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We are off, next stop St. Martin
Calm seas and variable winds
Time: 11 Nov 12N
Position: 2728N/7838W
Sea Conditions: Calm
Wind: South less than 5 knots
Distance traveled: 80nm
Some Days A Diamond leaves the dock at 8:45 with an excited and anxious crew. It is a dark night and it takes 2 of us to successfully navigate our way through Manatee Pocket and the St. Lucie Inlet. By 9:15 we make the Inlet Sea Buoy and turn ENE towards Grand Bahama Island. The seas are 2 to 3 feet and winds ESE 5 to 7 knots and we motor sail across the Gulf Stream. The 4 of us stay up until about midnight. Carol and I take the first watch from 12 to 3. About 25 miles offshore we encounter several sword fish buoys and spend the next few hours on our toes trying not to get caught up in the fisherman’s lines. The shipping traffic is pretty light and we only talk with one tanker who comes within a mile of our path.
My brother Ollie and his wife Carol take over at 3:00am an d Carol and I retire pooped.
This morning we rigged up a fishing line, surf and turf would work tonight.
I received a forecast from a weather routing service. The weather looks to be staying the same for the next 3 or 4 days. The wind will be light and variable generally less than 5 to 7 knots. When it does pick up it will be right on our nose. I am glad we have all the extra fuel on board as we will do a lot of motoring until we get to 65W (730 miles from present position). Additionally, the weather router pointed out some strong adverse currents that we will encounter at 26N to 27.5N at 73W so we will run along 27.5 until about 74W the turn southeast to 25N then proceed direct to 65W. Also we are on economy cruise and just using one engine while motor sailing.
Fish For dinner
Time: 12 Nov 12N
Position: 2724N/7601W
Sea Conditions: Calm
Wind: WNW 5 to 7 knots
Distance traveled: 215nm
The weather continues to be calm as we are still motoring sailing. Yesterday we had an early diner and watched the DVD Walk the Line, great music and good acting. For the evening we divided the watch schedule to 6 to 9, 9 to 12, 12 to 3, and 3 to 6. Carol and I took the 6 to 9 and 12 to 3 and Ollie and Carol took the others. Tonight we will switch the schedule.
This morning we caught a nice 10 pound cow dolphin (mahi mahi). Ah, nothing like fresh fish for dinner (and lunch tomorrow).
 The wind continues to be less than 10 knots and from behind which makes for slow sailing. I set the spinnaker about 9 this morning and it has given us an additional 1 or 2 knots boat speed. At this rate we are looking at a 10 to 11 day passage.
Today we have started using the new water maker for the first time. It is very deceptive how little 3.5 gallons per hour looks on a minute by minute basis. We will let the water maker run for an hour and check the quality before actually transferring the water into the main water tanks.
Our fuel burn rate is good. We average 2.7 hours per gallon of fuel on economy cruise. This morning we transferred 10 gallons from the jerry cans into each main fuel tank.
Remains Calm
Time: 13 Nov 12N
Position: 2709N/7323W
Sea Conditions: 2 to 3 foot NW swells
Wind: NW 10 to 12 knots
Distance traveled: 360nm
It is another day of sleeping, reading, and eating. We are all starting to get into the passage making mode. This morning we did some routine maintenance of tightening fans belts, making fresh water, and checking oil (all is well). The wind has picked up a little bit giving us some better sailing conditions.
We have not seen another ship (or plane) in the last 24 hours; it’s very quiet out here.
The night skies have been like black ink until the half moon rises about 12 am. We continue to check in every morning and afternoon with the SSB radio nets. The weather in this part of the ocean is predicted to be pretty stable with light winds continuing for the rest of the week. We did hear this morning about what might be a tropical depression developing in the western Caribbean and will keep a watchful eye on the system.
 Yesterday we used our new 12 volt electric blender and enjoyed some "hit the spot" pina colodas. Last night Ollie fixed another great meal of that freshly caught mahi mahi. He lightly coated the filet with bread crumbs and topped it with crab meat and béarnaise sauce.
