I am at the condo this afternoon, after biking to Walmart to buy a watertight container for the battery fan which makes a huge difference in keeping the Great Cabin somewhat livable in this climate.
I also bought a few more items. Yoghurt for lunch today, a salad for dinner, some Laughing Cow cheese which is often found in refridgerated cases, but as I know from long experience does not to need to be, and a box of Cheese-Its. I am quite fond of Cheese-its.
I forgot to buy a bottle of tonic. I have one on board, but if this is a slow passage I may end up drinking my gin straight. Not a sacrifice.
I have a new co-favorite gin. Not always able to find Botanist here, I have developed an appreciation of Plymouth.
Before biking I moved GANNET into full passage mode. The Torqeedo, which started at it should, is on the transom and I moved the various bags on the v-berth into final position and tied those along the sides in place with lines that run from eye-bolts in the main bulkhead and the partial forward bulkhead so that everything does not shift when GANNET heels excessively or is knocked down.
I expect to leave early tomorrow morning, but may wait a bit to avoid possible passing showers.
The distance from GANNET’s slip to where Skull Creek mets Port Royal Sound is slightly less than two nautical miles. It is another seven or eight nautical miles until we will be clear of the coastal shallows and really in the Atlantic Ocean.
The distance from Hilton Head Island to Cape Henry at the southern entrance to the Chesapeake is 470 miles. St. Michaels is another 110 miles north of that.
If the wind forecasts are to be believed, we are going to have wonderful sailing Monday and Tuesday. We might reach Cape Henry in four days, but with headwinds and light wind forecast for Wednesday and Thursday, that might not happen.
I turned on the Yellowbrick last evening and when I went to the tracking page and zoomed in on the uploaded position, to my surprise and pleasure I found GANNET. I first recognized the solar panels on the foredeck. Then her size and finally the boats on either side of her. Yellowbrick uses Google maps who flew over sometime this year.
I often wish you sailing joy and I do now. If you are not sailors, I wish you whatever joy you seek.
I’m off for sailing joy of my own.
