M/V MAERIN

We are back stateside, Maerin is secure at Harbortown Marina near Cape Canaveral, and we arrived in York on Thursday night after an 18 hour drive. Our crossing from the Bahamas was an overnight passage we began on Monday evening at 1830 hours, a straight shot from Moraine Cay to Port Canaveral, a distance of 177 nm. The highlight of our trip was a sendoff by a pod of Pantropical spotted dolphins. They appeared on our bow about an hour after crossing the dropoff at Moraine, and entertained us for over an hour. At one time, we counted 25, and that number varied to as low a four for a time, then more would join. They are more active than the typical grey Atlantic dolphins we are accustomed to seeing on the Atlantic coast. They were truly a joy to watch as they cavorted under our bow, swimming upside down, corkscrewing through the water, and many times leaping clear of the surface just inches ahead of the boat. What a wonderful farewell from the Bahamas!

Our crossing was uneventful, we had light winds 10kt ESE and very calm seas. We entered the Gulf Stream sometime after daybreak, encountering slightly increased wave action, but our ride was no different than a weekend cruise on the Chesapeake. A moonlit sky provided plenty of light, the thrumming of the engine provided the backdrop for a peaceful night as we began our watches. We ran at a slower RPM, cutting back to about 1600 to 1650 from our typical 1800 RPM cruise. Our fuel burn is better, and the overall time is not effected by more than an hour or two, which is really of little consequence with long hauls, we really don’t have any need to be somewhere quickly, and that’s relative anyway! This overnight we simply stood watch until we grew tired, then retrieved the sleeper to relieve the one on watch. It seemed to work well, as we both arrived fairly well-rested the following evening. Running during the daylight hours provided opportunity for some power naps during the day as well. This may become our routine of choice for future runs, but we both prefer to make shorter passages. However, if we need to cover some distance, an overnight is the most efficient way to put many miles under the keel.

We arrived at Port Canaveral Tuesday at 1815. We spent Wednesday cleaning the boat, doing laundry, moving the boat to Harbortown, picking up our rental, clearing in with customs, and packing for our trip home the following morning.

So we are home in our dirt house, my Dad is fighting a difficult battle following his heart surgery, he is simply exhausted, “wiped out” in his words. We will be here to support him whatever the outcome. So posts will be sparse for a while. There are some new photos of the end of our run through the Abacos in the photo gallery, although I have not had the opportunity to add those legs to the blog.

That’s the latest from Maerin.  Our intention is to head north, but our family demands our attention at the moment. Stand by for the next leg!