As I think I mentioned, our  crew bailed out on the morning of our departure.
So, Penny and I decided to  try passagemaking alone. We departed Chaguaramas,
Trinidad, in the afternoon of 18 May. We deployed the  outriggers while still
in the Bay and launched the fish immediately on exiting  the Boca del Monos,
one of several Bocas, or mouths, of the Gulf of Paria  which lead north into
the Caribbean Sea. On the  southeastern side of the Gulf is the Serpentbs
Mouth, through which the  Equatorial current flows, mixing with the waters of
the
Orinoco River. This brackish mixture is voluminous  enough to insure that the
current is always west-going through the Bocas.  Because the Boca del Monos is
narrow and  only 200b deep, the rapid current at times creates standing
waves
within it b an  awesome sight.
Our course for St. John, USVI would leave Isla Aves, 325 miles to the  north,
to starboard and had us rounding the western end of St Croix.  Initially, we
were making about 7.5-8  knots, but 11 hours later, as we passed abeam Point
Salines, Grenada, an adverse countercurrent  slowed our progress to about 5.5
knots. Unfortunately, this lasted until  Saturday noon when we were abeam of
Isla Aves, at which point we picked up a  fair current and were able to reduce
RPM and still maintain an average 7.5  knots.
A short time later, the sun  disappeared, the sea became a ghostly pale
whitish-blue and we were enveloped in  a grey brown haze, which soon revealed
its
source as ash from the Montserrat volcano, 125 miles to the east. This can
happen  even if you are upwind, as we found out in 1998. The winds aloft are
often
from  the west, and as the volcanobs spew rises into them, it is carried
eastward and  dropped into the northeast trades. So, whether you are upwind or
down, you are  never safe from the Monster Rat, as I have named it. Too late,
we
received, via  Inmarsat C, a notification that the mountain had erupted once
more.  The boat was a mess, and as I write this  several days later, we are
still hosing down the fine black dust.
Awhile back, friends on a  DeFever 44 told of their encounter with the
Monster Rat. As they were sailing  down the island chain, the volcano was in a
bad
mood, disgorging steam, ash,  rock, as well as some good-sized boulders. The
skipper, to his wifebs dismay,  insisted on sailing down the windward border
of
the exclusion zone so as to get  a better look at the hot debris raining into
the sea. All of a sudden, she saw,  in their path, a huge fishing net and
cried out a warning. Despite his quick  handing of the controls, both wheels
were
instantly entangled.  While he was overside clearing the mess,  the wind and
current rapidly carried the boat some distance into the  exclusion zone, and
soon they were in danger as large rocks splashed into the  sea, closer and
closer. They were fortunate to get underway again just before  the danger
became
too real.
Due to the recent tensions  between Venezuela and the US, I had taken the
trouble to leave its possession,  Isla Aves well off (15 miles) to starboard
and
was happy I did, as we listened  to repeated calls from the Venezuelan Navy
harassing an American ship passing  just 12 miles east of the island.
Aside from the volcano  mess, the passage to St. John went well, and  Penny
and I were fairly well acclimated to our watch-standing by the time we
reached
Cruz  Bay. Therefore, we decided  to proceed with the seven-day passage to
the States  alone.
We arrived after hours  (Immigration/Customs closes at 5PM) and so we picked
up a Park Service mooring  ($15. b half price if youbre 62 b we're not
yet!)
in Caneel Bay, grilled a t-bone, and enjoyed a good  eight hour sleep, the
first in 3 days.
Next morning, we dinghied  to Cruz  Bay and tied up at a  blocalb dock.
The
Customs dock  hosts the ferries, and so isnbt very dinghy friendly. It being
b
lowb season, we  were the only ones there. The Customs guys were very stoic,
but friendly enough.  When you clear from a foreign country into the USVI, you
are, for Immigration  purposes, in the United  States, and that meant our
next passage, to Beaufort, NC, would be a domestic one! We were advised,
though,
to call and report in to Customs when reaching the mainland.
