We got through the Gulf Stream about sunrise this morning, and immediately our track went back to almost west. During the night the current carried us as high as 330 degrees; the current offset was as much as 50 degrees. We came out in just about the location we wanted and now we are on a fair course to Beaufort Inlet, with an eta of 19:00. I am looking forward o a nice easy ending to this adventure.
The major characteristic to this crossing was that , until this morning, we were hard on the wind, a really close reach, almost beating. We were sailing as close to the wind as we could and still keep up some boat speed. When he boat is sailing this close to he wind, inside the cabin everything is leaning over 20 degrees, and with the boat sailing into he waves there is a sudden, jerky, unpredictable, radical hobby-horse motion. You have to walk at an extreme angle holding on with both hands to keep from getting tossed across the cabin. Sleeping you are mashed up against he side of he bunk, and only one position is possible. Outside the cabin you have to put up with the same motion except you are seated, not trying o move around. There is constant spray with only one place that is mostly protected in which to sit. The salt spray makes everything gritty, especially between your fingers. Just like the iron men who sailed wooden ships, after awhile you just live with it. It is picturesque, the boat heeling before the breeze, spray flying, but nobody likes beating into he wind. "Gentlemen don't sail to weather". Well we had to. Except for the past few days it was mostly an uncomfortable passage. But it is finishing good, and that is what everybody remembers. The last few days has been beautiful, and to make it perfect we had a full moon. In good sailing conditions, sailing at night under a full moon is stunningly beautiful.
The entire adventure has been a blessing to me. Sailing out with Will, the America's Cup, helping Lindsay start her new life, and sailing back with Jeremiah, I give thanks.
We have had few failures on the trip. The most bothersome is he failure of he "T" key on the computer remote keyboard. I now have to go back and, using he computer itself which is up on a shelf, add in all the "Ts" that didn't print. I did not realize before now that "T" is the second most used letter in he english language.
If, after 800 nautical miles at sea, that is all I have to complain about, it was a successful trip. Thank you Jeremiah. Thank you Marian for giving him to me to share this adventure.
And thank you Normandie, for a wonderful, wonderful experience.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
Monday evening. Last night at sea
Monday 18:00
The sailing has gotten better and better. This is the way I wanted it to be all the way across. We are sailing 5 kts+, on a good line, right where I want to be. We should be across the Gulf Stream tomorrow morning; tomorrow afternoon into Beaufort Inlet. If it had not been for he wind backing back around to the south we would be heading for Norfolk now. But now, we are heading home.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Tuesday 02:00 - 80 miles to Beaufort Inlet
The boat is still sailing west, Arcturus being on he bow, but GPS shows our track to be 310 degrees, a 40 degree offset due o he current of he Gulf Stream. Sailing beautifully and he ocean has calmed down some in the last hour.
BD
The sailing has gotten better and better. This is the way I wanted it to be all the way across. We are sailing 5 kts+, on a good line, right where I want to be. We should be across the Gulf Stream tomorrow morning; tomorrow afternoon into Beaufort Inlet. If it had not been for he wind backing back around to the south we would be heading for Norfolk now. But now, we are heading home.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Tuesday 02:00 - 80 miles to Beaufort Inlet
The boat is still sailing west, Arcturus being on he bow, but GPS shows our track to be 310 degrees, a 40 degree offset due o he current of he Gulf Stream. Sailing beautifully and he ocean has calmed down some in the last hour.
BD
Monday, July 10, 2017
Monday Morning 03:00
Absolutely beautiful sailing! Smooth seas, gentle wind, full moon in a clear sky, speed about 5 knots, going west exactly where we want to go. This is what gives sailing a good name. Sailing is so peaceful, sometimes, like now.
