After a weather window closed on the Salty Dawg Fall Caribbean Rally on November 1, the fleet of about 70 boats bound for Antigua from Hampton, VA had a decision to make. Aboard Bob Osborn’s Pandora, an Aerodyne 47, that I was aboard as crew, the decision was to wait for a new window to open. Not surprisingly, that was the choice made by just about all of the skippers in Hampton. The Bahamas bound segment of the fleet, 32 boats, were able to get away on the first and made it to Marsh Harbour before the weather turned sour again. Well, done. It was not until the 11th that a new window opened and this was confirmed by weather guru Chris Parker who suggested the Hampton fleet depart early on the morning of the 12fth. So, the armada to Antigua was launched and the passage south and east was more or less routine, but with stronger winds that normal, luckily all from favorable directions. On Pandora, we had three days of strong west and northwest breezes to get us across the Gulf Stream and well on our way. Then, we had three days of light winds and motorsailing. On the sixth day we entered the trade winds and had a sporty ride with winds at 60 degrees apparent all the way home. Pandora flew down the track, making 190 miles or more on four of our nine days at sea. Considering 102 boats were in the rally, there were very few problems. One boat lost half of its rudder and needed to be towed back into port. Several boats had autopilot trouble but only one returned to Hampton for repairs. Several boats ended up in Bermuda for a layover before making the trek south to Antigua. The landfall parties at the Club House at the Antigua Yacht club and at the North Sails loft were blow outs with elated passagemakers literally dancing for joy. Every evening for the first week, the dawgs enjoyed the wonderful Antiguan hospitality in one event after another, including a gala Thanksgiving dinner at the Club House, an evening of tots with the Tot Club of Antigua and the welcome dinner at the Inn at English Harbour. So, waiting for a good weather window paid real dividends and made the passage south safer and more comfortable for all involved and the welcome events all the sweeter. And, for me, this passage fell exactly 50 years to the month of my first transatlantic crossing from Portugal to the Caribbean. How time flies.
