Morning Visitors

Wickford Cove's resident swan couple visited this morning with their four signets, who despite their innocence knew to make constant chirping noises until I tossed them treats. Mother swan is shown in photo.

Where's the Wind?

Busy professional work loads and unusually light winds have kept Event Horizon and crew inside the Narragansett Bay all month. Thanks to friends we have managed a few day sails around Jamestown.

Kevlar, Not So Tough

This morning we went for a sail in the bay to re-calibrate instruments. All of a sudden, while sailing at a decent clip, the main fell down. Our 1-year old Kevlar main halyard had severed.

My captain deduced that the break was due to the inflexibility of the Kevlar fibers over the sheave at the top of the mast. There was no sign of chafe, just a hidden point of failure that we were lucky occurred during manageable wind and close to home.

As a rule we get an extra ten feet on any line we have made for the boat so that we can often get a longer life out of it by turning it around. We were able to take the broken main halyard to the rigger because there was enough line to trim the break and put a new splice at the other end, leaving us with a safe replacement.

Rhode Island Motor Vehicle Registration

I am always surprised by how busy we are when we return to our home port in the spring. Despite trying not to ignore administrative matters, inevitably something slips past me. The first concern to surface this year was that I did not received my coveted 2010 Newport resident parking sticker in the mail as expected.

It's already May, which means big changes in Newport, when parking meters are in effect from 8am to 9pm seven days a week through fall. With no time to waste I gathered all of my car documents and proof of residence to take to city hall where I was shocked to learn my car registration had expired in February--only 9 months from the date I had registered my new car! How could this be?

Turns out Rhode Island motor vehicle registration is based on the alphabet, so people with last names starting with A or B, like myself, renew in January. Plus, for the first year the length of registration is always less than one year. (The only mystery that remains is why I did not receive a renewal form in the mail.)

Because I was delinquent more than 3 months, I was forced to re-register verses renew, which means more money and another less-than-one-year registration term. After the first renewal, January 2011 for me, motor vehicle registration is every two years. Now I'm a much smarter RI resident.

East Coast Pollen Trail

To my disappointment, Event Horizon and crew arrived in Rhode Island ahead of spring. We unintentionally managed to travel north, nearly the entire eastern seaboard, just a head of the 2010 springtime pollen trail. The pale yellow air, reportedly one of the worst pollen seasons on record, has been greeting us in full force just after we arrive.

In the southeastern states the concentrated pollen was due to the unusually cold winter, which caused pollen delays in some trees. Then it was surprisingly warm and dry weather in the northeast that created concentrated pollen causing a lot of people, including my captain, to feel uncomfortable and leaving a sticky yellow coating on everything. The lack of rain has meant the added task--sometimes twice a day--of washing decks and despite keeping the boat closed, yellow powder keeps appearing everywhere down below.

Charleston to Newport

We departed Charleston, SC early on Wednesday, April 21st after convincing our friend Phil Rose to step aboard. The three of us covered 619nm over 4 1/2 days, a slower trip than hoped due to lighter winds than expected. We sailed into Narragansett Bay late on Sunday, April 25th wet, cold and very thirsty.

Overall it was a fun passage, thanks to Phil, that included several sail changes and exciting sea life sightings; sea turtles, several pods of dolphins, and whales including what may have been the largest whale I have ever seen. We were also visited by feathered friends on three separate occasions seeking respite and a free ride closer to shore. For me the trip highlight occurred while we were all sitting on deck a good distance offshore at 1342hrs on Friday. A fighter jet flew down close to buzz us and tilted its wing in a "hello" gesture. It was an incredibly exhilarating experience!

S/V Event Horizon Position Update

4/26/2010 @ 12:00 AM(UTC)
41°14.59'N 071°26.36'W
Course 007T Speed 7.3kts
Wind 102T @ 13.9kts

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S/V Event Horizon Position Update

4/25/2010 @ 12:00 PM(UTC)
39°53.91'N 072°17.52'W
Course 053T Speed 8.5kts
Wind 157T @ 20.4kts

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S/V Event Horizon Position Update

4/24/2010 @ 12:00 PM(UTC)
38°09.61'N 074°07.20'W
Course 030T Speed 6.0kts
Wind 001T @ 8.6kts

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S/V Event Horizon Position Update

4/23/2010 @ 12:00 PM(UTC)
35°55.51'N 075°13.62'W
Course 007T Speed 7.7kts
Wind 256T @ 18.9kts

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S/V Event Horizon Position Update

4/22/2010 @ 12:00 PM(UTC)
33°54.78'N 077°12.24'W
Course 059T Speed 6.2kts
Wind 300T @ 11.6kts

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S/V Event Horizon Position Update

4/22/2010 @ 12:00 AM(UTC)
33°08.85'N 078°36.06'W
Course 066T Speed 5.1kts
Wind 256T @ 13.4kts

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Newport Bound

My good captain has just informed me that our already-too-short 1-month stay in Charleston is to be further reduced, immediately. A good weather window for sailing home to Rhode Island has presented itself on the GRIB files so we will make final preparations to leave early in the morning.

