The great migration began on November 1st. According to the insurance companies, that is the end of hurricane season. It's time to sail south to Florida, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean for the winter. November is the window between hurricanes and cold weather on the east coast. This year for the great migration, I sailed a 2024 Fountain Pajot Tanna 47’ from Annapolis, MD, to Tortola, BVI. We, a crew of 3, completed the 1700 nautical mile passage in 10 days, dock to dock.
November 2nd
We departed Annapolis around 9:00 am. We reviewed the rigging, lines, hardware, and sails. Everything looked good when we raised the main and opened the genoa. The winds were NW 10-15 knots and the bay waters were calm. We motor sailed on a broad reach. The winds freshened in the middle of the night, allowing us to turn off the motor and sail our last couple of hours! With an average boat speed of 7 knots and 125 nm until our destination, we made it to Norfolk before sunrise. At daybreak, we motored into the channel and staged at the nearest anchorage with the most facilities, Old Comfort Point Anchorage, just in front of the marina. We would be able to top up fuel and water and get any last-minute supplies in the small town, Phoebus, nearby. Over the next 36-40 hours, we reviewed all the system’s aboard function and layout, noted daily check items, and became more familiar with the catamaran. We were her first sail offshore. This was her shake-down sail, and she would be testing us as sailors. Daily checks from deck to bilge, monitoring the systems, and attention to details, sounds, motion, or sights are just as important on a new boat as a 40-year-old boat on a delivery.
November 5th.
In anticipation of the big passage, we were up before the sun rose holding mugs of hot coffee, waiting for daybreak and the journey to begin. Ok, let’s get real. I called the wake-up time for 5:00am for a 6:00am departure. In the last 24 hours, the number of catamarans and monohulls had doubled in the anchorage. It felt like we were all setting up for THE weather window. So, who would be the first? “The early bird gets the worm." As I stood in the darkness, coffee in hand, I realized no one was getting the worm. After breakfast, we weighed anchor. For the next couple of hours, we motored east to exit the Chesapeake Bay. Winds were light E/SE 3-5 knots, calm seas. There was all sorts of traffic at the mouth of the bay. Luckily, we broke out of the fog into the sun shining on dark waters to see all the sights; a stealthy black submarine playing peek-a-boo, massive ships, small fishing vessels, an offshore windfarm, a cool offshore tower/lighthouse, and lots of dolphin and fish activity.
Date: 11/5/2024
Time: 20:00
Lat/Long: N36 43 W74 39
Boat Speed: 6.25
Course: 111
In the first 12 hours, we motor sailed SE, encountering low E winds. Our course was 110-120 degrees, heading ESE for our approach to crossing the Gulf Stream. In the evening, the wind veered south at 10–13 knots. We were able to throttle back and motor sail more efficiently.
In the early morning hours of November 6th, the winds died out and became flukey. We reefed the main to mitigate sail/boom slap and lumped along via motor. Around mid-morning, the winds picked up to 15-20 knots from the WSW. We sailed a beam to broad reach. The seas were small yet confused. She sailed through them a lot smoother than her previous motor sailing performance. In our first 28 hours from Norfolk, we sailed 200 nautical miles. It took us most of the 2nd day to cross the Gulf Stream. The Gulf Stream was pumping a good 3.5–4 knots of current north. Despite the current, our SE course and boat speed allowed us to enter and exit the Gulf Stream at the same latitude. We sailed through the evening on a double-reefed main and matched genoa in anticipation of squalls amid the 12-20 knots of wind. We had enough wind to keep a decent speed, even reefed.
Date: 11/6/2024
Time: 20:00
Lat/Long: N36 14 W71 10
Boat Speed: 5.5
Course: 144
November 7th
We had exited the Gulf Stream late last night. At daybreak, we raised full sails and sailed on a beam reach towards Bermuda in 15-17 knots WSW wind. In the middle of the afternoon, we seemed to have sailed out of our SW winds and into low NW winds. We gybed to sail a course of 73 (NE) which was better than no wind or sailing SW. We were riding a ridge of W winds to the north and a high pressure system with low to no winds to the south. It's amazing how just 10-20 nm can be so different in wind and waves. Within a couple of hours, our W wind came back, and we gybed again. We were back on the W/N winds edge. Around 16:30, the winds were 10-12 knots—low enough to need a little boost from your engines. We sailed SE on a broad reach. Later in the evening, we were able to turn off the engines, sailing off 15-20 knots of WSW winds towards Bermuda. We sailed 175 nm 11/6 - 11/7 @ 11:00am.