Plan to continue going west until we get to the Gulf Stream, then let it whoosh us north until we exit the west wall hopefully about the latitude of Cape Lookout. ETA Beaufort will be between late Tuesday afternoon / mid day Wednesday.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Plan to continue going west until we get to the Gulf Stream, then let it whoosh us north until we exit the west wall hopefully about the latitude of Cape Lookout. ETA Beaufort will be between late Tuesday afternoon / mid day Wednesday.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Sunday, July 9, 2017
Sunday evening
Sunday evening 205 miles from Beaufort
For awhile today the wind backed to the south enough for us to sail on a good line to Beaufort Inlet. It was glorious for a few hours. Long enough for us to decide to head for Cape Lookout, Beaufort Inlet and not go to Norfolk. That was fine until some showers came along and the wind stopped. With no wind we started the motor and continued on toward Beaufort. Now, six hours later we are still motoring to Beaufort, and will be for the next two days, or until the wind goes back to something we can sail in. The wind is back up to about 12 knots from the west and we are motoring straight into it at about 3 knots. It will be slow going. The hope is that we will be able to check in at Beaufort Wednesday morning. Whether we are sailing or motoring we still need to deal with the Gulf Stream so we are going south, now that we are motoring we are going a little south, hoping the Stream will whosh us back up to Cape Lookout.
Motor, motor, motor
Bill Doar
motor boat Advent II
For awhile today the wind backed to the south enough for us to sail on a good line to Beaufort Inlet. It was glorious for a few hours. Long enough for us to decide to head for Cape Lookout, Beaufort Inlet and not go to Norfolk. That was fine until some showers came along and the wind stopped. With no wind we started the motor and continued on toward Beaufort. Now, six hours later we are still motoring to Beaufort, and will be for the next two days, or until the wind goes back to something we can sail in. The wind is back up to about 12 knots from the west and we are motoring straight into it at about 3 knots. It will be slow going. The hope is that we will be able to check in at Beaufort Wednesday morning. Whether we are sailing or motoring we still need to deal with the Gulf Stream so we are going south, now that we are motoring we are going a little south, hoping the Stream will whosh us back up to Cape Lookout.
Motor, motor, motor
Bill Doar
motor boat Advent II
Sunday 02:00
I am astounded a the wind shift that has occurred in just one day. It seemed like forever the south-west and west wind made us have to sail to New England. And the best information I have, he GFS wind model, showed it continuing until next Wednesday. It looked that we would make a Virginia landfall, and I was wondering where would be the nest Customs and Immigration office north of there because it was not at all certain that we could even make Virginia. Then the wind shift. Now we are sailing due west or even a little south of west. In the spirit of "a picture is worth 1000 words" look at our track at share.delorme.com/Advent2 and see how we have turned, and where we may end up. When you consider the possibilities remember the big wild card, the Gulf Stream. It will sweep us to he right. Even if this wonderful wind continues there is no certainty that the Gulf Stream will not carry us out past Cape Hatteras.
The web site share.delorme.com/Advent2 gives our track as well as boat speed and direction real time every 10 minutes. Watch it for the next few days and see if we make it.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
The web site share.delorme.com/Advent2 gives our track as well as boat speed and direction real time every 10 minutes. Watch it for the next few days and see if we make it.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Prelim -Sunday 02:00
I am astounded a the wind shift that has occurred in just one day. It seemed like forever the south-west and west wind made us have to sail to New England. And the best information I have, he GFS wind model, showed it continuing until next Wednesday. It looked that we would make a Virginia landfall, and I was wondering where would be the nest Customs and Immigration office north of there because it was not at all certain that we could even make Virginia. Then the wind shift. Now we are sailing due west or even a little south of west. In the spirit of "a picture is worth 1000 words" look at our track at XXXXXXXXXXXX and see how we have turned, and where we may end up. When you consider the possibilities remember the big wild card, the Gulf Stream. It will sweep us to he right. Even if this wonderful wind continues there is no certainty that the Gulf Stream will not carry us out past Cape Hatteras.
The web site XXXXXXXXXXXX gives our track as well as boat speed and direction real time every 10 minutes. Watch it for the next few days and see if we make it.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
The web site XXXXXXXXXXXX gives our track as well as boat speed and direction real time every 10 minutes. Watch it for the next few days and see if we make it.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Saturday, July 8, 2017
Saturday afternoon
The wind became steady, and we have had two days of absolutely beautiful sailing. The wind is steady about 15-20, the sky clear blue and the seas comfortable. Instead of bashing, Advent is simply rising to meet the waves and riding over.
