Thursday, June 5, 2008

Edgartown, Massachusetts (Thursday, June 05, 2008).

[RA] Woke this morning to the sound of a Nantucket symphony. During the night, the wind swung around to the northeast and moaned as it swept through the Rigging, accompanied by the twirl of ripples running along the hull. A distant foghorn and the slapping of a halyard against the mast, like an insistent metronome. Get up, get up, get up, get up. The fog crept back slowly as Endurance came alive with padding feet, quiet voices and coffee cups. A quiet start to what became something else altogether.

Coming out of the harbor, we find 4 to 6 foot seas building behind a north wind with temps around 55 degrees. The plan is to sail almost directly north on our first leg to avoid the shoals that dot the Nantucket Chanel. Rog is at the helm, drifting off our line to the southwest, which requires a course correction to N- NE. to get to our next leg towards Woods Hole. That was the last fun part of the day for Rog as we rode up and over some great waves under the iron jib.

When we made our mark, we rolled out the main and the head sail, a process that took most of the starch out of Roger. From then on Tony had to take the helm as Rog contemplated the horizon and the nearest exit. Not long afterward, with his head over the portside and his breakfast with the fish, the rest of the crew were entertained by a wave washing over his head. Thereafter, his story has little to do with what the rest of the
Crew and the ship experienced.

Above written by a well recovered Roger.

[AA] It was one of those days when you wish you were there before you started. We are there now and none the worse for wear. The wind is still howling but we are in a good harbor at Edgartown. The swells and waves today were a challenge but the good ship Endeavor was more than up to it. Hoping for better weather tomorrow. Anita

Our planned transit of the Wood's Hole Cut, put off till another day.