sy Timoneer

Sunday, 10 November 2009

Noon Position -36deg 35.9 N 73deg 08.9 W
Course -095 Degrees / Speed – 12 Knots / Day’s Run – 265 Miles
Weather – Fine
Wind – 12 knots from the West

Today’s News
After 15 hours of negotiating our way down the Chesapeake we were finally out in the Atlantic again. Dawn brought us a beautiful clear sunny day and dieing winds. We reached the Gulf Stream about 10am and the temperature has increased to a very pleasant 68deg F (20 Celsius) and the water has gone from 61deg F to 80deg F (16 to 25 C). The downside is that with the wind from behind and big swells from the North we are now having a very rolly ride today. Still no fish even though we have had the lines out since sunrise. We will keep working on that, maybe fish for dinner.

JC

Sat, 07 November 2009

Noon Position 38deg 39.7 N 76deg 26.6 W
Course -180 Degrees / Speed -10 Knots / Day’s Run -47 Miles
Weather –Fine and sunny
Wind – 10 knots from the south
Today’s News

We have safely passed under the 2 bridges again and are now heading south dodging the weekend fishermen and yacht races. The tide is turning now which will help increase our speed. We are all looking forward to getting out to the blue water and catching some fish.
Till tomorrow,

JC

Sat, 07 November 2009
Noon Position — N W
Course – 172 Degrees / Speed – 8.8 Knots / Day’s Run – Miles
Weather – Fine
Wind – 10 knots

Today’s News
We left Baltimore Inner Harbor Marine Center at 0715 this morning bound for Antigua. The journey is approximately 1750 nm and should take us around 7 days. Today started with a frost on a beautiful clear morning. Definitely time to head south.
JC

Friday, 30 October 2009
Noon Position : 39deg 16.9 N 76deg 36.5 W

News:
We arrived in Baltimore 1020 this morning after 507 miles. This took us about 47 hrs. A little quicker than planned. The weather was much kinder to us for the second half of the trip. We had a bit of excitement this morning passing under 2 bridges. The first we had 6 feet clearance at the top of the mast and the second 9 feet. Even though Timoneer has been under them before it is still very nervous watching us approach. Now we are tied up downtown Baltimore, a very different scene from Newport.

JC

THURSDAY, 29 OCTOBER 2009
Noon Position : 37deg43.8 N 75deg 01.8 W
Course: 218 degrees
Speed: 12 knots
Days Run :283 miles
Weather : Wind : 33degrees at 18 knots

NEWS:
It has been a windy 24 hrs with gusts up to 47 knots overnight. Luckily all the wind has been from behind. Ross has had no luck with the fishing but has been trying all the same even though it has been rainy and rough. We have been making good progress and it has been pretty comfortable considering the conditions. We are all glad that we are not heading the other direction. We have 60 miles to go before entering the channel for the Chesapeake.
JC

WEDNESDAY, 28 OCTOBER 2009
Noon Position: N W Passing Castle Hill, Newport
Course: 233
Speed: 11
Day’s Run: Miles
Weather: Showers
Wind: 25 kts E

NEWS:
We had some issues with the new rod rigging. After another sail trial this morning we were given the OK from the riggers. Then all that was left to do was to pick up enough charity books to start a new children’s library in Antigua. Now we are heading for Block Island and having a great sail.
JC

THURSDAY 18TH JUNE 2009

We left Baltimore early on the morning of the 16th. The passage down the Chesapeake was uneventful. We were surprised at how few ships we saw both when we went up the Bay and down. Maybe the global recession has reduced the volume of shipping?

We passed the end of the bay just after dark, and there was a bit of a swell and a head sea, so the first night at sea was not too comfortable. Dawn brought a veering wind and an easing of the swell, so we were able to motor sail.

We did not have any luck fishing, but we did stop to watch a pod of about half a dozen hump-backed whales, who were surrounded by a large group of dolphin.

Wednesday night was much more comfortable and we made very good progress, and reached Newport Shipyard Marina at 10 am on the morning of the 18th. We were all surprised at how cold it is here.

John

SUNDAY 14TH JUNE 2009

Timoneer left Thunderbolt Marine, Savannah on the evening tide of the 8th June. It was a busy yard period, including hauling the boat for bottom painting and ABS special survey. The main engine had a top-end overhaul and the bearings and seal replaced on the propeller shaft.

We had very light winds for the trip north, so motor-sailed for most of the way. We skirted the edge of the Gulf Stream and the fishing was good. We caught three dorado and two mackerel. We also had a dolphin escort for quite a lot of the way.

We came up the Chesapeake during the early hours of the 11th. Big thunderstorms were forecast, but luckily we missed the worst of them and had just light rain for part of the way. It is always scary passing under the bridges. The chart assures us that we had 12 feet of clearance, but up until the last moment it looked like it would be impossible to get under the bridge.

Timoneer is berthed in the Inner Harbor Marine Center, in the heart of Baltimore. We hope to sail north again on the 16th of June.

John

THURSDAY 23RD APRIL 2009

Timoneer arrived safely into Thunderbolt Marine 0750 – ten minutes early on our 96 hour eta!

Homeland security came to visit us and apart from the Agriculture man impounding most of the contents of the fridge, they were very friendly and very helpful in completing the formalities.

We now have a busy day ahead of us, as the yard intend to haul the boat at 0730 on Friday.

We anticipate being in the yard until around the end of May, and will continue with our log updates when we start sailing again.

John

WEDNESDAY 22ND APRIL 2009
Noon Position: 29 degrees 49′.5 N 80 degrees 47.5 W

Day’s run 157 miles as the Cormorant Flies and about 190 miles through the water! 40 miles to go – we are about 27 miles ENE of St Augustine. Almost no wind.

Yesterday afternoon the boys got a nice-sized Dorado, and he arrived just in time to join us for dinner. While we were still digesting him, a pod of Pilot Whales came to visit us. They were not going anywhere in a hurry, so we stopped and watched them for a while before they got bored and sounded.

Once again the breeze picked up in the night and as we got to the west side of the Gulf Stream, we were sailing well on a close reach. As dawn came, the wind veered and slowly dropped. For a while we were bashing into it and it was not too comfortable, but now it has eased and we are having an easy trip up the coast. Our weather routing has paid off and we in in this nice area of smooth seas, while not too far to the east there are strong north westerlies – glad we are not faced with bashing into that wind.

This morning two groups of dolphin came to look at us, but did not linger, and a short while later, a very big turtle. So far though there is no fish action inside of the Gulf Stream.

We have 140 miles to go, with no wind and calm seas forecast for our arrival off the river entrance at 0630 on Thursday. Hopefully our next report will be from the shipyard at Thunderbolt.

John