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In the Atlantic, Norfolk to Lunenburg, June 2016

All Reaching Sail Set

Photo: In the Atlantic, Norfolk to Lunenburg, June 2016

Date: Monday, June 10, 2019
Time: 0600 EDT
Position: 42d 43m North x 67d 12m West (80 nautical miles WSW of Cape Sable, Nova Scotia, Canada)
Speed: 6-8 knots as breeze waxes and wanes
Course: 090 magnetic
Wind: SW at 10-15 knots
Sky: Cirrostratus
Visibility: Good
Sea: Slight at 1-2 feet from SW
Swell: 3 feet from S
Temp: 54° F
Barometer: 1024.5 millibars and steady

Pride II has been sailing since noon Sunday in the Gulf of Maine with favorable southwesterly winds of moderate strength between 10 and 15 knots. The seas have been slight; a moderate swell. All of Pride’s reaching sail is set. That list is pretty long: mainsail, foresail, forestaysail, jib, jib-topsail, main-gaff-topsail, square-fore-topsail, square-top-gallant, and studding-sail. Around 10 knots of wind results in 6+ knots of speed. Around 15 knots of wind results in 8+ knots of speed. The steady angle of heel is around 5 degrees.

Sunday started at 0800 with everyone coming from a full night of rest at anchor in Provincetown. Motored around the fist of Cape Cod till 1100. Set sail and stopped engines. After inspection of the rig to see that all was well with several first-time-for-this-season sails set, had an all-hands muster to review safety. The usual: MOB (man overboard) response assignments each person has, abandon ship assignments, and fire fighting assignments with a walk-through drill.

Weather forecasting from Canada suggests this wind will die out altogether later this day near Nova Scotia. Then, stay light along the southwestern shore of Nova Scotia late Monday night and most of Tuesday. Maybe Pride will reach that area near midnight tonight and start motoring again. Lunenburg arrival could be Tuesday.

Captain Jan C. Miles