I’ll start with thanks for following Untethered. It seems with the last post on the 1st leg of the Solo Passage some weeks ago, I left a few hanging with the outcome…..
Montserrat
……After a long 1st Solo day out from Nevis, Untethered arrives to anchor off Montserrat. A welcome sound of the windlass dropping chain and anchor in a calm wind protected bay in the main harbor of Portsmouth. The opportunity to anchor her, well after the sun has descended, was not without travail as the entire island is in lock down. Persistence several days before with the harbor authority gave Unterthered the opportunity for a short overnight at anchor, with the promise the skiff will stay aboard, and the solo crew will also remain aboard, and in fact out of Montserrat Water!
Solo day two started early with a new sunrise over the island and the promise of steady winds and modest seas. Untethered was anchor up at 6am and began the slow motor down the leeward (east) side of the island. As day began we moved slowly down the coast of this Volcanic Island. Steep peaks and deep waters only 1,000 yards allows a close passage to the island and great vantage of the Iandscape as we push south and ready sails for the hop to Dominica. Montserrat, a British Territory, is one of the more recent active Volcanoes in the Caribbean with the last eruption in 1990. We slip quietly past black sand beaches and cars begin moving along the coast road. As we begin to pass the southern end of the Island, the evidence of the last eruption is clear where broad lava flows cover the southern half of Monsterrat.
Sails come out as we reach the tip of the island and the easterly trades start to curl around the end of the island bringing strong wind to the bow. As Untethered clears the Island the wind shifts aft to the beam and settles to a steady 17knts as all the sails are unfurled and the hull accelerates to a solid 9+knts. At this speed the 90nm hop to Guadalupe will be a full day but should bring us to Anchor before sunset. Clear skies and the 3-5’ seas that are following the trades suggest a peaceful day on the water as the 5 island solo passage continues.
Guadalupe
By Midday Untethered is alone in the transit between islands. Unusual for this time of year, the high season for Caribbean sailing, as the impact from COVID is clear for this group of “COVID Isolated” Islands. Guadalupe begins to rise from the sea off the bow as Untethered moves smoothly forward under a fresh breeze and near cloudless blue skies. Autopilot operating effortlessly in these conditions and this allows time to relax, read and time at the chart table to plan tonight’s anchorage. Guadalupe is a French territory, and with COVID spikes in France in January these French islands follow the mainland in total lockdown. Lockdown on Guadalupe means sailing under the yellow Quarantine flag, but flexibility in anchor locations along the east coast of this large Island. Once again as we approach the northern end of the island the winds accelerate and shift aft as they bend around the north end of the island, and as Untethered clears to the leeward side of the island, wind and sea calm and sails are furled. As a perfect day of Caribbean sailing ends, Untethered comes to anchor off a deserted light sand beach in 15’ of crystal clear water. The sun begins to set with some early evening cloud cover creating dramatic skies to the west and a peaceful end to the 2nd solo passage day.