I love sailing at night and I really don’t as well. I love the serene reaching hours under the stars with kindly seas, dolphins checking in and phosphorescent galaxies strewn in our wake. Children asleep, Kelly and I sitting watch or sleeping in the cockpit offering to relieve each other and fighting to stay up as long as possible just to let the other rest a bit more. These are the perfect times aboard.
All sailors know this. All sailors also know this is not the norm. These things are what keep us in, give us stories at the bar to pass to envious non sailors and neophytes. Of course, the stories we all have and the listeners most usually are wont to hear are the other side of the coin. Gripping the wheel for life with seawater blasting your face, waves crashing …..
Last evening was mostly the former and dusted with anxiety, if not facts, from the latter.
We left St Augustine, Florida on a hot windless morning yesterday catching the 9:30 opening of the Bridge of Lions (way cooler name than the James Island Connector) and offshore. Hanging a right out of the harbor mouth, again as the only boat south, we had a beautiful motor south and enjoyed our most prolific sea turtle spotting to date. Absolutely enormous leatherback sea turtles easily mistaken for dark grey/green Fiats, loggerheads, our first green sea turtle, more sharks, mantas, dolphin, and our first reunion this trip with our old offshore entertainers the flying fish.
A nice steam south. No biggie, just ticking off the miles. As the night went on and we neared Cape Canaveral the waves shortened and the wind built but still…no biggie. Nearing 9 PM the waves got to banging and started getting very slow and loud and wet and uncomfortable and unwelcome. Just shooting for the red outer reef marker at Canaveral and we can bear off 40 degrees toward Ft Pierce. This means easy wave action, jib up and SAILING AT NIGHT! Just as we reached the outer bouy and about to make the turn with Kelly and Gherty asleep in the cockpit, life jackets and tethers, the banging was getting old. I was waiting and counting the minutes and miles. It was too dark to hand steer through the waves so just trying to find the right speed to take the minimal beating. As a final thumb in the eye, a “lets not forget who is in charge here”, we took an invisible wave to the bow easily twice the size we’d seen all day knocking everyone awake and out of bed….buy the ticket take the ride.
Eased off toward due south, jib up, moon and some stars out, I remember this. Fantastic. Kelly and I took turns on watch. I did the 9-12, she the 12-2, me the 2-4 then she woke me to look at some lightning off ahead. “flashes or bolts?” I asked. “Both now” said the watch captain. I watched a massive thunder cell grow and slide across our path blocking our way. Several hours to daylight and clarity to see really what to expect as well as the effects of sun on cumulonimbus and hopefully relief…anxiety. My sailing friends wouldn’t expect this of me but they’ve not sailed with me as the father, husband, skipper with a mild case of PHSD (post Hatteras Stress Disorder), I slowed down. The amazing hours of predawn that followed let me witness the growth of this angry cell, booming lightning, dumping rain all in the distance but not necessarily the future. It grew large, juked east to sea, west to land and then back east all in slow motion unless you have hours to stare and dwell. Just as the “lobe” or white arc of clouds formed around the edge facing us similar to the snake recoiling before it goes all wrong, the sun popped up. It was amazing the speed of the change. The leading edge of the cell went from a knife’s edge to a series of mashmallows to cotton balls. The lighting stopped and the pouring rain turned a bright pink and eased its way to sea away from us.
Quinn woke up and his humor, wit, curiosity and affection (all while in his underwear) reminded me to unclench. Eased our way into Fort Pierce inlet and Harbortowne Marina. The kids were greeted by manatees. A day at the pool and provisioning ahead. Some napping and boat chores await.
Much love stay tuned!