America's Cup Village, it takes a long time and you see a lot of Bermuda. In the middle of the ride there is a transfer to another bus route we had to figured out. A note is that there is no public service on Bermuda that you can pay for at the location of the service. You can't pay the driver; you must buy tokens at a ticket office. So far we had figured out how to buy tickets and how to transfer.
We made it to the village about the time people were leaving after the Saturday race. A few weeks ago Normandie had bought tickets to get into the village, and we had printed copies, so getting in was not an issue. The village is just like it is on TV, or when you go to Americascup.com. And the boats were there. You could see them, and once again they are just like on TV. I was totally impressed. This is the real thing. Cotton had bought for us grandstand tickets for Sunday so we knew we were coming back. Both of us were exhausted so we did not stay long, then stumbled back to the bus stop for the interminably long ride back to St Georges.
After a passage filled with weather, we had made it to Bermuda, and the America's Cup Races.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Saturday, June 10, 2017
Landfall
There is something that only poetry can describe about landfall after a a sea voyage; after the hardships, and joys of the voyage, being totally isolated and self sufficient. Your existence has been concentrated down to the boat and your shipmates, while at the same time you have experienced the wind, the sea, the stars, the universe. Now there is land, your destination. Soon you will be safe, never a certainty at sea. This voyage has been successful. I have done it one more time, never a certainty.
And then there is the lighthouse. Gibbs Hill Light stands 354 feet over the Atlantic, its rotating beam sweeping the horizon, the land, the sea. "I am here. You can trust me," it says. It memorizes me. It welcomes me. I just sit in the cockpit and watch it, swish, swish. Each time, its rotating the beam of light seems to cleanse whatever it sweeps. As if to say "Your sins are forgiven". It is very comforting to have the lighthouse beam shining out, over my head and reaching out over the ocean. This voyage has been successful. I have done it one more time, never a certainty.
And what a voyage it was. Three superlatives: The longest duration I have ever been in sustained gale or near-gale wind, the longest noon to noon distance of 167 nautical miles, and the first time I have seen Advent's speed at 9 knots. Yes, it has been windy. And wet, mostly from spray. Soon we will be in the land of ice, hot showers, and laundry-mats.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
And then there is the lighthouse. Gibbs Hill Light stands 354 feet over the Atlantic, its rotating beam sweeping the horizon, the land, the sea. "I am here. You can trust me," it says. It memorizes me. It welcomes me. I just sit in the cockpit and watch it, swish, swish. Each time, its rotating the beam of light seems to cleanse whatever it sweeps. As if to say "Your sins are forgiven". It is very comforting to have the lighthouse beam shining out, over my head and reaching out over the ocean. This voyage has been successful. I have done it one more time, never a certainty.
And what a voyage it was. Three superlatives: The longest duration I have ever been in sustained gale or near-gale wind, the longest noon to noon distance of 167 nautical miles, and the first time I have seen Advent's speed at 9 knots. Yes, it has been windy. And wet, mostly from spray. Soon we will be in the land of ice, hot showers, and laundry-mats.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Friday, June 9, 2017
Thursday Night
Friday morning 02:00
Bermuda 170nm. We should arrive Saturday morning.
When we started a cold front was forecasted to follow us out, and stall to turn into a warm front about 1/3 of the way to Bermuda. Instead of stalling that front has continued along behind us giving us the favourable but strong winds and overcast/rainy weather. What is left of that font is going to over-run us tomorrow night as a weak occluded front, and the result seems to be dying wind and probably overcast / rain. All we have seen is gray or rainy sky. Tonight the clouds are ragged. Then there was a break in the clouds, and a beautiful full moon illuminated our world. It was absolutely beautiful; the ragged clouds, the choppy seas, the boat always moving forward through the water. I love to stand in the cockpit looking forward across the boat, watching as she rolls, pitches, and parts the sea. The joy, the thrill, is worth every penny of hardship we have paid.
Dirty, wet clothes. The boat is full of dirty, wet clothes. This is only a six day passage. Some people are at sea for weeks, crossing an entire ocean. How do they do it? what do they do with all the wet clothes? We tried drying it on the weather lifelines and the spray soaks it. We tried the lee lifelines, and occasionally the lee rail buries in the water, and the resulting splash soakes it. Inside the boat is festooned with damp draperies. In two days we will be in a land blessed with laundry-mats.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Bermuda 170nm. We should arrive Saturday morning.