The faster I shop for provisions and prepare meals for our offshore journey, the longer my last evening of fun in the great city of Charleston...

Charleston Spring

The days are flying by as we take-in a variety of Charleston's restaurants, attractions and nightlife. No wonder this city makes so many best-of lists and that its tourism continues to grow, especially among traveling boaters.

Spring is an especially beautiful time to be in Charleston. We arrived to blooming azaleas, budding trees and thick pollen. Now three weeks later the colors are intense and the trees lush.

Key West, FL to Charleston, SC

Just before high tide on Sunday, March 21, S/V Event Horizon and a crew of three tossed the dock lines at Key West Harbour YCOA for a planned direct passage to Charleston.

Strong steady wind from an approaching cold front and a favorable Gulf Stream delivered us over 540nm in 64-hours, arriving safely at the Charleston City Marina on Wednesday morning, March 24.

The exact distance is unknown because information was lost the first night when we turned the electronics off during a lightening storm. (What's with that Ockam?) On the bright side (ha, ha), my captain and I were less fearful of dying or suffering severe damage than in previous storms since the boat had survived and protected us during a July '09 lightening strike. However, I'm guessing our additional crew member was less convinced of his safety.

While it was a fast trip, it was not an easy passage for this recently dethroned dock princess, hence no daily blog posts filled with passage details. (Sadly, there isn't much written in the ship's log either.) My lack of sea legs and a surprisingly large sea state made for an uncomfortable start. Although fine, I was extra careful to stay on deck, keep hydrated, and eat simple foods. Thankfully, I was feeling fine by the time I went off watch and down below for my first 4-hours of sleep.

The first two days felt more like participating in a rodeo than it did sailing. I just remember holding on and watching the high speed-over-ground numbers. Meanwhile my capable captain was glowing as we sailed close-hauled.

Our guest crew member, Brett, brought capable hands (he's the captain/owner of S/V Muircu, a beautiful Valiant 42) and fun company to the journey.

Despite endless reefing and unreefing, there was no damage done and too few bruises to mention.

S/V Event Horizon Position Update

3/23/2010 @ 12:00 AM(UTC)
27°24.04'N 079°57.71'W
Course 012T Speed 10.5kts
Wind 247T @ 21.1kts

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S/V Event Horizon Position Update

3/22/2010 @ 12:00 AM(UTC)
24°38.38'N 080°43.21'W
Course 075T Speed 8.3kts
Wind 148T @ 15.3kts

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Wanted: Sea Legs

My captain has identified favorable weather conditions for heading northeast. This is earlier than we planned to depart Key West but we have decided to take advantage of this opportunity to sail straight to Charleston, South Carolina.

We always try to be ready for a quick get-a-way--in case we need to run from bad weather--and having only a few hours to make the final preparations is probably a good thing because I'll be too busy to get all emotional over leaving.  

Ten weeks of posh marina living has turned this once hearty sailor into a dockside princess. For the first time in over 5 years of cruising, I will begin an offshore passage without sea legs and this has me very concerned.

Sunset Key

We enjoyed taking the free shuttle boat ride to Sunset Key, a 27-acre island located about 500 yards (460 m) off the coast of the island of Key West, for alfresco beachfront dining at Latitudes Beach Café.

Sunset Key--originally called Tank Island because it was constructed by the US Navy to serve as a fuel tank depot during the Cold War--is only accessible by a shuttle boat that runs from the Westin Marina out to the island, which is privately held among its residents, including the Key West Westin.

We lingered over lunch at the upscale yet casual Latitudes overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. I look forward to returning, someday... Note: reservations are required to get on the shuttle boat. Café offers breakfast, lunch and dinner in an indoor or outdoor setting.

Key Kayaking

It is too cold to snorkel in the Florida Keys this winter so I've been exploring the nearby waters and mangroves by kayak.

Preparing to Depart Key West

I kicked into passage preparation mode early because we have friends (who like to play hard) visiting before our looming late-March departure date. The excitement of fun guests has incentivized me to work swiftly through my to-do-list, and for the most part, the laborious stowing process is complete.

