11 Jan 2015 – 15 Jan 2015

Well, we did it. We managed to complete our first “work-up” sail without any major incidents. Last week Guyon’s folks (Susu & Pawpaw) flew down from Virginia to join us on our maiden overnight voyage of WIDAGO. We departed Ocean Reef and sailed the 170 miles to Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas National Park. Check out the video ….

For those readers who have not yet had the experience of meeting Guyon’s parents, well, all I can say is, they are the bomb. There were many bombs loosed throughout the trip (including “F” and others ). I was able to keep a handwritten journal, and will not bore you all with details, however, perhaps you will indulge me as I share some excerpts. As I look back through what I wrote there is all manner of details regarding points of sail, wind conditions, and what food was prepared….such is life underway. However we did have a few experiences that definitely bear repeating…

13 January 2015…Gordon and Guyon save the day & the dinghy…Susu didn’t tell Pawpaw to tie up the dinghy and it floated away towards Fort Jefferson. Gordon spotted said dinghy and alerted the Captain who remembered to empty his pockets prior to heroically diving into grouper infested waters, swimming after adrift dinghy. Dinghy recovery. Pawpaw instructed by Susu on proper procedures for securing dinghy.

It took a day and a half to sail down to the DTs. We spent the next day exploring the old Fort Jefferson. Pawpaw regaled us all with terrific history lessons of munitions, civil war prisons, and the conspirators of Abe Lincoln’s assassination. We spent two nights on anchor before sailing back into the wind up to Ocean Reef.  We had quite a “spirited” sail on the way home as we were able to catch the current of the Gulf Stream. …

14 January 2015…After dinner Pawpaw & Wench @ the helm. Ahab tried to go to bed – however, even with one reef in the main, we were hauling ass and slapping hulls (11-11.5 knots SOG). Too fast for the Wench @ night. Ahab arose from stilted slumber in his green checked boxers to determine how to slow this b*tch down. After a “lively” debate, consensus forced by Susu & Wench to take a second reef. (Yes, pitch black, rolling seas, upwind). Wench refused Ahab’s orders to climb upon the canopy deck to check lines of the second reef (“No f&*king Way!” may have been heard). Ahab was a delight watch in his lifejacket & harness which nicely accentuated the package contained in previously mentioned green checked boxer shorts…..by midnight, Ahab relieved Wench at the helm. She was still the same shade of green as Ahab’s underpants.”

We arrived back at the Reef just 16 hours after leaving the DTs. We motored in beautiful weather most of the day due to unfavorable wind angles. Susu & Pawpaw were fantastic crew members. The boys were rock solid as well. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience to get us ready for our trip down to the BVIs at the end of the month.

 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•