Voyage Summary - Lake Worth, FL, USA to St. George's, Bermuda

SITREP

 

Departed Lake Worth about 10 AM local after fueling and waving goodbye to Ed and Claudia Davis.  Hot and sunny, was becalmed the first day until the afternoon thunderstorms started.  Gulf Stream running strong.  Since I was not trying to make the Bahamas I did not compensate and was carried about 80 miles north by the current. The remainder of trip in overcast skies or rain.  Herb routed me below 29 N as a series of lows were passing North to keep me out of stronger winds.  Turned North at 67 35 N.  Waves ranged from 3 to 10 feet on the beam or stern; winds averaged 15 to 20 with gusts to 30 in storms. Arrived St. George in 15 to 20 knot winds (inside the harbor!) and was directed to make fast to the customs dock.  Took two tries to get tied up.  Cleared customs and immigration without incident,  Typical of the efficient British I was contacted by radio about 20 miles out and asked for all the information they needed to fill out the forms in advance.  Clearance fees were 35 USD (so there Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Bahamas!)

 

MOVREP

Dates:  May 30 - June 7, 2012; 8 days

Voyage Length: 1022 NM

Great Circle Distance 869 NM

Distance Lost to dodging weather, tacking downwind, etc.:  153 NM

Average Speed Made Good 5.1 knots

Hours Motoring: 22; 1 to depart Lake Worth; 2 to charge batteries; 19 to beat the weather into Bermuda.

CASREP

1. Refrigerator:  Failed during first rain storm - fuse blew.  Apparently water got down inside the non-waterproof electrical panel (great design, thank you.)  Tried to replace fuse only to discover that in my haste to purchase a large and therefore cheaper per unit number of fuses I had purchased the wrong size.

2. Kindle:  For the second time in less than one year the screen failed.  Since this was my reading material I was pretty torqued.

3. Whisker Pole Halyard:  Fortunately there was no damage to the pole or the jib but the halyard remained free and out of reach the entire remainder of the trip.  I will have to go up the mast to recover it.

4. Chart table seat: (fat ass failure) Both bolts that hold the seat to the wall sheered off dropping me to the deck.  Unfortunately the bolts are welded into the support plate so they will have to be drilled out rather than just replaced.

 

XOREP

1. Three fish recovered from deck.  Two left on floor, one delivered to my face while I was sleeping.

2. XO is Maggie's (of s/v H2OBO) soul mate.  He is an amazing early warning system for anything uncomfortable and lets me know it.

 

COMS

1. Was able to contact the Maritime Mobile Service Net (http://www.mmsn.org) at least once a day and pass messages to Trevor and Spencer (my sons.)

2. Was able to contact Herb (Southbound II) for weather routing all but one day.

3. Was able to download weather charts, fuzzy but readable.

4. Was able to make one phone call to Spencer using my new IMARSAT PRO satellite phone.

5. Was unable to make a Airmail connection.

 

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