On the 18^th we sailed around to Hamilton harbor and on the way Nancy took a miss step in the cockpit, fell and injured her left foot. We anchored behind Hawkins’ Island for the night and had a wonderful evening. By next morning, Sunday, Nancy’s foot was hurting her so much that we decided to go to the emergency room for some x-rays. As it turns out her ankle was severely sprained and the bone that goes from the ankle to the little toe was broken but not displaced. We wound up spending pretty much the whole day at the hospital. With an appointment to see the orthopedic surgeon on Wednesday we decided to sail back to St Georges where it is easier to get ashore. Had a delightful sail back and are now anchored in the harbor closer to the dinghy dock then before. After breakfast we are going to shore to check email for the first time since arriving.

5-17-14   Yesterday we went exploring the east end of St. Georges on our folding bikes. While they are a bit of a pain in the arse to stow aboard and get to and from shore they are certainly a hit when ashore. We had two highlights of the day, the first when we met Jerry Correia while having breakfast at the CV Café. He is the man behind Ocean Breeze Sailing Charters and a good friend of both Mark Boden and Michael Vogalie, friends I made in 1979 while stationed here with the US Navy. As it turns out Mark is off Island but Michael and his wife Penny are living aboard Spirit of Liberty in Hamilton Harbor. The second highlight was meeting Patrick at St. Catherine’s fort and museum. A fellow sailor and supervisor at the fort he took it upon himself to keep popping up at the most opportune times to explain this or that about the fort. When ventured onto the gun deck Patrick was there standing beside a powerful telescope, Spinning it around to the north and following a quick peek himself he invited us to take a look. Brought into view from nine and one half miles away was the massive North Rock Light marking the outer edge of the reef which protects the entire north shore, approximately 18 miles, of Bermuda. Through the scope we could see large swells of ocean breaking and foaming across the lower portion of the marker.

   Just finishing up this portion of the blog so we can go ashore and find an internet cafe and get this posted. Looks like it worked, More to follow.

5-14-14   Absolutely nothing noteworthy took place yesterday so you get spared the mundane life of a sailor when things work as they should.

   At 0107 this morning Gibbs Hill light came blinking out of the sea every 10 seconds fine on the port bow. Land Fall! We continued to close the coast and by 0800 we were motor sailing down the south shore below the South Hampton Princess. We entered town cut just a little after 0900. Once through, the harbor of ST. Georges opens up. We were surprised to find we had to wait in line to get to the customs house dock due to numerous boats participating in the 2014 transatlantic Arc clearing out. We queued up behind 4 other sailboats and found a spot to anchor for the wait. By 1120 were finally tied up at the customs house dock and shortly thereafter, formalities taken care of, we were granted clearance, departed the dock and had our anchor down in the harbor at 1100.

 South Hampton Princess on hill

Entering town cut

Nancy's reaction to arrival

 Almost through Town Cut, the harbor is opening up

 This ketch was ahead of us to clear in

The next leg of the ARC to Azores starts

   Believe it or not, we spent the entire day aboard catching up on sleep and cleaning up Avelinda. We got the dinghy overboard and found that we had left the keys to the dinghy engine lock back in St. Augustine. As it was getting late we decided to wait until tomorrow morning to cut off the lock.

   Nancy prepared baked ziti for dinner which we had in the cockpit washed down with ample amounts of red wine.

5-12-14   For those of you following our track on the Delorme Inreach site, you were probably wondering what the hell we were doing this morning. Let me tell you a tale of woe: We had been under power since noon the previous day. I turned it at 0230 last night to the sound of the engine ticking over at 1300 rpm. At 0430 I was awoken by the engine being shut down so I called out to Nancy and ask if we were under sail again, to which she replied that she shut down because of overheating… WONDERFUL thought I. Once up we began troubleshooting and found the raw water strainer somewhat fouled and surmised that to be the problem. After discussing the issue we elected once again to take care of the problem in the morning and I returned to bed. Nancy resumed her watch and Avelinda drifted about on a placid sea. Once up and after a cup of coffee we tackled the strainer in earnest and had it cleared within 45 min. Turned the engine on and found it still overheated, shut down and back to trouble shooting which soon turned up the fact that the engine cooling pump had thrown a belt. It took almost 2 hours to replace that rascal with a spare we had aboard due in part to difficult access and in part to the spare belt being about one inch to short. Following plenty of cursing and cajoling we were able to finagle it on and were underway again by 1000. The seas are almost completely smooth with just the barest of cat’s paws tickling the surface. By noon we were able to post our worst days run to date of 70 nautical miles.

