At Sea and bound for Puerto Rico.
I will try and stop belly aching about these Dominican Cape's that we have to negotiate. Plus if things keep going smooth, Team Chrisa may be in Puerto Rico tomorrow. So anyway, once again I update you via my Sat Phone. Yesterday we dropped anchor in
Rio San Juan with the following sailboats. Hearts Desire, Snark, Irese and Ultima Noche. Jerry Juggs were jugged into town and all hands topped up on fuel. I now have the distinct pleasure of having a crew. So Tony and Laura were dispatched to gather Christa's fuel. I stayed aboard and caught up on sleep, checked the engine and her fluids, downloaded some weather and reviewed the navigation plan.
About 7pm the wind just died as it usually does in a harbor. You see that is the rub. You can have a total calm at anchor but just a scant mile away one of the dreaded Cabo's (Capes) can have 20 knots and blistering (relative of course) seas. We all felt pretty good about 9:30pm and so we left. But......in true fashion we had a hitch or two. I went to crank the engine and heard the starter click click click. I believe I have a "dead spot" somewhere in the starter. I have had the click before but then after one or two she turns over. Last night not so. I pulled out an old trick and tapped the side of the starter and she fired. But now I was behind the 8 ball as the other boats were leaving. So I started hauling the anchor and wouldn't you know it, the hook was snagged and I mean good. I'll spare all hands the gory details, but in short I left my 45LBS CQR and 200 feet of 3/8 on the bottom. That should set me back $700 big one's. My only alternative was to stay the night and hire a diver from somewhere as the hook was in 30 feet of water and I can't free dive that. This would have knocked out the window for Puerto Rico plus separation from the fleet. I decided to take the hit. Once underway we immediately started to round a monster Cape named Cabo Francis. It was blowing, bumpy and uncomfortable but nothing like two nights ago leaving Luperon. That was the worst. I love the Dominican Republic and would very much like to explore the island more, but I have had it with the north coast sailing. I'll will be happy to leave it behind and as I gaze off to starboard I am doing just that. I pretty much just rounded the last Cape and am very shocked and pleased to report a dead calm! Beautiful. I say pretty much because now my trackline gradually distances me off the coast into the Mona Passage. The north point of Hour Glass Shoal is 76 nm away and according to the GPS we should there in 14 hours or so. This is an area were the water is about 100 feet or so but is butts up to the
Puerto Rican Trench which is the second deepest spot on the planet. Of course the
Marinas Trench being the first. My point is it can be nasty with the huge volumes of water and it's associated energy being dispersed onto the shoal. We will give it a wide berth indeed.
So onto my crew members. The night before I was leaving Luperon I was at the computer at
Capn Steve's restaurant taking can of business. I strike up a conversation with the fella next to me. Tony tells me he and his friend Laura came to the DR just a few days ago to backpack around and stay in the many hostels here. So they rub up against all the sailors in Luperon waiting to move east and they mention they would be interested in going on a jaunt. I tell him I am keen on finding some help moving Christa to PR. He says he is interested and that he and Laura would discuss it and sleep on it. Next day they said they would like to come along. Viola, just like that. We had to do some fancy dancing with Immigration as they came via aircraft and are leaving on a boat. Confusion abound, but of course a "gift" got things situated. They both are from Bar Harbor Maine and have some boating experience. Laura is 22 and Tony is 26. They are responsible and mello and am very glad to have them aboard. We haven't spent alot of time talking as a low grade exhaustion has set in on us all. So when not on watch we all spend time trying to sleep.
Currently Christa is motor sailing on a port tack at 5 knots with about a 5 to 8 knot breeze but a bit of a sloppy sea. The forecast for the next two days is close to stellar. Apparently the Atlantic High has been pushed far far south and may even be sitting right over us. This has/will cause the trades to stay very light out of the ESE. Tony and Laura are splayed out on deck marveling at the 82 degree weather and the blue sea that surrounds us. Lets not forget they were in Maine less than a week ago. SPF 45 is flowing. I am perched in my blue chair tapping away and taking it all in. Am pleased and really looking forward to getting this difficult passage over with. My best guess is we will be in Mayagueze on the west coast tomorrow afternoon or evening. Please keep Team Christa in your thoughts and prayers.
Capt Chris
