Before dawn, lobster boats head out on Merchants Row, leaving wakes that rock BAKHITA, TRIM and SPARTINA. There are a couple of rough spells where BAKHITA rocks back and forth, tugging violently at the two Pathfinders. Calmer after that.
They tell Matt and I to take our time on BAKHITA, and we do. We talk about the Pathfinder design and compare a lot of our cruising gear. The wind is crisp and out of the northeast. I decided to put on my drysuit as I'll be sailing into the wind.
Cast off at 8:45, Matt grabs a nice video of SPARTINA sailing close-hauled. I see him cast off a few minutes later.
Making 4.5 in a wonderful breeze. 9:05 Camp Island and Hells Half Acre ahead. 9:15 Grog Island to port and find myself caught in the wind shadow. 9:45 leaving Merchants Row, Shingle Island to port and making 4.6.
9:55 pass what I think is the Shingle Island buoy, a red and white marker with a ringing bell. 10:20 Swans Island ahead and Marshall Island to starboard. It is getting warm, strip off the drysuit.
10:45 between Swan and Marshall Islands, find conflicting currents and choppy water. I've experience the same here before. Lighter wind and making less than 1.4 against the current.
Then 0.8, 0.5, 0.3 and finally 0.0, fighting to hold position against the current. Power out of the choppy water and leave the consfused currents behind.
11:30 American Eagle to starboard and tiny Hat Island to port. Making 1.7, then 2.2 as wind picks up. 12:30 at the entrance channel to Swan Island's Burnt Coat Harbor, ride the flood tide past the lighthouse into the harbor.
In Burnt Coat Harbor and I see a barge and a lobster boat coming through the cut between Swan Island and Harbor Island, under power to negotiate the narrow channel past the rocks known as The Hubs.
Out in open water at 1:05, sailing in light winds, 1.8 towards Long Island. Flood tide carrying us north. More wind at 2:00, doing 2.8. Beginning of the afternoon sou'westerlies??
2:35 in Lunt Harbor on the northwest corner of Long Island. I had read about a deli there and thought I might pick up a sandwich for dinner. Tie up at the dock, walk up to find the deli empty. The door is open with a welcome sign. Right next to it is a no trespassing sign. Not a soul in sight and it feels abandoned.
Cast off 2:50, raise sail outside the mooring field. Wing and wind downwind. Northeast Point at 3:25. Round the point doing 4.2 and begin a series of 10 minute tacks. 4:00 in sight of Eastern Cove, start making five minute tacks. Come in to find the boat with my friends from Green Island already anchored there. They see me while taking a hike on the island and take a nice photograph. 4:45 anchor down Eastern Cove.
21.59 NM
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