Now let the Key West Finale begin...

Greetings from Key West

What's wrong with the above photo?

Winter clothing! The weather in Key West continues to be unseasonably cold, typically 15 degrees below the norm. Everyone lives in hope of a 70 degree day soon.

My endless pleading to stay and steady cold northerly winds have persuaded my captain to keep Event Horizon in Key West a while longer.

33rd America's Cup

Defending of the America’s Cup begins today. The 33rd America's Cup (named after the boat, not the country) is being held in Spain under the strict deed of gift rules, a best-of-3 match racing between Alinghi, the defender, and BMW Oracle Racing, the challenger.

As the official website explains, the America's Cup “is a challenge-based competition where the winning Yacht Club makes the rules and hosts the subsequent event, often making it more difficult for the challenging Club(s) to take the Cup home”. While this understandably might fuel controversy, the making of the 33rd Cup event has been a series of court actions that has often miffed fans. Pre-match drama aside, it’s an event sure to amaze. Instead of traditional mono-hulls, mammoth multi-hulls using the latest technologies to reach unprecedented speeds are about to completely change the usual racing tactics.

Sadly, there is no USA TV coverage however there are several online sources with live video feeds. Because of my poor internet access, I’m getting event updates through Scuttlebutt (via Facebook or Twitter).

Note: Above image shows the original Alinghi and BMW Oracle mono-hulls racing off Newport, RI.

Los Van Van

I had the privilege, along with most of my dock neighbors, to see a historic concert by Los Van Van at Fort Zachary Taylor in Key West. This Grammy-winning band (2000) was formed in 1969 by Juan Formell, considered one of the most important people in contemporary Cuban music.

After 40-years Los Van Van are still billed as Cuba's number one dance band and after seeing them last night I understand why. It was a wonderful experience despite not being able to understand a word they sang. Up to as many as eighteen performers crowded the stage to play and sing a concert that kept most people on their feet and made the mojitos taste extra special.

Key West Race Week 2010

It's always exciting when more sailors come to town, which was the case for Key West's annual Race Week, held this year January 18-22.

But it's even more exciting to watch from a spectator boat, and thanks to my marina neighbors, I got to enjoyed the final day of racing on the water.

Key West Sunsets

Sunsets in Key West are spectacular. This is why one of the most popular things to do in Key West is the daily sunset celebration at Mallory Square where you are entertained by a circus-like atmosphere of street performers and vendors while you watch the sunset and its colorful wake.

The sunset photo above is taken from the deck of Event Horizon on a still evening.

Cheers to my port side neighbor, motor vessel Coconuts, where I can be found most Wednesday evenings for their weekly sunset soirée.

Cold Snap

A nearly two-week unprecedented cold snap has stunned the Florida Keys and its inhabitants. At first I witnessed people bundled up in as many clothes as they could wear claiming it's never so cold in Key West. Then iguanas began falling out of trees (stunned into unconsciousness by the cold) or showing up in bazaar places trying to find warmth. Next the sea turtles became distressed with hundreds rescued and sent to the turtle hospital in Marathon Key. Reports of fish kills increased daily--large amounts of dead fish floated along side us in the marina for days and we are still reminded of the loss by odors of decay.

Should I Stay Or Should I Go

Last night my captain and I decided to try the Key West Harbour clubhouse restaurant and were pleasantly surprised to find all of our new dock neighbors at the bar. It turned into a fun met and greet for the Event Horizon crew.

On the downside, I learned this new swanky marina has poor WiFi and no laundry facility nor any plans to have one. I was stunned because these are such basic modern amenities as well as two of the three reasons we opted for marina living. (The third reason was not being alone at anchor while my captain travels for business.) These two issues could be a deal breaker so despite the fondness towards my new neighbors and being psyched to have access to a heated pool, early this morning I cycled to the other marinas on the ocean side of Stock Island to check out their facilities and get quotes...

King's Pointe / Oceanside Marina
Old Island Marina
Safe Harbour Marina

Each of the marinas has their perks as well as negatives. In the end I decided we shouldn't move--why risk giving up good neighbors? Plus, while I was out exploring Stock Island I discovered Hilltop Laundry, a commercial service that will pick-up, wash, dry and deliver for $8 per load. And there are rumors of the WiFi being "fixed" soon.

Moved to Stock Island

Event Horizon has moved to the Key West Harbour Yacht Club of the Americans located on Stock Island, which is connected to the island of Key West by a short bridge over Cow Key Channel. The northern side of Stock Island is home to the Key West Golf Course and the Monroe County Detention Center. The southern side of the island is home to numerous mobile homes and marinas. "Key West" it is not.

