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La Trucha Caribbean Cruise 2005 |
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Ship's Log( continued, 26- May, Transit Tortugas, Fl to Houston, Tex )
Well we're still getting it on. Today is the 3rd day 2nd night of the transit, Sat. morning, 28 May. We still haven't any wind to speak of so we're still motor-sailing. Turned off the engine last night with main only on a broad run. Unfortunately, our COG 9(course over ground) was NE about 1mph due to the current. Jim came on watch at 4am and fired up the ole' diesel again.
Six days out from a marina and still fit as a fiddle, somewhere in the Central Gulf 26 N 86 W. Transit from the keys to Houston, meant we left from Fort Myers with only so much water; and as we spent 4 days in the Tortugas, we had 2 full tanks (45gal each) and an extra 5 gallon can full of water. Consequently, that means water conservation, as Dry Tortugas means - no water. So, I haven't been shaving, or showering since, with the exception of using a coke bottle to wash the salt off after swimming and snorkeling. Something you need to do, I hear, as salt water boils could develop otherwize. Yesterday, 28 May, Sat., still motor-sailing. Did accomplish taking the working jib down and putting up the genoa. Prior to that we loaded up all the starboard jerry cans of diesel (4X 5gallons) so we're topped off for diesel. We still have the 2 six gallons left to port. Not sure if we'll need them or not. All that night we ran with the genoa, and the main down with the engine - still no winds. This morning Jim got me up, and we hoisted the main as the winds we're finally starting to kick in - maybe 10knots or better, and we shut down the engine. Our speed over ground (SOG) is now up to 7.5 mph (Jim has his GPS in statute and mph, while I'm doing all my calculations in nautical miles and knots (does make for a little confusion), averaging about 6 something. At this rate we'll be in Freeport by Thursday morning; that's my best estimate. Afternoon, Sun, 29 May and the wind is still holding. We've been on a run with genoa and main both to starboard. Winds are expected to shift more to the south; as of right now they're still southeast. Winds Sun afternoon we're still kicking so just at sunset, when the winds seemed to die a bit, we let down the spinnaker and put up the working jib. Jim started the engine to keep her into the wind I worked off the bow pulpit. Quite a ride but we got her down and the jib back up, thereby we can control her better as now we have the roller furler back. We also put a single reef in the main. Last night had the highest wind speeds and speed over ground yet: 18knots and 8 knots respectively. When Jim came on he rolled in the jib, which slowed us down and made her hot below, as we had to have her buttoned up since we had seas over the foredeck. And we're just south of Delta (Mississippi), which seems to be able to kick out funny currents 100's of miles out to sea. The other night we were set to the east, but last night we were set to the west. Not sure about the currents at all - need more information there (Reed's is worthless on this subject). This morning, we're cranking again at 5 to 6 knots, as Jim decided to unroll the jib - praise be, as the speed kicked up, the rolling reduced and the heat below lessened. Memorial Day was memorable, for sure. Remarked to Jim that barometer was low that should have been a wake-up call for us both. We already had 2 reefs, and the jib was rolled when we spotted a potential squall - turned out the squall was a low, cold front moving in. First thing we got was a blast of cold air and some high gusts. It wasn't long till Jim figured we needed to drop the main entirely. He let her down and tied her, while I used the engine at 20 hundred rpm's to keep us headed into the wind. It turned us once, that was when I kicked in to gain steerage.
The weather system passed us by while we ran before it. Thereafter the
weather was completely different; winds are now west to northwest, so we're
making for the La coastline for fuel and re-grouping. Probably from
there this transit will get finished in the ICW.
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