Homeward Bound: Lucaya to Beaufort (May 6 - May 15)

Crossing Summary:

The trip back from the Bahamas was a mixed bag of winds and sea conditions, but overall we couldnt have asked for much better weather. We avoided storms (except for some periods of rain), and never saw winds greater than low 30's, or seas more than about 10'. We were treated by numerous dolphin shows, spotted a huge sea turtle swimming by and we had hitchhikers three times (two small shore birds, and a tired sea tern). Becca (our Monitor Wind Vane) steered 90 percent of the time - just can't say enough about that machine! We came into the ICW at Beaufort (South Carolina) Sunday morning - tired and salty, but safe and healthy.
(We have a video of some of the porpoise show, but wont be able to post it until we are back home.)

 What follows is a more detailed description for any of those interested.

Despite the old sailor's superstition about never leaving port on a Friday, we decided that was the best weather window for us to return to the states from Grand Bahamas. The next potential window looked like it wouldn't be through until at least the following Wednesday; all this according to the guru Chris Parker, and of course input from Windfinder and NOAA. All of the sources agreed that the east coast of US was experiencing a series of 'weak cold fronts'. The characteristics of a 'weak cold front' passage: as the front approaches, the winds shift to the south, and then builds out of the southwest to 10-20, then clocks on to the west, then northwest, where they weaken significantly, and finally peter out with very light northeast winds. These were suppose to be occuring about one every 36 hours. Sounded fine - we would get strong southwest winds for 8-12 hours to move us north, and then we could work east or west on the light northern winds - or just motor thru them. Perfect, right?

Friday, May 6
The first day out, the plan worked to perfection. When we left Lucaya, the winds were ENE, but the first cold front was expected to reach us that night. We managed to clear Southwest Point on Grand Bahamas in the lighter ENE. We had some entertainment dodging all the cargo and tanker ships in and about Freeport. The expected shift to the south appeared, and the wind picked up - right on schedule. We turned the boat northwest, set full sail and entered the Gulf Stream. We trucked all night, averaging 9 knots, with speeds up to 10.5 in some of the stronger gusts. The Gulf stream current boost was 2.5 to 3 knots. Life is good when a plan comes together.
Saturday, May 7
Just before dawn, the apparent wind had piped up to high 20's. Our genny had started to show some signs of sun damage on some of the reinforcing at the clew, so we wanted to protect it - had to make it last the rest of the trip - so we furled it in to about 40%; just enough to help keep the boat balanced so Becca could continue to steer for us. We were still averaging almost 9 knots. By breakfast time, the wind had clocked around so far to northwest that we decided to reef the main, honk it down tight, and add some engine to keep us heading as north as possible. At this point we were still headed about 15 degrees on the compass. We were just waiting for the wind to lighten as predicted. No one wants 20 knot breezes out of the north in the Gulf stream for too long. At this point the seas had not built, but it wouldn't be too long if this wind continued. Finally by midday, the north wind started to abate (weather forecasters looking pretty smart). We tacked over to the west, unreefed the main, and unfurled the genny and headed back into the heart of the Gulf Stream. The wind continued to clock to the northeast and became very light (again, just as predicted). Now, all we had to do is motor along and wait for that next little cool front that would give us the southwest wind again. Even with this light wind, and a little motor we were doing 7+ knots in the stream.
Sunday, May 8
Around 0200 the next morning (Happy Mother's Day), a little breeze started to return out of the west. It wasn't the expected 15-20 out of the southwest, but still very welcome. We could kill the engine, and still sail and head back to the center of the Gulf stream again. But then the clocking started. Much sooner than expected, and never got the strong SSW we were hoping for. By lunchtime we had born off to ENE- and the wind was building. Before long we had 20+ and the seas were building. Late afternoon, a tack back to the west. Seas had started to become ugly. All the southwest winds of the previous day had set up a southwesterly swell, and now the northerly swells were competing, and it appeared they would win soon. By early evening we were taking water from bow to stern and slamming pretty hard - too rough to even boil water. We decided to bear off to the west and run for the western edge of the Gulf stream in case this northerly wind continued - which it did. By early morning hours we were beginning to see the end of really rough stuff; the wind had started to die and getting out of the middle of the Gulf stream helped reduced the steepness of the waves. At this point we were about 40 miles off from St Augustine.
By daylight the wind had all but disappeared, but at least it had come back out of the southwest. We motorsailed pretty much due north, hoping for the SW wind to fill in some more. At this point we still had some help from the stream. By the time we reached the north border of Florida the wind had started moving north and building again, and we had to decide whether to head back east and into the heart of the stream and get a speed lift, or head closer into the coast, and avoid the chance of another beating. We took the chicken's way out - headed northwest.
Monday, May 9: Landfall at Beaufort, SC
The next day was a mixed bag. It started with a light northwesterly breeze, so we sailed east. Thought maybe we could get some stream boost again. But the wind died out, so we motorsailed due north. We were close enough to shore (35 miles or so), so we could get a weather forecast on the VHF. The forecast was for strong NE by tomorrow morning, then going east. That wouldnt help us at all, since we had painted ourselves into a corner, so to speak (up under the Georgia/South Carolina coast). So, we decided to head for some anchorage on the Georgia coast to wait out the NE. By the next morning, the forecast had changed to light NE breeze, becoming southeast by afternoon. We could live with that, so we ditched our plan for making port, and headed more easterly, away from the coast. At this point, the breeze was NNW, and only about 10 knots. By mid morning, the wind started clocking - but we expected that - we just bore off a little more. By noon we were headed due east, and the wind was building. Was the first forecast right?? By 1300, we were back in 25 knots of breeze, and reefed down to jib and single-reefed main. Ok, time to bail. We tacked over and headed for Beaufort, SC (pronounced Bew-fort, as in beautiful). Weather: 1, Alexandra: 0. We know when we are beat. We lucked out and caught the tidal current right going into Port Royal, and got in before dark. Had time to go out for a dinner, then collapsed and slept like the dead.

Tuesday - Friday, May 10 - 13 ICW to Edisto Beach, SC
We motored up to Edisto Beach along the ICW, and anchored at a point for easy ocean access.  Next morning the wind had come back to the south and we headed back to sea. Winds were scheduled south for next several days.  First day back out, the conditions couldn’t have been more perfect - the winds were up to 20 southeast, and the seas were relaxed.  It's true that Friday, May 13 is John and Cindy's lucky day!  We made really good time. During the night the wind lightened, but still enough to make progress. We were treated to a light show most the night, as the heat lightning was in the sky all around.

May 14-15 (On to Beaufort, NC)
The next day the breeze came back to the 20's, and we continued to make good time. Perhaps we could sail around Hatteras if this continued. About mid-morning we heard reports of severe storms popping up around, mostly south of us - heavy hail and winds in excess of 60. We would keep our plans open but consider going in at Beaufort, NC (this one is pronounced bow-fort). The next night we were sailing dead down wind in 25-30 kts of breeze with just the genny. The seas had built to 7-9 and working on the boat had become difficult. (Cindy still managed to make us all a hot dinner though, and Becca continued to steer flawlessly.) Once it got dark, the storms around us were obvious - lightning and rain storms everywhere. The wind prediction was for 25-30 with gusts (and stronger in storms), so we decided to hit port. We came in at Beaufort channel, arriving at first light. We entered on a rising tide, and used it to push us on up to Oriental, where we took a slip and everybody crashed for a few hours.  The rest of the trip will be ICW now.