Due to draft constraints, we made approach just before high tide because there is a coral head that creates a shallow spot in the channel just before entering the deep harbor marina.

The Key West Harbour Yacht Club (not to be confused with the Key West Yacht Club located off N Roosevelt on Key West Island) is located on the Atlantic Ocean side of Stock Island and about six miles from the furthest tip of Key West. It's a new luxury marina facility in the midst of financial rescue that recently began offering its slips to transient boaters at an unusually affordable (temporary) rate of $20/foot per month plus utilities.

The marina has a waterside restaurant, fitness center and heated pool--high-style living my captain warns me not to get used to.

Top photo is the marina entrance, bottom photo is a view of Event Horizon (tall mast) at the dock from the clubhouse restaurant.

Sea Grass

Large amounts of floating sea grass have been causing problems by clogging up the water intake valves when we try to run the generator to charge the batteries and make water. At one point my captain was forced to go diving to clean the grass from the generator's saltwater intake seacock. Although we keep plenty of spares, we'll run out impellers soon if the current sea grass condition keeps up.

The temperature highs are still dropping while the wind and choppy water continue to make it difficult to go ashore.

New Year's Day 2010

Spent the morning dinghying around to marinas on the gulf side of Key West, continuing to explore our options for keeping the boat (and me) safe while my captain travels later this month.

Our plan had been to call the Garrison Bight Mooring Field home for the month of January until we were informed the mooring area will only handle boats up to 50ft, including any overhangs. No exceptions. Unfortunately these are the only transient moorings in the Key West area... While I might feel more secure swinging from one of these moorings, they are a long dinghy ride from the closest public dock and even further from the Key West buzz. Such tribulations are sure to put the kibosh on any of my friends coming to visit. But then the thought of being at anchor by myself for a week makes me nauseous. For now I’ll focus on the few remaining options, dockage at a marina on nearby Stock Island.

We were back at base by lunch to prepare for the approaching cold front--our first "big blow" in Key West. The dinghy was secured on deck when the first squall line arrived in the afternoon with 30kt gusts and heavy rain that reduced visibility to a few short yards. It only lasted about 15 minutes but is was scary given the dense number of boats in the anchorage. (Photos above show visibility during the squall and just after.)

The front arrived with force at nightfall. By 7pm we were getting tossed around by steady 30-plus knot winds. We knew it was going to be a long night because the GRIB weather files were telling us it would be at least six more hours before the cold front was past, meaning the worst of the “blow” might be over by then. It was to be one of those nights when you put your deck shoes on and stay dressed ready for action. It’s a period of waiting and hoping for the best while you monitor the movements of your outside surroundings, watch the wind instruments at the chart table and listen to the VHF radio.

I used to worry most about dragging anchor but lately I fret more about other boats hitting us. And based on the look of our neighbors, I'm guessing the majority of these vessels don't have insurance. Such observations tend to drive the stress level up a notch...

During the first hour several boats in the anchorage had to reset their anchor or dragged including the yacht closest to our portside. On the bright side, by now there were fewer boats around us.

At 11pm the sailboat in front of us, apparently with no one on board, passed us to port as it dragged well beyond us onto the shoreline of Key West, ironically alongside the US Coast Guard station.

Discomfort from sustained 30-plus knot wind and lapping waves continued. Eventually the wind went to the north, which allowed nearby land to provide a little shelter. The change in wind direction also signaled the passing of the cold front. By 4am the brunt of the weather had passed, so although the wind strength remained in the low 20’s, I retreated to the comfort of my pillow.

Hello Key West

I hadn’t realized until today that it’s been a week since I stepped on terra firma. Poor weather kept me on board for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in St Augustine, then we set sail for Palm Beach where we opted not to disembark, and we were too exhausted to inflate the dinghy upon arrival to Key West.

It felt good to walk onshore. Surprisingly, I didn’t experience any land motion, which is common after days offshore, especially when the seas are rough. I walked for four glorious sun-filled hours, first along the seaport boardwalk collecting quotes from the marinas. The best price was $2.75/ft per day or $40/ft for a month plus utilities at Key West Bight Marina but they don’t have a slip available for all of January because they host Key West Race Week, an international sailing event January 18-22.

I strolled on to explore the popular Front Street area and then the entire length of Duval Street taking note of the places I want to drag my captain at some point during our stay.

