Boating & Biking Adventures

Author: Bernd via DL9BS/mm Page 3 of 15

St. Martin to Bermuda – Logblog 12

We are approaching the cold front. A different sunrise welcomes us. The air temperature is 22 degree C, the air is very humid and the water temperature is down to 19 degree C. Visibility is good but the blue sky got missing. Typical grey in grey.

We have definitely left the trade wind zone but there is some sunny spring weather expected on Bermuda over the coming weekend.

Fair winds…

St. Martin to Bermuda – Logblog 11

We are on the final stretch to reach Bermuda. After an excellent sailing day all under Genaker, we decided to take this colored multiple king size bed sheet down before sunset. Main reason is the cold front, which is forecasted to come through with some squalls and thunder and we do not want to get hit by surprise.

After a few hours under foresail and main the wind did not live up to its forecasted promise and we started the engine, same as the night before. We now have another 55nm ahead of us to reach the channel into Saint George.

Let’s cross fingers that the cold front will not be that hard with us although the rain is more than welcome to flush of the salt from the lady before we reach our anchorage.

Fair winds…

St. Martin to Bermuda – Logblog 10

We have passed this point in safe distance. 130nm to go!

St. Martin to Bermuda – Logblog 9

St. Martin to Bermuda – Logblog 8

We are now under engine for the last 6 hours and it looks like that we need at least another 4 hours to get back to sailable wind conditions. Based on my own routing, the true wind indicated in the table shall increase a notch at 10:00 UTC, which is 6:00 AST, Atlantic Standard Time, the time zone we are in. So let’s hope, that we get the extra notch of 1-2kn, which willl stabalize the Genaker and allow us to shut the engine off for the day. The lady is sensitive and these small icrements of wind speed can make a difference

The conditions up to Saint George/Bermuda remain exciting. In particular we are looking at the ETA and the local conditions at that time. As it looks at the moment, we shall arrive sometime on the 20th April. Could be in the early hours of the day in darkness or later during the day. I guess, the difference will make the gallons of diesel we will be burning over the remaining 200nm versa how much Genaker sailing we want to enjoy. There are some light northerly winds to be expected around that timing, which we try to prevent. We have not yet decided, if we dare to enter Saint George Harbour at night time or not.

Very helpful is a weather forecast we receive from the Bermuda Weather Service. It’s focus is on the last 25nm from the shoreline and it confirms the notherly winds on Thursday and the showers coming through with the cold front between the two high pressure systems.

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Message ID: ZI6QQM1CKM3T Date: 2023/04/18 05:33

From: query-reply@saildocs.com

To: DL9BS

Source: SMTP Downloaded-from: RMS:8P6BWS Subject: www.weather.bm/forecastmarineextended.asp
URL: www.weather.bm/forecastmarineextended.asp

Date: 18 Apr 2023 05:33:38 -0000

Expires: 18 Apr 2023 05:33:38 -0000
(Converted from HTML) Bermuda Weather Service

Marine Charts | Tide Times | Forecast Discussion
Bermuda Marine Forecast This forecast covers an area out to 25 nautical miles from the coastline Issued at 11:30 pm – Monday, April 17, 2023 The next scheduled update will be issued at 5:30 am

Marine Synopsis – A retreating ridge of high pressure holds fair weather until Tuesday night into Wednesday, then a cold front moves in from the west. Expect scattered showers while the moderate southwest wind veers northeast behind the front. Slight to moderate seas continue.

Tonight – Winds southwesterly 12 to 18 knots, backing south-southwesterly overnight… Seas inside the reef 1 to 2 ft… Outside the reef 3 to 5 ft… Sunset: 7:50 pm.

Tuesday – Winds south-southwesterly 12 to 18 knots… Isolated to occasionally scattered showers developing overnight with mainly fair visibility… Seas inside the reef 1 to 2 ft… Outside the reef 3 to 5 ft, increasing during the afternoon inside the reef 1 to 2 ft… Outside the reef 3 to 6 ft… Sunrise: 6:46 am; Sunset: 7:50 pm.

Wednesday – Winds southerly 10 to 15 knots, veering westerly 8 to 12 knots towards evening, then north-northeasterly 10 to 15 knots overnight… Isolated to scattered showers with fair to poor visibility, easing overnight… Seas inside the reef 1 to 2 ft… Outside the reef 3 to 6 ft… Sunrise: 6:45 am; Sunset: 7:51 pm.

Thursday – Winds north-northeasterly 12 to 18 knots, easing slightly later… Chance of isolated early morning showers with mainly fair visibility… Seas inside the reef 1 to 2 ft… Outside the reef 3 to 5 ft, decreasing… Sunrise: 6:44 am; Sunset: 7:52 pm. Friday – Winds north-northeasterly 10 to 15 knots, shifting direction at times… Seas inside the reef 1 to 2 ft… Outside the reef 3 to 5 ft… Sunrise: 6:43 am; Sunset: 7:52 pm. Tides at St George’s (for Great Sound tides, add 10 minutes):

Low: 1:47 am tonight: 0.2m/0.7ft, 2:07 pm Tuesday: 0.2m/0.7ft
High: 7:55 am Tuesday: 1.1m/3.6ft, 8:16 pm Tuesday: 1.2m/3.9ft

Sea Surface Temperature: 20.8°C/69.4°F

Meteorologist: Kimberley Zuill, Observer: Lawrence Doughty

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All not dramatic and managable but I prefer to understand what lies ahead of us rather than caught by the facts.

Time for a second coffee.

