Land ahoy!

Honestly, I decided to help out with the delivery of La Forza Del Destino because I wasn’t sure what else I would do with the time.  I did all I could to prepare: dramamine, ginger bites, ginger tea and various flu and cold medication.  The first few days were rocky, but we were motoring.  I managed to keep my stomach in check although I nearly broke down once or twice getting used to going on watch while things were rocking.  After a stop over in Chesapeake Bay to wait out a storm, we were off again.  Conditions were clear, the sea was flat, and I was ecstatic…maybe I was in the clear.  Then  the wind picked up (30+ knots) and we started sailing.  The boat was healing and rocking – it looked like a tornado swept through the inside of the boat.  All I will say about the next 36 hours or so is that I’m happy we brought compostable garbage bags.  At one point, I may have yelled at George over the wind and rain that this was the worst day of my life (dramatic, I know).  As the temperature climbed, I felt better and better.  I finally cracked a smile when we saw land.

Thanks to the captain and crew of La Forza for getting me through and putting up with me.  With some perspective, it was an unforgettable and worthwhile ride.

 

On the way to the Caribbean

 

We are leaving Saturday at 6am.  Destination St. Martinique.  Weather permitting, the estimate is the crossing will be 7 days.  The skipper says the first day or two it will be rough until we cross the Gulf Stream but after the temperature should get warmer and hopefully we should get steady northerly winds.

I thought this was a really cool visual of the Gulf Stream from wikipedia.org.

 

Sailing update …

We arrived in Norfolk VA yesterday evening.  We managed to slip in right before the worst of the Nor’easter storm hit the east coast.  We spent 2 days motoring from Connecticut around Long Island and down to Norfolk.  We hit 40mpg winds and 6 to 8 feet waves.  It wasn’t very pretty but we made it in safely.  The boat is awesome.  T and I have a cabin and with toilet and shower just for us.  We are 6 crew on board and did 3 shifts of 3 hours each.  Basically everybody stays on shift for 3 hours and sleeps for 6 after.  Here are some pictures of the boat.

 

La Forza Del Destino

We are in Westbrook Connecticut on a Swan 77.  The boat is amazing.  The plan is to leave today to Chesapeake Bay and stay there for 2 days to duck a storm going up North.  On 10th we will head towards Bermuda and from there to our final destination St. Martinique.  We will probably arrive on 18th or 19th and will stay a few days before we fly back to Salt Lake city to pickup our truck.