Abacos to Newport, RI,
May-June '06
Passage Report
New Nordhavn 55 “Salty Dawg, owned by Dr. Dave and Lowie Bock, old friends from Trawler Fests.
Esther and I have been on board for about five weeks, first provisioning and equipping the boat in Aventura, FL for cruising, then a month in the Abacos of the Bahamas. Now we are about to depart the Abacos bound for Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, offshore more or less directly north to New Jersey, then New England.
Passages north and south positions at Noon daily. Offshore is spring trip
north, nearshore is trip south in fall.
Watch schedules- Dennis 12-4 Esther 4-8 Dave 8-12, morning and night.
Waypoints offshore are from trip north Spring 06, coastal waypoints are from trip south Fall 06.
5/18/06- Thursday- Day 1
Lat. 26.52
Lon. 77.03
Up anchor Marsh Harbor 1115
Clear, calm, temp. mid 80’s
Water temp 84F
Seas outside 2-3 feet
5/19/06 1200 hours, Friday- Day 2
Lat. 29.00
Lon. 75. 49
Miles in 24 hours- 163
Off Daytona Beach about 300 miles
Past 2 big ships in night on Dennis’ watch
No other activity
Sunny, low 80’s
Seas 4-6 feet, winds SW 15, water temp 73 degrees F
Dennis caught a Mahi-Mahi at 1100 hours, estimate 20 pounds
Dave caught another larger one, and Dennis lost one of Esther’s trying to gaff it.
Barbecued one in 30 minutes from swimming around-GREAT
PM Raycor pulling 10 lbs. vac., switch to new filter
5/20/06 1200 hours, Saturday- Day 3
Lat. 31.29
Lon. 74.32
About 370 miles off Brunswick, GA
Miles in 24 hours 167
Total for passage 330
No traffic seen for 24 hours
Seas 2-3 early, building to 3-5, sea temp. 74 degs.
Change water maker pre-filter early AM
Dennis caught 60 pound Longbill Spearfish around 1200, around 5 feet long
Tasted GREAT in about 30 minutes, freezer packages for 8 meals for 4!
5/21/06 1200 hours, Sunday- Day 4
Lat. 33/37
Lon 73.57
About 250 miles off Cape Fear River entrance, 120 miles at 313 deg. true to Cape Hatteras
Miles in 24 hours 147
Miles for passage 402
One commercial ship seen in night, Dave’s watch
Seas 6-8 at night, moderate to 2-4 afternoon. Sea temp. 72
Winds SW predicted to turn to NW at 15-20, head seas coming!
5/22/06 1200 hours, Monday Day 5
Lat. 35.44
Lon. 73.28
About 100 miles off Nag’s Head, just north of Cape Hatteras.
Miles in 24 hours-133
Miles for passage 535
Sea temp. 77 degrees
Heavy squall went through on Dennis’ watch last night around 0330. Winds changed rapidly to N at 20-30 with heavy seas against the Gulf Stream. Lasted until around 1200 and we veered west to get out of the stream as quickly as possible after passing Hatteras.
No traffic seen all this day.
Graveyard of the Atlantic, Cape Hatteras
Seas 8-10 in squall and following, moderated to 3-5 feet later.
Too rough to fish
5/23/06 1200 hours, Tuesday Day 6
Lat. 37.21
Lon. 74.39
Just north of Chesapeake Bay entrance, 75 miles off Cape Charles.
Sea temperature 77 degrees.
Miles in 24 hours- 138
Miles for passage- 742
With constant head winds and seas, the entire crew is getting tired and somewhat beaten up. Lots of commercial shipping make the night watches tiring. Seas mostly 6-8 feet.
Lowie and dogs on rough passsage
We’ve veered toward land, to just inside the 1,000 fathom line, trying to find calmer water. For the past few days, since just below Cape Hatteras we’ve been going slower, as slow as 5 knots, and are thinking we’ve wrapped some rope or other stuff around a shaft or stabilizer fin.
5/24/06 1200 hours, Wednesday Day 7
Lat. 39.50
Lon. 74.02
Just north of Atlantic City, 12 miles offshore
Miles in 24 hours- 159
Lots of commercial traffic continued until past Delaware Bay entrance. Then fishing trawler traffic
Finally escaped the Gulf Stream yesterday, and watched the sea temperature drop from 77 degrees to 55!
