Hi all
At last, we managed to sneak out of Chaguramas, Trinidad May 21 after almost 2 months down there. I still wonder what I did there for 2 months. At least I did something on the boat. When I was sailing around one of the island I lost the prop, probably after an accident i the Canaries. So I had to fix that. And of course I was waiting visit from Norway. But time pass by easily and compared to my neighbour in Chaguramas Bay who had been there for 1 one year. 2 months is next to nothing. My 2 other crewmembers left as planned when we arrived. One of them went to Tobago for a holiday before going home and the other guy bought his own boat and plan to go sailing in august. I definetely made a decision going north instead of into the pacific, so after 21 one days and 2100 n.mile north I'm now in Newport Rhode Island. This leg was not as bad as I some people said it would be. The first 2 weeks to Bermuda (which I didn't stop) was plain sailing in the tradewind. Wind from E for the first week and then from SE the next week. Around Bermuda or 30 deg north is the doldrum, but I didnt get if before around 35 north and then usually unstable wind for a couple of days. The last week was from Bermuda to Newport was unstable wind up to almost gale condition, and of course from the northwest. So I lost approx 2 days sailing north instead of nortwest. Crossing the infamous Golfstream was exiting but not as bad as it could be. The waves get really tough if You are crossing in a northerly gale, but at least it is just 60 n.miles to cross so we managed to get out of the golfstream in a days sailing. Newport is probably city of sail nr. 1 here on the eastcoast. The city is more geared on tourists than on sailboats and their needs, so I have a hard time finding chandleries and all bits and pieces I'm usually running around to get when I reach a harbour. It is also good to be back in USA. I crossed USA with a car some years ago and spend some months on the west coast in 94, so it would be interesting to see the eastcoast. My plan is to sail up to Maine and then into Canada, and then to Greenland and slowly back to Norway. (that is, if the icecondition is favourable, and my crew is coming.)
Best regards, SY OMNI Jonny Birkelund