AraVilla Crossing From Norfolk to St Maarten
'Monday November 14th, 2022 10:00'
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Yermo
2 years ago
Super crowded herenin Costco today. Scenarios like this always wear me out so dramatically. I'm dragging.
Yermo
2 years ago
Now for a Costco provisioning run ... Duncan's expedition will be near full by the time we are done. It takes a lot to provision a big boat.
Yermo
2 years ago
Commanders weather teport suggests leaving Wednesday otherwise we'll face 35kt winds on the nose Tuesday. There's just no point to that.
Yermo
2 years ago
I've picked Mark up from BWI. We had a nice dinner at McGinty's where we met Ann, Duncan, Alli, and to our surprise Jay.
Both Mark and I recently had our COVID booster shots, so we were both pretty run down. Mark is already down for the night. I'm working on a few last minute issues.
Tomorrow, with the help of
buffalo, we'll go on a provisioning run and take Mark and his stack of boxes down to Tabasco which is tied up at Point Lookout Marina which is a solid 2 hour drive one way.
The next day I'll head back up to BWI to pick up Mark's crew. We'll head back to my place from which will order an Uber ride down.
The weather window looks like we won't be able to leave before Wednesday, so we may not do a Sunday night sail to Norfolk opting for a nights sleep and a sail on Monday. We'll confer with Dana tomorrow.
Both Mark and I recently had our COVID booster shots, so we were both pretty run down. Mark is already down for the night. I'm working on a few last minute issues.
Tomorrow, with the help of
buffalo, we'll go on a provisioning run and take Mark and his stack of boxes down to Tabasco which is tied up at Point Lookout Marina which is a solid 2 hour drive one way. The next day I'll head back up to BWI to pick up Mark's crew. We'll head back to my place from which will order an Uber ride down.
The weather window looks like we won't be able to leave before Wednesday, so we may not do a Sunday night sail to Norfolk opting for a nights sleep and a sail on Monday. We'll confer with Dana tomorrow.
America.Rides.Maps
2 years ago
We leave for Norfolk in the morning.
Hurricane Nicole is now a dying tropical storm playing out inland and we expect to be greeted by mild fall weather when we arrive at the boat tomorrow night. Yermo is sailing down on Tabasco to meet and join us as we prepare to go offshore over the next couple days.There is still much to be done, particularly provisioning the boat with food and supplies to last the journey.
I hope to get a good nights sleep and maybe rest some on the long drive there from western North Carolina tomorrow. Capt. Dana should arrive at the marina about the same time we do, if we're early, I can open up the boat. Jackie will stay with us for the weekend, Yermo should be there early Monday morning.
It's about to happen. I'll post photos while we can.
I hope to get a good nights sleep and maybe rest some on the long drive there from western North Carolina tomorrow. Capt. Dana should arrive at the marina about the same time we do, if we're early, I can open up the boat. Jackie will stay with us for the weekend, Yermo should be there early Monday morning.
It's about to happen. I'll post photos while we can.
America.Rides.Maps
2 years ago
It looks like we have dodged a bullet. A late season storm has held my attention for the last few days. This should play out before we leave and any remnants may be to our favor.
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America.Rides.Maps
2 years ago
9 days out and the chatter amongst the crew / captain / family has started in earnest though we've been preparing for this voyage for some time. We are now within the timeframe where weather forecasts can be trusted to a good extent. There is a tropical disturbance to keep an eye on. My last offshore passage found us riding out the gales from hurricane Ian in Atlantic City, NJ, the only shelter we could find, quite an exhausting experience in which I inured my back. I've pretty much recovered from that.
Past experience showed a need to upgrade our offshore gear, it can be a pretty harsh environment out there. Yermo and I did so at the boat show in Annapolis a few weeks ago. That done, it's getting down to the logistics and preparations for departure.
Aravilla is a new boat to me. Yermo did this same crossing last year, I need to learn this new boat as quickly as I can. I've never sailed on a catamaran (besides a Hobie Cat). Yermo knows Capt. Dana well, I've only met him peripherally for drinks. This is an entirely new situation for me. With Yermo there, I am confident things will go better.
I have an endless stream of questions all of which will be answered once this saga begins. Not much point in asking them now, it's just annoying and a waste of energy and time. Figure it out when you get there.
Jackie (my wife) will drive me to Norfolk and stay a couple nights with us on the boat. Yermo comes in the next day or so. I have a flexible ticket to fly home from St. Maartin which Jackie will manage based on our arrival. She'll be tracking us via satellite and AIS and I can get a text message through to her now and then.
A small boat on a big ocean. 24/7 watches. A long way to go. Maybe there's a race involved with another boat where we are at a disadvantage. Challenge accepted.
Past experience showed a need to upgrade our offshore gear, it can be a pretty harsh environment out there. Yermo and I did so at the boat show in Annapolis a few weeks ago. That done, it's getting down to the logistics and preparations for departure.
Aravilla is a new boat to me. Yermo did this same crossing last year, I need to learn this new boat as quickly as I can. I've never sailed on a catamaran (besides a Hobie Cat). Yermo knows Capt. Dana well, I've only met him peripherally for drinks. This is an entirely new situation for me. With Yermo there, I am confident things will go better.
I have an endless stream of questions all of which will be answered once this saga begins. Not much point in asking them now, it's just annoying and a waste of energy and time. Figure it out when you get there.
Jackie (my wife) will drive me to Norfolk and stay a couple nights with us on the boat. Yermo comes in the next day or so. I have a flexible ticket to fly home from St. Maartin which Jackie will manage based on our arrival. She'll be tracking us via satellite and AIS and I can get a text message through to her now and then.
A small boat on a big ocean. 24/7 watches. A long way to go. Maybe there's a race involved with another boat where we are at a disadvantage. Challenge accepted.