By afternoon downtown was hopping with happy people and a range of entertainment but I would keep to the safety of the waterfront to welcome in 2010. Besides, the wharf offered a better view of the blue moon.  

Fun Facts: A full moon occurs every 29.5 days, and most years have 12. On average, an extra full moon in a month — a blue moon — occurs every 2.5 years. The last time was in May 2007. New Year's Eve blue moons are rarer, occurring every 19 years. The last time was in 1990; the next one won't come again until 2028.

Happy New Year!

Palm Beach to Key West

As we prepared to lift anchor, we listened to the NOAA weather forecast. To our surprise NOAA was warning Floridians that "if you must venture outdoors dress with layers and wear a hat due to wind chill and temperatures that could go below 35 degrees Fahrenheit until 9am EST and again tonight". We couldn't help but laugh for two reasons; the above freezing temperature warning and because, despite being so far south, it would be another cold night on deck. Time to pull the ski hat back out. I've needed my fleece lined wool ski hat every night at sea since we left Newport in early November. After each passage I wash and stow it thinking surely I won't wear it again until we head back north.

We could see our breath as we departed Palm Beach County in search of warmer weather in Key West. The passage started with a beautiful spinnaker run.

I was surprised that more than half of our 28-hour 214nm passage from Palm Beach to Key West was south of Miami/mainland USA. Key West is the most southern island of the Florida Keys, a 150 mi (240 km) long chain of coral and limestone islands that extend from south of Miami.

There were few wildlife sightings aside from endless swarms of flying fish we disturbed along the way. (Their defense mechanism is to jump out of the water.)

We caught a stunning sight of the sunset reflecting off Miami's tall buildings as we sailed beyond mainland USA.

By night shifty winds and a messy sea state created havoc with the sails making progress slow and sleep impossible. By morning the 60 degree wind shifts had finally ceased and we made comfortable progress sailing wing-on-wind until we reached the channel for Key West.

Exhausted, we anchored off Fleming Key, ate lunch and slept until the sun brought us New Year's Eve Day.

S/V Event Horizon Position Update

12/30/2009 @ 12:00 PM(UTC)
24°35.29'N 081°07.38'W
Course 253T Speed 8.1kts
Wind 039T @ 18.2kts

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S/V Event Horizon Position Update

12/30/2009 @ 12:00 AM(UTC)
25°27.76'N 080°04.46'W
Course 181T Speed 7.1kts
Wind 021T @ 19.7kts

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Lake Worth, FL

Event Horizon and crew spent today at anchor (beside Peanut Island) because the weather forecast called for lights winds. Since we had boat chores, are planning an early departure tomorrow and haven’t a clue as to which of the four shorelines to approach for a good time, we opted against inflating the dinghy to go ashore.

We likely gave Lake Worth the gift of St Augustine oyster seedlings as my captain cleaned Eve’s bottom today.

With most of the chores finished, we scurried on deck with Negra Modelos to take in the view of our surroundings before the sunset. The photo shown above is our view of Singer Island.

Tomorrow we set sail for Key West, which is about 200 nautical miles from Palm Beach County.

St Augustine to Palm Beach - Day 2

After a typical one-night-at-sea watch system, (3-hour watches verses 4-hours, making my watches 8-11pm and 2-5am, and sleep times 11-2am and 5-8am), it was nearly day two of our passage when I returned on deck to greet the daylight. Despite the continuing thick cloud coverage, you couldn't help but notice the change in water color. The water is a brighter and more translucent blue as we move south. While smiling at the beautiful water I spotted my first sea turtle of the journey. I am fascinated by these solitary creatures, which we continued to spot throughout the day. Sadly they face an uncertain future due to illegal harvesting, habitat encroachment and pollution.

We watched the sun set behind the start of Florida's "Gold Coast", a bazaar landscape of Manhattenesque skyscrapers bordering the flat sandy shoreline.

At dusk we entered the man-made Lake Worth Inlet to anchor on the eastern side of Peanut Island.

Total passage: 205 nautical miles in 32.5 hours.
Note: had an average of 1.1 knots of current with us the entire trip.

St Augustine to Palm Beach - Day 1

Light winds directly behind us and rolling seas forced us to motorsail most of the first twelve hours. Much of the day's journey took us through a right whale habitat area so I was more than willing to keep watch on deck.

Unfortunately there were no whale sightings but an assortment of seabirds and multiple pods of dolphins provided entertainment throughout the day. (My captain captured one of the dolphin visits on video using his new iPod Nano and when I have better bandwidth I will post it to Life Afloat.)

