AraVilla Crossing From Norfolk to St Maarten

Jackie and I arrived around 5 PM Saturday evening. It was getting dark but we quickly found our way to the boat. Captain Dana arrived about an hour later. It was a warm calm night and we enjoyed dinner at a restaurant within walking distance.

Jackie and I arrived around 5 PM Saturday evening. It was getting dark but we quickly found our way to the boat. Captain Dana arrived about an hour later. It was a warm calm night and we enjoyed dinner at a restaurant within walking distance.

Overnight oh squall move through and the weather has changed a bit. This morning it is wet, light rain now and then, about 50°. The wind has picked up a bit, and the skies are muddy gray. Today will work on provisioning the boat while we have the car available. Then it’s learning the ropes, literally, and doing the repairs and things needed before we get underway in a couple days. 

The sun came up in a huge orange blaze this morning fighting through the low clouds off to the eastern horizon. Hidden by the buildings and other boats it did not make for a good photograph but it was a nice start to the day. It became colder overnight and we’ve had the heat on in the boat which has been a pleasant change. It’s in the 40s this morning and will probably only get up to around 50° today. The skies are still a little cloudy and some more blustery weather is expected to move in hence are delaying departure until Wednesday.

 It’s in the 40s this morning and will probably only get up to around 50° today. The skies are still a little cloudy and some more blustery weather is expected to move in hence our delay in departure until Wednesday.

Jackie left this morning a little before 8 AM. Sad to see her go. It was just nice having her around and I really do miss her when I’m gone. Today Dana and I will tend to some little chores around the boat we still have a couple minor repairs to do here in there and otherwise wait for your mower to arrive late in the day. He is coming down with captain Mark on Tabasco and we expect to see him later in the day if all goes well. That reminds me, I need to set up his cabin for him.

We secured all our food and most of our supplies yesterday, your mouth is bringing down the remainder, mostly vegetables, coffee, and stuff your mouth needs just to get by. I’ll spend part of the day today getting my cabinet and gear organized so that everything is in its place and handy when needed. 

It is Monday night and I am sitting in the fish and slip restaurant at the marina waiting for your Mo and the rest of Tabasco‘s crew to arrive. They’ve made the sale down from the marina north to the Chesapeake and now have arrived at Norfolk. Your mom is coming in the dinghy with a first stop at the boat to transfer his gear. Captain Dana is coordinating this while I hold a table at the restaurant.

It seems like such a long wait but your mama is finally here. It’s been nice spending time with Dana alone, though Jackie just left, and it wasn’t a lot of time. Even so, I have had the chance to get to know him much better.

 Things are really kicking off now, looking forward to the adventure ahead.

All dressed up, and no place to go. Today is a day of waiting. Waiting for the weather window to improve so that we may depart on our journey. I have a small disturbances moving up the coast and it will pass by today with some barely nasty wins and then tomorrow looks like ideal conditions.

All dressed up, and no place to go. Today is a day of waiting. Waiting for the weather window to improve so that we may depart on our journey. Of a small disturbance is moving up the coast and it will pass by today with some fairly nasty winds and then tomorrow looks like ideal conditions.

 We picked up Yermo last night around 830 from the nearby restaurant and a dinner with captain Marc and his crew. It’s good to have him on the boat. Today we have just a few minor chores, we’re waiting on a sale from the sale maker, which is already on the way. We want to top off our propane tanks, and we have one pump for a shower that needs to be installed so it’s not a critical element.

We want to top off our propane tanks, and we have one pump for a shower that needs to be installed so it’s not a critical element.

The weather is fairly nice here at the marina this morning, about 47° or so, and that’s fairly pleasant. I was expecting colder. So today it’s just minor chores and really getting more familiar with the boat and its systems to be ready for departure tomorrow morning.

Today turned out to be a bit busier than expected. We met up with the crew from Tabasco this morning and both captains headed off to customs as we need the declarations to show that we left the United States when we arrive in Saint Martin. That took quite a bit of time to do and in the meantime while we took care of finishing outfitting the boat.

