The home stretch

JP just posted more pictures here (the big fish is a mahi)

http://picasaweb.google.com/raconteurcrew/2009JuneB#

They hit the Bay last night at 11. They are headed for an anchorage or a marina tonight, then home to Annapolis at their leisure tomorrow.

Having a great time with mom - went to the Capitol Visitors Center yesterday, kind of a mixed experience. Had a fabulous meal in Baltimore the night before - Charleston.

Photos from afar

JP sent me some photos and two short videos, and they are posted on
http://picasaweb.google.com/raconteurcrew/2009June#
I didn't edit, but I did sort by those that are in Lauderdale, Marsh Habour (Thursday/Friday), en route(Friday-Tuesday) and at Southport Tuesday and today.
They are taking the inside passage to a marina around Beaufort today, and will head back out tomorrow. I'm kinda secretly hoping I'll see them in Annapolis by the end of the weekend - but trying not to count on it!!

In port!

They just arrived to Southport Marina near Cape Fear, NC (and Bald Head Island), about 45 minutes ago. All is well; they had wind on the nose for much of the night, so decided to bail before Beaufort. They will clear in, do the field repair, have a good meal, and at least one night's sleep (more likely two) at the marina. Winds are looking much more favorable starting Thursday. I'm sure Susan and Stan will be taking advantage of being in cell phone range (that's for you, Elsie, Cal and Lois!).

I'll post again when they are getting ready to go out - if no post tomorrow, that means they are still in port!

Plan B: Heading on to Beaufort, NC

They hit some thunderstorms last night (only casualty a hatch screen!) and the wind wasn't playing for going into Charleston, so they are riding the gulf stream and some decent wind (and a beautiful day) to head on to Beaufort. That's still 200+ nauticals from their current location, off Hilton Head Island, but there are a couple of other inlets (at Wilmington, which is where we came out from the ICW in November) if the need arises. Looks like good winds today, perhaps dropping some tonight through Wednesday; if this plan works out, they will be in Beaufort around 0600 on Wednesday morning. That will leave another 220 to the Bay, and another 120 or so to Annapolis. They've done about 370 from Friday 1630 through Monday 1030, for reference, for an average of 5.6 kts. With an overnight in Beaufort, they could be in the Bay on Saturday.

On their way into Charleston

They are about 120 miles to the south and east of Charle3ston, having some pretty good wind for a change. They need to do a field repair and re-fuel; they should be in Charleston Harbor sometime tomorrow (Monday) around 7 in the evening. They have good long days now, so that helps.
The repair is to a broken outhaul ring at the back of the boom. The mainsail is fine as long as they take at least one reef, so not a big deal but they do want to get it fixed. Everyone is well and able to maintain their watches, so no one is too exhausted yet.

I feel a bit guilty reporting on MY weekend, but here goes. I had an enchanted two days in New York City, seeing my friend David and his parents and sister, her husband and their two boys (I have not seen her in probably 30 years - it was really terrific). We saw the fantastic revival of West Side Story last night, and today I had an exquisite lunch, with service our French friends would appreciate, at The Modern, overlooking the sculpture garden at MOMA. Spent time in the museum after, seeing an exhibit of works on paper (an interest of mine) and flew back this evening.

Saturday afternoon, still no wind

So here is the Saturday afternoon position. They are still mostly motoring, and JP says they are seeing wind from north though the observations and forecasts all say it should be SSW or WSW. Ah, weather forecasts. SO helpful. They made about 50 nautical miles or so since this morning, or so I'm estimating. All is reported well, no bad weather - just no wind!

Saturday morning update

JP called around 0630. JP had a couple of hours under sail, and Susan was prompt for her watch at 6, so all was well. You can see their location (plotted by lat/long) at the time he called me. The front seems to be weakening, and may only affect them with some moderate north winds on Monday. That would allow them to keep going, and take full advantage of the Gulf Stream.

I'll post a Gulf Stream map a bit later; can't get my preferred version to load using Firefox.

They're underway

I heard from JP around 4:30 this afternoon; they had just set off from Marsh Harbour after an intense day of provisioning. There's a front coming from the north early week, so they are trying to get to Fernandina to tuck in before it comes through. They may be there a few days, because it is forecast to "stall". I talked with him again a little after 9, on the satellite phone this time. They are off Whale Cay passage, in dead calm, motoring. Susan was on the 6-10 watch and I had a text from her saying the watch was a lot nicer in June than in November. JP says the stars are gorgeous - he will be on the 2-6 watch, so Stan must be on "my" watch tonight, 10-2.
I'll talk with them again in the morning - hoping for some wind so they can shut off the iron sail.

Soon to be Raconteur, Northbound

HOME PORT

BAHAMAS

Susan and JP, with a crew member who is coming from Calgary, will be in Lauderdale tomorrow and then on to Marsh Harbour on Thursday. They are planning, weather holding, to set off from there for Annapolis and our new home base at the Annapolis Landing Marina (5 minutes from our front door) on Friday the 19th or Saturday the 20th. They hope to tuck into the Bay sometime the following weekend, the 27th or 28th, and then take a couple of more leisurely days to sail the final 100 miles.

I'm holding the fort in DC, although I'm sneaking away for this weekend, to NYC, to see my friend David and his parents and sister and her family, and my mom is coming to Annapolis next weekend.

I'll be the blogger, since they will be out of range for much of the passage.