Month: April 2018

Im back in Antigua, getting ready to sail Resolute back to Maine. So far, the weather looks pretty good, so Im working toward a departure tomorrow morning. I cleared out (customs and immigration) less than an hour after clearing in. Then spent the afternoon swapping anchors, grocery shopping, bending on the jib and installing jack lines (to keep me attached to the boat when I go to the foredeck). Now Im checking systems (charging, watermaker, communications, nav lights) and stowing gear. Unless something unexpected happens tonight, all Ill need to do tomorrow will be to top up water tanks, retrieve a stern anchor and cast off. Well see...

I’ll start blogging about my return trip from Antigua to Maine starting Saturday. The current plan is to depart Falmouth Harbor on Sunday morning.

Ive been trying to slow down,but its hard! All was going according to plan until 3:30 this morning, when I felt the wind die (to les# than 10kts) and come forward. On deck, I could see a huge thunderstorm ahead. Since these can bring very strong winds, I decided to drop my main entirely and sail with jib alone. After a half hour of rain, I decided it was a false alarm and raised the main again (with two reefs) in 18kts of wind. But the wind kept building, and I kept going faster. Typically 8.5kts, but often 9.5-10. By daylight, I had spun out a couple of times and was heeled over 30 degrees when going over waves. So I decided to take the main down again, and thats…