   The rest of the day was pretty boring as we sailed over a flat calm sea but the evening and sunset made up for it. Watch the videos below.

Sorry the videos didn't want to upload will try again later

5-11-14 We were under sail for the whole of the night but 0715 found us becalmed again so… on came the engine. At 1030 this morning we were 262 nautical miles from Bermuda or at least to a point below Gibbs Hill light house. we will still have about 20  to go after reaching our land fall.

Our noon to noon distance traveled turned out to be 93 nautical miles, surprising considering the calms we have been experiencing.

At 1500 Nancy had just turned in when I sighted a huge buoy so close to our course that I expected to go over and investigate. I rousted Nancy from her bunk and as she steered I went up on deck to get a better view. I took many pictures as we circled it. It appeared to be a buoy gone adrift so we took its position down to report to authorities we arrive in Bermuda.

5-10-14   At 0430 this morning I was awaken when the engine shutoff, thinking the wind had returned and Nancy was going back to sails I rolled over to return to sleep only to hear her report that the engine had shut down on its own. I got up to investigate. The shut off solenoid was found to be engaged meaning there was a short in the circuit and the fuel had been turned off. It took some time but I was able to remove one of the wires to the solenoid and restore fuel flow. We tried to restart the engine but could not even engage the starter. Throughout my trouble shooting Avelinda continued to sail along under a light breeze at 3kts so we decided we would await daylight to continue trouble shooting.

   Returning mid-morning to troubleshooting the first thing I found was a shorted solenoid relay caused by salt water dripping from the raw water cooled exhaust connection which in turn was caused by a failed hose clamp. Fortunately, all hoses are double clamped onboard as a safety measure. Had there only been one the hose could have blown off the exhaust manifold resulting in the cabin being filled with exhaust fumes and the bilge with raw water. Lacking a spare clamp as big as the one needed we robbed one from one of the aft cockpit scuppers which rarely see any use and replaced the missing one at the exhaust. The cause of the starter failure turned out to be a loose connection to one of the wires which activate the starter. That’s a brief description of the problem solving but it took me the better part of the day to accomplish. In fact I finished up just in time for cocktail hour. We will replace the relay and procure spare clamps in Bermuda. I was able to get the engine going in time to have it available when the winds later fell short again.

Taking advantage of the calm I dropped each sail in turn and rigged luff hauling parrel lines to correct the ill shaped luffs. Now we await winds to see how much difference they will make.

Our noon to noon run was 102nm, about average in these conditions.

We ended the day with a very pleasant dinner of red beans and rice and a glass of red wine.

5-9-14   Today a now routine clear sky, calm sea day starting with light winds slowly building during the day giving us yet more pleasurable sailing.

   This morning while strolling the decks looking for problems or at least potential ones I came across the small swallow lying under the dinghy, stone cold dead! He received the same internment as his predecessor.

   By mid-morning the breeze filled in from the south west and we had another day of wonderful if not a little slow sailing. Our 1200 position fix resulted in 113nm noon to noon run. By 1900 the wind had pretty much died so we cranked up the engine and powered along at 1300 rpm and 3.8 to 4kts charging batteries while making way.

   2030 found us on a collision course with the freighter “Unique Explorer”, still some 6 miles out. Once again the AIS transponder was activated, after waiting 15 min. to see if he was going to make any course changes I contacted him on vhf channel 16 then 14 and ask if he was aware that we were on a collision course. A short pause and he reported he was taking action. By speeding up he was able to pass ahead of us by about ¾ of a mile.

5-8-14   This morning around 0300 while Nancy was on watch an AIS target appeared on the chart plotter and after observing it for a while Nancy activate it on the screen and noted it was a 90ft pleasure yacht named Joan’s Beach. When the chart plotter confirmed a collision course in about 25 min. by displaying two red lines converging and a red representation of a sinking ship she went to battle stations, 1^st activating our transponder, usually left in receive only mode to conserve power, and then calling Joan’s Beach on the vhf radio. Once contact was made Nancy reported “I think we will be meeting up ahead”, her skipper asked “what would you like to do”… Nancy responded, “well we’re under sail you might speed up or slowdown” at which Joan’s Beach skipper retorted I’m changing course to starboard to pass ahead of you. Sinking ships avoided.

   Our third day at sea dawned as beautiful as the previous two. Nancy and I remarked on how we have both settled into an at sea routine with our sleeping and sea legs attained. The 24/7 isometric exercises associated with life aboard a small boat at sea has done wonders for our back pains which have seemed to gone away.

