Morvenna 2023

The pressure is on, Mrs D is on a flight to Halifax landing in the 5th and the weather systems wont play ball. It’s 780 nm as the crow flies but it looks like we will have to Zig and zag to keep the boat going north. To add to that there is a hint of a big system moving up the American coast on day 4 of the 5/6 day trip. Which will run us over and possibly push us past Halifax. Decisions decisions.
We have had a good time in Bermuda. It small with 64000 in habitants. It has what appears to be a 2 tier society ex pats find it difficult to own property or businesses. And are unlikely to afford to retire there due to the very high cost of living and medical insurance. However the climate it perfect with never really cold occasionally too hot. Very green and lush with a solid infrastructure. It is how I imagined the Caribean to be. But it wasn’t.
On day one in Bermuda we did customs and immigration. In St George’s They have their own quaint wooden quay to pull up at. Super polite super helpful. Easiest yet. We then anchored up got the bikes out and cycled up the hill to go round the headland and see the entrance we came through in the dark the night before. On the way up the hill new were called over to help one of the locals take a group photo. After having some banter. The chap told us he was the Minister for Transport and the longest standing member of parliament. And gave us his number. For up dates on our trip.

As We had drawn close to Bermuda My phone had come to life and the Facebook algorithm suggested a friend, from school days who lived in Bermuda. I couldn’t resist I hadn’t seen him since I left school at 16 , so contacted Grant and planned to go out for a beer. Really was a positive thing and good to see him doing well and running a bike shop locally. Would have been rude not to make the effort in such a far from everywhere place.
Next stop was the Pub £10 per pint if you’re lucky. We met Dre and Steve who were delivering a 58ft boat to the Med. Dre is from Canada and is an a pretty extreme skier who run a helicopter ski lodge in the Rockies and Steve and Old school Pro skipper with tons of experience. We had tons in common and the the 10 quid drinks seem to fly by. Thoroughly good company and hope to catch up again.

Set off on Sunday pm after doing all the boat prep work. Engine checks, fill up with fuel and water. Stock up with food. Download charts, and weather. Check all the shackles and line sand rigging again. 3pm we are off. Sails up anchorage up and we manage to sail off the anchor through the crowded anchorage alway makes me smile. Through the town cut and into the open ocean again.
I knew the wind would be in the wrong direction for a while, so as normal we start by beating up wind until it comes right. For the next few days we will be making many re adjustments to the plan depending on the ever changing weather forecast. Day 3 turns out to be motor sailing all day in very light wind but we are hoping for day for blow in the right direction.
We manage to sail due north, the right direction for the next few days mostly at a healthy 6 to 7 kts. But we know that is coming to an end. Some not so fun motor sailing in slightly the wrong directions is coming or way, and true enough 23 hours of working our way through a high pressure(no wind area) and trying to avoid the northerly winds on the right hand side of it. Then we sail slowly for a couple of days mostly in the right direction with the knowledge that a decent blow is coming. We are not sure how it that blow will be so we prep the boat as if it might be big. Check the reefing line all the way to nothing. Prep some line to hang out the back if the surfing starts to get out of control. Run the running back stays to there most rear position where they offer the mast the most protection. Get some straps out to be ready to tie down anything that gets loose.
When the blow comes it builds steadily from almost nothing over 3 hours mostly between 30 and 40 kts for 12 hours overnight. It rain 1 inch per hour during this period and Rob and I get totally soaked. We are reefed down to minimum on the main and we leave out the fall inner staysail. Diedre our wind pilot love s this balance and is very content to steer us happily through the storm. We go inside, dry off, make dinner. And get warm. The boat handle beautifully almost with out any further help from us. We keep watch via the Radar and AIS Chart plotter with the odd peer out. The wave are big and dangerous out side we are 300 miles offshore, but Morvenna gives a feeling of a very safe Cacoon. By lunch time the following day the wind has gone, Completely, and left a nasty large swell behind for us to wallow in. What could be worse. Oh yeah Pea soup fog. For the next 36 hours. Engine on and a close eye on the Radar ETC. luckily Rob finds my joke and stories very entertaining.
Finally we are into the last 24 hours of the trip fog has cleared wind has gone to a friendly SW15kts looks like we will get to Halifax in the Sun, with a fair wind behind us. Only the Traffic separation scheme and Canadian Customs to negotiate.
The radio crackles to life as the first broadcasts of the harbour are heard. Friendly Canadian tones. We manage to sail through the Sunday morning racers and nearly the full length of the NW arm. To Armadale YC, which will be our home for the next few days as we sort the boat for the next faze.Baca selengkapnya