For me, planning a voyage is no simple matter, nor one to be taken lightly.
Before I crossed the Pacific I studied for years. Charts, weather patterns, cruising guides, satellite photos, and every scrap of information I could get was scrutinized so I could maximize my safety, and the safety of my boat.
I use Open CPN (navigation software) with the climatology plug-in (historical wind and hurricane information by month), and weather fax plug-in (weather information via SSB radio or internet) daily, it is a very powerful tool, open-source, and it’s free. If you use Open CPN and can afford to make a donation to them, please do.
I’ve been doing the same thing these last few months with my trip from New York to Panama. Truthfully I don’t think I can pull it off before hurricane season?
Technically Atlantic hurricane season is from June 1st through November 30th. I don’t mind dodging hurricanes in June or possibly July, but by August hurricane season is at its peak, and I never wish to endure another hurricane aboard again!
After one leaves the United States, there is no more sea-tow, cellular service, or marine services conveniently placed every few miles of your route. One must learn to take care of themselves and rely on the safety of their yacht and their own wit and skill.
When I went to get Eleanor the first time I had plenty of time to make it to Panama leaving in the late spring. Unfortunately winter came early and I was too exhausted to battle sub freezing weather. I missed my window by only a few weeks.
I’m going to try my best to get Eleanor here by July 1st, however realistically I should also find a cheap place to leave Eleanor in Florida or the Carolinas until Octoberish just in case. I’d stay onboard but I know I’ll be missing my wife and want to get home as soon as possible.
I leave Panama on March 24th and will arrive at Eleanor around the first of April. More than 3 months away from Carla starts to hurt and I don’t wish to do it again.
Once I arrive to Eleanor I have a few big hurdles. My buddy gave me a used autopilot that I must install. I also need to pull the roller furling and fix it, mount the windvane, and sort out half a dozen other projects so I can be moving down the Hudson river by the 20th of April.
It will take me two days to get to Sandy Hook (NJ) where I need to find a weather-window for the 262 mile offshore passage to Norfolk VA.
Once in Norfolk it is my intention to pick up my father for my passage South to Florida. I’ll be taking the ICW to Cape Fear (2 weeks) in order to make it around Cape Hatteras and Frying-Pan shoals. Once at the Cape fear inlet I will venture offshore for Jacksonville Florida with a quick stop in Charleston to see family.
Once in Jacksonville I will return to the ICW bound for Lake Worth (Palm Beach) in order to get around Cape Canaveral. The Gulf stream runs close to these caps and can make for extremely bad weather. When I plan a trips I try to find alternatives so I don’t have to spend too much time waiting for weather, the ICW makes this very easy.
I’m planning to jump off for the Bahamas from Lake Worth. Its about 52 miles to Memory Rock. I will leave for a night crossing in order to make Memory Rock by morning as I will travel all day in order to get to the Great Sale Cay anchorage on Little Bahamas Bank where I plan to rest for a few days. After that I will travel on the eastern side of Great Abaco for Hope Town, then I will sail South for Eleuthera, Exuma Sound, and Rum Cay. From Rum Cay I will sail for Matthew Town on Great Inagua where I will wait for weather to transit the Windward Passage (Between Cuba and Haiti) For Jamaica and Panama.
As you can see from the July Chart there is no shortage of wind in the Caribbean in July, and you can see the tracks of past hurricanes as well.
What makes this journey so difficult is the 550 miles of easting (into the wind) I need to make in order to get an angle on the wind to sail through the windward passage and on to Panama. If I have a calm weather window after leaving Lake Worth and the fuel to burn, I may just motor east into the Atlantic for a week to get my angle. This would speed things up and I wouldn’t have to dodge islands and the shallow banks of the Bahamas in order to get home, but I would have less options in case of an early season hurricane.
The good thing about offshore sailing is a day (24 hours) one can cover over 100 miles, where days on the ICW or navigating the Bahamas are 12 hours, and about 50 miles as you don’t want to navigate at night. The upside is you get a lot more rest at anchor.
If I’m off-schedule on this delivery for more than a few weeks I lose the season and have to find a place in the States for Eleanor which is something I REALLY don’t want to do! That being said I believe my path
will take me where I need to go. Had I delivered Eleanor last season as scheduled I may not have reconnected with my father or found Nacho, life is like that, and I’m prepared for whatever comes my way.
I am also getting myself physically and mentally prepared for this push. I have given up alcohol as I need to be as sharp as possible, and I have been following the Paleolithic diet which I’ve never done before.
For those of you who don’t know what the Pailo, or “cave man” diet is, it’s basically the un-diet. I’m eating what is found in nature, vegetables, fruit, nuts, meat, eggs, and forgoing all grains, legumes, sugars and the processed foods we have come to accept as “natural” eating patterns. I’ve been doing it for around 3 weeks now and I must say I’m more than impressed. I’m losing weight, but for me, the big deal is my asthma is disappearing and my head is clear. I also have a ton more energy!
I’m excited to go get Eleanor. I only have about two thousand dollars to pull this venture off as I’m selling 3 gold coins (2oz, all we have in savings) to make this happen. The coins came as gifts from my cousin (wedding gift) and one from my father. I do find doing things on a budget a challenge and adds to the adventure.
I’m not excited about leaving my wife again. She really is my best friend and I cherish her company every day. I have to find a good internet plan in the states so we can keep in skype contact. However once I push off from the states communication will be very limited if any.
Well, that’s it for today. I’m really hoping to make it back to Panama by the first week in July, if I can’t I have no idea what’s going to happen.
Off for another adventure!
Peace, Love and Coconuts.
Sail Far, and Live Slowly.
– alex