sy Timoneer

Noon Position  32deg 47N 79deg  57W

Course  –  Degrees   Speed –    Knots        Day’s Run – 167  Miles

Weather –   Grey and drizzle

Wind  – 12 knots from N

Our afternoon yesterday suddenly got exciting when we noticed the headboard car on the mainsail had broken away from the mast track and the sail was only held on by the bolt rope. The sail came down surprisingly well and since we were motoring again we put out the fishing lines for the last 2 hours of daylight. We caught a small Mahi Mahi but threw it back as it was not big enough to feed the crew. We spent a rolly night motoring with just the staysail.

This morning we followed a cruise ship up the channel in to Charleston Harbour. Once out of the swell we hoisted the mainsail  to take it off. We have a new mainsail  and luckily also a new head car arriving here tomorrow.

Timoneer will be in Charleston doing maintenance for the rest of November.

JC

Noon Position 33deg 37N 77deg 02W
Course – 230 Degrees Speed – 8.5 Knots Day’s Run – 247 Miles
Weather – Overcast with 10 foot (3m) following seas
Wind – 25 knots from NNE

Yesterday afternoon the wind slowly went forward and then died. It came back early evening from behind. Once we rounded Cape Hatteras the wind built enough for us to keep the sails full which helped to stabilize us in the choppy seas. When dawn came we switched the engine off and have been sailing with the staysail and 1 reef in the main which has kept us going at 8-9 knots. We were accompanied by 30-40 dolphins for nearly an hour this morning which kept us entertained as they surfed below the waves beside us and also seemed to like doing belly flops.

We are on schedule to arrive at the entrance to Charleston Harbour at first light tomorrow.

JC

Noon Position  36deg 56N 74deg  11W

Course  – 207 Degrees   Speed –  13  Knots        Day’s Run – 282  Miles

Weather –   Overcast with 3 foot (1m) seas from NW

Wind  – 11 knots from  WNW

It has been a bumpy rolly ride but we have been covering some good distance as we dash to get around Cape Hatteras in good conditions. Cape Hatteras is renown for bad conditions when the Gulf Stream, heading North, close to shore and opposing winds cause the Gulf stream to become treacherous. 

At the moment we are motor sailing with one reef in the main and the genoa and conditions for rounding the Cape tonight look smooth. Tomorrow we will slow down and sail down the coast  for a morning arrival Tuesday in Charleston.

JC

Noon Position  41deg 09N 71deg  31W

Course  – 207 Degrees   Speed –  11.4  Knots        Day’s Run –   24Miles

Weather –  Fine with 3-6 foot (1-2m) swells from WNW 

Wind  – 18 knots from WNW

After all went well with our sea trials yesterday, we went through some emergency drills this morning and then departed Newport around 1045am. It was a very fresh morning with temperatures around 36F ( 2 degrees C) and felt much cooler with the wind chill. We are all happy to be heading south. Daylight savings is due to finish tonight so we changed our clocks back after leaving the dock so that those on watch at 2am don’t have to then do an extra hour.

It is 720 nmiles from Newport to Charleston, South Carolina which should get us in first light Tuesday morning.

JC