Thursday June 18, first day of the Atlantic Crossing

Written by Jack van Ommen on June 18th, 2009

At 18.15 hr I am at 34.28 N 76.06 W I l left Beaufort at the 8 a.m. bridge opening. It took me 6 hours of motor sailing into the s.e. to round Cape Look Out and it’s shallows. It was slow going against the waves from yesterday’s 15/20 knot Easterlies. When I turned the corner the new, used, 140% Genoa went up. I like this sail. It is a heavier dacron than the wasted 1980 heavy 150%. So, I should be able to keep it up in heavier winds than the old 150%. Herb did not like my idea of staying on the 35 degree North longitude. He called it book stuff. Probably a malignement of Jimmy Cornell’s sailing directions bible. He suggested I cruise to a way point further south, south of the rhumb line to Bermuda, because of a gale developing west of Bermuda Saturday/Sunday. So, I might end up calling into Bermuda after all. Once I turned the corner on Cape Look Out, it has been a very nice sail. 12/15 knots from the S.E. in a tight reach, or a broad beat. I shall enter the Gulf Stream in another hour or so and that will shove me sideways in a more northerly direction.

 

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