Bermuda to Azores | Day 9
Yesterday is one for the books. I am a little bleary-eyed as I write this and not sure if I can string together a coherent sentence. But I’ll give it a shot.
In the morning, we discovered that our AC power was no longer working. That meant we were unable to use any electrical outlets to charge laptops or power cooking devices. Thankfully, Ken has worked hard to have much of our boat on DC power, so major systems like refrigeration, navigation, and internet were unaffected. Thankfully, after a couple of hours, he isolated the issue and has provided a temporary solution until we can get to the Azores to address it further. He also resolved the watermaker issue. We are making water as I type. Two wins!
Bermuda to Azores | Day 8
The first of two fronts has been bearing down on us for the last two days. We’ve seen sustained winds of 25 knots and gusts up to 35 knots. Seas have been 6-8ft with some 10fters. Breaking waves have crashed over the whole port side of the boat. We took a lot of water in the cockpit on one of them. It even went into the salon/living area below deck.
Bermuda to Azores | Day 7
Day 7 brought a little sugar and a little spice. It started out with Ken so rudely informing me that we had not reached the halfway mark and that we still had 1100-ish miles to go. Party pooper. Then this morning, upon my waking after a mostly sleepless night, he had the nerve to inform me that I might not be able to have coffee. The weather system we were expecting has reared its head. But I am getting ahead of myself.
Bermuda to Azores | Day 6
Yesterday was calmer. Unfortunately, we motored the whole day. Again, fuel is limited, so we need to be mindful of how we use it. But the choices before us were pretty slim. So we motored.
However, motoring brought the benefit of having hot water. And with the sea having settled a bit, we took advantage of it and took showers. The calmer sea state also made it a little easier for me to make bread!
Bermuda to Azores | Day 5
Whew! Day 5 is in the books. And she was the evil twin sister of day 4. Ha!
It wasn’t really that bad. But day 5 was a repeat of day 4. Higher winds and big swells that pushed the boat (and us) around a lot.
Bermuda to Azores | Day 4
Day 4 was a spicy day. Day 5 is shaping up to be that way, too, and it is just getting started.
The winds built to a steady 25 kts, with gusts in the 30s. Seas are hard to estimate, but we think they were somewhere between 6 and 8, maybe a few larger.
We reefed the mainsail once. Then twice. Then we reefed the headsail heavily.
Bermuda to Azores | Day 3
We finally found the wind. Sometimes it’s light, but it has been mostly consistent. We haven’t engaged the engine in over 36 hours now. Hallelujah!
Yesterday, the seas were sloppy due to two opposing swells. The confused seas and a crosscurrent slowed us down a bit, but there was nothing we could do. We just had to push through it.
Bermuda to Azores | Day 2
Day 2 was a beautiful day. Clear skies. Moderate wind and seas. Not much to report.
Having a third person aboard to help with watches has been very helpful. We are both getting more sleep—Ken especially! He has a hard time sleeping on passages, but this has enabled him to truly rest.
Bermuda to Azores | Day 1
We pulled anchor and departed St. George's Harbor in Bermuda around 8 am yesterday morning, knowing we'd be motoring from the start. Motoring isn't ideal. We carry about 120 gallons of diesel, which gives us roughly 5–7 days of fuel. This trip could take anywhere from 12 to 14 days, so we can't rely solely on fuel. Besides, we are a sailboat. Remedy likes to sail (and so do we)!
Bermuda Recap
We have now been in Bermuda for one week, but our time in Bermuda is drawing to a close. If all goes well, we will depart Saturday morning for the Azores.
Bermuda is lovely—colorful buildings, great food, and beautiful people. Ken and I are foodies, so we love trying restaurants wherever we go. We have not had one bad meal here. Everything from sushi to fish tacos to indian curry dishes. It has all been excellent. But I think my highlight from Bermuda has been the people.
Beaufort to Bermuda | Day 5 Land Ho!
Whew! The anchor is down in Bermuda. This was the longest passage the two of us have done on our own, and for the most part, it was quite pleasant. But living on a boat for the last four years has taught me that a passage can go from flawless to chaos in a split second. Thankfully, we managed to avoid total chaos, though the trip did save all its hijinks for the final stretch.
Beaufort to Bermuda | Day 4
The last 24 hours have been very pleasant. Our speeds were slow through the lighter winds of the night, but as a weather front approaches, they have been consistently building. The winds are on our beam, pushing the boat effortlessly through gentle four-foot rolling swells. We are now reaching at an average of 6+ knots, and as the winds are expected to build through the rest of the day, our speeds should remain consistent for the remainder of our journey — enabling us to arrive in Bermuda sometime around lunch tomorrow.
Beaufort To Bermuda | Day 3
Today has been quiet. Setting out from NC, we knew there would be a day or two of little wind and lots of motoring. Timing the departure off the East Coast and crossing the Gulf Stream around weather fronts is key, so we took the window knowing there would likely be a day mid-passage spent heading directly into lingering swell.
Beaufort To Bermuda | Day 2
Yesterday was a sportier sail, so it was not easy to perform everyday tasks. Things like cooking dinner or taking showers require you to be more deliberate and agile. We sailed all night at a good clip until the winds finally died around 6 am this morning, so we began motorsailing around 6:30 am.
Beaufort To Bermuda | Day 1
Day One Stats
Nautical Miles Sailed In The Last 24 Hours 155nm
Average Boat Speed 6.4 kts
Max Boat Speed 8.8kts
GPS Coordinates as of 5 pm 34 19.010N 73 46.668W
Miles to Go: 500nm
A Season of Preparation
After months of projects, planning, and preparation, we're finally ready. Joy and grief in one hand, the wheel in the other. Remedy is ready for her biggest adventure yet—an Atlantic crossing to Europe. We're sitting in Beaufort, NC, waiting on our weather window. Bermuda is first. Ireland is the goal.
The Magic of Maine
We set out for Block Island and ended up wintering in Annapolis. In between were 33 anchorages in Maine, 47 days of friends and family aboard, and more moments than we could count that reminded us why we chose this life.
People, Places, and Passages
We swam with dolphins, fended off a shark with a GoPro, watched a rocket explode over the Bahamas, and sailed 600 miles home. Another season aboard Remedy in the Bahamas is in the books—and there was truly never a dull moment.
From the Bahamas to Hell's Gate
We sailed the Northeast Coast this summer and fell head over heels — for fog-wrapped lighthouses in Block Island, quiet anchorages in Hadley Harbor, a sunrise beneath the Statue of Liberty, and the warmest community we've found yet in Annapolis. Oh, and we accidentally ended up at a nude beach in our Sunday best. It was quite the season.
Snakes, Sharks, & Sailing
One evening, we sat on the bow watching the sunset when we noticed the water stirring just ahead of us. Suddenly, fish began flying through the air. We grabbed our binoculars—that's when we realized dolphins were flinging fish back and forth, right to left, left to right, for well over thirty minutes. It was a rousing game, for the dolphins at least, and we thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.