Sunday, June 3, 2007 1530HRS – Log 0000
We are off!!!! Finally heading out the
Lake Worth Inlet with S/Y “Tranquility”, Fuel & Water tanks
full and a clean bottom. Thanks to Sam for coming out in
the morning and helping out. Next stop Westbrook, CT. With
Matt and the crew of S/Y “Evelyn B” escorting us as we left
the inlet and started to head north. Westerly winds at
about 10kn and an average of 7.8kn. Once clear of the inlet
all fishing lines were put out. Cameron Had received a very
nice fishing rod for father’s day and had great expectation
of catching the “BIG ONE”!!!!
As we watched the lights of the
mainland slowly get smaller and the Red Moon rising, we
started to get ready for our first night of watches which
are always the hardest at 3 on and 3 off while the kids Maya
& Fynn and the cat Mitzy get to get a full night of sleep.
During the early hours, before dawn, winds and seas were
starting to pick up.
June 4, 2007 – 0500 – LOG 151 – COG
11.5*M – SOG 12.1, 60nm off the coast and abeam of Daytona.
The winds were still out of the west but had picked up to
about 20kn and rose through out the morning to an average of
35kn and 6-8’ seas. We put a reef in the Main and rolled up
the jib a bit, still sitting on about 12.2kn and the odd bit
of blue water coming over!!! Perfect!!!! This is the kind
of thing that our S/Y “Tranquility” gets in to that groove
and keeps on going!!!
Just in time for lunch we landed a
Mahi-mahi, decent size about 4’ (really it was this big)!
We had another few hits of Mahi-mahi during the day before
losing our good lure!!! Darn it, these fish seem to enjoy
becoming our dinner, only after quite a lot of effort on our
parts to reel them in.
For Each Fish:
- SHOUT – FISH, FISH, FISH
- Ease Sails
- Start Engine & put into Reverse
1200 RPM
- Continue to ease sails and roll up
- Finally tend to fish and reel in
- Slow engine down and keep in slow
idle
- Get fish aboard (into tender which
is stowed in a cradle off the stern)
- Unroll sails and shut down engine.
Now if that sounds like a bit of work,
remember that it’s blowing about 30-35kn and 6-8’ seas, but
at least we get some good FRESH FISH!!! The kids get so
excited and with there harnesses on climb into the tender
with daddy to watch.
June 5, 2007 – 1048 – LOG 431 – COG
93*M – SOG 8.0, Gibed to get around Cape Fear. Having to
play the angles as not to sail DDW and rolly polly. By that
evening that evening the winds had eased, much to the
enjoyment of Maya & Mitzy’s bellies after spending the last
24hrs in the cockpit with life harness’s clipped in.
June 6, 2007 – 0730 –LOG 580 – COG 50*M
– SOG 9.2, Cape Hatteras in sight and the problem that would
plague us for the remainder of the trip. NO AUTO PILOT!!!!
After tearing the saloon apart and pulling the pilot to bits
lead to the discovery that there is a burn up circuit that
sends the power to the pump and can’t fix so will have to
hand steer for the rest of the voyage. As usual to make
matters more interesting, thanks to Murphy the winds started
to build, and guess what, straight on the nose. 2 days to
Hatteras and another half day of the beautiful Light
house!!!! Good news was that it should start to lighten up
in a few hours. Then it happened!!!! King Neptune shined
some love on us during this time of minor set backs, and we
landed the BIGGEST Yellow Fin Tuna ever (for us)!!!! As the
2 hour ordeal begins, with fighting gear strapped into the
rod, the procedure for stopping the boat. (See above) It
must have been about 80 lbs as Cameron a hell of a time
getting it on board as proof of the welding gloves. We were
close to getting the crane ready to haul the fish on to the
back deck, but through perservence we gaffed it and tied the
tail to cut it and let it bleed out over the side, as it was
too big to fight with in the tender while still alive. Jus
to let you know as of today we are still enjoying sushi and
sashimi dinners. By the time we finished packaging up the
Tuna, another 2 hours, the sea had become like a lake and
the picturesque beauty of the sun set made for a happy
satisfied family. Even Mitzy the cat was smacking her lips
from enjoying the fresh catch. Everyone was so full and
content that nobody seemed to mind the noise of the Iron
Genny humming along at 1200 RPM making 5kn @ 1gal/hr.
June 8, 2007 – 0345 – LOG 836 – COG
41*M – SOG 5.4, Fog rolls in. There is an eerie feeling
when the fog rolls in, and the anxiety that you feel not
being able to see anything but the bow of the boat. With
your hand on the horn, you are putting an enormous amount of
faith into the Radar. Over the last 2 days we encountered
numerous pods of dolphins, as our course took us along the
Canyons just inside of the 1000fthm line, as Cameron still
wanted that 500lb Marlin!!! They were a welcome site to see
even though they scared off our potential big fish. Skip
the Spotted Dolphin came over to say G’Day as did Sylvia the
Atlantic Striped Dolphin. Even Huey, Dewy, and Luey the
Bottle Nose Dolphin popped up for a bow ride and have a chat
to Mitzy as she looked over the side. Not to be out done
pods of Pilot Whales passed us by. Melvin the Sperm Whale,
gave us a blow and a wave of the tail, I guess we started
him. One of the most comical sights was that of a Moon
Fish, floundering along trying to catch the lure, with a
Think I Can, I Think I Can, I Think I – Oh I Can’t Be
Bothered as we went by at 5kn.
The disturbing sight of rubbish amongst
all this wild beauty was heart breaking, and as sailors we
all have the obligation to protect this wonderful
environment. Balloon were among the most prominent of
rubbish, and it makes one aware how easily we detach the
thought of where that pretty balloon floating in the sky
will end up.
June 9, 2007 – 0700 – LOG 989 – COG
35*M – SOG 5.8, NE wind 0-5kn bring RPM up to 1300 as
forecast is for winds to increase to 25+. On the Nose
Again!!!! By 0800 the winds had picked up and we increased
the RPM to 1500 to make as much head way before it got nasty
again. At 1700 Montauk was only 1.5nm away and we were glad
that we were almost at the end of our voyage after spending
most of the last 11hrs with increasing head winds, heavy
rain and fog bringing the visibility down to 200’. All
compounded by the usual signs of land, - lots of traffic and
still having to hand steer. After we rounded Montauk Murphy
still hadn’t finished with us, as we had to make the last
30nm through Plum Gut and across Long Island Sound fighting
an outgoing tide. But the worst news was that we were
burning up more fuel having to run at 1800RPM to make 6kn as
it’s almost like a horse returning home and wants to run
that last ¼ mile. At last 2323 and just dropped anchor just
inside the break water at Duck Island Roads, Westbrook, CT.
A quaint little sea side town 30min (by car) south of Mystic
Seaport.
June 10, 2007 – 0015 – LOG 1085 – COG
Bed – SOG Dreamland
Trip Data:
LOG - 1085
6 Days 13Hrs 42Min
6.86 Avg/Kn
Engine – 85gal @ 78.4Hrs = 1.08gal/hr
Cameron, Leighia, Maya, Fynn Murray &
Mitzy Murray (the cat)
S/Y “Tranquility”
