Weather to leave or not? (A.K.A. A tale of two transit days)

In hindsight, the heat made us do it! We were so ready to be free of the 90F heat wave and get to new places! We debated, straight to Rhode Island, or via NYC and Long Island Sound? Both would work, both were interesting, but in the end, straight to Newport on a 2-night run was better. There were some afternoon thunderstorms in the forecast along the NJ coast for the first day, but figured they would lessen a bit out at sea and we could use some maneuvering to avoid the worst of it. We departed Cape Henlopen for the open sea around 0830. How did that work out for us? Not well. Not well at all.

Five hours into our journey we started to see the storms popping on radar. They were well to the north of us and isolated. As Frank’s 1600-2000 watch approached, a weak front dropping in from the north brought another ingredient to those isolated cells and we were staring at an intense blob. Run to Ocean City, NJ? We would be coming in the channel as the storms reached there. Head south towards Cape May? Another batch of storms was brewing there. Stay out to sea, maybe even a little further out in hopes that some of the energy would dissipate by the time it got to us? We would be so alone and vulnerable. As you may have guessed by now, we stayed out at sea. Frank took his watch, the kids went to their rooms, and I stayed below in full fowlies and my life jacket and harness, ready to spring into action. He took down the sails and motored, trying to keep us steady in the gusts that approached 40 knots. Lightning was all around us for about 3 hours and he got drenched. Around 1900 things calmed enough for me to take him some food on deck. We had some stuff down below that wasn’t secured well enough, but we came through without taking a lightning hit or any damage—what a relief!

The radar picture we were facing and the edge of “the blob.”

By the time I came on watch at 2000 the winds had subsided. I killed the engine, unfurled the genoa, and sailed away on a broad reach while keeping an eye on the veins of lightning astern of us. We were exhausted, but safe. In a total contrast to the first day, the second day was sunny with delightful sailing and tons of visits from playful Atlantic white sided dolphins! I even saw a Minke whale on my morning watch! The only down side? So. Many. BALLOONS! Broke my heart to see so many of them out there. Don’t do a balloon release. Just don’t.

Beauty after the storm.

The kids came out for most of the day, too. The seas were a little rolly, but they were happily tethered into the cockpit with their books. 

How our kid crew handle passages.

We took a lot of beam seas through the night, but made it to Narragansett Bay with the favorable flood tide in the morning. Fog enveloped us as we approached land—we couldn’t even see a marker that was 0.2nm away! We turned on our navigation lights, fired up the radar, and started blasting our automated fog signal through the PA horn on our mast (I LOVE that feature!). And we made it! We grabbed a mooring and some much needed showers and rest. 

A foggy Newport welcome.

Weather decisions are the hardest part of this lifestyle, and that’s coming from someone who used to have to give weather info as part of her career! It is the aspect that brings the most anxiety, yet sometimes the greatest reward. For now, we will enjoy this safe port for a blow that’s coming in two days!