As the day faded we noticed the running lights weren't working. (They must have shorted-out when we took on water in the anchor locker while "surfing" our way to St Augustine.) While I stood wide-eyed in dismay, my captain was unfazed and already pulling out his box of electrical supplies and soldering iron. He then crawled into the anchor locker and in little time had us back in action.

By night a sea breeze had formed and in combination with a wing-on-wing sail configuration improved our speed. During the night we passed Cape Canaveral, a place we'd like to visit to witness a NASA launch but there was nothing scheduled during our southbound trip.

S/V Event Horizon Position Update

12/27/2009 @ 12:00 AM(UTC)
29°03.02'N 080°41.42'W
Course 152T Speed 7.6kts
Wind 353T @ 12.0kts

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Waylaid in St Augustine

Illness has kept Event Horizon in America’s oldest city for two weeks, 11-days longer than we wanted. Eager to move on, the crew is hoping to have more energy tomorrow to catch favorable winds for continuing down the Florida coast.

Charleston, SC to St Augustine, FL

It was another cloudy day but this time with a brisk north wind so it was cold, even the dockhands were wearing pants, jackets and gloves. My captain and I pulled away from the Charleston City Marina fuel dock before noon on Thu, Dec 10th for what would be about a 200nm trip. As typical we would sail offshore but not too far in order to avoid the strong opposing current of the nearby Gulf Stream.

Winds of 25kts (gusting to 30) carried us on a beam reach for 200nm (from harbor entrance to harbor entrance) in 24hrs, likely a record we’ll never break for this passage. I’ll admit there were times during the dark of night that I wished we weren’t going quite so fast—it felt more like a train ride than a sail. Once the sliver of a moon appeared to cast a bit of light on things, my fear disappeared.

During the morning we were treated to an acrobatics show by possibly the largest dolphins we have ever seen. Unfortunately my best photo (shown below) doesn’t do justice to their enormous size.

A wise man once told me “centerboards were built for Florida” but until now I always thought he was joking. Even with the centerboard up our draft is 7ft, which in Florida means we are greatly restricted as to where we can safely go. This was the first time we kept an Ockam display set for depth during an entire passage.

S/V Event Horizon Position Update

12/11/2009 @ 12:00 PM(UTC)
30°34.42'N 080°57.51'W
Course 203T Speed 8.1kts
Wind 005T @ 23kts

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S/V Event Horizon Position Update

12/10/2009 @ 11:59 PM(UTC)
32°06.72'N 080°12.45'W
Course 200T Speed 8.6kts
Wind 310T @ 24kts

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Charleston Farewell, Maybe

Ignoring the raindrops my captain and I peddled to one of our favorite Charleston restaurants, Basil, for a farewell dinner. It was a tasty Thai meal savored all the more knowing we were prepared to set sail the next day before noon--timing carefully planned to approach St Augustine, FL during daylight and enter the town cut on a rising tide. I remember thinking how it was an unusually relaxing evening despite it being pre-departure night. Then the phone rang. Our 2009 VW Jetta parked in a downtown Newport garage was missing.

Had it been stolen? Or was it towed? No one knew what had happened but it was definitely missing.

We hopped on our bicycles in disbelief and debated what was worse, a stolen car that was surely mistreated or a towed car that has potentially accrued enormous fees? Once back to base we dug out the car paperwork and called the Newport police. The police checked rustled papers and records while we waited… No record of it being recovered by the police… No record of the police towing it… However there is a record of it being towed by RI Towing.

The next call was made to RI Towing who enlightened us. The car had been parked in the wrong spot. Despite having a permit hanging from the rearview mirror for a nearby spot, the car was towed by the rightful owner of the parking space on Nov 21st. Moral of the story; don’t long-term park during the dark of night. (Luckily I was nowhere near the car when it got parked.)

I’d like to say our angst ended then. After all, we got lucky. Someone was kind enough to notice the car missing—just imagine the fees owed if no one noticed before we returned in the spring!—and the $25 per day fee is a fraction of what most towing companies charge. Our restless night was based on learning one of the car title holders was required to appear in-person with paperwork in-hand to reclaim the car. After describing our situation, we were advised to speak with the boss after 9AM the next day in hopes of making alternate arrangements. In the meantime we checked flight options and debated who should go and what to pack.