The wind is almost steady. It has backed about 20 degrees and now, instead of sailing 300 degrees toward New Jersey we are sailing 280 degrees toward Cape Lookout, about 300 miles away. But I can not get excited about North Carolina. When we cross the Gulf Stream we will be set to the right dramatically. The Gulf Stream flows at about 3 knots. We are only going 4.5 knots so even if we have favorable wind we will quiet likely be swept past Cape Hatteras up to Virginia.
This satellite text messaging service is simply amazing, but not particularly fun. But tonight Jeremiah talked wiht his friend Chuck on the short wave radio. That was fun.
Bill Doar
s/c Adevent II
The wind is almost steady. It has backed about 20 degrees and now, instead of sailing 300 degrees toward New Jersey we are sailing 280 degrees toward Cape Lookout, about 300 miles away. But I can not get excited about North Carolina. When we cross the Gulf Stream we will be set to the right dramatically. The Gulf Stream flows at about 3 knots. We are only going 4.5 knots so even if we have favorable wind we will quiet likely be swept past Cape Hatteras up to Virginia.
This satellite text messaging service is simply amazing, but not particularly fun. But tonight Jeremiah talked wiht his friend Chuck on the short wave radio. That was fun.
Bill Doar
s/c Adevent II
Sat morning 02:00
Jeremiah rings the ship's bell sharply, rousing me from sleep to start the midnight to 04:00 watch. We are sailing close to the wind, the boat bucking off the waves, slapping down dramatically onto and into the next wave. I struggle to move around in the pounding, jerking, lurching environment, the boat heeled sharply over to stbd, making just moving around difficult, much more trying to do something that requires letting go with one hand, like putting on a shirt. I finally get my shoes on, don the safety harness, once again safely manage a cup of coffee, fumble my way up the companionway to stand in the cockpit looking forward over the dodger top.
And it is a transformation! The ocean is even with well formed waves, not rough at all. Wind about 15kts pushing against the sails. Full moon shining between the occasional clouds. Advent is moving gracefully across the ocean's surface, rising on one wave, dropping down the other side to part the next, sending spray out to the sides. The heel, so dramatic belowdecks, feels perfectly normal seeing the motion of the boat in the waves. Advent is competently doing what she does best. She seems to say, "I was made for this. I am happy." I am struck by the black and white beauty of it all. The whiteness of the full moon shimmering on the b lack ocean surface. We are here, living with turmoil and beauty at the same time. Nowhere else exists.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
And it is a transformation! The ocean is even with well formed waves, not rough at all. Wind about 15kts pushing against the sails. Full moon shining between the occasional clouds. Advent is moving gracefully across the ocean's surface, rising on one wave, dropping down the other side to part the next, sending spray out to the sides. The heel, so dramatic belowdecks, feels perfectly normal seeing the motion of the boat in the waves. Advent is competently doing what she does best. She seems to say, "I was made for this. I am happy." I am struck by the black and white beauty of it all. The whiteness of the full moon shimmering on the b lack ocean surface. We are here, living with turmoil and beauty at the same time. Nowhere else exists.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Thursday, July 6, 2017
Thursday afternoon 06July
The wind forecast we use offshore is a program called GRIBS, never mind what the letters stand for. The shortwave radio is connected by a modem to the computer, and messages can be send and receive. This is the same system we use for email. I just about stretched the GRIB system to its limit, and tried to figure out what the winds were going to do for the next week. The bad news is that this south-west wind is going to persist. So we have t deal with it. The best I can tell is that we have two choices. One is too go south for two days, get down to where the wind is more from the south, then ride the south and south-west wind for probably six days back up to North Carolina, for a total of eight days. The other choice is to put the south-west wind on the port side and let it take us north of Cape Hatteras to make land somewhere up there. That should take about six days. I decided that it would be better if we headed north because it was two days shorter, even though I would not end up where I wanted to go (to Normandie). From where we were this morning Wilmington was on a bearing of 285 degrees from us. The best we have been able to sail has been about 300 degrees, so based on what we have been able to do we could not make Wilmington. A course of 300 degrees would put us north of Cape Hatteras, but the Gulf Stream would sweep us even farther to the north. But that is the plan, to not sail south, and to make land where ever the wind takes us. So I put the wind on the port side and tried sailing 300 degrees. Not only could I not sail 300 degrees, the boat was actually sailing 360, or straight to Nova Scotia! The wind had veered, and sailing straight north was not a good thing to do. So we tacked , and are now going south southwest, with the best sailing we have had since we left Bermuda.