Date: 11/7/2024
Time: 20:00
Lat/Long: N34 50 W68 42
Boat Speed: 7.5
Course: 154
November 8th.
We motor sailed when the winds were lighter than 15-20 knots to keep the boat speed around 7 knots. We were still watching the low-pressure system, trying to move swiftly SE in anticipation of the winds veering W-NW-N-NE that evening. The forecast called for elevated winds and seas over the next couple of days. We had sailed 164 nm 11/7–11/8 @ 11:00am.
Weather dictates your passage, your decisions, fate, comfortability, “oh sh*t” moments, and moments of pleasure when you routed well from departure planning to the arrival day. We departed on a SE course out of the Chesapeake Bay; this was to compensate for the Gulf Streams' push north and in anticipation of the N winds blowing off the coast in a day or two running up our stern. We stayed on the southern edge of the N winds. This allowed us to use the wind from the low pressure, but not be overwhelmed by her power. To the south, there was very little wind. We had a head start and room to move south to avoid the strongest 40-45 knot N winds and 20-foot waves. As the N winds closed in on us, we could see the system was staying farther north than previous forecasts, so that was in our favor. I check the weather every 12 hours when an update is available. I had a lot of fun with the strategy towards our first informal waypoint, south of Bermuda. I was diligent in watching what the N winds were doing and how they would affect us. Listen, I am not trying to sail in 20-foot seas. I do enjoy a good beam reach with winds 18-20 knots and gusts up to 22 to get us where we are going.
Date: 11/8/2024
Time: 21:00
Lat/Long: N31 21 W66 40
Boat Speed: 8
Course: 170
November 9th
We sailed off the W/NW winds until mid-morning when we were backed by the NW winds. We had a choice: 1. Sail on a 190 SSW course or 2. gybe to head more E. We gybed. About an hour later, we were surrounded by squalls. We had winds up to 25–28 knots for a half hour and then the wind direction moved to a cool 0–12 degrees N/NE. This allowed us to make some southern progress again with an ESE course. The wind shifts I experienced that day were like veils, poof, you can now sail a new course. The winds had veered 40 degrees within a couple of hours. They were steady strength and speed. It was kind of nice and...decisive. We had 20-23 knots N/NE winds and seas building. We sailed 182 nm 11/8 – 11/9 @ 11:00am.
Date: 11/9/2024
Time: 20:45
Lat/Long: N29 57 W65 22
Boat Speed: 7
Course: 161
November 10th.
It’s Sunday and the N wind low pressure system blew over Bermuda yesterday and last night. We were well south of the strongest winds and waves. This would be the first day of 15-25 knot winds with gusts up to 28-30 knots. The seas rose to 12-13 feet with some 15-footers rolling by; luckily, by the time these rollers got to us, they were far enough apart at 9-11 seconds to just boost our speed as we surfed. The wind chop made the ride a bit more ruckus, and we were thankful for the decent and consistent wind speed. It was a sporty sail with sunny skies and only the ocean around. The winds were coming from the NE 50-70, so we continued to sail SE. The weather forecast in a couple of days showed the winds veering SE to S at some point, ultimately heading us as we approach the islands. With this in mind, I continued to east. Let’s give ourselves the best chance possible with a little wiggle room by easting to W64. Through the evening, the winds continued to E veering between 80 and 120 degrees between midnight and 4:00 am. Where did my east wind go? Like a veil, the winds shifted from ENE to SE with speeds of 15 to 22 knots. It can be challenging to sail on a close haul with wind direction veering 30-40 degrees. I was steering off the wind to avoid being headed and be able to hold a tight course. We sailed 153 nm 11/9-11/10 @ 11:00am.
Date: 11/10/2024
Time: 20:00
Lat/Long: N27 37 W64 07
Boat Speed: 7
Course: 185
November 11th
As the day broke, the winds steadied at 110 ESE with speeds of 18–22 knots and gusts between 25 and 27 knots. We continued a close haul to close reach, now beating into the wind and waves which are veering with the winds E to SE. We were able to sail 55-60 degrees off the AWA and maintain a decent 7 knot boat speed with 20 knots of wind. It's amazing how 20-25 knots of wind on a broad reach with following seas feels like an exhilarating sleigh ride, while the same amount of wind and waves off your bow is more like, "Welcome to the rodeo!" To windward, we sailed. We sailed 176 nm 11/10 – 11/11 @ 11:00am.
