Prologue
Kitty: Plan: Galveston to Veracruz, Mexico, to Tampa, Florida, then around Florida to the Bahamas for the winter. Extended plan is up to the Chesapeake, over to Bermuda, down to the Caribbean (while Jim writes “Rums of the Central and Western Caribbean” :- ), then a seven year ‘plan’ to Oz. But then, there is no plan.
Day 1, June 4, 2004
Kitty: Time: 11:40 LAT: 29.32.92 LON 95.00.87
BAR: 30.26
After all these years we have literally cut the dock
lines and are starting our cruising life. We are now an hour underway
and are leaving the Clear Creek Channel. Hooray – a long time
coming!
Crew is Jim Kenworthy, Captain; Katherine (Kitty)
Kenworthy, First Mate; Alan Liley, Watch Captain; and, Steve Bowden,
Communications Officer. Crew is set to two teams, Jim & Katherine
and Alan & Steve, each having four hours on / four hours off
watches except for dog watches at dinner time.
We left
Harbour House Marina at 11:40 – better exit than entry. Upon
arrival yesterday the current caught us and slammed us into a
concrete wall. 6-8’ of cap rail splintered. There are scrapes on
the paint (hull) but we can’t see any damage. We are continuing
on.
We seem to be covered with bugs – don’t know if we got
them from a tree in Watergate or from the dock in Galveston – we
are dismissing them from duty aboard. (* We finally determined
that they were in the rolled up sails.)
We are racing
against ‘Escapade’ and ‘Argo. ‘Anchor Management’ may have
already dropped out. (* This turned out to be incorrect – they
were still in the race.) If we don’t turn our engine on for
propulsion (for batteries is okay) we may wind up winning a prize
just for arriving!
Al: Alan/Steve off watch at 20:00. Tack 20:10
Helm:
Alan/Steve Course: 120M Distance: 12NM LAT: 29.06
LON: 94.18 BAR: 3018 Wind: 8 kts., SSE Swell: calm
Day 2, June 5, 2004
Jim: Time: 00:34 Helm: Jim/K2 Course: 234 LAT:
28.53.92
LON: 94.25.9 BAR: 30.18
Veracruz
first mark: 19.12.191 96.07.186
After a real slam the wind
is back out of the southeast. A fun time was had by all.
Al: Time: 03:44 LAT: 28.49 LON: 94.45 BAR:
31.5 Wind: 17, S Clear
Tack at 03:00 as boat was at 300*.
Current course back to 180*.
Jim: Time: 06:40 LAT: 28.40.895 LON: 94.35.926
BAR: 30.18 Wind: 12
COG: 130 SOG: 4.0 Swells:
confused
Sea state confusing, moving slowly. Hopefully,
setting south approximately 574 miles to Veracruz.
Time:
08:01 LAT: 28.35.911 LON: 94.31.383 COG: 174 SOG:
3.0
Seas: confused
Generator started at 08:00; charging
batteries. Gen(erator) run time – 1 hr. 8 min.
Heart (inverter)
says we float.
Fixed man overboard pole bracket.
Tied down
trash bins.
Fixed fife rails.
Still not making much headway to
Veracruz. 568 nm at a bearing 189.
Time: 09:08 LAT:
28.35.146 LON: 94.30.361 COG: 166 SOG: 2.8
Just
joined motor/sail class.
Checked engine oil and water.
Shut
down generator.
Engine hours = 806.68
Time: 10:48 LAT:
28.26.805 LON: 94.32.034 BAR: 30.16 COG: 165
SOG:
4.2 Wind: from nose 5-7 kts. Seas: confused
Engaged
autopilot.
Went from 1500 rpm to 1200 rpm. Engine seems to be
overheating. Gauge was climbing towards 220. Not sure if this is a
problem or not.
Alan: Helm: Alan/Steve Time: 12:00 Course: 170M
LAT: 28.32
LON: 94.59 BAR: 30.18 Wind: on nose
Seas: slight & confused, 0-8 kts.