The west wind that suddenly messed up my plans is forecasted to back around to south-west, and then we will head for Norfolk.
Other than that, it is not really uncomfortable on nboard, and we are catching up on our reading.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
The west wind that suddenly messed up my plans is forecasted to back around to south-west, and then we will head for Norfolk.
Other than that, it is not really uncomfortable on nboard, and we are catching up on our reading.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Thursday 06 July 03:00
It is a beautiful night to be sailing on the open ocean. The sea is calm. wind strong enough for good sailing, Stars shining through to moon lit sky. We are sailing comfortably, Advent as clost to the wind as she is able. Track is about 285 degrees, which will take us too far north for North Carolina, but we are still headed towards the New World. Hopefully this south-west wind will back enough to give us a good course. But for tonight we will just relax and enjoy the sailing.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Wednesday, July 5, 2017
Wednesday 05July
Anout noon Wednesday
Early evening yeaterday we sailed out of the pesky thundershowers. The problem was that those showers always mess up the wind, and you never know which way to do what. Also the wind was very light, which doesn't give the boat much control. We motored most of the day just to get somewhere. Well, the showers stopped, the wind settled down, and we had a perfectly beautiful night, stars, and an almost full moon.
Try to follow me now: A modern sailboat can not sail into the wind, but can sail about 45 degrees off the wind, or you might say that it can sail 45 degrees into the wind. Hot shot new boats can sail even closer to the wind than 45 degrees. Adventis not a modern boat, and the best she can do, beating hard, is to sail 50 deggrees off the wind. And that is beating hard, heeling way over, driving into the waves, quite uncomfortable. The is called "Sailing to Weather", and "Gentlemen don't sail to weather." I decided that this will be an easy ktrip, no heroics. There will be no beating into the wind, so I we will not be rying to sail Advent's best, which is 50 degrees. The closests to the wind will be what is called a close reach, which is about 60 degrees off the wind. That means we can sail 60 degrees to the left of the wind, or 60 degrees to the right of the wind. If the wind is blowing from 240 degrees we can sail 240-60 or 180 degrees, straight south. If the wind is blowing from 240 degrees we can sail 24060, or 300 degrees to New York, adding the effect of the Gulf Stream, to Cape Cod.
Well, the gentile 12 knot wind IS blowing from 240 degrees, and veering and backing 40 degrees. We set the boqat up to sail with the wind coming from our left, a port tack, and sail at 300 degrees until we are going 320 degrees to Maine, then we tack, putting the wind coming from our right side, a starbd tack, and sail along at 320-120 or 200 degrees, a little west of straight south. We sail along for maybe an hour and, as the wind backs, the boat slowly goes from 200 to 190 to south to 170, to 160 towards Africa. So we tack again tto sail Towards Norfolk, then Baltimore, to New York. The wind is a bsolutely, exactly coming from the wron direction for where we want to go. It would be easy to sail to Newport RI, where most of the Rally to the Cup went, and it would be easy to sail towartds the Virgin Islands, but not to go th North Carolina. At noon today we are 55nm west of Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, Bermuda.
