It’s Showtime

Wow, there's hope! I am that same way, not real sick just very uncomfortable. I have used the patches before and found they messed with my vision. I should try them again. Thanks for the advice...

Marlinmike said:

Based on the wind direction I'd image he would get the lee of the island for 10+ miles. Looks like 50 +/- miles to go for 1st land for, boy they will sleep like a baby when they stop that first time.

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BINGO

we'd spent 48 hours with the winds and seas 140° to 120° off off our Bow.

Ideally, I like it to be a following sea at 180° + or - 10°. But 120° puts it just 30° off our beam and the seas had built to +6' by then. hte night beofre we had spent too much time doing this unpleasent cork screw movment as the wave passed underneath.

So, I could not maintain a more southerly course, so I figured to use the lee of the Island for the last two hours to get south. It worked, but the first hour was slow, now heading into these waves.

and then the weird thing happened, just after turning south, with Flores SW of us, we were pitching with these 6' waves now just off our bow, when something, came flying over the bow and hit our port pilot house window. It seemed to be a crab pot buoy, but it happened so fast, but is was big and light enough that the winds took it off the peak of the wave.

I don't think it would have broken the window (we have 1/2" Lexan storm windows in front of virtually all our windows), it it did cause quite a bang and then flew off the boat.

Wxx3 said:

So do I

ANd strangely, coming up the east coast last year, I only got seasick once, but now, in any seaway, if I add any stress, then I do get sick.

The solution, the Transdermal Patch. Works wonderfully for me and I just accept that I must put it on if I expect bad seas. I don't get really sick, just that uncomfortable feeling that does not leave. At first I tried to get my body to "man up", and then finally understood that this was not a battle I was going to win.

I probably had it on two thirds of the time during this trip.

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Congrats...happy you are safe and sound!!!!!

Loved your comments on never feeling like you were too far from land..the mind is a wonderful thing...can be altered to make you feel serene or scare the livin' daylights out of you.

Never zoom the chartplotter out and land can always be imagined to be close...

Enjoy and stay safe....

Pictures

The beer was included because that is our first evidence that we are in Europe, the beer glass matches the beer!

Richard...did anyone on the island know you were enroute...Customs, Marina manager, closest bar, etc?

Or did you just appear in the harbor at sunrise at anchor?

Richard

An amazing trip. Gail and I kept up with you through several sources (TF being one). Very happy for you and your accomplishment. You are an inspiration to all (especially us KK owners).

Chris

Richard, Congrats to you and your fantastic First Mate!!

I followed as much as I could and my thoughts were with you in those big seas. I'm especially impressed with your planning and execution and thank you for sharing for all of us to see and enjoy.

Capt Kangeroo said:

Way ahead of you Don, Flores means flowers in Portuguese and the island is covered with them but believe it or not there are no florists on Flores. That would be too easy as it eliminates the payment/credit card & language & delivery problems as often Florists will package a nice bottle of wine or gift with the order for a reasonable surcharge. If I could just get a hold of someone I would have paid them to pick the damn things along the roadside but no joy. Unfortunately I think we have lost the window however as they should be arriving anytime now according to what I read here.

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Thanks so much for the thoughts.

Just hearing the effort you put into it is enough of a welcome.

And yes, julie slept 13 hours, I only slept 9

We're leaving tomorrow for Horta; Julie flys out in the late afternoon.

WiFi will be better there and I will post the upcoming portion of the trip. Now, it's only the Portuguese Trades and the Bay of Biscay. How bad can it be?

HeyJude said:

Richard...did anyone on the island know you were enroute...Customs, Marina manager, closest bar, etc?

Or did you just appear in the harbor at sunrise at anchor?

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We just appeared. Though i did try to call, but no answer. Other marina visitors helped with lines, if for no other reason than to protect their own boats. A very tight marina, i will spring out tomorrow morning.

I had my quarantine flag up, and the customs guys showed up in the afternoon, after we had gotten back from lunch. Very nice, no hassles, only needed my USCG Documentation and Passports.

Leaving Horta in 2011 during transatlantic cruise (thruster turned up bottom mud):

Ok. All,

Julie and I are really touched by all your comments and support.

The next part starts tomorrow.
2100nm done; 1500 to go.

Sadly, Julie leaves me Saturday, as she must get back to the mines Monday.

I thought I had a replacement, but alas, ...

I have at least a 5 day passage across the dreaded Bay of Biscay.

I'll attach a picture is my planned route.

We'll leave for Horta tomorrow morning. Haven't seen fcst, but sky indicates we're in the middle of a high, so it should last at least the 20 hr I'll need to get to Horta.

I'll fuel there, 400 gal, giving me a total of +500 gal which will get me to Ireland. If I can get cheaper fuel in the channel islands, I will also.

Stops planned at this time:
Horta, few days
Terceira, few days
A Cornuda
Brest Peninsula
Channel islands, maybe
Land's End
Someplace north of that
Cross Irish Sea to Waterford, Ireland

Dang, Richard. After all that open water, you sure picked a tight marina. Looks like they didn't plan for anything over 30 ft..

You're not contemplating continuing on your own, are you?

healhustler said:

You're not contemplating continuing on your own, are you?

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I'd say that's the plan.

Yes, after we shoehorned our way in here, it is tight.
I'll use a spring line on the port side to pull the stern towards the wall and then all should be ok.

