Challenging but exhilarating sailing on the offshore leg
by Andy Schell
Sojourner is still 16 miles out from the breakwaters at Cape May as I write this. We are sailing fast on a broad reach, finally able to ease the sheets late last night. The wind has gone to the SE as predicted, but our hopes of being joined by a nearly full moon were quickly dashed as the fleet sailed into the misty Atlantic yesterday morning. The fog was so thick this morning in fact the Sojourner passed by an anchored ship less than a quarter mile off, and heard only it's frightening horn signals through the gloom. As we passed in front, you could just make out the enormous bow.
The fleet departed Ocean Marine Yacht Center early yesterday morning to catch the outgoing tide and try to make Cape May in daylight today. The night before, rally participants rendezvoused at Roger Browns on historic High Street for an evening of food, revelry and storytelling. After the exhausting first leg, the chance to let off some steam knowing the boats were safely berthed just a few blocks away was welcome.
And indeed it was steamy in Portsmouth. The strange weather pattern that's currently bringing us east winds and fog - never trust an east wind, the saying goes - brought sunshine and intense heat to the Norfolk area. A high in the 90s and an unshaded venue for the Leg 2 Skippers Briefing prior to Tuesday nights dinner, saw a quick exit for most. The inviting A/C of the Roger Browns bar was too tempting to pass up.
Despite the difficult first leg, slogging down the Bay against relentless headwinds, crews were joyous at dinner and rightfully proud of their accomplishment. For many it was the first overnight sail, and a daunting one at that. Kairos overcame fuel troubles to make it into Portsmouth after midnight, and many yachts reported similar challenges faced and vanquished.
As for the offshore leg, which many consider the highlight of the rally, while the weather wasn't perfect, the winds were good for sailing. It's always difficult leaving the Bay and crossing that threshokd into the mighty Atlantic, and yesterday was no different. Easterly headwinds against an outgoing tide forced the fleet to motorsail into very boisterous seas for an hour or two in order to get clear of the coast and tack northeast. It's very shallow around the tip of Cape Charles, the northern landmass at the mouth if the Chesapeake - on the order of 20-30 feet, even three miles offshore - so the seas were short and annoying. However, it quickly smoothed out, and on Sojourner at least, the genoa was set and we raced off to the NE at over 7 knots, pounding through headsets with fervor.
On a few occasions through the night the wind eased and we started the motor to maintain our 5-knot goal to make Cape May by mud afternoon. At one point we traded tacks with both Ruach and Molly Kate, who appeared out of the mist under sail. We also sadly passed by Kairos on the way back to the Bay, their fuel issues continuing to nag them, forcing their return. Diffugere Nives also abandoned Leg 2 with a nun diagnosed rigging problem.
We received word this morning that Kayode was entering the Delaware Bay and continuing nonstop to Annapolis.
"We are tired," they said, "but having fun. With a favorable winch and tide, we are gonna just keep pushing!"
They were joined by Remedy who will also continue nonstop to Annapolis.
The program continues tonight in Cape May with a pot luck dinner on the docks and the final Skipper's Briefing for Leg 3. Yachts will depart Cape May early tomorrow morning to head back up the Delaware Bay and into the Chesapeake, returning in time for Saturday evening's prize giving dinner.