That is what is going on. Now a bigger picture. The Atlantic coast from Cape Hatteras down to Jacksonville Florida runs in a north-east / south-west direction. (It is hard to realize that Jamaca and most of the Bahamas is west of Cape Hatteras.) Off shore of the Atlantic coast is the Gulf Stream, flowing north-east, faster than we are sailing right now. If we could be sailing straight towards Wilmington at this speed, when we got to the Gulf Stream it would sweep us out past Cape Hatteras. So the plan is to sail south enough to enter thje Gulf Stream about Florida/Geogia and let it sweep us up while we cross through it, and come out of the strong current at North Carolina. Now the best we have been able to do is get straight west of Bermuda. It will really be nice if the wind changes and we can ease south about 100 miles.
Early evening yeaterday we sailed out of the pesky thundershowers. The problem was that those showers always mess up the wind, and you never know which way to do what. Also the wind was very light, which doesn't give the boat much control. We motored most of the day just to get somewhere. Well, the showers stopped, the wind settled down, and we had a perfectly beautiful night, stars, and an almost full moon.
Try to follow me now: A modern sailboat can not sail into the wind, but can sail about 45 degrees off the wind, or you might say that it can sail 45 degrees into the wind. Hot shot new boats can sail even closer to the wind than 45 degrees. Adventis not a modern boat, and the best she can do, beating hard, is to sail 50 deggrees off the wind. And that is beating hard, heeling way over, driving into the waves, quite uncomfortable. The is called "Sailing to Weather", and "Gentlemen don't sail to weather." I decided that this will be an easy ktrip, no heroics. There will be no beating into the wind, so I we will not be rying to sail Advent's best, which is 50 degrees. The closests to the wind will be what is called a close reach, which is about 60 degrees off the wind. That means we can sail 60 degrees to the left of the wind, or 60 degrees to the right of the wind. If the wind is blowing from 240 degrees we can sail 240-60 or 180 degrees, straight south. If the wind is blowing from 240 degrees we can sail 24060, or 300 degrees to New York, adding the effect of the Gulf Stream, to Cape Cod.
Well, the gentile 12 knot wind IS blowing from 240 degrees, and veering and backing 40 degrees. We set the boqat up to sail with the wind coming from our left, a port tack, and sail at 300 degrees until we are going 320 degrees to Maine, then we tack, putting the wind coming from our right side, a starbd tack, and sail along at 320-120 or 200 degrees, a little west of straight south. We sail along for maybe an hour and, as the wind backs, the boat slowly goes from 200 to 190 to south to 170, to 160 towards Africa. So we tack again tto sail Towards Norfolk, then Baltimore, to New York. The wind is a bsolutely, exactly coming from the wron direction for where we want to go. It would be easy to sail to Newport RI, where most of the Rally to the Cup went, and it would be easy to sail towartds the Virgin Islands, but not to go th North Carolina. At noon today we are 55nm west of Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, Bermuda.
That is what is going on. Now a bigger picture. The Atlantic coast from Cape Hatteras down to Jacksonville Florida runs in a north-east / south-west direction. (It is hard to realize that Jamaca and most of the Bahamas is west of Cape Hatteras.) Off shore of the Atlantic coast is the Gulf Stream, flowing north-east, faster than we are sailing right now. If we could be sailing straight towards Wilmington at this speed, when we got to the Gulf Stream it would sweep us out past Cape Hatteras. So the plan is to sail south enough to enter thje Gulf Stream about Florida/Geogia and let it sweep us up while we cross through it, and come out of the strong current at North Carolina. Now the best we have been able to do is get straight west of Bermuda. It will really be nice if the wind changes and we can ease south about 100 miles.
Tuesday, July 4, 2017
Goodby Bermuda - For Real
Tuesday 04 July
There was no mention of American Independence in Bermuda today. I guess they don't appreciate it.
Church Sunday. Even the priest mentioned how hot it was. Of course no air conditioning; windows open and fans. They have been doing it this way in this church since 1610. Woody - It is the oldest church in the western hemisphere! I spent the rest of Sunday getting ready, again to leave. And Monday morning carrying water tow jugs at a time from the boat gasoline station back to the boat. Got everything topped off in for Jeremiah's arrival about 16:00. We went to the boat so he could see what it is like on board, then we went to the market to stock up on fresh fruits and veggies. Then it was time for a quick swim, shower, and drinks on the foredeck.
