Townsman, 1992-03, Page 18"Just follow the contrails from the
jets," said another advisor. "There's a
regular run from the States to Bermu-
da and there's always a plane over-
head." Not so in mid-June 1991, at
least nothing audible or
visible.
However, there were
things to see — a phospho-
rescence light show creat-
ed by the bow waves at
night, schools of dolphins
that played in those same
waves by day, and flying
fish night and day. In the
dead of night some of the
flying fish landed aboard,
causing more than a mild
stir the first time it hap-
pened.
Just before three in the
morning, as the scribe pre-
pared for wheel duty, the
broker leaned toward the
Spirit entered the Gulf Stream, that
warm ocean current first described by
Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon in
1513. It spans about 50 miles and
moves northeast at about four miles
annoying were the heat and humidity,
from which there was no escape. They
zapped energy and made sleep a cher-
ished commodity.
There were some unpredictable
changes in wind speed in
the Stream, and some quick
reduction in sail. Seldom
did the wind blow below 10
knots and often it was
between 15 and 20. It kissed
41 knots in the most signifi-
cant squall, resulting in a
doused mainsail and the jib
furled to the size of a diaper.
Through it all Spirit per-
formed admirably. And the
wonders of modern naviga-
tional equipment — in this
case GPS (Global Position-
ing System) and Loran C —
kept her on course for
Bermuda, which was akin to
cooking for a pancake in the
desert. On two occasions the
broker demonstrated his
recently acquired skills with a sextant,
both times arriving at a fix he claimed
to be within five miles of the GPS
readout. When his findings were met
with little more than indifference he
was moved to add that he was an hon-
est broker.
As Spirit broke free of the Gulf
Stream the air cleared, the sky became
an even more brilliant blue and the
dolphins returned. On the night shifts
there was moonlight and a star for
everyone who had ever gone to sea.
All the more memorable when
plugged into the recorded offerings of
Van Morrison and Loreena McKennitt
and The Band. Silver surprise became
more appetizing; there were tossed
Continued on page 23
companionway and asked Author Dean
him to bring a light
"because there is something flopping
around out here." Whatever it was had
bounced off the broker on its way to
the cockpit floor. As it caromed
aboard he figured something in the
rigging had broken loose, though the
performance of the boat was unaffect-
ed. As the object exhibited signs of
life around his feet the broker con-
jured up all kinds of images, none of
which he had read about in the Time -
Life Library of Boating.
The light enabled proper identifica-
tion but neither the broker nor the
scribc was anxious to grab the crea-
ture bare-handed and return it to the
deep. For that job they settled on the
kitchen tongs that to now had bccn
uscd only for hoisting silver surprise
from boiling water. The tongs worked
so well in their ancillary role that from
then on they were considered a valu-
able piece of chandlery for night
watches.
The flying fish and the dolphins
were representative of that which is
interesting and pleasurable about
deep -water sailing. The plastic con-
tainers, the fluorescent light tubes, the
slabs of lumber and the barrels were
not as pleasing to the eye or to the
mind.
The trip took on new dimensions as
16 TOWNSMAN/MARCH-APRIL 1992
Robinson at the wheel, approaching Berm
an hour. Water temperature in the
Stream is noticeably warmer, as is the
air temperature. If the current, the
wind direction and the boat's heading
are much at odds, life in the Gulf
Stream is not fun for those who have
chosen to ride with the boat. Such a
ride is not unlike that experienced by
a banana in a blender.
Spirit and her crew were lucky trav-
elling easi across the Gulf Stream,
though it was damn uncomfortable.
As she fought against a shove to the
north, the boat flexed and groaned as
she had never done while growing up
on the Goods -and -Services -Tax -side
of Lake Huron. Initially the creaks
and grinds were unsettling but they
produced no wear or tear. Most
uda.
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