When we started a cold front was forecasted to follow us out, and stall to turn into a warm front about 1/3 of the way to Bermuda. Instead of stalling that front has continued along behind us giving us the favourable but strong winds and overcast/rainy weather. What is left of that font is going to over-run us tomorrow night as a weak occluded front, and the result seems to be dying wind and probably overcast / rain. All we have seen is gray or rainy sky. Tonight the clouds are ragged. Then there was a break in the clouds, and a beautiful full moon illuminated our world. It was absolutely beautiful; the ragged clouds, the choppy seas, the boat always moving forward through the water. I love to stand in the cockpit looking forward across the boat, watching as she rolls, pitches, and parts the sea. The joy, the thrill, is worth every penny of hardship we have paid.
Dirty, wet clothes. The boat is full of dirty, wet clothes. This is only a six day passage. Some people are at sea for weeks, crossing an entire ocean. How do they do it? what do they do with all the wet clothes? We tried drying it on the weather lifelines and the spray soaks it. We tried the lee lifelines, and occasionally the lee rail buries in the water, and the resulting splash soakes it. Inside the boat is festooned with damp draperies. In two days we will be in a land blessed with laundry-mats.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Monday, June 5, 2017
Monday afternoon - Wind
About 0500 our boat speed was 5.5 and the track 140 degrees. Suddenly boat speed went to 7 kts and our track to 80 degrees. The Gulf Stream off NC flows noert-wast out past Hatteras. The current helped our speed but sweeps us north. The west side of the Gulf Stream is well defined, but there is no real east side. It just blends in to the clockwise rotation around the Sargasso Sea.
Wind today is south or south-wewst at 30 to 35 knots. We are sailing under trisail and 75% furled genoa, making only about 4.5 knots to reduce pounding. This is force 7 wind, near gale. It was exciting, and sorta fun, to work the foredeck rigging the stasail jib. Wind 35 kts, waves trying to wash me off the deck. The water was warm, and I felt safer than bouncing around inside the cabin.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
20:00 - Wind still 30-35 kts. It is uncomfortable aboard, but the boat seems happy. And, thank you Normandie for getting me to bring the stasail jibs. The boat is balanced and not heeling excessively.
Wind today is south or south-wewst at 30 to 35 knots. We are sailing under trisail and 75% furled genoa, making only about 4.5 knots to reduce pounding. This is force 7 wind, near gale. It was exciting, and sorta fun, to work the foredeck rigging the stasail jib. Wind 35 kts, waves trying to wash me off the deck. The water was warm, and I felt safer than bouncing around inside the cabin.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
20:00 - Wind still 30-35 kts. It is uncomfortable aboard, but the boat seems happy. And, thank you Normandie for getting me to bring the stasail jibs. The boat is balanced and not heeling excessively.
Sunday 05June (maybe)-Corrected mapshare address
Back in February I saw a notice in the magazine Ocean Navigator, for Rally to the Cup. An organizer was gathering people who wanted to sail to Bermuda for the America's Cup competition. I looked at it wistfully, but when Normandie saw it she said, "You are already out of time getting ready. Don't pass up this opportunity." I had just about put Advent II in mothballs since spring last year, and there was alot to be done. The most important was to drop the mast and inspect the rigging. The rigging was not but about six years old but I had put about 10,000 ocean miles on it, and it was time for a going over.
I finally got enough things done and it was time to move the boat to Wilmington. I have done this trip many times. It is a special experience, and I really want to share it with others. This time I could share. John Black came down from Washington DC. Advent was tied up at the Washington (NC) waterfront, with toilet and shower privileges, so Joun spent the first night on the boat. To be honest, the trip down was rather tough. We hyad high winds. I saw 35kts ot one point.. And most of the time the wind was straight on the bow, making the boat sluggish and hard to steer. The wind blows the bow off first to the port, then to stbd. John wantede to drive the boat, so he got the hard part. After three hard days we made it to Wrightsville Beach, wher Normandie, Marjorie and Cotton were waiting for us. We bundled into thcar and went to a seafood restraunt to celebrate Cotton's birthday.