Awake early and bleary eyed we tried to be optimistic. Surely the towing company would be accommodating and then we could move on feeling grateful. I went about my typical morning and started to make breakfast. That’s when I noticed several cans of soda had frozen and exploded over everything in one of the refrigerators during the night. After several expletives, which always make me feel better, I went about emptying and cleaning the refrigerator. Later my captain joined me at the sink to help with the rinsing of the contents when all of a sudden the faucet spout fell off revealing a tall fountain of water that was streaming everywhere. I was too stunned to react. That’s when my captain took over and lowered the lever to stop the water flow and then made a quick repair to secure the faucet. Normally not superstitious, I was definitely feeling some bad juju.

Eventually it was 9am and thanks to an understanding lady, modern technology and friends, my captain was able to make calls, take photos and email documents that allowed someone else to retrieve the car and us to set sail. Florida here we come…

Leaving the Lowcountry

My extravagant month of dockside living will soon reach its end. The need to relocate and the Lowcountry’s continued unusual (so they tell me) drab weather have me wanting to journey further south. I’m conceding on my long list of places-still-to-visit and things-yet-to-do in Charleston until the next visit.

Review of the southeast coast weather forecast shows a good wind window for departing two days from now (and then a long period of unfavorable winds) so I will scurry to catch up on laundry, provision and stow for a Thursday departure from Charleston.

Warmer in New England

Just returned to the boat with cold hands after cycling home from dinner and noticed my iGoogle weather reports…
61 degrees in Boston - humidity: 50%
56 degrees in Newport - humidity: 64%
54 degrees in Charleston - humidity: 75%

Charleston City Marina

Charleston’s downtown marina is deserving of all the hype we heard. Any marketing guru would exclaim it has location, location, location! The Charleston City Marina is convenient for ocean or Intracoastal cruisers, its 3,000-plus feet transient dock with fuel offers easy on/off and it’s near historic downtown Charleston. In addition to the expected amenities of a modern marina, they offer free WiFi and a courtesy van. Plus there is a gas station, convenience store, bar, and assorted marine & yacht services nearby.

Although most of the city excitement (grocery store, retail shops, restaurants and nightlife) is located on the other side of the downtown peninsula, the marina’s free shuttle is sufficient for most daytime needs. Plus we find the pleasant 20 to 30 minute walk helps with our exercise regimen while the effort required keeps us from going out too much. Additional downtown perks we weren’t expecting include a Five Guys Burgers and Fries and an Apple retail store, both of which are experiencing a bump in revenue since we came ashore.

Thanks to the marina’s special winter rate, my captain is allowing us to live dockside with all the mod-cons until Dec 10th. After that remains anyone’s guess…

Space Shuttle Atlantis

My captain and I stood on deck at 1430hrs in hopes of seeing NASA’s space shuttle Atlantis launch from Cape Canaveral, FL, approximately 500 miles down range from Charleston. Affirmative. We witnessed a large and long trail of smoke as Atlantis hurdled into orbit. Very cool.

Cycling Charleston

Today the sun made an appearance for the first time since our arrival. What a perfect day to rub off the nubs on my new tires!

As warned, Charleston is not cycle friendly. The city’s downtown does not have bike paths and most streets have narrow lanes without shoulders. Should I follow the “correct” rules of the road and cycle alongside motor vehicle traffic or pay heed to their honking and seek the safety of the sidewalk? Early analysis reveals the common, mostly collegiate, cycler tends to favor the uneven (and sometimes treacherous) historic sidewalks while the professionally-clad cyclist appears to hold firm among motorists.

Despite all the peddling uncertainty, downtown’s flat landscape makes for easy cycling and the parks are welcoming. Already I can’t imagine continuing my exploration of Charleston’s distinct neighborhoods and quaint side streets any other way. However, I wish I brought my helmet.

Newport Dolphin Show

Supporting evidence of our November 4th dolphin escort... Watch a video where hundreds of dolphins put on a show in Newport, RI.

Approach to Charleston, South Carolina

Less than 70nm out from Charleston the sea state became increasing uncomfortable. We tried numerous sail configurations and even changed course in hopes of combating the short rolling seas but nothing seemed to help. We forged on with the engine until arriving dockside at 0300hrs on Tuesday, Nov 10th at The Charleston City Marina (in the rain) after a 6-day 860nm passage.

More Newport to Charleston Passage Photos

Special thanks to Tony O'Brien for being our media person and taking most of the photos.

S/V Event Horizon Position Update

11/9/2009 @ 11:59 PM(UTC)
33°00.28'N 079°01.84'W
Course 244T Speed 7.3kts
Wind 070T @ 15kts

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Newport to Charleston – Day 6

Wind began to fill-in before daylight as did laughter on deck as word spread about one crew member mistaking the tube of Flitz metal polish (in the left-side locker) for the tube of toothpaste (in the right-side locker).

