Best Laid Plans ...

Sunrise east of the Gulf Stream.

"All human plans are subject to ruthless revision by Nature, or Fate, or whatever one prefers to call the powers behind the Universe." -- Arthur C. Clarke.

It's a good thing that flexibility is the ethos of cruising: at every turn, we've had to adapt. The latest is a big change.

Our passage to the BVIs did not go as planned. We got a good weather window from Chris Parker (whose forecasts were pretty much spot on throughout, btw). The window called for us leaving as early as possible Saturday afternoon (Oct. 31), so we hit the dock at Morehead (actually it was a delicate operation that involved not hitting the dock despite a wicked current), topped off fuel and water, crew (Christopher Joyce; Morgan Joyce) stepped aboard and we were headed out Beaufort Inlet -- all within about 1 1/2 hours.

We motored east for several hours before reaching the Gulf Stream at about 11 p.m. The crossing was a little bumpy -- especially for the first hour or two near the western wall, but nothing too bad. Once we entered the GS proper, everything smoothed out, thanks to a moderately strong southerly breeze. In 9 hours, we were across.

Noi trying to catch Mahi Mahi.

For the next few days things went generally well, with few problems other than a head overflowing on the intake side and some leaking chain plates on the starboard side (above the pilot berth). Eventually, however, we noticed that the bilge pump was cycling a lot more than we would expect and discovered a fair amount of water below decks. After shutting all the thruhulls -- including the bilge pump (for those mechanically inclined -- it has a check valve but no vented loop).

Chris Joyce enjoying a well-deserved nap.

I disconnected the electric bilge pump and put the discharge directly in a bucket and over the side to eliminate the possibility that water was siphoning in through the thruhull. In the process, I tested the check valve and it seemed to be working properly. After a few hours, we were still pumping about a gallon/minute out of the bilge and there seemed to be no end in sight. Of course, the bilge pump could have kept up with that, but what if it burned out? I imprudently did not have a spare aboard. In any case, we didn't want to do the bucket brigade all the way to Tortola -- at least another 7 days, maybe more.

After consulting with crew, in which we briefly discussed the idea of calling at Bermuda (still four days away and we had no detailed charts for a tricky entrance), we decided to turn back.

On our way back to the GS, we sailed through a pretty intense squall -- at least 35 knots, perhaps 40, with a double-reefed main and the yankee out (still, way too much sail). I later discovered that our radar antenna was knocked off its mount during the 45 minutes or so we rode that weather (surfing along at 8.9 knots!). But it was all just wind; no waves.

In the meantime, we used the sat phone to contact our all around guru and shore-side support person -- Mary Heinritz, who in turn was able to contact Chris Parker for another GS forecast, going the other way. Chris' forecast wasn't great, but not too bad either -- east to southeast 20 knot winds and nine-foot seas across the Stream.

When we finally arrived, the wind at the stream was less than forecast and the crossing was in fact even easier than the way out.

The timing though wasn't the best. We got across the stream in the evening and were off Beaufort Inlet again by the wee hours. We didn't want to go into the generally unfamiliar harbor at night, so loitered offshore in windy and rainy conditions. By daybreak, we were able to make our way in. Noi noticed dozens of iridescent shapes darting under the water in Symbiosis' wake -- Mahi Mahi. She tried to throw a line in and catch one, but no success.

Morgan and Scott.

Finally we arrived at Portside Marina and have spent the last few days doing projects and putting the boat back in order. We've decided on a modified plan that will involve some shorter coastal hopes of a few hundred miles (a few days, that is), each.