110908 Carib Report #1

WOW...

Day One and next Morning.....rewrote...don’;t think it went out. I am writing after our first checkin on Friday night. Location 3635n-7538w Wind Direction 200 degrees at 8k.

Nyanza started at 1100 hours under motor for 6 hours with no wind. Leaving the Chesapeake Bridge behind we proceeded south toward the spot indicated for the  best crossing on the Gulf....that spot was indicated as 3610n/7415w . You can   our course track and see how we did. Many boats headed East. Nyanza chose to head further south..proved wrong......Friday night saw heavy fog off Hatteres as we moved along. The morning welcomed 2dolphin for a good part of an hour.

The crew ate well......roast beef sandwiches  for lunch..beans/rice and sausage for dinner with salad...Sherry did a great job as we rocked and rolled in 8 foot left  over seas.

  

As we head east across the gulf we find it 30 miles to the East  as planned. Day Two gets real interesting 15-20 out of the southwest.....heavy rollers all day. As we enter into the evening...everyone in full gear.....8-12 seas abeam wind building as we do dinner...Ziti and Salad. Sherry does great job in jumping boat.

Sherry and I do 8-12 shift right into a tropical storm....we manage to get third reef in and postage stamp jib open.....taking gusts to 40 Knotsa True as we drive at at 140 degrees...Finally roll jib and motor for two hours ...horrible sea state.....around 0600 this morning a cold front passes  from off S Carolina after the storm and winds move to the west slightly.

 

We are trying to work east as wind has rebuilt to 20+ knots. Gib says biggest ride of his life last night.....Jamie great on bow as always.  

SSB is not transmitting...don’t know why so we relay our positions on VHF. Up most of night....

 

Current 110908 0945 atl time position on the big ocean rolling around is 3420n/7114w  seas 10-12 feet. 173degrees.... wet quartering seas.

Your hanging on Captain JIm