The perfectness of the situation was marred by intermittent showers. Advent doesn't do rain well. The bimini over the cockpit does not provide enough shelter from rain, and below deck, when the hatches are closed is hot and humid. But showers pass. We were up and down, in and out, until an early bed.
This morning went comfortably and smoothly. We squared away the gear, deck jugs, chairs table, etc, folded the dinghy and secured it to the rail, and checked out through customs. Uneventful.
Wind is light from southwest. We want to sail towards the southwest. Don't want to sail east of south, which we would do if we then left. Don't want to sail north of west, which we would do if we turn right. So we motor into light wind and choppy seas. Uncomfortable and frustrating. Frequent showers with wind shifts all over the place. We finally get west of the island, can turn right some and are now sailing slowly approximately towards Happy Birthday United States of America.
This sloppy weather is forecasted to continue tomorrow, but with a little bit more wind. It is really wonderful when the boat is sailing. We just want more of it.
Normandie says that you can watch our progress on the internet at https://share.delorme.com/
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
There was no mention of American Independence in Bermuda today. I guess they don't appreciate it.
Church Sunday. Even the priest mentioned how hot it was. Of course no air conditioning; windows open and fans. They have been doing it this way in this church since 1610. Woody - It is the oldest church in the western hemisphere! I spent the rest of Sunday getting ready, again to leave. And Monday morning carrying water tow jugs at a time from the boat gasoline station back to the boat. Got everything topped off in for Jeremiah's arrival about 16:00. We went to the boat so he could see what it is like on board, then we went to the market to stock up on fresh fruits and veggies. Then it was time for a quick swim, shower, and drinks on the foredeck.
The perfectness of the situation was marred by intermittent showers. Advent doesn't do rain well. The bimini over the cockpit does not provide enough shelter from rain, and below deck, when the hatches are closed is hot and humid. But showers pass. We were up and down, in and out, until an early bed.
This morning went comfortably and smoothly. We squared away the gear, deck jugs, chairs table, etc, folded the dinghy and secured it to the rail, and checked out through customs. Uneventful.
Wind is light from southwest. We want to sail towards the southwest. Don't want to sail east of south, which we would do if we then left. Don't want to sail north of west, which we would do if we turn right. So we motor into light wind and choppy seas. Uncomfortable and frustrating. Frequent showers with wind shifts all over the place. We finally get west of the island, can turn right some and are now sailing slowly approximately towards Happy Birthday United States of America.
This sloppy weather is forecasted to continue tomorrow, but with a little bit more wind. It is really wonderful when the boat is sailing. We just want more of it.
Normandie says that you can watch our progress on the internet at https://share.delorme.com/
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Saturday, July 1, 2017
Goodbye Bermuda- Cancel That !
The yucky weather we have been having for the past few days is forecasted to go away Thursday, and i think I will go away too. This has been a excep[tionally wonderful experience. Now it is time to go back home. I spent most of the day, between rain showers, going to get water two jugs at a time. When I got fuel and water topped off I went by the church to see Gilliam Outebridge, the lady who sails a Flicka. One of the first days Will and I were here she came driving her boat through the anchorage and I waved and called her. She told me today that it was a thrill for her, when she was driving among the exotic visiting yachts, to have someone wave and actually call her by name. You never know what little things you do may make somebody smile.
The dinghy is stowed. I will tie the deck jugs tomorrow waiting for Customs and Immigration to open. The trip back should take about six days.
Love to you all.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Several days later.
I have aboard a satellite communicator called inReach. It will send text messages both ways, and has been a game changer for keeping in touch with folks ashore. It usually only takes a few minutes to send a message and get a reply. It is just one of the many things that Normandie has put in my life. I was getting ready to go to Customs to check out when I got a message from Jeremiah Day saying that he might be able to fly out and sail back with me. All departure plans went on hold. The next day while he was sorting out details, I was did routine shipboard stuff. The dinghy was lashed to the rail so I did not go ashore. The day after that his plans were firming up to come so I assembled "Goodness", and went to catch the ferry to The Royal Dockyard.
