Hi Everyone,
So here is the log of my journey to
Turks & Caicos Islands.
1400hrs 12 January 2016.
Position sailing through the anchourage
at Water island blowing my conch horn in farewell.
496.5 Nm to Destination which was Blue
Haven Marina, Leeward going through, Providenciales, Caicos Islands.
Weather Balmy sunshine, Wind very light
from the E ..NE...E... 0-3 Knots 5-10 Knots 0-8 Knots. Speed 2.0 –
6.5 Knots.
1400hrs 13 January 2016
Position 19°09.5'
N 066°50.0' W
373.5 Nm to destination first 24hrs
123.0 Nm wind E..ESE.. 0-8 Knots Speed 4=5 Knots Calm seas
1400hrs 14 January 2016
Position 20°05.18'
N 068°18.19' W
268.0 Nm to Destination second 24 hrs
105.0 Nm wind East 0-8 Knots Calm seas
1400hrs 15 January 2016
Position 21°05.87'
N 069°35.59' W
162.5 Nm to Destination third 24hrs
105.0 Nm winds still ESE 8-12 Knots speed above 5 Knots today sea
still calm although long North Atlantic swell running still wall to
wall sunshine.
0930hrs Saturday 16 January 2016
Position 21°26.10'
N 071°09.04' W
80 .0 NM to Destination forth only
17.5hrs. 70.5 Nm. Arrived at Sub Base anchourage Grand Turk Island,
Turks & Caicos Islands, This was to clear Customs.
Spent all the rest of the day trying to
find a Customs officer without success.
Sunday 17th January 2016
@ anchourage
Early morning a cruise liner docked, so walked to the cruise ship
dock and found a customs officer and managed to clear into the
Islands. They gave only a 7 day short stay stamp.
Found
a very nice Beach Bar (Jack's Shack), and spent a few bob on a few
beers before turning in.
Monday
18th
January 2016
Moved
the boat to the anchourage at Cockburn Town Capital City of the Turks
& Caicos.
Position
21°28.0' N 071°08.88' W
Went
shopping for essentials like cigarettes as I had only 1 packet left!
On my walk about through the old town, full of history and HM Prison!
To find Joey's Liquor store I found another nice Beach Bar (The Beach
Bar) went there in the dingy after the shopping trip, the swell came
up and I got very wet trying to launch the dingy into the waves
crashing on the beach.
Tuesday
19th
January 2016
During
the night the swell had backed all the way round to the North
increasing in violence, and in the small pool outside the town, the
anchourage was becoming a dangerous place to be in only 2 mtrs of
water. I had already decided to carry on to my final destination
(Blue Haven) so I put the dingy back on the cabin roof and made
ready for sea again. I left at 0945hrs with 80.5 Nm to Destination.
Wind was very light from the SSE as before.
Wednesday
20th
January 2016
During
the yesterday a massive cold front bore down on me from the North,
NNE by N as the wind then went round it increased to about 25-30
Knots and with two swells coming at me it became very rough indeed,
so much so that at 0200hrs I had to heave to in Position 21°28.0' N
071°08.88' W
and
spent all night doing about 2.5 knots in very rough conditions, it
didn't get any better till about 1100hrs in the morning. I put the
boat back on course under full sail, I still had over 60 Nm to
Destination and didn't think I could make it.
The
pilot book had also warned that any wind from the north made the gap
in the reef impassable to enter! So I was worried about that as well!
As
the day progressed however I had begun to sail very fast and was now
surfing down the swell doing over 9 Knots! With the wind behind me.
I
was in contact with Provo Radio asking them for info about the
entrance conditions, but they didn't know, I kept calling Blue Haven
and when only 1 hour to my arrival at the reef they answered, in fact
the very man I had come to see, Adam Foster! He told me they shut a
1700hrs the reef could be entered and he had a boat that would guide
me in waiting for me! I arrived at 1715hrs took down the mainsail (I
had already taken the jibs off) and went through the gap! Pretty
spectacular to say the least, So final Destination was reached at
1730hrs tied up alongside @ Blue Haven Marina in Position 21°49.20'
N 072°08.88' W and went straight to the bar to say hello to
everyone!
Roy