The cooler for frozen foods is working out great. Everything is still very frozen. Tonight’s dinner selection will be beef tenderloin on the grill. We may not be fast, but our tummy's are staying full. Think we are getting spoiled?
Already on the list of boat projects will be the addition of a separate freezer and ice maker.
As of this writing we are 447 miles from our turn point of heading south to pick up those sought after trade winds. If conditions remain the same the anticipated turn will be in about 3.5 days.
All is well
Time: 14 Nov 1300
Position: 2630N/71W
Sea Conditions: flat calm
Wind: 0/0
Distance traveled: 495nm
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Calm Seas |
Yesterday was a delightful sailing day in spite of the prevalent light winds. We did get a 3 hour period of 12 knot winds off our port beam that allowed us to fully utilize the spinnaker. It is always fun to scoot along at a consistent 8 knots in relatively flat seas. The fun only lasted a couple of hours but it is one of the things that make it exhilarating to be a sailor.
 Last night up, and until about 7am this morning, we had light and variable winds that gave us the capability to motor along with one engine at a speed of 5.5 knots. Since 7 it has been flat calm and the only wind is what we generate by moving through the seas. Fortunately the temperature is staying in the upper 70’s and low humidity.
The water maker is chunking along nicely and we enjoy that daily freshwater shower.
We are settling in on a watch schedule of 4 hour shifts. One couple takes the 6pm to 10pm and the 2 am to 6 am. The other takes the 10pm to 2am. The next night we switch shifts. The 4 hour rest period allows for better sleep.
At this point in the passage everyone is settling in on their own routine. All is well.
Slow
Time: 15 Nov 1200
Position: 2541N/6909W
Sea Conditions: 1 to 2 feet
Wind: East 8 to 10 knots
Distance traveled: 600nm
After dinner last night the winds started shifting more to the east, yuck, right where we want to go. Additionally, the seas became short and choppy that made for uncomfortable sleeping conditions. To motor sail in the prevailing conditions we have turned to more ESE heading and expect to get our easting back when the wind shifts to ENE later today. Overall it has been a slow 24 hours.
This morning we topped off the fuel tanks from the Jerry cans. We have motored most of the way due either to head or light winds and our fuel burn rate has been 65 gallons (4.5 days). We have 84 gallons of usable fuel left and that should give us a comfortable reserve.
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| Herb |
Every afternoon we are able to check in on a high frequency radio net that gives boats in the North Atlantic specific weather forecasts and recommendations based on their current position and routing. Herb, (the gentleman that runs the net) has been doing this 24/7 since the mid 80’s and provides this service strictly as a personal hobby and free. Boaters that want to utilize Herb’s service check in at 1430. First time check-in you provide your position and destination. Once you have checked in Herb keeps track of your progress and gives a pretty detailed weather routing advice. He provides service to approximately 50 boats a day. Herb operates from Ontario, Canada and has received numerous public service awards from both Canada and the US. It is always a secure feeling to know you have Herb “on board”.
Dark and Windy
Time: 16 Nov 1400
Position: 2415N/6720W
Sea Conditions: 6 to 8 feet occasional 10 feet
Wind: East 15 to 20 knots
Distance traveled: 715nm
Last night was kind of like a twilight zone. I went down below for a nap about 8pm. Ollie woke me at 10pm to show me all the building rain squalls on the radar. It was a very dark moonless night and the only reference to the rain squalls were on the radar screen. The seas have been building to 6 to 8 feet and the wind is at a constant 15 knots, gusting to 25 in the rain squalls. It seemed like we were a magnet for these clouds, very eerie to watch the convection clouds keep appearing and growing all around us. It gave me a feeling like we were the catalyst for their growth. When you get within a mile of this type of cloud the wind dramatically increases and changes direction. With all the rain and constantly shifting winds it makes for a frustrating and tiring watch. Additionally, the prevalent winds are coming from guess where? By 0100 I pull all the sails down and we motor for the rest of the night.
