Heading
west for the Netherlands Antilles: Aruba, Bonair and Curacao
otherwise known as the ABCs. This is a sail of around 400 miles going
with the wind and currents.
Among
the jobs in the preparations to set sail is securing the Sewing
machine. Probably, one of the reasons the sewing machine does not see
the light of day that often. Having a 20 kilogram sewing machine
leaping around the cabin in rough seas could be very painful. The
sewing machine is strapped down in the quarter berth. Other pre sail
jobs are; shopping for food, filling the water tanks and checking the
boat is squared away for sailing. It has been a year since Sadiqi
arrived in the Caribbean after a 2,000 mile sail from Basil.
Tuesday
17-06-14 @ 1330 Sadiqi departed Prickly Bay, Grenada
Engine:
1384.3 hours
I
had said my good byes to friends at the half price pizza night at the
Tiki Bar. In the morning I attended Tai Chi saying good bye to
Pierre-Yves and Mireille on “Umido” before checking out with
Immigration. There seemed to be a big enough weather window between
the tropical waves to head westwards.
In
the lee of Grenada conditions were rough with capricious winds from
all directions, nasty waves and fickle currents. I motored for about
an hour to get through the nasty conditions. Toward evening it was
beautiful sailing conditions with 15 to 20 knots on the beam. Sadiqi
was slicing through the water at 6 to 7 knots.
The
16 metre catamaran "Bob" appeared on the AIS doing 10 knots
to Sadiqi's 6 knots. Being fairly close to the coast of Venezuela I
disabled the AIS transponder. The AIS WatchMate was only set to
receive other vessels positions and not to transmit Sadiqi's
position. I see no point in announcing my presence to potentially
opportunistic fishermen, who may see fit to relieve me of my
possessions.
1700
- beer o clock. A time for reflection and thoughts and libations for
family and friends who are no longer with us. And to the fish I hope
yet to catch.
I
had cooked up Thai green chicken curry the day before. I shall
probably be enjoying Thai curry and rice for the next 3 dinners.
Very
good it was too - the galley slave excelled himself.
During
the night there were a number of stationary flashing lights about. I
can only assume that this has something to-do with fighting. Other
than the occasional ship there was only the bright canopy of stars
until the waning moon appeared.
Wednesday
18-06-14
0100am
I heard the cross track-error alarm on the chart plotter. I had
already been woken with the sound of rain on the cabin roof. The
cross track alarm sounds if Sadiqi's course deviates by more than two
miles. Smithy, the wind pilot only steers by the wind, if the wind
direction changes smithy will change course. Sadiqi was heading due
north.
I
gybed the mainsail to get back on course 300 degrees magnetic.
Magnetic variation in this part of the world from True North is
around 20 degrees west.
Around
0400am I gybed again as the wind had returned from an easterly
direction. It takes a few days for me to get into the passage making
sleeping routine.
Sailing
almost dead downwind I only had the mainsail up, the head sail bangs
around too much in the wind shadow of the main. I was in no hurry the
sailing conditions and weather were very pleasant.
Noon
1200 hours UTC -4
Wind
12 to 15 knots easterly
Lat:
12 30.84 N Lon: 063 28.88 W
COG:
305 degrees M SOG: 4. knots
Engine:
1385.7 hours
106
miles sailed since departing Grenada.
We
were making slower progress than I had planned for. The currents
appeared to be negligible. However, it was pleasant to be sailing off
the wind again.
 |
| Chasing sun sets |
Thursday
19-06-14
0400
hours Sadiqi arrived at the turn point (about 100 miles north of Isla
De Margarita).
The
wind had picked up during the night and Sadiqi was sailing with
reduced mainsail only, doing 6 to 7 knots in the current. I gybed the
main and set course for (COG) 277 magnetic. This was a compass
heading of 257 degrees magnetic to make up for the cross current.
0600
Winds were 18 to 20 knots true. Sea conditions were boisterous.
Sadiqi was rolling around and surfing down the waves with speeds up
to 9 knots. The items on the boat that had not been squared away
properly announced themselves by tapping, knocking or banging into
something – spice jars some of the worst offenders. The search was
on to silence the noisy items. There is only so much one can take of
the repeated tap, tap, tap as screwdriver rolls from one side of its
box to the other, as the boat rolls.
0900
the winds started to ease 12 to 15 knots from the east. I unfurled
the head sail to maintain a COG of 277 degrees magnetic. Sadiqi was
crabbing along sideways in the current.
Noon
1200 hours UTC -4
Wind
12 to 15 knots easterly
Lat:
12 39.84 N Lon: 065 46.23 W
COG:
260 degrees M SOG: 6.5 knots
Engine:
1385.7 hours
135
miles sailed since noon yesterday.
Sailing
conditions were very pleasant. After sailing the Caribbean windward
islands I was getting used to sailing down wind again.
2230
Winds increased to 20 = 25 knots I reduced the mainsail.
Friday
20-06-14
0430
the wind dropped – I gybed the main.
In
the early morning I ran the engine to charge the batteries. There
seemed to be a lot of cumulus cloud and the fridge compressor seemed
to be drawing more current than normal.
1000
Wind 15 – 20 knots from the east.
Waves
3 to 4 metres – rolling along.
My
original plan had been to make for Curacao. However, it did not look
like I would make in in daylight. I decided to head to Bonaire,
rounding the southern most point.
Noon
1200 hours UTC -4
Wind
16 to 18 knots easterly
Lat:
12 21.05 N Lon: 067 53.26 W
COG:
235 degrees M SOG: 6.0 knots
Engine:
1386.6 hours
125.5
miles sailed since noon yesterday.
1400
I sighted Bonaire.
1700
Beer o clock Sadiqi rounded the southern point of Bonaire. It was an
extremely pleasant sail in flat water I the lee of the island in 15
knot winds on the beam.
A
loud roaring sound startled me from my reverie. A large KLM passenger
jet was about to land and I was directly under the landing approach.
I thought the plane was going to hit the top of the mast it appeared
so close.
 |
| Close encounters |
1840
I picked up a mooring ball just off the city of Kralendijk, Bonaire – just
on sunset.
Engine
1387.0 hours.
