November 2, 2023

Leaving the Bay

We left behind the painted buoy

That tosses at the harbor-mouth;

And madly danced our hearts with joy,

As fast we fleeted to the South:

How fresh was every sight and sound

On open main or winding shore!

We knew the merry world was round,

And we might sail for evermore.

- Alfred Lord Tennyson, The Voyage

Words can’t describe the feeling passing through the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel Complex today.  It was only ~5 months ago we were headed the other way, homeward bound from Bermuda; seems so much longer!

A few years after we started ocean racing, HeeJung asked me, “What’s your favorite part?”   Without skipping a beat, “One hour after the start.”

All planning, preparation, checklists, logistics, shopping are behind you.  A well-known fact, planning and preparing will continue without limit, expanding like elastic pants, until the point you cast-off.  Planning is a deep part of my psyche, but even I have a threshold.

With the craziness of the race start past, the crew settles-in, a rhythm builds and everything is about boat speed. Tweaking sails, adjusting settings, and driving the boat as fast as possible to the next mark.  Attention turns to sail selection, the weather, navigating, and scenario planning.  Still focused, the crew relaxes - jokes and stories increase. Following one too many questions or suggestions for more speed, there is the traditional, jovial, “Shut-up and drive!”

Two years in planning - work lists filled a binder, a myriad of shopping lists on my phone, countless emails.  If we forgot it, too bad; there’s always Antigua, or St. Lucia, or Colombia ...  And of course there will be lists and work once we reach Antigua, and every subsequent port, too.

But for now, we sail; we are in our element.  A cold front passed through last couple days bringing a cold, strong breeze and a bit of rain.  Now, the low autumn sun creating the most incredible blue sky, arcs to the west.  The Gulf Stream is 70nm ahead; our destination, Antigua, lies 1400nm, east by southeast.   “Now, bring me that horizon.” (Captain Jack Sparrow)

P.S.  Just for the record …. Two minutes after the finish of a race, a cold beer in my hand, is pretty awesome, too.

Here are the links to our trackers:

Salty Dawg Rally:  https://forecast.predictwind.com/.../sdsa-caribbean.../

Our boat:  https://my.yb.tl/Kaja