Nothing like a cold beer after a Gulf Stream crossing. As crossings go, this one was just fine, if a bit bumpy at first. A different sort of crossing in that we were coming NE from Key West so crossing the stream at about a 30 degree angle. We left Key West at about 8am, figuring on covering the 225 NM at a fast average speed over the ground of 8.6 knots, 1.1 knots above our actual speed through the water, thanks to the boost from the current in the stream.
We originally planned to enter the banks at South Rock with an option to choose a more northerly course to enter the banks above Bimini if we didn’t like the conditions. This would add about 12 miles to the trip but would also give us a bigger boost from the stream.
In my planning I estimated the GS current at 3.5 knots and with our angle of attack figured about a 15 degree offset angle to hold course and a 2 knot resultant boost in speed. As it turned out it was taking closer to a 25 degree offset to hold course and we were not getting quite 2 knots of boost. At a boat speed of 7.5 knots and a steam speed of 3.5 knots it doesn’t require much of a miscalculation to throw off prior estimates. In this case, I figure the angle of attack was closer to 45 degrees so the required crab was much greater. Had I seen that coming I might have entered the stream a bit further south. Maybe next time. Hard to calculate the best approach between taking the shortest route and getting the best speed boost.
With lots of unknowns regarding what was going to happen later that night with winds and sea state we decided to turn north to improve the ride, reduce the crab angle and maybe pick up enough extra speed to absorb the extra 12 miles of total distance. Also, the wind was forecast to clock further to the west in the early morning hours which would put it more astern after our turn east at North Bimini. As it turned out, the wind never clocked and stayed at about 225 degrees throughout the night and morning, but still behind the beem, so just fine.
We can see out 64 miles with our radar so I began tracking and timing the advance of the front i knew was coming some time Saturday morning. At 3am it was moving at about 12 knots so would arrive right on time at noon. With that estimate we planned on standing off until the front passed, possibly testing our new lightning protection system. By 10 am, when we were 2 hours out, the front had slowed to 8 knots and would not arrive until 1pm. Plenty of time for us to get in and tied up before it it. As it turned out, the first slip designated for us didn’t agree with our boarding doors so, with the lightning and thunder near, we moved to a more agreeable slip. We had the last line secured when the front passed over. Lucky timing on our part.
We will stay here a week, with plans for kayaking, bicycle touring, and maybe some fishing and conch hunting. And maybe a few more Kaliks on the beach. Then we will begin moving towards the Exumas. The Exuma Land and Sea Park is expecting us on 1 February for our one month stint as mooring field hosts at Cambridge Cay. After that, no real plans.
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