 This morning winds are still from the east blowing 15 to 20 knots with sloppy seas. I am very reluctant to go with these winds and take southerly heading because that will put us in the face to the easterly trade winds below 22N. The plan is to sail as far east as possible until directly north of St. Martin then turn south for the last 400 miles. Today’s forecast is for the winds to turn back to NE this afternoon and lay down to 10 knots. We will see (and hope).
Today the seas are still very sloppy, it is a good day to catch up on sleep. We expect to make landfall Sunday or Monday.
Midnight Shift
Time: 17 Nov 0400
Position: 2311N/6623W
Sea Conditions: 4 to 6 feet
Wind: East 12 to 15 knots
Distance traveled: 788nm
During last night’s weather briefing with Herb he informed us that we could expect another night like the one before (YUCK!). There is a small tropical trof between 23N and 25N in our area. The crew was definitely not happy with the prospects of another bumpy evening. We therefore decided to turn south and head for 23N and then parallel 23N to avoid the convective area. As of 0400 today it is looking like the right choice. We have had pretty good sailing conditions with moderate seas on the port beam and we are making a good 7 knots. Today wind conditions are forecast to be east to northeast at between 10 to 15 knots and should allow us to make progress towards an east southeast position. Saturday looks like south winds allowing for some more easting. Sunday the winds are turning more to a southeasterly direction and by that time we should be north of St. Martin enabling us to turn south and finish the trip on a port tack. We are still looking at Sunday night or Monday arrival. Well that is today’s plan, and those plans have a big way of changing out here. Until the next forecast.
Carol and I are on the 0200 to 0600 shift. This is the time of day I generally download weather files and look for best routings. We spend most of the shift time in the main salon reading and or doing puzzles (SuDoku, circle a word, etc.) and will do an outside scan about every 15 minutes. Our biggest threat out on the high seas is other ships. Since we are primarily made of fiberglass it is hard for those big ships to see us on their radar. Once we spot other ships if it looks like we will come within a mile of each other I will give them a call on the radio and make sure they know we are here. It is convenient to have the radar display viewable from the salon table as we can get an instant picture of what is going on around us.
Carol and I just finished a bowl of warm oatmeal. The sun is about 30 minutes of illuminating the eastern sky and all seems well with the world.
Flying Fish
Time: 18 Nov 0700
Position: 2125N/6440W
Sea Conditions: Calm
Wind: Variable less than 5 knots
Distance to SXM: 211nm
 At 0500 yesterday morning Ollie came up from his stateroom with Flying Fish in hand. Okay, so I know that Ollie is an avid fisherman, but fishing from the cabin! It seems that the little critter flew through the upper hatch and hit Ollie in the chest. This is a pretty cool trick for such a tiny fish, seeing that the hatch is about 6 feet above sea level. Lucky for the fish that it was too small to eat, we gave him a reprieve and put it back to sea. Ollie took the whole episode in stride and went soundly back to sleep. When Carol found out about the incident the sheets were quickly changed.
Ollie spent part of the morning rewiring our cockpit stereo speakers. Fortunately I had the wiring diagram. In a previous life I used to trash all those instruction books that come with new appliances, supplies, machines, etc. You know once it is up and running it should continue that way. Not any more, particularly with a boat. Save everything, believe me you will need it. Living on a cruising boat is like putting your house on a big trailer, then start dragging it around the country on bumpy roads, oh, and remember to dunk it in salt water a couple of times a month. It is amazing how fast things start to fall apart. The cruisers out there know just what I am talking about. Carol and I are just at the beginning of our journey into becoming semi-adequate do-it-yourselfers.
Speaking of good do-it-yourself folks, I need to thank Brian, Bill, Chuck, Charles, and Ollie for all the help this past summer getting Some Days A Diamond ready to go.
Friday’s weather was another beautiful day. The wind and seas we mostly calm but gave us enough wind to motor sail most of the day. I am sure glad my brother insisted on bringing an extra 50 gallons of fuel as we will get will start using that supply today. At the present time we are motoring in a direct line to St. Martin. According to the latest weather charts the winds are supposed to shift to the south today and then overnight move more towards the southeast and remain there for Sunday and Monday. Oh, and these meteorological folks out here are just as good as those that predict our weather patterns in Florida ;-).