Under 200nm to go, shorts & shades weather and a steady 18kt beam reach. A sailor’s life can’t get much better than this.

Approaching Dawn

Newport to Charleston – Day 5

By 0600hr we had very light wind that eventually turned into no wind forcing us to rely on the engine all day and much of the night. Despite being so far south, it was the first day we did not feel the need to wear ski hats and coats during the day. However, by sunset we needed their warmth again. The calm created an eerie first night-watch because there appeared to be no separation between water and sky.

Newport to Charleston – Day 4

During the night our wind died and we were again forced to make way under engine power. Given the distance yet to go (including temperamental Cape Hatteras) and our diminishing diesel supply, we decided to pull into Norfolk, VA to refuel. We crawled slowly toward shore to make our approach into Norfolk Harbor during daylight. Although it was our first time, entry into Norfolk was easy and it is a convenient place to fill-up. To our surprise, already on the fuel dock was a Swan 53 my captain and I had gone to inspect in Palma, Majorca over eight years ago, before we found “Eve”. Upon exiting the Chesapeake we caught a steady breeze that carried us safely around Cape Hatteras and through the night.

S/V Event Horizon Position Update

11/8/2009 @ 12:00 PM(UTC)
35°32.87'N 075°14.35'W
Course 199T Speed 7.6kts
Wind 211T @ 7kts

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Newport to Charleston – Day 3

We made an early Cape May departure (0745hr) to capitalize on the following wind and seas. We began with only a reefed main and soon added a second reef. Three hours later we added a reefed jib and later went with a full jib. By mid day we were under full sail and making up for lost time.

S/V Event Horizon Position Update

11/7/2009 @ 3:07 AM(UTC)
37°22.38'N 075°15.94'W
Course 224T Speed 5.9kts
Wind 006T @ 6kts

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Newport to Charleston – Day 2

We continued to make way by motor sailing. (We’ve already used the engine more than on either of our Atlantic crossings.) Our sunrise is shown left.

A mid-day report from Commanders’ Weather forecasted an increase to already expected high winds so our captain decided to change course and go back towards Cape May to take shelter for the night. This course change allowed us to sail for a few hours. Before dark we were safely anchored in an anchorage area between the US Coast Guard station and the mouth of Cape May Harbor along with nine other sailboats seeking shelter.

It was unusually calm while we enjoyed a civilized dinner down below in the salon and secretly wondered if we should have pressed on. Within minutes of when the high winds were forecasted to start, we experienced gusts up to 43kts in the harbor. High winds and building seas kept us alert and on edge throughout the night. At times we had the engine on and ready to avert danger. During the night 3 of the 9 sailboats were rescued off the rocks.

Night Watch

Night watches (two 2-person shifts of 4hrs each between 6pm-10am) were spent keeping warm, dodging raindrops and tracking traffic by radar, which was mostly fishing vessels.

S/V Event Horizon Position Update

11/5/2009 @ 12:00 PM(UTC)
39°15.82'N 073°56.21'W
Course 211T Speed 7.1kts
Wind 123T @ 4kts

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Newport to Charleston – Day 1

On Wednesday, Nov 4th, sailing vessel Event Horizon departed a mooring in Newport Harbor at 0530 with a crew of four (Paul, Butch, Tony and myself) bound for Charleston, South Carolina. Before 0600 we were under full sail and greeted by hundreds of white-sided dolphins (seriously, over 200) who playfully escorted us outside Narragansett Bay. In over a decade of sailing these waters we’ve never witnessed dolphins this close to shore (only porpoise) or such a large gathering. A spectacular sight!

Good wind yielded early progress getting us past Block Island in less than 4 hours. We continued southwest along the east side of Long Island. By mid afternoon the wind direction changed forcing us to motor sail in order to stay ahead of approaching heavy weather.

S/V Event Horizon Position Update

11/5/2009 @ 12:00 AM(UTC)
40°17.37'N 072°44.80'W
Course 231T Speed 6.7kts
Wind 209T @ 11kts

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Wickford Fall

The increased harvest-hue brilliance of a Rhode Island sunset reminds me it is late fall and time to make final preparations for winter.

I'm happy to report that my life afloat will continue this winter in new territory for Event Horizon and crew. As usual, our sailing intinerary is flexible and for the most part uncertain but our first main destination is Charleston, South Carolina.

My days are busy taking inventory of boat parts, general supplies and provisions, making lists, shopping, and stowing, knowing I may have less than 24hrs notice of our departure, which always depends on getting a good weather window.