The Royal Dockyard in English Harbour, Antigua, has fascinated me every time I get there. It is where the British Navy reworked and resupplied their Caribbean fleet. The Dockyard here is much larger, maybe five times bigger. But Captain jack Aubry never has any adventure in Bermuda. The reason is that the British were occupied with conflicts with Spain and France, and Bermuda was secured close to their colonies in America so the French and Spanish were not interested in it. As a matter of fact, Bermuda is named for the Spaniard who discovered it, Bermudez, and Spain claimed it. For a hundred years only ship-wrecked sailors lived here until they were rescued. Then the ship "Sea Venture", a resupply ship to the Jamestown colony, in a hurricane wrecked on the reef, with no loss of life. The sailors went to work building two smaller ships using lumber from the wreck of Sea Venture. Ten months later they sailed on to Jamestown, leaving two deserters, who were later pardoned. (They sailed under the command of Captain Christopher Newport. In Newport News Virginia there is a Christopher Newport Collage. I wonder where the name Newport News came from?) When news of the shipwreck and the self rescue got back to London it caused a sensation, and some say that Shakespeare's play "The Tempest" is based on the story. London then got interested in Bermuda, and two years later colonized it. Spain objected but didn't challenge, and it became de facto British. Nobody was interested because basically nothing is here. Wars were fought in the Caribbean over sugar and tobacco, but Bermuda escaped all that. All of O'Brien's stories are based on actual Naval actions, and Jack Aubry had no reason to come here.
Bermuda has great natural defenses; a reef is around 2/3 of the island, only the south side is exposed to the open ocean. There is one passage through the reef. The reefs kept enemy ships far out of canon range. After the US Revoulation Britain became concerned that the UWS would want Bermuda and started seriously fortifying it. Then after the US Un-Civil War the range of naval guns increased to the point that ships could stand off the reef and fire into the island. More fortifications. During WWI the island just bristled with forts with guns pointed in all directions. All this was successful I suppose because Bermuda has neverf been attacked. These old forts are now everywhere. Some are tourist attractions, some abandoned and overgrown, some useful structures. My favorite is on top of the hill overlooking St Georges, and all of Bermuda. It is the nerve center for controlling all vessel movement in the controlled navigation area, Bermuda Radio. I visited it on a previous visit. It is a little, classic fort, complete with mote and drawbridge. Four preserved guns, one on each corner. Inside the mote is a not very large three story building, its walls dropping straight down into the mote. Windows all around and bristling with electronics. The ever present all seeing guardian looking over us.
This weekend is a celebration of the Portuguese heritage, mostly from the Azores! I am a long way from New Bedford, but the whalers influenced the populations everywhere they went. There are stages set up with lots of open food stations and decorations. I love these celebrations for the local people, not tourists.
I keep seeing the Town Crier, a man in costume with a bell. They have a reenactment of the town dunking stool. A woman is accused, he puts her on the stool, and a group of tourists wheel the see-saw contraption to the edge of the water, let go their end, and down she goes! I later spent some time talking with the Crier and he filled me in on some history details. He is a descendant of one of the deserters who remained when the rest sailed for Jamestown. He is also the treasurer at church. With him was his "dunkee" the woman in the dunking stool, with wet hair. Their discussion was about where he was going to leave the church bulletins so she could pick them up. Small Town.
Jeremiah will arrive Monday and we will sail after that, weather permitting.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
I would rather be in a boat with a drink on the rocks,
Than in the drink with a boat on the rocks.
The dinghy is stowed. I will tie the deck jugs tomorrow waiting for Customs and Immigration to open. The trip back should take about six days.
Love to you all.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Several days later.
