Happy Together Cruises into the Caribbean

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Not a bump

When the trade winds slowed, they went flat calm. Calm? Yes Calm. Now for the second half of our voyage we fished, cooked, exercised and worked on our computers. We even stopped and did a mid-ocean swim in the Great Puerto Rico Trench – one of the deepest spots in the ocean. As we arrived in the BVI, I took a picture of Sir Francis Drake Channel so you could get the entire picture. I sent it to my friends and one replied……”It looks like Lake Tahoe!”

Dino Juice

When Chris Parker gave us a route plan to the Caribbean from Florida, he said… “remember this is going to be a motorboat trip. Into the wind nearly the entire way. If you wanted to triple the distance you could sail up to Bermuda and then maybe down to BVI but that is about it.” The wind comes from the southeast and that is directly the path from Fort Lauderdale to the BVI. Oh well…. the life of a sailor means carrying plenty of jerry jugs for when you just can’t sail. Or if the wind is coming from the direction you are going. Some sailors will wait for weather windows with favorable winds and these folks motor less than anybody! However, they live on their boats and have nowhere to be until the wind can take them there. Not the life of a commuter cruiser like Lennie and I. We have a schedule and are sticking to it. Maybe one day we will settle down and wait for the trades to blow from west to east.

It’s just math

If you know the consumption of your engines…….and you know the route you are going in nautical miles….then you know your MPG. Then why do we agonize the entire way and continually monitor and check the tanks and talk about the remaining fuel and “if” we will make it to Puerto Rico with what we have. Not kidding. This was a constant and chronic discussion between the crew. Each time we came away with essentially the same result. I guess the concern is that if you made a mistake in your calculations and ran out of fuel you would have a real problem.  Humans are funny this way and I am one of em’. By the way. We made it to Puerto Rico with 5 gallons left….yes….just 5 gallons.

 

6 Responses

  1. Leland Crenshaw

    Glad you made it with 5 gallons reserve. Happy Sailing.

    • happytogether

      Hi Leland, Actually I misspoke. 5 gallons per side LOL, not much better! Thanks Randy

    • happytogether

      Hi JC, Yes we will be there at 2 each day in the Leopard both. Randy

  2. Glen

    Just think, if you took just a TINY bit less alcohol you would have had hmmmmmmmmm ,,,,, perhaps twenty gallons of diesel in reserve. Just messing with you probably only ten gallons – tops. *S*
    Be good and stay safe you two.

    • happytogether

      Hi Glen, hmmmm, less alcohol more fuel…..sounds okay…..wait…..NO. We would rather float around becalmed than be without Rose?