It was finally warm. We didn’t have to bundle up for our night shifts anymore. In the daytime, we started seeing kneecaps and elbows. Last night, I felt puffs of warm air on the soles of my bare feet dangling at the helm. We were also VERY salty at this point in the passage. We had been sailing with some bigger seas on a beam to broad reach, then a couple days beating into it on a close reach, and no rain yet. Salt…Lick…Everywhere you sat or anything you touched in the cockpit or helm station was encrusted in salt. Soon, the squalls would come.
Date: 11/11/2024
Time: 20:00
Lat/Long: N24 53 W64 24
Boat Speed: 6
Course: 205
November 12th
I was trying to find patience for our impending Puerto Rico or Turks arrival based on our sailing course, close haul to reach, beating into 20 knot winds with seas off our port bow and beam... inhale…exhale and patience. As the wind veered S, we were being pushed further west. In the morning hours, we sailed a course of 205 and by evening, we sailed 225. Still, we were experiencing wind speeds between 18-20 knots and brisker winds of 22-24 knots into the afternoon. I had to be patient and wait for the right time to tack. If I tacked too early, I would have a NE course which would cause me to lose southern progress and waste mileage. Patience. The winds will veer S-SW this evening. Around 21:30–22:00, the winds were veering…to a point of decision: 1. Do I continue west and go to the Bahamas or 2. Do I tack and hope the angle doesn’t send me to England? I tacked. I was able to pinch my close haul and sailed a course of 80. It was slow, but I was not trying to sail fast. I was just waiting for the wind to shift SW. We sailed 148 nm 11/11 – 11/12 @ 11:00am.
I enjoy the strategy of routing based on all the factors of your passage: how far west is too far, trying to get south as fast as possible, how close can I sail to the wind, calculation of fuel when the wind dies closer to the islands, and greeting the changing winds when they come. I was excited!
Date: 11/12/2024
Time: 20:00
Lat/Long: N22 18 W65 31
Boat Speed: 7
Course: 225
Date: 11/12/2024
Time: 00:00
Lat/Long: N22 12 W65 28
Boat Speed: 4.25
Course: 101
Date: 11/12/2024
Time: 04:30
Lat/Long: N22 12 W65 04
Boat Speed: 6
Course: 116
November 13th
The winds were veering quickly from SW to W through the night and into the morning. We sailed off 15–20 knots of wind, close reach to beam reach, for 7-8 knots boat speed. The seas were calming down. They hadn't had time to build since the wind was veering. The sailing was perfect, with a smooth ride, the sun shining, and just enough wind! We came through blankets of clouds and squalls welcoming us to the islands around 18:00. Winds veered, varied, and eventually died. It was time to motor. By 20:00, we were within 130 nm of Jost Van Dyke, where we would clear customs.
Date: 11/13/2024
Time: 20:00
Lat/Long: N20 34 W64 32
Boat Speed: 6.5
Course: 200
November 14th
We were surrounded by dark blue and gray rain clouds through the morning. A shower here and a shower over there. The water was even darker than the sky. Land Ho! Anegada, and then the rain clouds enveloped the land. A couple of hours later, we sailed up to Jost with sunny, blue skies and white puffy clouds over the lush islands. We anchored in Great Harbour, with plans to clear in and motor to our destination, Nanny Cay. The universe decided we needed a full night’s rest before docking in Nanny Cay. I returned from customs to the catamaran around 16:30; if we tried for Nanny Cay, we would be pushing it. After a long day, why not stay a night? So, we gathered ourselves and dinghied into Foxy’s Bar and Restaurant for a celebratory beer. We put our feet in the sand and relaxed.
11/14/2024
Anchored at Jost Van Dyke
November 15th
We woke up to a dreary and rainy day, a movie in bed day. After about an hour of rain, we waited for a light drizzle to weigh anchor and head over to Nanny Cay. The wind was 10–15 knots SE, so by the time we passed Soper’s Hole headed east, it was a bit lumpy. We had some great sailing, some comfortable and fast sailing, some beating and you would think you were going faster sailing, and... some lumpy motoring. Overall, the passage was fun and sporty, yet uneventful in the grand scheme of things, which in the grand scheme of sailing is a success!
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