Then the frantic boat preparations began. It would have been a comfortable few days, but the primary manual b ilge pump was not working. A good . strong manual bilge pump is critical wequipment for ocean sailing. When the boat was built they started with the bilge pump, them built the rest of the boat around it. It took a full day to get it out, then two more days to repair it and re-install it. Three days behind schedule, and Son Will was to arrrive tomorrow, and we were to sail Sunday. Normandie, Will and I loaded many tru\ckloads of gear and provisions. Each load i thought that there woould not be enough space to stow it. Amazomgly, this morinig, after two more trips between the house and the boat, and Will and Normandie initionlizing the satellite comination gear, Advent II, Will and I were ready to sail.
Up anchor at straight up 1200, mnotored out Masonboro Inlet,and we were on the way to Bermuda and the America's Cup. Genoa out at the seab ouy. Sailing 110 degrees in light air on a close reach, just south of east. I want to approach Bermuda from the south, and with south wind and the Gulf Stream pushing us north, we were sailing into the wind. The new cruising trisail went up and the boat had more power. Good sailing. Wind picked up, then picked up more, and by 1800 the wind was 20-25 knots, with the boat on a close reach, bashing into the waves. Jerky, jerky, rolly, rolly, healed over with the lee gunnel awash, bashing into the waves. We were stowed, and the onbly problem we had was that the boat was healing so much to port the forward vanity sink was filling with sea water and overflowing into the boat. Noow it is the middle of the night and the wind has droppede to 15-20, and we are much more comfortable. For awhile it was very difficult to move around in the boat. The r'ambunctous movement meant we had to have four point contact (to feet on the floor and two hands hanging on). Will took the 2000-2400 watch, and while I was asleep he sailed into five ships all around us, but thanks to the Automatis Identification System (AIS) he knew the location, speed and track of them all, ande there was no problem. The wind had lessened but it is still very active on board. REally difficult typing and hard to read what I have written, so please make up fill in what doesn't make sense. In spite of the bouncy-bouncy we have been averaging 5.5 knots on a fair course to make southing. It is now after midnight and Will is asleep in the forward "cabin". All is well aboard Advent II.
This satellite communication system Normandie has been working with is called inReach. One of the features is that it puts down a trail to where we are. I think you can access it at https://share.delorme.com/Advent2
For now it is bouncy-bouncy under a nearly full moon, at 5.5 knots.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
I finally got enough things done and it was time to move the boat to Wilmington. I have done this trip many times. It is a special experience, and I really want to share it with others. This time I could share. John Black came down from Washington DC. Advent was tied up at the Washington (NC) waterfront, with toilet and shower privileges, so Joun spent the first night on the boat. To be honest, the trip down was rather tough. We hyad high winds. I saw 35kts ot one point.. And most of the time the wind was straight on the bow, making the boat sluggish and hard to steer. The wind blows the bow off first to the port, then to stbd. John wantede to drive the boat, so he got the hard part. After three hard days we made it to Wrightsville Beach, wher Normandie, Marjorie and Cotton were waiting for us. We bundled into thcar and went to a seafood restraunt to celebrate Cotton's birthday.
Then the frantic boat preparations began. It would have been a comfortable few days, but the primary manual b ilge pump was not working. A good . strong manual bilge pump is critical wequipment for ocean sailing. When the boat was built they started with the bilge pump, them built the rest of the boat around it. It took a full day to get it out, then two more days to repair it and re-install it. Three days behind schedule, and Son Will was to arrrive tomorrow, and we were to sail Sunday. Normandie, Will and I loaded many tru\ckloads of gear and provisions. Each load i thought that there woould not be enough space to stow it. Amazomgly, this morinig, after two more trips between the house and the boat, and Will and Normandie initionlizing the satellite comination gear, Advent II, Will and I were ready to sail.
