Atlantic Crossing Day 17 - Keeper ot the Time Zone

Märzen our miniature dachshund is on a rigid feeding schedule. She is feed at 6 AM and 5 PM every day. At 7 PM she gets a jerky treat. Over the years she has developed a sense of time and becomes very alert the closer it is to 5 PM. For the crossing we decided to stay on eastern daylight savings time as our local time. As we sail eastward across the Atlantic sunrise comes earlier and sunset as well. Märzen began to notice that she had not been fed as the sun was setting and became rather vocal about us missing her dinner time even though there was an hour to go until 5:00. That's when we decided to move the local time to Bermuda time. Märzen knows when we are in a new time zone and demands that it be observed.

Today has been good sailing: 15 to 20 knots most of the day from the SW. For Sunday through Tuesday we expect to 20 to 25 knots from the SW. When we reach longitude 44 west we will turn to port and start heading NE.

All is well aboard Solstice.

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Atlantic Crossing Day 16 - What is a Nautical Mile

Some of you reading this blog may not know the difference between a nautical mile and a statute mile. There are two complimentary answers to the definition of a nautical mile.

1) A nautical mile costs much more.
2) A nautical mile is one minute of one degree latitude.

For each one degree of latitude there are 60 nautical miles. Compared to a statute mile the nautical mile is a little longer at 1.15 statute miles. The expression "knots" refers to nautical miles per hour.

The wind picked up this morning and we've been sailing wing on wing all day. A cold front passed over us early this afternoon. It had wind gusts to 25 knots and a little rain, enough to dilute the salt on the boat but not quite wash it off. Behind the cold front were clear blue skies and 10 knots from the west. We expect 15 knots on Saturday from the SW.

All is well aboard Solstice.

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Atlantic Crossing Day 15 - Message from the North

Early this afternoon evidence of the storm to the north arrived. A 10 to 15 foot swell from the NE began an easy lifting and lowering of Solstice every 12 seconds. From the looks on the weather charts and Herb's description, we are very happy to be south of the action.

Today is a very light wind day. We have the spinnaker out and are managing a top speed of 3 knots. At least it's a sunny and warm day with scattered puffy clouds. For the last 24 hours we managed to cover 107 miles at an average speed of 4.46 knots. The Friday forecast is westerly winds at 15 knots with a front passing tomorrow night with 20 knot winds. Saturday is westerlies at 20 to 25 knots. We'll probably reef the main sail at sunset tomorrow.

All is well aboard Solstice.

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Atlantic Crossing Day 14 - Rules of the road

"Never argue over right of way"
- Thomas C. Forbes, teaching me to drive.

The International Regulations for the Prevention of Collision at Sea (COLREGS) apply to all the oceans and bodies of water connected to them. All maritime nations recognize and enforce these regulations. Rule 15 in part states "When two power-driven vessels are crossing so as to involve risk of collision, the one which has the other on her own starboard side shall keep out of the way..." Rule 18 section a(iv) states "A power-driven vessel underway shall keep out of the way of a sailing vessel. Rule 18 provides clear right of way for sailboat unless the motor vessel is constrained in her ability to maneuver (rules 9 and 10) or the sailboat is overtaking the motor vessel (Rule 13).

Last night I spotted a large freighter off of our starboard quarter. I got out the binoculars and determined it was headed in the same general direction as Solstice. Two minutes later the freighter was hailing us. I answered back identifying us as the Sailing Vessel Solstice. The watch person on the freighter then asked me my intentions. I stated that as a sailing vessel under sail that we would maintain our current course and speed. The watch person then asked if it was our intention to pass port to port. To do this would require me to turn to starboard. I then told the watch person to standby and I begin active tracking the freighter on radar. The tracking calculator kicked in and told me that we were going to pass within 150 yards in 5 minutes. So rather that explain the COLREGS and get in a pissing match with 100 meters of steel moving at 22 knots, I replied that we would turn to starboard. The freighter answered back that they too would turn to starboard and thanked me for my cooperation. We missed by miles and then we returned to our course.

Not all encounters with large vessels in the open ocean are like that. Most often there is no conversation at all. We simply pass each other at a safe distance. Once Shirlee hailed a freighter as they were overtaking us. The freighter changed course. Off of Cape Canaveral a tug towing a very large barge hailed us and asked if it was our preference that he change course to starboard and pass our stern rather than 1/4 of a mile off of our bow. We gratefully accepted his offer. We missed by miles and the tug resumed it's previous course. In yet another instance south of Isla Providencia, a freighter hailed us, and when we identified ourselves as a sailing vessel, a second freighter got on the radio and reminded the first that as a sailing vessel we had right-of-way.

Today has been a good sailing day: 12 to 18 knots from the NE and we're keeping the speed above the five knot average.

All is well aboard Solstice.

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Atlantic Crossing Day 13 - Beyond Bermuda

When striving towards a goal there are mileposts by which to measure progress. Crossing the Atlantic in a sailboat requires two types of mileposts. The first is tactical in the form of specific latitude and longitude waypoints. These are used to plot a course to a specific location to take advantage or current, weather, or simply the shortest distance between start and finish. The other type is the psychological or feel-good mileposts. Our first feel good milepost was reached recently. We are now east of Bermuda. I think it held so much significance due to our starting out so far south. Bermuda has been visible on the chart plotter since Ft. Lauderdale. Now that little spot of islands will fade into the distance and off the plotter. Other key feel good milestones will be the halfway point and the first sight of land.

Good sailing today. A cold front passed today that cleared away the fog and clouds and provided 15 knots from the NE. We are moving south again to avoid some stronger weather north. It has been really good to have Herb Hilgenberg on the radio to assist with our weather routing.

All is well aboard Solstice.

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Atlantic Crossing Day 12 - Go Speed Racer

When we plan a passage, we use 5 knots as our average speed. From Juneau, Alaska, to this Atlantic crossing, it has held true. Only occasionally have we had a greater average daily speed. When we average more than five knots, we get very excited about how dizzyingly fast we are going. Today will be one of those fast speed racer days. We had 18 knots on a broad reach and four knots of current pushing SE. These of combined forces of wind and current propelled us along at 8.5 to 9.5 knots. However, let's keep this in perspective. Our fastest speed is still slower than the maximum allowed speed limit in a school zone when the sidewalks are crowded with children and crossing guards are stationed at the crosswalk. With all the water splashing about it only seems like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.

As of noon today our 24-hour average speed was 7.14 knots, and we covered a distance of 171.3 miles. Currently we are sailing more southerly to avoid a low pressure system with strong winds. When we get to 35 degrees north, we'll start heading in a more easterly direction.

All is well aboard Solstice.

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Atlantic Crossing Day 11 - Winging It

When sailing downwind on a broad reach, the best we can do is 135 degrees off apparent wind. When we want to run with the wind dead behind us, we need to configure the sails for wing-on-wing. The main sail is held off to one side with a preventer, and the jib is held out to the opposite side with the spinnaker pole. Sailing wing-on-wing today has allowed us to sail straight downwind without jibing to make our way point. We've been on the same tack all day, and it looks like it will hold for tomorrow.

Currently the wind is 15 kts. from the SW, and we have a SE-setting current at 2 kts. Our course over ground is 110, and we are averaging 6 kts. At times today we saw 8 kts. speed over ground. We are making up for some of the slow wind days now.

All is well aboard Solstice.

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