We switched over to Atlantic Standard Time (AST) yesterday afternoon so we are now more in tune with the sunrise and sunset patterns in the area. It must have really had an impact on the crew as of 0730 everyone is still bagging some heavy ZZZZZZZZZ’s.
Pizza
Time: 19 Nov 0900
Position: 1930N/6327W
Sea Conditions: 1 to 2 feet
Wind: SE less than 10 knots
Distance to SXM: 75nm
Saturday was another slow day. For brunch we enjoyed Italian Sausage Pizza followed up by a frozen Pina Coloda. No one had trouble napping in the afternoon.
 It really is a big ocean, for the last 48 hours we have not seen another ship. Listening to the weather net we know there are at least 10 boats 300 to 500 miles north or us heading to St. Martin, St. Lucia, and The British Virgin Islands. I keep scanning the horizon looking for signs of other life. It is always exciting to spot another sail boat out here and compare notes about their trip and planned destinations. You get the feeling that you know these people after listening to them on the radio for 7 days. I expect over the next several months Carol and I will meet some of these cruisers and will recognize them by their boats names; Janus, Absolute, Signus, Marigot, Mary Kate, Sundance, Mantra, Sterling, etc.
The weather forecast from NOAA and Herb have told us that we will be motoring directly into the wind for the last 150 miles. So here we sit motoring along with both engines making 5.5 knots. Our eta for SXM will be about midnight tonight. We should arrive with about 15 gallons of fuel to spare. Our fuel burn for the trip has been a little less than 2 quarts of fuel per hour per engine.
Late tonight we will drop the hook in Orient Bay. After breakfast Monday morning we will sail to Capt. Oliver’s Marina at Oyster Pond (about 5 miles). There we will refuel, give the boat a good cleaning, laundry, rent a car, and check in with Customs.
We Made It!
Time: 20 Nov 1500
Position: Marigot Harbor, St. Martin
Sea Conditions: Perfect
Wind: SE less than 10 to 15 knots
Distance to SXM: 0
Yesterday was a great day. Beautiful weather to finish our last leg into St. Martin. I took fuel readings early in the morning and was satisfied we could motor the rest of the way and have 15 gallons left over. The wind shifted to southeast a little earlier than predicted and we responded accordingly. We were able to sail south towards the west end of Anguilla and then swing east coming into the west end of St. Martin. The winds were brisk with a constant 12 to 15 knots enabling us to maintain 7.5 knots close hauled into the wind.
About 50 miles out and as the sun was setting we noticed some big thunderstorms about 15 miles off the starboard bow. We reefed the main and I tried to catch some sleep. No luck with the sleep I was just too anxious about getting to the finish line. Fortunately all the thunderstorms were no impact and just gave us a nice show. Using the radar and chart plotter we were about to navigate through some tiny islands on the west side of Anguilla. It was really a joy to finally drop the hook after 9 days a sea. We now have 3 new passage makers in our mist, Carol, Ollie, and Carol.
 This morning we motored into Fort St. Louis Marina for a berth. We were immediately in search of eggs. Someone (not to be named here, but his initials are OH) forgot the eggs. So for the last week we have all been a little obsessive about not being able to have eggs on the journey and the thought of finally being able to have that real American breakfast could no longer be denied. We searched around and found none of the little restaurant served eggs. Ah, it then dawned on me that we are now in France, and they don’t think that eggs are a legitimate breakfast food. At 1100 we found a little restaurant and talked the owner, Rosemary, into going to the local grocery store around the corner and fixing us some eggs. Yum, that taken care of it was time to walk around St. Martin, check into customs, clean the boat, and of course some shopping.
Carol, Fancy, and I walked around for a little while then returned to the boat. I checked with customs (we are now legal), downloaded some email, and washed down the boat. Carol performed some female maintenance and is now tending to her herbs. All the plants survived the trip expect for the leaf lettuce.
Tomorrow we will rent a car for some shopping and touristy activities.
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