the log

Just sit right back & you’ll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip
That started from this tropic port aboard this tiny ship….

May 3rd 2008
Ship’s Crew suffering from extreme rum-poisoning. Still in port, awaiting repairs to “Ol’ Rippy” [torn mainsail] and arrival of rental EPIRB and liferaft.

May 6th
9:41pm – Green Cay Marina/St. Croix
Vessel prepared for departure. Took on 3x 5gallon diesel jugs plus 12 additional gallons to top off main fuel tank. Filled main water tank 30gals plus loaded 35 gallons water in jugs. Mainsail repaired and looks good, new reef tack lines rove and tested. 8-man Avon liferaft mounted in bracket on main hatch cover. Route to WP4A23 (18º17.5’/64º38.5′) laid into handheld GPS.

May 7th
01:45EST – 17º48.270’N 064º40.134’W SoG 5.0kt CoG 350ºT Trip 4.9nm
Departed St. Croix approx 0030hrs. All plain sail set. calm/calm
Aries steering well. Boat still carries weather helm with full main.

02:25EST
Winds puffing 15kts+, boatspeed 6.5kts. Single reef main, struck staysail.

05:00EST – 18º04.178’N 064º38.510’W SoG 5.3kt CoG 002ºT Trip 25nm
Many dolphins.

06:13EST
One jerry jug diesel found to be leaking – approx 3gallons lost to bilge.

07:37EST
Transiting Flanagan Passage, BVI
Trip 43.2nm

11:42EST – 18º34.120’N 064º40.522’W SoG 4.8kt CoG 002ºT
Standing past Jost Van Dyke
10kt+ ESE winds
Sent position to Commanders [weather routing service].

[CJ] 16:01EST – 18º59.277’N 064º51.233’W SoG 5.1kt CoG 345ºT
Boat is paralleling us to the east most of the day.

18:47EST – 19º09.493’N 064º55.340’W SoG 4.5kt CoG 335ºT Trip 110nm
Motor on, charging house [battery], laptop.

20:00EST
Motor off. Seas calm, some clouds moving in
Laptop charged.

23:43EST – 19º30.754’N 065º06.450’W SoG 4.6kt CoG 330ºT Trip 139.4nm
Still steering 350ºC, great night sailing. Single reef main, full jib and stays’l.
On schedule for 140nm day!

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