Joe C's Shuang Hsi in boisterous starting conditions
Most important fuel top off of the season, if not decade
taking a beating in 25-30, gusts to 38 motoring into waves
NEB's ghostyard of legendary yachts, Stars & Stripes here
June 14 – Tues: Arrived at NEB/restive at approx. 3 pm and there was a lot to do on the boat immediately. Plus we had to get our COVID ducks in order. Spent 1st night of six on board RESTIVE.
June 15 – Wed: more boat prep and pickup our Cat 3 guy at the airport. Tons of time waiting in line at SailNewport for boat registration
June 16 – Thurs: we took at least 500 pounds of stuff off the boat and put it in a storage shed. The boat now floats a couple inches higher off the waterline forward of the mast
June 17 – Fri: the start. We were OCS which means a 30 minute penalty is assessed. Windy and very boisterous sea state. By 1800 hrs I was prostrate with sea sickness
June 18 – Sat: Up and feeling better at 0430 hrs. Took the boat off autopilot and drove for an hour before our Cat 3 person came up on the watch-change. He immediately found damage to the mast track and a half hour later we were headed back to Newport. Done. Later, on my 1400 – 1800 hrs watch, the breeze built into the 20s and conditions were ugly, pounding into a large chop with a period of 2 seconds. Retired into berth, but then up again for the 2100 – 0000 watch. This was brutal, breeze climbed into the 30’s with puffs to 38 kn. This was a real test for RESTIVE but hats off to BBY who built a wooden boat that can take a lickin’, and to the diesel too that kept on keeping on. Had the engine failed we would have been in for an uncomfortable night, but had plenty of sea-room to wait until daylight and effect a repair.
June 19 – Sunday: 0430 hrs was rousted “all hands on deck” to assist with getting RESTIVE into a slip. We were laying off NEB about a quarter mile, air temperature 50 and gusting 32. I took one step out of the companionway and turned back below for warmer clothes. We had sailed back into winter. Rest of the day’s priorities were: FOOD – highly recommend Cindy’s Country Café out on rt 114, and getting RESTIVE back to cruising trim.
June 20 – Monday: woke up at 0355 to get our crew member to TF Green for a 0555 flight. It was sad to leave RESTIVE but the boat had done well in the category of safety, especially when we learned of a fatality the previous day on the Morgan of Marietta.