The seas have finally flattened out and the south breeze came back. Smooth cruising and our normal cruising speeds of 6.5-7.5 knots have returned
5/24/06 1815 hours Wednesday Day 7
Lat. 39.50
Lon. 74.02
Miles for passage to date- 945
Anchored Horseshoe Cove, Sandy Hook Bay, NJ.
This early afternoon just north of Atlantic City I was thinking of two friends who were delivering a new-to-them Monk trawler Xanadu, from Ft. Myers, FL to the St. Lawrence River valley. The owner, Dave Friedrich, is a fellow Albin 27 owner making an upgrade! Without a cell phone number and other way to contact him, I hailed him on the VHF channel 16, and, wonder of wonders, he came back. We agreed to this anchorage as we were both too late to get to NYC and the Stature of Liberty anchorage. We had a lovely meal and good times with he and Craig Campbell, another Albin 27 owner helping Dave with the trip.
Also, we were able to get a temporary Customs clearance number so the crew (including two large dogs who have not been ashore for the past week) can go ashore pending more formal clearance when we get to Rhode Island.
Passage statistics:
Actual consumption statistics:
945 nautical miles
150.5 engine hours, 6 days plus 6 hours
779 gallons fuel incl. genset use at approx. 3 hours daily for 7 days
1.21 miles per gallon
5.17 gallons per hour
6.28 miles per hour
1550 estimated average engine rpm
Following this we spent more than a week cruising the north shore of Long Island, stopping every night at towns like Port Washington, Port Jefferson, Old Saybrook, Say Harbor, Block Island and finally docked for the summer at Greenwich, RI on June 2. We much enjoyed the slower pace of 10-20 miles a day, anchoring, shopping, sightseeing, and sleeping with no watches to man.
5/25/06 1800 hours Thursday, Day 8
Lat. 40.46
Lon. 73 .5
Statue of Liberty anchorage, NYC
Miles today- 33
Miles for passage- 978
Did several engine related chores while anchored in Sandy Hook Bay. In around 180 engine hours we burned about a quart of oil. Topped off several other fluids, changed a Raycor filter, tightened an alternator belt, etc.
Up anchor around 1100, and after a short period of being aground, headed north to NYC and a short harbor cruise of the Hudson up as far as nearly to the George Washington Bridge.
A warm up of the Blue Angels flying team was flying over lower Manhattan for several hours practicing for an air show on Memorial Day weekend. Around 1730 we anchored behind the Statue of Liberty, in a hazy evening, but still thrilling.
5/26/06 1800 hours Friday, Day 9
Lat. 40.49
Lon. 73.42
Miles for day- 22
Miles for passage- 1,000! Bingo!
Manhasset Bay, Long Island Sound, town of Port Washington, NY
We awoke to a foggy cool morning behind the Statue, and had a tide window of 1000 hours to pass Hell Gate in the East River. The views were disappointing due to the fog, but still magnificent. Anchored here at 1200 and got the dogs ashore for a much appreciated walk, and some light provisions. More shopping tomorrow for the week or so we still have on board. Planning on a few days to transit Long Island Sound, then Block Island for a day or three, then Narragansett Bay.
Foggy and light rain in afternoon. The whole crew is suffering from a change from tropical weather to the northeast’s cool and damp spring.
5/31/06 1600 hours, Wednesday, Day 14
We’ve been going slower! Stops for an afternoon and evening in Greenport, Sag Harbor, and finally, Block Island. Anchored in Great Salt Pond where I used to catch fluke 50 plus years ago when on family holidays from western New York. Easily visible are the changes in the landscape with lots of large summer homes on the hills around the Pond. But, not too many condos visible from here. We will spend tomorrow on shore and head toward Narraganset Bay on Friday or Saturday, depending upon the winds.
Trip's end: Dave, Lowie, Dennis and Esther with Salty Dawgs
Esther and I flew back to Orlando, FL on June 5 and were picked up by a friend, Sue Terppe, and returned to our condo.