The Caribbean sailing season is coming to a close and Untethered sits at dock on St Thomas. It clearly feels like the season has ended as the frequency and intensity of daily rains on the island have grown. Overcast and grey skies are predominant these past days rather than clear and blue. The mood has followed as the passage making list and preparations have grown. Readying Untethered for a Passage is always filled with some mixed emotions. Daily tasks keep hands and mind at work but there is always a mix of anticipation and some excitement, but with a sense of loss. This season, the last 4 months of islands, blue water and the many travails and challenges, have created a connection with this place and time. Unique without a doubt, with Virus, Volcano and the constant education in boat, sail, wind and wave. Countless friendships and conversations, connections, with so many people across the 12 islands that became Untethered’s home these past months. It has become a more familiar place with its own pace and rhythm, and this is maybe what creates the sense of change and regret that this period is ending and soon all will be to stern. Regardless, the preparations proceed for the journey back North.
The passage planning list begins as a seemingly endless set of tasks and logistics with so many things needing to come together from crew travel to routing, weather and forecast planning. Boat prep, maintenance and provisioning alone fill many hours as the planned departure date looms. The pace also quickens as crew begin to arrive and departure begins to feel imminent and real.
Weather in June is far more variable, and the Hurricane season has officially begun. With the 1st named storm some weeks ago it looks like a decent Caribbean departure window is on us, but less certainty and stability on the US east coast as we hope to make Cape Hatteras, the Chesapeake and Annapolis as landfall. All these factors, driven by crew timing, overconstrain potential departure dates, routes and the weather systems we will encounter. A week of perfect departure conditions come and go as Untethered is readied and awaits crew arrivals.
As we wake to our intended departure day the worst onshore weather arrives and hastens the desire to get off the dock and leave land behind. This is the conflict, with a sense of loss in leaving the islands behind and wanting to get the boat off the dock and underway. A final meal ashore amid a torrential downpour seems a sign the islands are pushing us off, sending us on our way north. A gap in the rain gives us our window to cast lines for a short stop at the fuel dock to top off tanks and we are out of the Harbour and leaving St Thomas, the Caribbean, and four months of adventure and challenge to Stern.