Glen and I relished every minute of this voyage of firsts for us: our first venture into the Atlantic Ocean, our first overnight voyage, our first really long sail, the first time we had to add fuel to the tank while sailing, the first time to wear Off Shore vests and be tethered into the cockpit while sailing, the first time to "stand watches" and try to rest with our partner at the helm--
I was not afraid at all. The ocean was so luminous as it sparkled in the sunlight and then in the sunset and again with the sunrise. The cloudless sky and starry night enveloped us in a burst of shooting stars as we rode on billowing waves with our Genoa sail full and our motor humming during that unforgettable night. We felt safely cocooned by our three Catalina companions who encircled us in their protection of radar and experience. Even in the deep darkness after our quarter moon set, we were reassured by the running and steaming lights of Brunelle, Andiamo and Pekabu III. Amazingly, we seemed to be alone on the ocean. The only traffic we encountered was Atlantic Miracle, a freighter crossing some distance ahead of us in the wee hours, with whom Brunelle conversed about our small fleet of sailboats nearby.
In spite of being dead tired, and not really resting while I was at the helm, Cap'n Glen perked up admirably after a hearty breakfast when the team of porpoises joined us for bow jumping and joyful calisthenics. They were delightful and filled our hearts with joy. Teams of three to six swam synchronously and performed amazing feats with what appeared to be big smiles on their bottle nosed snouts. We were riding 5-8 foot waves and they were body surfing every one. We had never seen anything like it--even at Sea World. Martha on Brunelle took the great photos. I was strapped in and unable to get any good shots, sad to say.
We ate heartily, drank coffee and tea, Sprites and water, listened to country music on the radio, and just enjoyed the amazing vista before us. When we realized it was too far to make it to Charleston by a reasonable hour, we diverted to the old colonial town of Georgetown, founded in the early 1700s, and headed down the 12 miles through Winyah Bay to the PeeDee River to the marina Georgetown Landing. Although we headed onshore in mid afternoon, we didn't dock until around eight that evening. It was a long slog back onshore and quite a dark night to be traveling in unknown (to us) waters. Of course, Brunelle led the way, having experienced a similar ride two years ago.
Docking in strong tidal current presented a challenge, but fortunately people were on deck in time to catch our lines and tie us up along a long dock--not slips to maneuver into in the dark, thank goodness.
A cocktail, a bowl of chili, and an early bedtime were all we needed to restore us for a layover day in beautiful Georgetown. Tomorrow I'll write about our Veteran's Day there.
Maureen and Glen
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