Alan and Steve off watch
08:12. Constant use of all sails and manouvres. Looking for wind. As
above eng/auto.
Jim: Helm: Jim/Kitty Time: 13:39 Course: 172.5
LAT: 28.15.224
LON: 94.34 BAR: 30.18 SOG: 3.9 Wind: on
nose
Seas: slight, waves confused.
Kitty: Time: 15:01 Clear, sunny, under power … no help
from the wind. A sailing vessel has crossed our bow. Wish we could be
sailing, too.
Jim: Time: 20:00 Course: 137 LAT: 27.56.182
LON: 94.26.621
BAR: 30.08 Speed: Sailing with wind @ 14
kts.
Shut down engine @ 17:19. Will stay on this tack until
24:00.
Alan: Time: 24:00 Course: 192M LAT: 28.06 LON:
94.04 BAR: 30.10
Seas: Moderate Winds: 8-15 kts.
Eng.
On 20:46 G&B in. Wind picked up. Good course & speed
eventually: Eng tacho out. Off shift.
Day 3, June 6, 2004
Kitty: Time: 04:00 Winds: ~ 5 kts.
Bit rough but
making way. Computer problems, serial port down. Too bouncy, too
tired to get official stats other than heading 200 degrees, near rhum
line for vessels to Veracruz.
Alan: Time: 08:00 Course: 203M LAT: 27.12 LON:
94.09 BAR: 30.10
Wind: 18-20 kts., SE Seas: 4-6’
moderate
Dodging for best wind. Off watch 08:00. Engine on
full shift.
Jim: Time: 10:08 Course 240M LAT: 27.05 LON:
94.57 BAR: 30.08
Wind: 18-22 kts., SE Swell:
4-6’
Stopped engine to check oil. Still sailing at a good
speed.
Time: 12:00 Course: 225M LAT: 27.00 LON:
95.04 COG: 225
SOG: 5.4
Started engine again @
11:45. Found small leak on engine. Believe it might be rocker arm
cover gasket.
Had to put 1.5 gal., oil in engine. Remainder of
oil in bilge!
Hose on outlet of raw water pump leaking.
Fixed
hose clamp for engine cooling water on starboard side off heat
exchanger, loose, tightened same. Replaced drip pads under engine.
Put block on nav station to hold computer onto nave station.
Helm: Alan/Steve Time: 15:59 Course: 191 LAT: 26.49
LON: 95.12 BAR: 30.05 SOG: 5.2 Wind: 18-20 kts.,
SE Swell: 3-5’, moderate.
Did two tacks to try and
improve position towards Veracruz.
Back to ???
(illegible).
Contacted yacht ‘Bodacious’ on VHF as we passed
them. They are STILL a sailboat.
Engine running 1200 rpm.
Alan: Time: 18:00 Helm: Alan/Steve Course: 185M
LAT: 26.29 LON: 94.38
BAR: 30.02 Wind: 18 kts., SE
Swell: 4-6’, moderate
On engine; all sails up.
Jim: Time: 22:00 Course: 171.9 LAT: 26.19 LON:
95.23 BAR: 30.04
Wind: 18-20 kts., SE Swell: 4-6’,
moderate … a wet one occasionally.
All running smoothly.
Weather great. No moon as yet; lots of stars.
Kitty: Time: 23:30
Right on track to Veracruz
after a bit of excitement … the wind picked up and Jim reefed the
main, only to have the first reef pull out. Got the second reef in
main and pulled in jib to ~ 20% functionality. In the process, the
boat got turned around a couple of times, but we are now back on
course and the winds are even ~ 18-20 kts. Thank goodness for Alan.
Day 4, June 7, 2004
Jim: Time: 00:00 / 12:00 7th June.
Winds
are up to 35 kts. Engine on full shift. Only main up & 2 reefs.
Seas up to 20 feet.
Helm: Jim &
Kitty Time: 07:00
Everything getting
wet. Took a wave in cockpit, not fun. 400 mi. to Brownsville.
Time:
09:57 Course: 189 LAT: 25.43 LON: 95.38 Wind:
18-22 kts.
