After a week of drying out the boat, doing tons of water logged laundry and Peter repairing a couple of systems that didn't take kindly to being soaked with salt water from the storm, we finally left Beaufort. We passed an island with wild ponies that have been breeding there for over a hundred years since a vet who kept them passed away. They looked content on their little island. We were finally on our way to the Virgin Islands. What would transpired during this leg of the trip no one knew.
Overall, the 9 full days it took us to travel the 1200 miles were uneventful which was just fine with us. A couple of those days had light winds and we had to motor sail. Some had a decent breeze but the last four days were very windy and the boat racked back and forth and up and down non stop, 24/7.I felt like I was in a washing machine! When friends learned that we were doing this leg of the trip some would ask us ( before we left New York) "where do you anchor"? Well, you don't. You just keep an eye on the storm activity via radio weather forecasts and deal with what you are dealt. There is no cove to take shelter in and you can go for days without seeing another boat.
We saw many flying fish, dolphins criss crossing our bow, rainbows, and lots and lots of very large waves. We often slept rocking back and forth in our bunks. It is an exhausing trip because the body is always in motion and sleep is never a full rest. The watches were rotated 6 hours and 3 hours so forget getting a full nights sleep. That will have to wait.
Bill and Bob proved to be very knowledgable and experienced. Bob is a retired physics teacher and Bill is a retired NASA engineer both having much blue water experience. I on the other hand, vowed never to do this again! Been there, did that. Don't need a repeat. I felt it was long, boring, and exhausting.
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