Departed Caneel  Bay Monday 5/22 at 1450
Steering 335  M
Winds SSE 15 Seas 5-7
Tue  5/23
Winds SSE 10 Seas  3-5
Wed  5/24
Winds SSE 5 Seas  1-3
Thurs  5/25
Wind NNE 12 with N swell b Beautiful  motorboat wx!  Almost calm
Have not seen a ship for 2  days
@ 1800 launched windward  fish as seas are now on the beam NNE and 5b short
chop
Fri  5/26
Wind N10 2-4' windwave in  4' N swell
Became E 10 seas E 4-5
184 miles made good avg 7.7  knots with one fish in @ 1800rpm
Stopped main engine at 1500  - added 2qt LO
Running DDW & downsea  all afternoon 331 deg mag
Sat  5/27
Wind SSW 15 seas 5-6'  confused S swell
Windward fish is now  leeward
153 mi made good
#1 propane tank (30lb) ran  out after almost 8 months!
Wind increased from SW late  and seas now 8'
Launched windward fish
Sun  5/28
Front w/TSTMS & heavy  rain passed in early am. then little wind
Swell from West  diminishing
Approaching E side of  Stream: water temp: 72 @ 0830 at lat 32-04.5
75@  0950
76@  1100
77@1150
179 mi made good w/2 fish  in at 1800 RPM
Wind NE 12 seas 2-4  NE
Southbound ships are  tracking 15 mi E and W of stream axis
Water temp 78@  1600
Wind picked up to 15-25kt  NNE and seas built to 6-8' on the beam w/4 sec
interval - not a comfortable  night in the Gulf  Stream.
Monday  5/29
Crossed W wall of Stream @  0230
Beaufort sea buoy @ 0655
Retrieved fish and entered  channel @ 0720
ICW mile 200@  0845
Arrived New Bern NC @1200
FO consumed 757  gal
3.15 GPH
SOG  7.5kN
We had installed an AIS  receiver prior to this passage and were happy to
have it  along.
Regards,
John
"Seahorse"

Why does your message have all these dropouts - see below. Are you a Mac or
using a funny font?

Ron

----- Original Message -----
From: Truelove39@aol.com
To: passagemaking-under-power@lists.samurai.com
Cc: ejludwig@shaw.ca
Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2006 9:50 PM
Subject: [PUP] Passage from Trinidad to Beaufort, NC

| As I think I mentioned, our  crew bailed out on the morning of our
departure.
| So, Penny and I decided to  try passagemaking alone. We departed
Chaguaramas,
| Trinidad, in the afternoon of 18 May. We deployed the  outriggers while
still
| in the Bay and launched the fish immediately on exiting  the Boca del
Monos,
| one of several Bocas, or mouths, of the Gulf of Paria  which lead north
into
| the Caribbean Sea. On the  southeastern side of the Gulf is the Serpentbs
| Mouth, through which the  Equatorial current flows, mixing with the waters
of
| the
| Orinoco River. This brackish mixture is voluminous  enough to insure that
the
| current is always west-going through the Bocas.  Because the Boca del
Monos is
| narrow and  only 200b deep, the rapid current at times creates standing
| waves
| within it b an  awesome sight.
| Our course for St. John, USVI would leave Isla Aves, 325 miles to the
north,
| to starboard and had us rounding the western end of St Croix.  Initially,
we
| were making about 7.5-8  knots, but 11 hours later, as we passed abeam
Point
| Salines, Grenada, an adverse countercurrent  slowed our progress to about
5.5
| knots. Unfortunately, this lasted until  Saturday noon when we were abeam
of
| Isla Aves, at which point we picked up a  fair current and were able to
reduce
| RPM and still maintain an average 7.5  knots.
| A short time later, the sun  disappeared, the sea became a ghostly pale
| whitish-blue and we were enveloped in  a grey brown haze, which soon
revealed
| its
| source as ash from the Montserrat volcano, 125 miles to the east. This can
| happen  even if you are upwind, as we found out in 1998. The winds aloft
are
| often
| from  the west, and as the volcanobs spew rises into them, it is carried
| eastward and  dropped into the northeast trades. So, whether you are
upwind or
| down, you are  never safe from the Monster Rat, as I have named it. Too
late,
| we
| received, via  Inmarsat C, a notification that the mountain had erupted
once
| more.  The boat was a mess, and as I write this  several days later, we
are
| still hosing down the fine black dust.
| Awhile back, friends on a  DeFever 44 told of their encounter with the
| Monster Rat. As they were sailing  down the island chain, the volcano was
in a
| bad
| mood, disgorging steam, ash,  rock, as well as some good-sized boulders.
