Chapter 128: The Less Short Passage

MADE IT!!!

I write this from Bonaire!  After 2 months, we finally left Grenada.  Grenada was wonderful to us-we completed the boat work we needed to do, had some good food (Indian-yum!), saw the sights, and met some really nice people.  But, it was good to get underway.

The passage from Grenada to Bonaire is 430 miles and it took us 68 hours.  Prior to this, our longest passage has been 48 hours, so this was longer.  We have been dreading it because, until now, our overnight, longer passages have been pretty painful:  no sleep is uncool.  Happily, however, this one exceeded expectations.  It is generally said that the first 72 hours of a passage are the most painful.  After that, the crew settles into a rhythm and it can be more enjoyable (less painful?)  We can see how that is true, but we really found this passage pretty easy.  Why?  First, the weather was fantastic.  We motored for the first 3 hours while we were in Grenada’s wind shadow, and then for about 90 minutes on the first day when passing squalls deadened all the wind.  Otherwise, we had 12-20 knot winds and a following current that pushed us along.  We were averaging 8 knots on the second day, which is amazing!  Second, we were downwind the entire time-what a difference.  When sailing downwind, the boat is fairly flat and we sail with the swell.  Sailing upwind means the boat is heeled over all the time and there is endless pitching due to heading into the waves.  Downwind for the win!  The third factor was the watch system.  We set a 4-hour watch schedule and stuck to it.  That allowed us each to get some rest/sleep when off-watch.  Fourth, we ate better.  We had actual meals (heated, even).  Nutrition is essential.  Fifth, I think we are just more experienced now.  When one is anxious, it makes everything worse:  no sleep, no appetite, and generally feeling uptight.  But now that we know more what to expect, everything seems better.  And finally there were dolphins playing around the boat!  It’s always better with dolphins.

Of course, it wasn’t all wine and roses (or beer and skittles, prosperity and velvet, smooth sailing, you get the idea).  Stuff breaks.  Specifically, the boom vang and the whisker pole.  The boom vang is a pulley system and keep the boom from flying up in the air.  Ours went kaboom, literally.  The pad eye holding the the boom failed with a loud crack.  Happily, jury rigging occurred rapidly and did not affect the sailing.

The whisker pole is a pole that runs from the mast to the clew of the genoa to keep it held out away from the boat to better catch the wind.  First, the jaw fitting at the mast-end separated from the pole and the pole came crashing down.  I fixed that.  Back in business.  Until the jaw itself broke in two.  There was further crashing.  That one?  Definitely not fixable.  We’ll need a new jaw.  Until then?  No pole.  Ah well.  Old boat problems.

For now, we’re going to enjoy Bonaire.  First thing one notices:  the water is INCREDIBLE!.  It is as blue and clear as the Bahamas.  Grenada was nice but the water?  Not so much.  We’re moored in 40 feet and can clearly see the bottom.  I see snorkeling in our future.  And the main town, Kralendijk (no idea-don’t ask), is very picturesque.  And…ICE CREAM!!!!

We’ll let you know how we find Bonaire next week!