Ship’s Log, Grenada to Panama Canal

Saturday 2/1/97 St. Georges, Grenada to Isla Margarita
15:47  170 COG Set sail for Isla Margarita. Winds 10-15kts.  Seas calm, sky clear.  Motoring to clear Long Point shoal. Speed 6.9-7.2kts.  Lat 12 02.39 Lon 61 46.97 Scott left us today. BV, AE, JJ on board. Bye Scott! We’ll see you soon our friend!

2/1/97
16:57  250 COG  Sails up Genoa, main up, wind 17-24kts apparent.  Speed 8.5-9.0 kts.  STW 9.5SOG. Tide 1-1.5kts. Seas 2-4’. Jack lines set.  Steering south of Los Testigos, then 264 M to Isla Margarita. Lat 11 56.86 Lon 61 54.55

20:22  248 COG Main up only.  Wind almost behind us.  Seas 3-4’ on port qtr.  Quite rolly!  SOG 8.3kts. Wind 20-25kts. 15-20 app. Sky clear. Crew resting. Watches BV 6-10, AE 10-1, JJ1-4, BV 4-7  Lat 11 38.96 Lon 62 18.14

21:46  245 COG Lights spotted directly in front of us.  2 lights not visible on radar.  Changing course 20 to port. 230. Lat 11 33.00Lon 62 28.02

22:00  255 COG  Ship moving fast in front of us and to port.  Many ships in area.  Visible on Radar. Lat 11 31.61 Lon 62 28.02

01:00  260  COG  8.5kts SOG with main only and motor running. Wind still behind us.  Passed oil rig 6 miles to stbd at 23:00. Lat 11 18.59 Lon 62 51.69

02:00  258  COG 8.2kts SOG.  Main only and engine still running. Wind 13kts from 140off port. Flashing light sighted to starboard 90off.  Should be Los Testigos. Will change course to 269 in 15min. to bring us towards Margarita. Lat 11 14.56n Lon 62 59.06

03:15  263 COG, Speed 7.8  Moon just out and an oil rig to port 5 miles.  About to bring us up a little on the autohelm to around 269 COG.  Very shallow 30 to 35ft.  Wind directly in back.  Lat 11 11.15  Lon 63 08.26

06:10  277 COG  Speed 6.5-7.5kts. SOG 8-8.5kts.  Sky clear, seas 1-2’. Wind right behind us.  Fishing boats in the area.  Pampatar harbor is 14miles away. Sky lightening as sun rises. Lat 11 04.41 Lon 63 31.38

08:10  Anchored in Porlamar, Isla Margarita Lat 10 55.94 Lon 63 50.40

2/4/97 Tuesday
16:00  236  COG Departed Isla Margarita en-route to Bonaire.  Winds very light.  Motoring. Sky overcast, light rain.  Dinghy on deck. Lat 10 55.70 Lon 63 50.59

22:40  302  COG Winds 8-10kts NE, Seas 1-2’.  Motorsailing at 8-8.5kts.  Main and Genoa up.  Engine 2300rpms.  Sky clear. Crew sleeping. Lat 10 56.53 Lon 64 34.21

23:27  300 COG  Large fishing boat spotted off starboard bow approx 5nm.  Visible on radar. Lat 10 57.87 Lon 64 31.90

23:56  300  COG Motorsailing 8-8.5kts.  sky clear, seas calm, wind light and variable. NE. SOG 7.5-8.2kts.  Fishing vessel now 10nm off of starboard beam.  Lat 10 58.71  Lon 64 43.94

01:00  295 COG  Lat 11 00.38n Lon 64 51.31w  spd 8knots, sky hazy, seas calm, wind fluky. Saw 4 dolphins earlier.  Stayed in bow wave for 20minutes.  Very cool.  Motorsailing.

01:45  301  COG Lat 11 01.78n Lon 64 57.50w 7.3kts. More dolphins.  5 to 6 this time. Stayed 10 minutes. Seas calm. Motorsailing.

03:45  297 COG  Close call with small vessel! Monitor and position until 1 mile to port. Changed course to starboard. Other vessel continued on course despite audible warning.  Winds still light. Motoring 6.6kts.SOG. Tired from Isla de Margarita! 11 04.97 lat 65 11.73 lon

05:47  302  Vessel approaching on radar 2miles off stbd qtr.  Lat 1107.83  Lon 6523.11

06:12  300 COG  Large freighter identified. Passing to stbd. Lat 11 68.33 Lon 65 25.47

2/5/97
21:53  303 COG  Still motoring. No wind. No vessels visible since nightfall. We have a visitor! A very tired looking bird landed on the dodger and made himself comfortable. He touched down at around 8:00 and he’s still there!  Hope he’s ok.  Lat 11 40.98  Lon 67 19.47

22:42  302 COG  Motoring, no wind.  Visitor sleeping soundly on dodger. Pitching and rolling a bit.  Speed 7-7.7kts. Freighter passing to starboard.  Lat 11 42.58  Lon 67 24.77

00:45  298 COG  Motoring, Bird still sleeping.  Speed 7.7kts. Still no wind. Freighter 10 miles to port.  Lat 11 47.40n Lon 67 40.50w

03:45  300  COG No activity to speak of.  Motoring-wind still fluky? 7.1kts sog.  Lights of Bonaire visible.  I think the bird made himself a nest!