I don't want to go alone, but I can't just do nothing.

Wow Richard, 5 plus days without any crew.... Any chance you might be able to hire a local to go with you for just that very long leg? Your talents and skills have impressed us all but we still worry....

That looks like a cool place, have any pics of the island other than around the slips? Sure have enjoyed this voyage; single handing? I'd do it if no other choices. However, this opinion comes from the comfort of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, air conditioned luxury in front of a computer. Oh, and drinking and typing, legal in this neck of the woods.

Wxx3 said:

Yes, after we shoehorned our way in here, it is tight.
I'll use a spring line on the port side to pull the stern towards the wall and then all should be ok.

I don't want to go alone, but I can't just do nothing.

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Well, actually you can just do nothing. Perhaps don't want to but it's not a matter of "can't." Can enjoy where you are until you get a crew member.

I can't imagine how exhausted you would be by the fifth day. I do hope you get someone to join you, even if it's just a college kid wanting something different and the limit of their capabilities is watching and waking you if needed.

I know I couldn't personally do it. I couldn't force myself to sleep with no one watching. Then I'd get so exhausted, I'd not be able to stay awake and then sleep so soundly I might not awaken when I need to. On the other hand, I know sailors often do it.

It looks like you're the biggest boat in the whole marina.

So how will you do your watches? The 20 min nap with a timer kind of thing? Or sleep at the bridge with guard zones set up on the radar? Or just sleep and hope for the best?

BandB said:

Well, actually you can just do nothing. Perhaps don't want to but it's not a matter of "can't." Can enjoy where you are until you get a crew member.

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Yeah, don't let a schedule force yourself to undertake something you are not truly mentally or physically capable of doing.

BandB said:

Well, actually you can just do nothing. Perhaps don't want to but it's not a matter of "can't." Can enjoy where you are until you get a crew member.

I can't imagine how exhausted you would be by the fifth day. I do hope you get someone to join you, even if it's just a college kid wanting something different and the limit of their capabilities is watching and waking you if needed.

I know I couldn't personally do it. I couldn't force myself to sleep with no one watching. Then I'd get so exhausted, I'd not be able to stay awake and then sleep so soundly I might not awaken when I need to. On the other hand, I know sailors often do it.

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Richard has proven himself to be a capable competent captain. He has done what many dream of but few actually do. I think that if Richard feels he can safely make the next leg single handed he can do it. His track record of success speaks for itself.

My next gulf crossing will probably be alone. Actually my next trip out of Alaska will probably be alone. About a month of cruising all total. Its not an atlantic crossing but it is a heck of a long ways.

I've thought about this allot.

If you are in open water and set your radar guard zones, and have a external loud buzzer you'll be fine.

If the autopilot goes offline it'll beep and wake you up.

If you go off course the chart plotter will beep and wake you up.

If the radar picks anything up it'll beep and wake you up.

Single handing may not be the best, and some might not be comfortable with it, but people do successfully single hand boats. I myself will probably be doing it someday very soon, and I personally have no issue with it.

My intention is to sleep up in the pilothouse and let my body decide what it needs.

Richard after a day settling back in to the states I am really enjoying catching up on the the thread

I still want you to give a talk to all of us who would listen (MOST) maybe next year and we pay your way.

Port of your choice and all of us kick a little extra to cover your expenses

I have a good bit to learn from you as others do

Well my forecast is is already wrong.
Looks like the high has moved south and we have westerly winds now.
We can live with that.
Well have a 20 hr cruise to Horta, leaving in two hours.

Kevin, pretty much had it right. 20 min does not work for me, I just seem to naturally wake up in a 45, 75 or longest 90 min pattern.

I set the alarms, reduce the gain the the radar so that it only sees boats and not waves.

That's why I'm so pleased with the AIS. This is literally the first overnights I've ever done with no collision course.

I'll wait in the Azores long enough so that I do have perfect wx to leave. I will look around for someone, BUT, without knowing the person, it's just as, if not more risky, in that YOU really don't know if they will wake you when they should.

siestakey said:

Richard after a day settling back in to the states I am really enjoying catching up on the the thread

I still want you to give a talk to all of us who would listen (MOST) maybe next year and we pay your way.

Port of your choice and all of us kick a little extra to cover your expenses

I have a good bit to learn from you as others do

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Yes, I'd be glad to.

I'm hoping to visit in October for the Krogen thing, that's usually around trawler fest.

I have at say, I usually don't blow my own horn, but sitting in that 10 day Master's class, with 25 others, virtually all them working in the industry, I was struck by how much I already knew, compared to others who have been doing it for a long time, or doing it every day.

I had not planned on taking the extra 3 day Master's course, but then I realized how much I do have to offer and maybe I would be want to do deliveries when I run out of money$$$

I just uploaded a bunch of pics too my Smugmug link.
I made a new directory called Atlantic Passage

I think the link is Smugmug/Dauntless
But am not sure, so please post the link to that directory when you get the chance.

Until tomorrow

Have a great ride over to Horta! We will talk to you from there.... I would definately want to join on you talk where ever that would be.

Wxx3 said:

I just uploaded a bunch of pics too my Smugmug link.
I made a new directory called Atlantic Passage

I think the link is Smugmug/Dauntless

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Correct, Richard. Here's the link:

http://dauntless.smugmug.com