Leg 2.2 - Staten Island to Bermuda

David Butcher

With the weather and seas settling we set off from Great Kills with a crew of four. Kevin had gone home and Pierre not able to get away yet. Winds took us in a southeasterly direction for a few days then began to increase. Predictions were for 25 knots but we found ourselves in sustained 40-50 knot winds with gusts up to 57 knots. Waves were about 3 metres on our stern with the occasional wave rolling us from the starboard beam. One wave broke over the stern flooding the cockpit and whisking loose items overboard. The crew was awoken and came rushing to help but there wasn’t much to do. A bit of damage to the solar panels which needed to be tied down and picking up the loose items on deck. After a long and windy night the wind settled and veered rapidly to the south. Warm humid air replaced the cool air from the north and we turned to a beam reach heading east. We crossed the Gulf Stream and sailed into Bermuda in the early morning hours, passing through the cut and dropping anchor in Convict’s Bay.