This day ended with the now routine light winds, flopping around followed by increasing winds as the evening wares on and a delightful night sail.

5-7-14   The night of the 6^th & 7^th was delightful, the sky littered with stars seldom seen because of light pollution and a balmy breeze from behind pushing us along at 1^st 5.5kts and later, helped by the gulf stream, 9kts for the better part of the night. The westerly’s held throughout the morning and into the early evening before finally falling light around 1500 allowing us a noon to noon run of 154nm before leaving us wallowing in a windless hole which lasted until around 2000.

   The engine was started and we idled along at 3.5kts to stop the flopping around charge the batteries. When the winds returned the aluminum genoa was shut down and we sailed through the night at 4kts. While the engine was running we gave Al, who had steered relentlessly since departing, a break and turned over the helm to Mr. Cabot our electric autopilot named after the 1^st owner of Avelinda. As for steering we have to date only steered for about 20 min., the time needed to get out the inlet.

   Another failure reared its ugly head today. While running the engine I decided to turn on the water maker. A previously broken but as yet undetected water strainer feeding the water maker made its self-known when I applied pressure water to it. I was able to quickly shut down the leak but not before getting soaked. We have lost the ability to make fresh water from the sea unless we can obtain a replacement in Bermuda.

   Two land birds paid us a visit today and adopted Nancy. The 1^st was a small finch with a red top nock which came aboard early and thoroughly inspected Avelinda from end to end inside and out. Nancy put out some water and a few cracker crumbs for him but neither one of us saw him partake of any refreshment. In the evening Nancy sat reading her book and he alighted near her, hopped over to her and snuggled up to her right thigh. Shortly thereafter a small swallow landed atop my hat and then flew around the cockpit before landing near the finch. He hopped over and took up roost at first next to the finch before wiggling his way between the finch and Nancy’s thigh. Some 30 min. later the finch crawled out and went into death throes and died shortly thereafter. He was unceremoniously give a burial at sea. Awhile later, perhaps sensing the same fate, the swallow gave up his roost and flew forward to find a more favorable habitat for the evening.

you have to look close to see the birds next to Nancy and the coaming

5-6-14   By o100 the main became so blanked as to be useless so we elected to drop it and sail under mizzen alone. Strangely enough we still managed to make 5.3kts. 1000 found us rolling horribly in light air and a confused sea but still able to manage 4.5kts. Fortunately the rolling didn’t deter Nancy from cooking up a great egg and potato brunch.

We're loving life

   Our 1^st breakage of the trip occurred around 1600. With the light winds from behind I had elected to prevent the main boom from swing back and forth by tying it out with a line to the bow cleat. Later when it became necessary to jibe over to the starboard tack I failed to release the preventer first thinking we would run wing on wing for a while and it would be handy to leave it on. After jibing I went forward to realize it just in case the main decided it wanted to be on starboard tack as well. Just as I reach the cleat and before I could release the preventer the main jibed over with such force that it broke the boom in half, the only thing preventing it from splintering completely was the stainless steel sail track. Rousting Nancy from her off watch nap we quickly set about straitening and seizing the boom back together with light line. We then reduced sail by one panel and secured the 1^st batten to the boom by lacing lines through special grommets set into the sail for just such an occasion. Losing the boom on a junk rig is a serious matter as it is what allows the reefing of the entire sail. In this case we only lost the use of one panel of sail or about 73 square feet of a 515 square foot sail. We have hardly noticed the loss and positive outcome is that we now have enough main sheet to let the sail out sufficient to not need a preventer while running wing on wing.

All and all a wonderful day under clear skies upon a calm sea and we made good over a hundred nautical miles in our 1^st 24hrs.

5-5-14    After a hectic day getting Avelinda up to the dock and getting everything aboard I returned the dinghy to the house, preserved the engine and covered everything with a tarp to keep rain and leaves out while we are away. Meanwhile Nancy made a last shopping trip to the liquor. With our booze aboard we made a final trip to the house and dropped off the vehicles. Our neighbor Leslie was kind enough to drive us back to the boat and see us off. A quick trip to the Conch House marina to top off our water tanks and we were away at 1845. 1900 saw us at the sea bouy were we set a course of 030 degrees and engaged Al, our wind vane autopilot named after my dad Alan Maxwell.

   Instead of heading straight for Bermuda, my plan is to go north east for about 120 miles to get into higher latitudes where the wind will be more favorable and hopefully avoid the calms of the Sargasso Sea which lies in the direct path.