I have aboard a satellite communicator called inReach. It will send text messages both ways, and has been a game changer for keeping in touch with folks ashore. It usually only takes a few minutes to send a message and get a reply. It is just one of the many things that Normandie has put in my life. I was getting ready to go to Customs to check out when I got a message from Jeremiah Day saying that he might be able to fly out and sail back with me. All departure plans went on hold. The next day while he was sorting out details, I was did routine shipboard stuff. The dinghy was lashed to the rail so I did not go ashore. The day after that his plans were firming up to come so I assembled "Goodness", and went to catch the ferry to The Royal Dockyard.
The Royal Dockyard in English Harbour, Antigua, has fascinated me every time I get there. It is where the British Navy reworked and resupplied their Caribbean fleet. The Dockyard here is much larger, maybe five times bigger. But Captain jack Aubry never has any adventure in Bermuda. The reason is that the British were occupied with conflicts with Spain and France, and Bermuda was secured close to their colonies in America so the French and Spanish were not interested in it. As a matter of fact, Bermuda is named for the Spaniard who discovered it, Bermudez, and Spain claimed it. For a hundred years only ship-wrecked sailors lived here until they were rescued. Then the ship "Sea Venture", a resupply ship to the Jamestown colony, in a hurricane wrecked on the reef, with no loss of life. The sailors went to work building two smaller ships using lumber from the wreck of Sea Venture. Ten months later they sailed on to Jamestown, leaving two deserters, who were later pardoned. (They sailed under the command of Captain Christopher Newport. In Newport News Virginia there is a Christopher Newport Collage. I wonder where the name Newport News came from?) When news of the shipwreck and the self rescue got back to London it caused a sensation, and some say that Shakespeare's play "The Tempest" is based on the story. London then got interested in Bermuda, and two years later colonized it. Spain objected but didn't challenge, and it became de facto British. Nobody was interested because basically nothing is here. Wars were fought in the Caribbean over sugar and tobacco, but Bermuda escaped all that. All of O'Brien's stories are based on actual Naval actions, and Jack Aubry had no reason to come here.
Bermuda has great natural defenses; a reef is around 2/3 of the island, only the south side is exposed to the open ocean. There is one passage through the reef. The reefs kept enemy ships far out of canon range. After the US Revoulation Britain became concerned that the UWS would want Bermuda and started seriously fortifying it. Then after the US Un-Civil War the range of naval guns increased to the point that ships could stand off the reef and fire into the island. More fortifications. During WWI the island just bristled with forts with guns pointed in all directions. All this was successful I suppose because Bermuda has neverf been attacked. These old forts are now everywhere. Some are tourist attractions, some abandoned and overgrown, some useful structures. My favorite is on top of the hill overlooking St Georges, and all of Bermuda. It is the nerve center for controlling all vessel movement in the controlled navigation area, Bermuda Radio. I visited it on a previous visit. It is a little, classic fort, complete with mote and drawbridge. Four preserved guns, one on each corner. Inside the mote is a not very large three story building, its walls dropping straight down into the mote. Windows all around and bristling with electronics. The ever present all seeing guardian looking over us.
This weekend is a celebration of the Portuguese heritage, mostly from the Azores! I am a long way from New Bedford, but the whalers influenced the populations everywhere they went. There are stages set up with lots of open food stations and decorations. I love these celebrations for the local people, not tourists.
I keep seeing the Town Crier, a man in costume with a bell. They have a reenactment of the town dunking stool. A woman is accused, he puts her on the stool, and a group of tourists wheel the see-saw contraption to the edge of the water, let go their end, and down she goes! I later spent some time talking with the Crier and he filled me in on some history details. He is a descendant of one of the deserters who remained when the rest sailed for Jamestown. He is also the treasurer at church. With him was his "dunkee" the woman in the dunking stool, with wet hair. Their discussion was about where he was going to leave the church bulletins so she could pick them up. Small Town.
Jeremiah will arrive Monday and we will sail after that, weather permitting.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
I would rather be in a boat with a drink on the rocks,
Than in the drink with a boat on the rocks.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)