27 September 2011

Gulf of Maine

25 September 2011 : 2148 UTC (1748 EST)
 Departed from dock in Thomaston, Maine



After 36 hours awake working and moving I watched the sun set, had a sandwich and retired below for a nap.



We stood 2 hour watches from 2300 until the sun rise. Friends had been asking if I was scared of the offshore night passage. My response was always in the negative. I was not scared I was thrilled with the expectation of seeing the stars again as they are only seen offshore. The flow of night watch quickly returned as I donned wool hat and self-inflating PFD / harness and clipped into the tether which would hold me securely on deck. I climbed into the cockpit and scanned the horizon. The configuration of navigation lights aboard other vessels returned from the deep recess of my brain to which they had been relegated. During the night I saw cruise ships heading North and other small vessels running our parallel course. In the early hours of the morning a trawler crossed our transom with their full complement of light - red over white fishing at night. I extended my final night watch to welcome the morning with the sun.
The day progressed - large SW swells but only a ripple on the water as we motored South. Around 1600 we sighted the Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown 15 miles off. At 2234 UTC (1834 EST) as the sun set we anchored off of Long Point Light in 8' of water 1 hour off low tide - the water clear and the crabs on the bottom visible. We dropped Chronos (the tender) and rowed Ballantine to the beach. The sand was soft, the water warm and boat framed before the town of Provincetown. Leg one of our trip complete.



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