Up anchor at straight up 1200, mnotored out Masonboro Inlet,and we were on the way to Bermuda and the America's Cup. Genoa out at the seab ouy. Sailing 110 degrees in light air on a close reach, just south of east. I want to approach Bermuda from the south, and with south wind and the Gulf Stream pushing us north, we were sailing into the wind. The new cruising trisail went up and the boat had more power. Good sailing. Wind picked up, then picked up more, and by 1800 the wind was 20-25 knots, with the boat on a close reach, bashing into the waves. Jerky, jerky, rolly, rolly, healed over with the lee gunnel awash, bashing into the waves. We were stowed, and the onbly problem we had was that the boat was healing so much to port the forward vanity sink was filling with sea water and overflowing into the boat. Noow it is the middle of the night and the wind has droppede to 15-20, and we are much more comfortable. For awhile it was very difficult to move around in the boat. The r'ambunctous movement meant we had to have four point contact (to feet on the floor and two hands hanging on). Will took the 2000-2400 watch, and while I was asleep he sailed into five ships all around us, but thanks to the Automatis Identification System (AIS) he knew the location, speed and track of them all, ande there was no problem. The wind had lessened but it is still very active on board. REally difficult typing and hard to read what I have written, so please make up fill in what doesn't make sense. In spite of the bouncy-bouncy we have been averaging 5.5 knots on a fair course to make southing. It is now after midnight and Will is asleep in the forward "cabin". All is well aboard Advent II.
This satellite communication system Normandie has been working with is called inReach. One of the features is that it puts down a trail to where we are. I think you can access it at https://share.delorme.com/Advent2
For now it is bouncy-bouncy under a nearly full moon, at 5.5 knots.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Sunday 05June (maybe)
Back in February I saw a notice in the magazine Ocean Navigator, for Rally to the Cup. An organizer was gathering people who wanted to sail to Bermuda for the America's Cup competition. I looked at it wistfully, but when Normandie saw it she said, "You are already out of time getting ready. Don't pass up this opportunity." I had just about put Advent II in mothballs since spring last year, and there was alot to be done. The most important was to drop the mast and inspect the rigging. The rigging was not but about six years old but I had put about 10,000 ocean miles on it, and it was time for a going over.
I finally got enough things done and it was time to move the boat to Wilmington. I have done this trip many times. It is a special experience, and I really want to share it with others. This time I could share. John Black came down from Washington DC. Advent was tied up at the Washington (NC) waterfront, with toilet and shower privileges, so Joun spent the first night on the boat. To be honest, the trip down was rather tough. We hyad high winds. I saw 35kts ot one point.. And most of the time the wind was straight on the bow, making the boat sluggish and hard to steer. The wind blows the bow off first to the port, then to stbd. John wantede to drive the boat, so he got the hard part. After three hard days we made it to Wrightsville Beach, wher Normandie, Marjorie and Cotton were waiting for us. We bundled into thcar and went to a seafood restraunt to celebrate Cotton's birthday.
Then the frantic boat preparations began. It would have been a comfortable few days, but the primary manual b ilge pump was not working. A good . strong manual bilge pump is critical wequipment for ocean sailing. When the boat was built they started with the bilge pump, them built the rest of the boat around it. It took a full day to get it out, then two more days to repair it and re-install it. Three days behind schedule, and Son Will was to arrrive tomorrow, and we were to sail Sunday. Normandie, Will and I loaded many tru\ckloads of gear and provisions. Each load i thought that there woould not be enough space to stow it. Amazomgly, this morinig, after two more trips between the house and the boat, and Will and Normandie initionlizing the satellite comination gear, Advent II, Will and I were ready to sail.
Up anchor at straight up 1200, mnotored out Masonboro Inlet,and we were on the way to Bermuda and the America's Cup. Genoa out at the seab ouy. Sailing 110 degrees in light air on a close reach, just south of east. I want to approach Bermuda from the south, and with south wind and the Gulf Stream pushing us north, we were sailing into the wind. The new cruising trisail went up and the boat had more power. Good sailing. Wind picked up, then picked up more, and by 1800 the wind was 20-25 knots, with the boat on a close reach, bashing into the waves. Jerky, jerky, rolly, rolly, healed over with the lee gunnel awash, bashing into the waves. We were stowed, and the onbly problem we had was that the boat was healing so much to port the forward vanity sink was filling with sea water and overflowing into the boat. Noow it is the middle of the night and the wind has droppede to 15-20, and we are much more comfortable. For awhile it was very difficult to move around in the boat. The r'ambunctous movement meant we had to have four point contact (to feet on the floor and two hands hanging on). Will took the 2000-2400 watch, and while I was asleep he sailed into five ships all around us, but thanks to the Automatis Identification System (AIS) he knew the location, speed and track of them all, ande there was no problem. The wind had lessened but it is still very active on board. REally difficult typing and hard to read what I have written, so please make up fill in what doesn't make sense. In spite of the bouncy-bouncy we have been averaging 5.5 knots on a fair course to make southing. It is now after midnight and Will is asleep in the forward "cabin". All is well aboard Advent II.