07:30  Arrived at customs/ town dock, Bonaire.

2/11/97  Tuesday
16:00  297  COG Departed Bonaire en-route for Aruba.  Winds light/ stbd qtr. SOG 6.5kts.  Motoring in lee of Bonaire. Will sail windward of Curacau, then windward to Aruba.  Lat 12 10.74  Lon 68 19.68

21:15  305 COG  Winds fluky, sog 7.3kts.  motoring w/jib in large rollers coming in off stbd quarter.  Yech!!  Lat 12 21.75  Lon 68 53.74

2/12/97
01:55  300 COG  Still no wind.  Motoring w/ Main SOG 8.6kts.  2 Freighters passed 5-7miles off.  Uneventful watch. Lat 12 32.41  Lon 69 29.09

03:40  301 COG  Large military ship passed on port side traveling very quickly.  Wind is picking up, Still  motorsailing. SOG 8.4kts.  Stars and visibility good.  Lat 12 36.33  Lon 69 42.25

05:50  288 COG  Long heavy swells directly behind us. Winds 10-20kts.  Directly behind us. Seas 6-8’. Still motorsailing.  8-9kts.sog.  Aruba clearly in sight and radar. Sky clear. Lat 12 39.82  Lon 70 00.74

3/4/97 Tuesday - Aruba to Panama
11:00  310 COG  10.0kts SOG!  2.8kts with us in current.  Wind 20kts due east STW 7.1 kts 90%jib and main up.  Crew includes Phil, Lewis and Perrin. Heading for wp 13n 73w.  Lat 12 35.07 Lon 70 14.05

17:10  312 COG  9.5-10.5kts SOG.  Wind 13-20kts.  Seas 8-12’. Sky clear. Boat performing well.  90%jib , staysail, main up. Waves on stbd atr.   Surfing!! Phil at helm.  Lat 12 53.73  Lon 70 53.06

24:00  308 COG  Put 2^nd reef in main at 22:00 hrs.  Boat feels better balanced. 12.4kts sog!!  Jeff and Phil on watch  Lat 13 20.82  Lon 72 00.51

3/5/97
01:45  310 COG  Night clear, cold and wet.  Spray from waves doused Phil. No traffic.  Making Good time. 11.0 knots. Sog. Lat 13 27.45 Lon 72 18.34

02:47  310 COG  Still solid 10-11kts sog! Waves 10-12’.  Boat stable.  Crew sleeping.  Phil and Bill on watch. Clear skies, wind ENE at 15-25kts.  Lat 13 31.56  Lon 72 28.77. No boats sighted recently.

16:47  248  COG 20-36kts wind.  Sky clear.  Seas 8-15’. Long rollers! Main to 2^nd reef, jib and staysail out. Boat handling well.  ETA 21:00 Friday. 3/6/97.  STW 9-10.0kts., SOG same. Lat 13 47.51 Lon 74 34.46

22:22  248 COG  Wind 30-40kts ENE, sky clear, seas 10-20’.  2^nd reef in main and staysail.  6-9kts sog.   Lat 13 21.65 Lon 75 10.04

07:05  245  COG Wind maintaining 30-35kts.  Boat surfing at 8-10kts. Things are fairly calm w/2^nd reef and staysail.  Lat 12 38.55  Lon 76 09.59

18:35  249  COG Wind 20-30kts gusting to 40.  Seas 15-25’!  Long rollers, 2^nd reef and staysail.  Making water and charging batteries.  Boat surfed to 14kts! All time high!!  Sky clear. Lat 10 51.24 Lon 78 16.70

03:00  250  COG Wind 20-30kts.  Boatspeed 7-8kts. Rolling heavily “Crash, Bang, Boom!” Current dragging us east.  2^nd reef main and staysail.  Main w/preventer, sky clear.  Lat 10 51.24  Lon 78 16.70

12:30  273  COG Heading west against 1kt or so of current.  Sog 7.3kts STW 9.3.  Wind 20-25kts.  Seas 10-15’ Sky overcast.  Wind direction 145 apparent.. Jib, staysail and main up.  Ranging 8-11.5kts.  Lat 10 20.88  Lon 79 20.21

20:17  215  COG Approaching Panama! Lots of large ships in the area.  Sky overcast. Very dark. Keeping sharp lookout. Motorsailing w/main only.  Wind 10.0 kts behind us. Speed 8-9kts.  Seas 3-7’.  Lights on horizon.  Heading directly for channel marker.  Lat 09 39.92  Lon 79 50.53

3/7/97
23:00  Arrived in Cristobal, Anchored in area “F”.  Very cool.