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American Spirit II - Day 433; We Arrive in Grenada After Another Great Day & Night of Sailing; Sunday, March 15, 2015



One year ago today:

"Day 71; Jib Overboard & Joel Goes Climbing; Saturday, March 15, 2014. Awakened at 5:30 AM by rough motion of boat. I could hear the wind howling from my aft cabin. Relieved Mike at 6:30 AM. Wind 20-23 knots. Speed 6-8 knots. Helping current. Big, windy rain squalls passing by stern of boat. The last 3 days the wind died down during the daytime. Don't think it will today."

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Relieved Heidi at 6:00 AM. Wind 20 knots and we're sailing at 5.8 knots thru the water and 6.5 knots over the land. I ease more jib out to full; and rolled out 1/2 more reef in the mainsail to the second reef. A sky full of stars. The Big Dipper most prominent off the starboard side of the boat.

The island of Tobago is off our port beam, 12 miles away.

At 6:58 AM the wind is 22 knots and we're sailing at 7.0 knots thru the water and 8.0 knots over the land.

The sun rises at 7:10 AM above a cloud bank on the horizon, 4 degrees above the horizon.

At 7:59 AM the wind is 21 knots and we're sailing at 6.4 knots thru the water and 7.8 knots over the land. The wind is now almost dead astern, starboard. We need to put out a low side pole on the port side, but Joel is sleeping now so I'll wait until he gets up to discuss it.

At 8:52 AM the ship Victoria was on our AIS and listed as 'Vessel Not Under Command.' Meaning, it was adrift. The ship is a 623 foot cargo vessel. I steer 5 more degrees to starboard to avoid it.

At 9:00 AM the wind is 20 knots and we're sailing at 6.3 knots thru the water and 7.8 knots over the land.

At 9:15 AM we enter the Caribbean Sea. Yeah!

Joel hosts the 10:00 AM net, with Civetta II the only boat on the net besides us. Civetta II has 132 miles to go to Grenada and we have 64.

Breakfast is at 10:25 AM. Joel and I have eggs, sausage with potato, and chilled peach halves. Heidi has eggs and peaches only.

At 10:40 AM the current rotates 360 degrees over a period of 15-20 minutes.

At 11:15 AM we put up a low side pole, port side.

Our noon position is 11 degrees, 41 minutes North; 60 degrees, 56 minutes West; and we're 52 miles to Grenada. We traveled 178 miles from noon yesterday and averaged a speed of 7.4 knots.

At 3:01 PM the wind is 17 knots and we're sailing at 6.0 knots thru the water and 6.6 knots over the land. We have a full mainsail out and full jib.

At 3:07 PM I sight Grenada and shout out 'Land Ho!.' Joel doesn't see any land, but Heidi confirms that she sees it also, 25 miles away.

At 3:35 PM we sail thru a large algae plume. At first Heidi is concerned that we're sailing into a shallow area.

At 3:40 PM a pod of 6-8 dolphin swim off the starboard side and bow of the boat. Two of the dolphins have small baby dolphins swimming so close to them you'd think they were attached. At 4:50 PM another small pod of dolphin hit the boat.

At 5:22 PM a ship called the Spar Canis, a 623 foot cargo ship bound for Gilbratar, is sighted on our AIS. Its CPA, Closest Point of Approach, is about a mile. Too close for comfort. I watch it closely and eventually see it visually.

At 5:38 PM the wind is 18 knots and we're sailing at 7.2 knots thru the water and 8.1 knots over the land. I put one reef in the main as the wind is piping up.

Dinner at 6:05 PM is freeze dried Chicken with Rice and homemade French fries.

At 6:20 PM Joel raises the hydro generator out of the water as it appears that the bracket on the transom is failing. Specifically, that the two bolts holding the top of the hydro are coming loose or breaking.

We turn on the generator at 6:25 PM and I turn on the water maker for 2 hours.

At 6:40 PM the wind is 21 knots and we're sailing at 7.1 knots thru the water and 7.2 knots over the land.

The sun sets at 7:15 PM into a cloud bank, so no green flash.

At 8:05 PM our SOG is 4.4 knots. I'm following a route on my I Pad that is very conservative, meaning that we're not going over any shoal areas. even though they're deep enough to not be a problem. I'm not comfortable sailing in 16 feet of water during a night time entry. That means our final approach will take a little longer, but I'm OK with that. Joel would rather sail over the shallow shoal areas. We just disagree on that. I might do so in daylight, when I could see the water colors; but not at night.

At 8:30 PM I called Rally control to tell them that we're 5 miles from the finish line.

At 9:15 PM we cross the finish line; and by 9:30 PM we're inside the lagoon where the Port Louis Marina is located. In sailing up to the finish line and into the lagoon, we're sailing into hundreds of lights on the shore. You have to trust your chart plotter and I Pad navigation because it would be difficult to make such a landfall without them. I notice a 'dark area' ahead of us and tell Joel that I think that it is the entrance to the lagoon. It turn out I'm right. Once entering the lagoon we pass by 3 red lights to starboard, go past 2 super yachts, and then tie up to a pontoon on the right. Rally control and marina security personnel help us land and tie up the boat. Rally control gives us a highly stimulating ceremonial fruit punch upon arriving. It is received gladly and is quite strong.

A short time later Sigi from Merlyn of Poole and Erling and Harold from Saphir drop by, and we share a drink with them. After that we're off to the showers at 11:15 PM. The shower facility at the marina is first class. You have your own private room with a door lock; bathroom; and sink area with a hot air dryer. Amazing. The best shower facility we've seen in the entire circumnavigation.

We're in bed by 11:50 PM.

Brian Fox


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