This satellite communication system Normandie has been working with is called inReach. One of the features is that it puts down a trail to where we are. I think you can access it at http://delorme/adventtwo.(Normandie please correct the address for me. My piece of paper is stowed up front where Will is sleeping)
For now it is bouncy-bouncy under a nearly full moon, at 5.5 knots.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
I finally got enough things done and it was time to move the boat to Wilmington. I have done this trip many times. It is a special experience, and I really want to share it with others. This time I could share. John Black came down from Washington DC. Advent was tied up at the Washington (NC) waterfront, with toilet and shower privileges, so Joun spent the first night on the boat. To be honest, the trip down was rather tough. We hyad high winds. I saw 35kts ot one point.. And most of the time the wind was straight on the bow, making the boat sluggish and hard to steer. The wind blows the bow off first to the port, then to stbd. John wantede to drive the boat, so he got the hard part. After three hard days we made it to Wrightsville Beach, wher Normandie, Marjorie and Cotton were waiting for us. We bundled into thcar and went to a seafood restraunt to celebrate Cotton's birthday.
Then the frantic boat preparations began. It would have been a comfortable few days, but the primary manual b ilge pump was not working. A good . strong manual bilge pump is critical wequipment for ocean sailing. When the boat was built they started with the bilge pump, them built the rest of the boat around it. It took a full day to get it out, then two more days to repair it and re-install it. Three days behind schedule, and Son Will was to arrrive tomorrow, and we were to sail Sunday. Normandie, Will and I loaded many tru\ckloads of gear and provisions. Each load i thought that there woould not be enough space to stow it. Amazomgly, this morinig, after two more trips between the house and the boat, and Will and Normandie initionlizing the satellite comination gear, Advent II, Will and I were ready to sail.
Up anchor at straight up 1200, mnotored out Masonboro Inlet,and we were on the way to Bermuda and the America's Cup. Genoa out at the seab ouy. Sailing 110 degrees in light air on a close reach, just south of east. I want to approach Bermuda from the south, and with south wind and the Gulf Stream pushing us north, we were sailing into the wind. The new cruising trisail went up and the boat had more power. Good sailing. Wind picked up, then picked up more, and by 1800 the wind was 20-25 knots, with the boat on a close reach, bashing into the waves. Jerky, jerky, rolly, rolly, healed over with the lee gunnel awash, bashing into the waves. We were stowed, and the onbly problem we had was that the boat was healing so much to port the forward vanity sink was filling with sea water and overflowing into the boat. Noow it is the middle of the night and the wind has droppede to 15-20, and we are much more comfortable. For awhile it was very difficult to move around in the boat. The r'ambunctous movement meant we had to have four point contact (to feet on the floor and two hands hanging on). Will took the 2000-2400 watch, and while I was asleep he sailed into five ships all around us, but thanks to the Automatis Identification System (AIS) he knew the location, speed and track of them all, ande there was no problem. The wind had lessened but it is still very active on board. REally difficult typing and hard to read what I have written, so please make up fill in what doesn't make sense. In spite of the bouncy-bouncy we have been averaging 5.5 knots on a fair course to make southing. It is now after midnight and Will is asleep in the forward "cabin". All is well aboard Advent II.
This satellite communication system Normandie has been working with is called inReach. One of the features is that it puts down a trail to where we are. I think you can access it at http://delorme/adventtwo.(Normandie please correct the address for me. My piece of paper is stowed up front where Will is sleeping)
For now it is bouncy-bouncy under a nearly full moon, at 5.5 knots.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
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