After a warm early fall with temperatures here averaging 8°F above normal, the past week has seen a steady progression toward winter. Shorts to Levis. Wearing socks. A long-sleeved shirt over t-shirt. Change Nest thermostat from ‘cool’ to ‘heat’. And for the past three mornings, lite the fireplace.
———
Borrowing from Sports Illustrated’s weekly Sign of the Apocalypse, today’s Sign of the Apocalypse is a news item that the Google cheeseburger emoji has the cheese on the bottom while the Apple cheeseburger emoji has the cheese correctly on top. Google announces that they will rectify the error. The sign: that this was a news item.
———
While the overall strategy is clear, tactical details are uncertain, partially for reasons that I cannot presently disclose but that will be explained in time.
The overall plan: sail from the US to Panama; get GANNET across the isthmus; sail from Panama to San Diego. Unless compelled by circumstances, we would sail direct to Panama from the US and direct from Panama to San Diego. The first is 1500 to 2000 miles, depending on starting point. The second about 3,000 rhumb line miles, but because the last thousand or so miles will be to windward, the distance over the bottom will be significantly greater.
First GANNET’s keel must be repaired.
Actually first I must get the elusive estimate for the repair.
Assuming Marathon Boat Yard can and will do the repair within the next two months at an acceptable cost, I will have them do it. If not, I will have to fly down soon and sail GANNET to another yard either in the Keys or Miami/Ft. Lauderdale.
Originally I had planned to return to GANNET in early January, provision and sail for Panama before the end of the month, completing the voyage in time to celebrate Carol’s birthday with her in April. However, I have recently agreed to be in New York City on March 2, which complicates matters.
I could leave GANNET in Panama and fly back for a few days from there, and I may. However, I am tending toward remaining in the US until after my appointment in NY and sailing for Panama then, missing Carol’s birthday, to which she has already given her approval, and being in San Diego before the start of the hurricane season in June.
If I do remain in the US until March, I will still return to GANNET in January and possibly sail up to Hilton Head, South Carolina for a few weeks.
Details will be provided as they emerge.
———
The lead photo was taken by Steve Earley just as spray came on board during a blustery day on his recent fall cruise. Steve is a GoPro master and often sets his to take photos at two second intervals for two minutes. This one caught the moment.
It also shows by implication the virtue of a yawl rig on a small open boat. I assume Steve had his camera mounted on the mizzen. You can see that the main is furled. When the wind came up CHIDIOCK TICHBORNE sailed beautifully balanced under her equal sized, 30 sq ft jib and mizzen, or, if the wind was strong enough, under jib alone. I’m sure Steve’s Welsford Pathfinder, SPARTINA, does as well.