Today turned out to be a bit busier than expected. We met up with the crew from Tabasco this morning and both captains headed off to customs as we need the declarations to show that we left the United States when we arrive in Saint Martin. That took quite a bit of time to do and in the meantime while we took care of finishing out fitting the boat.

 The repaired for sale arrived this morning and Dana basically said here it is guys it goes upfront figure it out. And essentially we did and it went fairly smoothly and I believe that we have the for sale set up appropriately. Of course, we will find that out in the morning. 
 

I have course was concerned with our store of staples aboard, which ended up with me taking a mile walk inland to pick up another half dozen bottles of wine. After all, you can never be too sure, things happen and it’s best to be prepared.

About 3 o’clock in the afternoon we finally cast off from the dock with Yermo at the helm who navigated us out of the marina and then down the channel of Waze to the fuel dock where we topped off the fuel tanks and then to another doc to fill up our water tanks and get everything ready for the voyage ahead.  Afterwards we made our way to the Anchorage off the marina and are not far from Tabasco which is sitting just ahead of us always.

 Afterwards we made our way to the Anchorage off the marina and are not far from Tabasco which is sitting just ahead of us always.

We plan to depart tomorrow morning at 0700 and it will take a while to get out to the yeah the open ocean so hopefully I can get in one more quick post before we lose contact completely. 

The morning came gray damp and cold. We were up early enough and got our act together and before long we’re raising anchor and starting the motor out of the harbor. Tabasco fell and behind us and we made our way down the river towards the Chesapeake.

The morning came gray damp and cold. We were up early enough and got our act together and before long we’re raising anchor and starting the motor out of the harbor. Tabasco fell and behind us and we made our way down the river towards the Chesapeake.

We passed by many naval ships and commercial ships and tug boats and barges along the way there was quite a bit of traffic taking pictures and just enjoying the scenery of the cool morning. Then it was out into the Chesapeake proper across the bay bridge tunnel, and then down towards the mouth of the bay itself. It was a little afternoon as we rounded the lighthouse and made our way out into the ocean and along the coast.

 It was a little afternoon as we rounded the lighthouse and made our way out into the ocean and along the coast.

Our original plan was to head down the coast and then we decided no the winds looked like they would be more favorable to just head straight offshore and we started doing that. Before long the twins had swapped around again and we returned to our original path to head down along the coast to Cape Hatteras and then head out to cross the gulf stream at its Narrows point. This would save us some time as the winds turned out to be much lighter than predicted and we made slow progress. Fighting against the gulf stream would have taken a very long time. Going the coastal route allows us to dodge much of that current until we absolutely have to make the crossing.

 Fighting against the gulf stream would have taken a very long time. Going the coastal route allows us to dodge much of that current until we absolutely have to make the crossing.

The day went on with your mom and I doing most of the sailing of the boat in fact your most pretty much is planted at the helm and I’m quite happy to have him there he’s good at that job. I’ve been helping with rigging the different sales and working out all the little things that come up and was quite pleased to have a first time experience this afternoon. With the wind off our Stern quarter and progress slow Dana brought out the spinnaker and I got my first experience rigging raising and flying a spinnaker although it was in barely enough wind to keep it filled for a while. It helped for a couple hours and we had speeds of 5 to 6 kn which really wasn’t much better than with the engine but it did save a little fuel. Ultimately though the winds died away and we had to take down the spinnaker and now we’re just motoring along as the sun is starting to go down over the coast. Serendipitously we also got to see you well that came up quite near the boat. So it’s been a pretty good day.

 Serendipitously we also got to see a whale that came up quite near the boat. So it’s been a pretty good day.

Dean is whipped up a nice dinner for us I can smell it cooking. I’m looking forward to going in and then I’m going to try to get some rest and sleep a little bit before my watch comes on tonight as I’m pretty bleary-eyed and tired already. 
 

So far so good we are at sea.