Put up staysail,
stopped engine for ½ hour to add 3 quarts oil.
Weather
appears to be clearing, but still have large seas.
Alan: Helm: Alan/Steve Time: 12:00 Course: 190M
LAT: 25.34
LON: 95.41 BAR: 30.05 Wind: 22-28
kts., SE Swell: 8-20’, heavy seas
Seas picked up since
10:00. Forecast for another 24 hours.
Main 2 reefs, staysail
only.
Jim: Time: 13:41 Course: 199 LAT: 25.29 LON:
95.44 BAR: 30.02
SOG: 3.3 Engine hours: 845.53
Port
main spreader light fell on deck. Cleaned up as best as possible.
Starboard light swinging in the breeze also.
Time: 16:05
Course: 203M LAT: 25.21 LON: 95.49 BAR: 30.02
SOG:
5.1 Wind: 18-24 kts., SE Swell: 6-12’ seas
Radio
calling ‘Bodacious’; ‘Gypsea North’; ‘Anchor
Management’.
Weather building to 30 kts.
Alan: Weather continues @ 23-24 kts. Lost all wind … within
5 seconds, down to 6 kts. Crazy! Seas fall off. Don’t believe it!
Main + 2 reefs, staysail, engine.
Jim: Time: 18:00 Course: 204 LAT: 25.09 LON:
95.57 BAR: 30.00
SOG: 4.6 Wind: 23-28 kts. Seas:
6-12’, more balanced save action.
Wind backup from SSE, able
to make better way on. Still under double reefed main, staysail, and
engine.
Alan: Time: 24:00 Course: 185M LAT: 24.52 LON:
96.07 BAR: 30.05
Wind: 22-28 kts. Seas: 6-12’,
confused.
Wet night. Heavy swells from east. Boat rigged as
above.
Day 5, June 8, 2004
Jim: Time: 04:00 Course: 199 LAT: 24.92 LON:
96.18 Rain and storm
Engine stopped at 01:19.
Changed
fuel filter, and thought I had bled system … did not. Finally got
fuel to system but could not get engine started. Will try engine come
morning.
Kitty: Time: 09:30 LAT: 24.44.532 LON: 96.28.388
Course: 332
At 07:30 we found that the injector pump on the
main engine is beyond repair. We have altered course for
Brownsville.
Alan: On route to Brownsville – engine repairs. Rain and
serious swell abound.
Kitty: Time: 22:10 Course: 280
We changed course
to 280 degrees which should take us straight to the Brownsville
jetties. We still have no GlobalStar service on the Mexico side –
we are hopeful to have service in U.S. waters so we can call
TowBoat/US, marina (South Point), and the kids … and the race
committee.
Day 6, June 9, 2004
Jim: Time: 00:00 Course: 312 LAT: 25.59 LON:
96.39 Wind: 14-18 kts.
All is good. Heading to
Brownsville sea buoy.
Alan: Time: 04:00 Course: 312 M LAT: 26.04 LON:
96.55 BAR: 30.05
Seas: 8-10’, last swells
Contact
Boat US by telephone.
No rain, at last. Nice night.
The foregoing has been copied directly from the DreamAway Log Book.
Epilogue: Things got so busy as the morning wore on that no
one made further entries in the log book. From now on, the log book
will be kept on my computer … at least for the time being.
We
were met at the Brazos Santos sea buoy by a very prudent and
professional Boat US team. They had a substantial boat with major
horsepower, of which we were very glad, considering the seas and the
size of our boat. They towed us into South Point marina and snugged
us onto the bulkhead on the ICW side of the marina. To our surprise,
we were met by loads of other racers who had come into land rather
than continue on in the storms and buffeting seas. Most had been
there a day or two before us. It seems we were the last of the lot to
arrive.
Port Isabel is a sweet, laid back Texas town …
quiet and somewhat depressed economy, but mostly friendly and
generous people. More about the town, and the marina, will be found
in the new “The Captain’s Wife’s Log”, to be uploaded around
the same time as this report. End.