   Winds of 8kts from the south gave us a very pleasant and much welcomed 1^st evening sail as we left St. Augustine behind at 5 1/2kts.

    

   It's late and I'm tired. Nancy & I got out to  Avelinda this morning and loaded up a lot of stuff for our trip. While she stowed stuff I set up the support struts for the radar post and then got ready to go over the side to clean Avelinda's bottom following lunch. Well let me tell you I have never seen the kind of growth we had on our hull, no barnacles mind you but a very thick coat of grass on top of which sponges were growing and I mean really thriving. Some were over 1 1/2 inches thick and covered a significant portion of Avelinda's bottom. Everything came off very easily with a broad blade scraper but it took me the remainder of the day to slice them all off. We now have a clean hull and it looks good for a departure tomorrow afternoon on the out going tide (we sail on the tide as the saying goes). If there are no more posts in the next couple of days it will mean we were able to get away and the next post hopefully will be made from Bermuda. Stay tuned!

   Today has been one wet day, it was raining at 7:00 this morning and it is still raining at 6:30 this evening. I was able to finish polishing all the stainless steel on the radar post and after checking the radar weather I noticed we were in for a 30-45 min letup of the rain. I quickly loaded up the Honda with stuff going out to Avelinda, hooked up the dinghy and dashed out with Nancy's help launching me. Got aboard, downloaded stuff and erected the radar post so I could take measurements for the struts. With that out of the way I unpacked the new cushions Nancy had ordered and placed them on the settees and took pictures so she could see how they looked. With that done I closed up Avelinda jumped into the dinghy and made a hasty retreat to the boat ramp and was able to load the dinghy onto it's trailer and tie it down just as the rain started again.
   Now safe at home with a cold libation nearby I end my day. Stay tuned.

   Maybe I can get in the habit of sitting down every evening and putting something on this blog, this is a few days in a row now so I'm going to do my best to keep it up.
   After getting the radar post all welded up, the pad for the pedestal mount refused to slide up and down as planned. I broke out my torch and heated it cherry red to stress relieve it and then went off yesterday to see the Goodwin's thinking if I wasn't around I wouldn't mess with it until it was good and cool. As of this morning it was certainly good and cool but still would not budge. I broke out my cutoff tool and carefully cut each ring down the backside in a way as not cut into the post. Once done I was able to remove the platform and polish the post. I had to cut the strut rings as well to get them to slide onto the post.
   About this time we knocked off and went to the World Gulf Village IMAX to see JERUSALEM, Great flick it you haven't seen it it is well worth it.
   Back home I set to polishing the post and getting it ready to mount tomorrow.
That's all foks

   How often do we put off doing some thing like visiting our friends because life gets in the way... far to often we get so wrapped up in our daily lives that we forgo the pleasure of renewing old acquaintances. Today we put life aside and drove up to Fernandina to see a very dear couple, Earl & Karen Goodwin, cruising down from NC and hanging out for awhile in Fernandina before heading back home, and to introduce them to Nancy whom they had heard of but not met. Arriving a little after 1:00 we set of together to 29 South for lunch and to catch up on old times. Afterwards they invited us out to Getaway for a couple of beers and more conversation. What a delightful day we had... Thank you Karen and Earl for being the life long friends you have been.
   What wonderful friends we have been blessed with like the Goodwin's,Pam & Pete Peterson, Kirk Chamberlain and Nancy Warner, Chris and Rachael Morejohn just to mention a few.
   Today's lesson was to put life aside more often and spend time with those who have touched our lives while we still can.

   Cheers to you Friends!

Earl and Karen aboard "Getaway"

Nancy and I aboard "Getaway"

   Today was a good day for getting things done. I was able to finish the parts needed and get them to the welder. I hung around at his request to make sure everything went together as I had designed and after about an hour and a half with a few interruptions for him to take care of other customers the job was done, at least for him. I gladly paid the $111 bill and was back on my way home. I still need to polish the welds and break out my welding torch tomorrow morning and relive the stress on the radar mount rings so they will slide up and down the mast for proper location. All and all I very satisfied with the results.
   Nancy tells me she checked Passage Weather and if we can get away next Monday we should have tailwinds for the the major part of the trip to Bermuda. Fingers are crossed! Still have to get those damn dinghy chocks corrected, maybe tomorrow...

   Pics below of Radar post, click to enlarge

Radar pedestal sits on this side  

 the underside

The top of the post which will carry the wind generator, objects in background are the mount for the base of post and rings which the support struts will attach to the post below the radar pedestal.