Fair winds…

St. Martin to Bermuda – Logblog 7

We worked hard today with the Genaker to keep the lady moving. The wind is down below 6kn TWS and to keep our rhumb line we even operate the Genaker now in a Spinaker set-up. Finally our speed is down to 3kn SOG and we have to decide, if we sail through the night or take the engine to help out.

I have downloaded the latest Grib files from Meno (www.wetterwelt.de) and the wind will only increase again after the shift from SSE to SSW expected tomorrow early morning hours.

As the wind just ceased further, we have taken the Genaker down and will run under engine into the night.

Fair winds…

St. Martin to Bermuda – Logblog 6

...one little cloud left...

St. Martin to Bermuda – Logblog 5

We got some further encouragement and advice from our Intermar e.V. weather team ashore.
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Message ID: 860759DD8784 Date: 2023/04/16 12:10

From: DD1HUR #
To: DL9BS
Cc: DF5AM; 9H2RA
Source: DD1HUR Downloaded-from: RMS:VE1YZ

Subject: Atlatnikwetter 16.04.2023

Lieber Bernd,

was soll ich sagen, optimal, optimaler, am optimalsten – dass man sowas steigern kann, war mir überhaupt nicht bewusst…. Nun ja gestern noch 6 Kn, heute 7 Kn, nicht schlecht, die “Hulluporo” mutiert vom Rentier zur Rennziege…. 😀

Insgesamt ist das also sehr gut, wie ihr voran kommt. Andererseits ist das auch wichtig, denn der Wind wird nicht so bleiben. Inzwischen müsstet ihr schon ein leichtes Nachlassen verspüren und das wird sich so bis morgen weiter abschwächen. Der Wind dreht mehr südlich, das kann das evtl. ausgleichen, weil ihr dann mehr raumschots fahrt, aber wenn der dann ganz auf Süd dreht, wird es dann doch m.E. etwas schwach werden.

Also, die Empfehlung von gestern bleibt bestehen, auch die ungefähren Breitenangaben (das ist natürlich immer davon abhängig, wann ihr denn genau an der Stelle seid).

Draußen auf dem Atlantik nordwestlich der Azoren tobt ein gigantisches Tief, das in seinem Gefolge Potenzial für weitere (Sturm-) Tiefs in sich birgt.

Nach allen Vorhersagen scheint das aber nicht bis zu euch zu kommen, aber die Ausbildung einer neuen “wellenden” Front auf eurer Strecke ist durchaus drin, mit ähnlichen Erscheinungen wie bei der letzten Front. Es scheint keine stärkere Entwicklung zu geben, aber wir sollten mal ein Auge drauf halten. Nachfolgend kommt dann wieder eine Hochentwicklung und da ihr da nun an der Ostseite seid, kommt der wind dann von N.(Mittwochabend (UTC) erst). Auch das sollte relativ schwach werden, aber man weiß ja nie. Also, versucht an Strecke zu machen, was möglich ist, ohne euch dabei zu übernehmen und wir müssen dann sehen, wie es so weiter geht. Das Hoch selbst sollte langsam nach E ziehen und damit kommt ihr aus dem Gegenwindbereich wieder hinaus und da der Kern vermutlich südlich zieht, bekommt ihr dann sogar Westwinde, also seht mal zu, dass ihr nicht an den Bermudas vorbeifahrt :-).

Also, ihr seht aus dem o.a., dass die “richtigen” Entwicklungen (bis auf die zwischenzeitlich auftretende Front) erst Mittwoch am Abend einsetzen sollten, so lange habt ihr wohl südliche Winde (wie gesagt, bis auf diese Front, in der Nacht Dienstag auf Mittwoch), Also, ich vermute mal, dass ihr da schon in Schlagdistanz zu den Bermudas seid und da dürfte dann eigentlich nichts mehr schiefgehen. …

Macht mal weiter so,

gute Fahrt, gute Wache und
vy 73, Uwe
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In the meantime we have reached the southerly wind zone between the two high pressure systems illustrated on the barographic chart attached. The cold front, or ”wellende Front” as Uwe mentioned above, is also clearly visible between the two zones. It shall be interesting. The local Bermuda Weather Bulletin give us further input on what to expect on our arrival but it only covers an area of 25nm around the Bermuda archipelago. Some showers will be nice to clean the lady from a salty crust.

On our daily call at 8pm AST we will try to connect with Sutje Jan, who is currently in St. Lucia and always supportive and availble for a discussion and exchange.

The Genaker is up and we are working hard to keep the lady moving.

Fair winds…

Bernd

St. Martin to Bermuda – Logblog 4

The wind was below 8kn before sunrise. Hard to sail with the current configuration of foresail and mainsail. We are now running under engine for a while and then get the coloured bed sheets out. Some people call it Spinaker. Looking forward to see it flying.

Fair winds…
Bernd

St. Martin to Bermuda – Logblog 3

Another day passed. 160nm in 24 hours. Not bad. Rainer is happy and I am amused. 😀
 
In the afternoon hours we saw another sailing vessel ahead of us. First encounter since we left. The race was on. We called them over VHF and after a while got a reply. The voice and timbre sounded familar to me. Yes, Horst and Christina from SY Malou were next to us, my neighbours for a few days in Mindelo/Cabo Verde. What a damned small world in the middle of this vast pond. We talked a while on the radio and concluded to meet up at the anchorage in Saint George.
 
On top we just celebrated the start of our downhill passage, 430nm behind us, same distance ahead towards Saint George/Bermuda. The second half of the passage will be a bit more challenging from a wind perspective but we are prepared as wind angle and speed will not be as favorable as we got them up to know. No option out here, we need to deal with it.
 
Days are getting longer but temperature (air and water) have dropped. The jumper becomes the new normal during the nights…
 
Fair winds…
Bernd

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