Sail Andante

Winter is coming

The sailing season in New England is always painfully short. Hauling Andante this fall was particularly painful after spending much of last winter in Bahamian sunshine. But there is work to be done both on the boat and off.

One of the several jobs that has been neglected for months is updating this blog with information about our travels this summer. In subsequent posts I’ll share some info and photos from our many pleasant weekends afloat.

On the hard for the winter. In this photo from mid-November the cover framework has been installed and is ready for canvas. Her lumpy bottom still needs lots of work but the water-based antifouling paint applied a year ago in Beaufort held up well.

Andante and Dinghy in warmer days. One addition this summer was a second solar panel that we strapped to the top of the boom while anchored. A little less shaded than the one on the dodger. Not a long-term solution but definitely useful.

A Good Start to the Season

Having completed most of the long-deferred house jobs it was nice to get back out on Andante and enjoy some time on the water with family. The weather on Cape Cod is still a bit cool (especially compared to The Bahamas) but there have been some nice sunny days and the popular anchorages are still uncrowded.

Last weekend we set off for a nice overnight in Hadley Harbor, just south of Woods Hole and nestled between several of the privately-owned Elizabeth Islands (Naushon, Nonamesset, and Uncatena). This is a favorite anchorage of many throughout New England and we are fortunate to have it in our backyard. We had an easy motorsail down in light winds and spent a very pleasant afternoon reading and sunning punctuated by a visit from our friends on Space Puppy. We enjoyed a yummy supper that involved a great deal of kale and a quiet night. To avoid disturbing the neighbors I rowed Captain Nicholas to shore just after sunrise. The wind picked up a bit later in the morning and made for a very pleasant sail home.

We’re hoping to sail as many weekends as possible this summer and expect to be visiting many of our favorite spots including Cuttyhunk and Martha’s Vineyard. As time permits we hope to make some some longer trips to Nantucket, Newport and beyond.

Leaving Red Brook Harbor. Captain Nicholas has become very comfortable moving around on deck and is usually able to find a comfortable spot and a sunbeam. He doesn’t always wear his lifejacket on deck but it is very helpful for lifting him on and off Dinghy.

Andante anchored in pretty Hadley Harbor. Excellent shelter from all directions and a nice muddy bottom make for good sleeping.

Captain Nicholas is especially fond of a the small island where he is allowed to go ashore and romp in the woods and sniff things and collect ticks.

Anchoring Andante close to the island’s landing was a priority because of this individual.

We were pleasantly surprised when the crew of Space Puppy arrived and joined us for afternoon snacks. There was lots of sunshine but it was still too cold for swimming.

The sail home the following morning was very enjoyable. Enough wind to move us along nicely but not so rough as to upset sensitive Captain Nicholas.

The Way Home

We completed the return trip from the Bahamas to Florida and up the east coast to Cape Cod in just under four weeks. That’s pretty quick for a solo sailor in a moderately slow boat. My strategy was to keep moving every day even if that meant occasionally motoring a frustratingly slow and shallow inside route rather than sailing offshore. In the end this approach proved to be the most efficient way to utilize the scarce and brief weather windows of April.

From Bimini we sailed direct to Fort Pierce. Arriving at 0300, we anchored and entered the US using an iPhone app. No paperwork, no interview. Just press a button, wait 15 minutes, and get a text saying “welcome home.” After a few hours sleep we were underway again heading north on the Florida ICW.

High winds and rough seas kept us inshore for much of Florida, a bit of South Carolina, bypassing Cape Hatteras and the full length of the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays. We did have great offshore sailing from Fernandina to Charleston, Little River to Cape Fear, Wrightsville Beach to Beaufort, and Cape May to Cape Cod. The last leg was a bit over 48 hours and 265 nm — and we sailed all but a few hours of it. Nice way to end a great trip

Strong north and west winds pinned us down on Bimini for several nights. Not the worst place in the world to be stuck waiting for weather.

The pool at the Bimini Big Game Club. Good wifi spot.

Onshore westerly winds were strong enough to beach many of Portugese Men-of-War on Bimini. Not much remained of their tentacles but there were hundreds of big and small air bladders all over the windward beaches.

Fernandina in the fog. And the smelly pulp mill steam.

Charleston, Hampton Roads, Delaware Bay, New York City. Lots of big ships.

Barge traffic while anchored just off the ICW in the SC lowcountry.

We spent a quiet night in Georgetown, SC. This was actually the first place I touched land since returning from the Bahamas. Not a fan of the pervasive SC pulp mill stink but this is a neat little town and a pleasant one-night stop.

The active pulp mill and inactive steel mill in Georgetown, SC.

Wrightsville Beach / Masonboro Inlet at dawn heading to Beaufort, NC.

Motorsailing into 35+ kt winds in the northern Chesapeake Bay. Winds weren’t a factor once we entered the C&D Canal but the long approach was exposed and pretty sloppy. Here we’re showing just the top two battens of the main to provide a little stability in a confused sea. The engine is doing all the hard work.

Under full sail approaching the small wind farm off Block Island.

Andante back in Red Brook Harbor. She doesn’t look too bad after six months and more than 3000 miles. A few adventure marks here and there. The brown stains on the hull from our inshore adventures in South Carolina will come off easily. Looking forward to some fun regional cruising with my crew this summer.

All Good Things Must End

At least for now.

After two months in the beautiful Bahamas its time to head towards home.

Andante and I have a long trip ahead and, frankly, photography and blogging have not been high on my list of priorities. I will try to keep folks updated on my whereabouts and will share interesting experiences. Eventually.

We departed the Exumas on April 5. Today (April 20) we arrived at Little River Inlet close to the border between South Carolina and North Carolina and roughly the halfway point of the 1500 nm return trip. The weather hasn’t been conducive to long offshore legs but we keep pushing forward everyday regardless.

The legs completed so far have been the following:

Staniel Cay, Exumas to West Bay, New Providence

West Bay, New Providence to North Bimini

North Bimini to Fort Pierce, FL

Fort Pierce, FL to Melbourne, FL

Melbourne, FL to New Smyrna Beach, FL

New Smyrna Beach, FL to St. Augustine, FL

St. Augustine, FL to Fernandina Beach, FL

Fernandina Beach, FL to Charleston, SC

Charleston, SC to Price Creek, SC

Price Creek, SC to Georgetown, SC

Georgetown, SC to Little River Inlet, SC

As always you can check our current position using the link found on the trip page.

Yay Visitors!

Hosting successive guests after six months alone was a blast. It was really fun to share the places I’ve explored, the foods I’ve enjoyed and the endless sunshine. I think both of my guests agreed that any visit to the Bahamas measured in days or weeks is too short. Thanks for coming!