The
| skipper, to his wifebs dismay,  insisted on sailing down the windward
border
| of
| the exclusion zone so as to get  a better look at the hot debris raining
into
| the sea. All of a sudden, she saw,  in their path, a huge fishing net and
| cried out a warning. Despite his quick  handing of the controls, both
wheels
| were
| instantly entangled.  While he was overside clearing the mess,  the wind
and
| current rapidly carried the boat some distance into the  exclusion zone,
and
| soon they were in danger as large rocks splashed into the  sea, closer and
| closer. They were fortunate to get underway again just before  the danger
| became
| too real.
| Due to the recent tensions  between Venezuela and the US, I had taken the
| trouble to leave its possession,  Isla Aves well off (15 miles) to
starboard
| and
| was happy I did, as we listened  to repeated calls from the Venezuelan
Navy
| harassing an American ship passing  just 12 miles east of the island.
| Aside from the volcano  mess, the passage to St. John went well, and
Penny
| and I were fairly well acclimated to our watch-standing by the time we
| reached
| Cruz  Bay. Therefore, we decided  to proceed with the seven-day passage to
| the States  alone.
| We arrived after hours  (Immigration/Customs closes at 5PM) and so we
picked
| up a Park Service mooring  ($15. b half price if youbre 62 b we're not
| yet!)
| in Caneel Bay, grilled a t-bone, and enjoyed a good  eight hour sleep, the
| first in 3 days.
| Next morning, we dinghied  to Cruz  Bay and tied up at a  blocalb dock.
| The
| Customs dock  hosts the ferries, and so isnbt very dinghy friendly. It
being
| b
| lowb season, we  were the only ones there. The Customs guys were very
stoic,
| but friendly enough.  When you clear from a foreign country into the USVI,
you
| are, for Immigration  purposes, in the United  States, and that meant our
| next passage, to Beaufort, NC, would be a domestic one! We were advised,
| though,
| to call and report in to Customs when reaching the mainland.
| Departed Caneel  Bay Monday 5/22 at 1450
| Steering 335  M
| Winds SSE 15 Seas 5-7
| Tue  5/23
| Winds SSE 10 Seas  3-5
| Wed  5/24
| Winds SSE 5 Seas  1-3
| Thurs  5/25
| Wind NNE 12 with N swell b Beautiful  motorboat wx!  Almost calm
| Have not seen a ship for 2  days
| @ 1800 launched windward  fish as seas are now on the beam NNE and 5b
short
| chop
| Fri  5/26
| Wind N10 2-4' windwave in  4' N swell
| Became E 10 seas E 4-5
| 184 miles made good avg 7.7  knots with one fish in @ 1800rpm
| Stopped main engine at 1500  - added 2qt LO
| Running DDW & downsea  all afternoon 331 deg mag
| Sat  5/27
| Wind SSW 15 seas 5-6'  confused S swell
| Windward fish is now  leeward
| 153 mi made good
| #1 propane tank (30lb) ran  out after almost 8 months!
| Wind increased from SW late  and seas now 8'
| Launched windward fish
| Sun  5/28
| Front w/TSTMS & heavy  rain passed in early am. then little wind
| Swell from West  diminishing
| Approaching E side of  Stream: water temp: 72 @ 0830 at lat 32-04.5
| 75@  0950
| 76@  1100
| 77@1150
| 179 mi made good w/2 fish  in at 1800 RPM
| Wind NE 12 seas 2-4  NE
| Southbound ships are  tracking 15 mi E and W of stream axis
| Water temp 78@  1600
| Wind picked up to 15-25kt  NNE and seas built to 6-8' on the beam w/4 sec
| interval - not a comfortable  night in the Gulf  Stream.
| Monday  5/29
| Crossed W wall of Stream @  0230
| Beaufort sea buoy @ 0655
| Retrieved fish and entered  channel @ 0720
| ICW mile 200@  0845
| Arrived New Bern NC @1200
| FO consumed 757  gal
| 3.15 GPH
| SOG  7.5kN
| We had installed an AIS  receiver prior to this passage and were happy to
| have it  along.
| Regards,
| John
| "Seahorse"
| _______________________________________________
| Passagemaking-Under-Power Mailing List
|