Chapter 50: Bon Appétit

The Sunday morning weather was overcast and there was rain in our future. I could see the clouds forming along the cold front to our southwest but didn’t have the experience yet to know when we would reach them, or them reach us. But it was obvious that we were on a collision course. I could tell from the log that we had been making long sweeping tacks against the winds and our nautical miles to our destination tomorrow might be more than we could accomplish in our remaining twenty-eight hours.

“I see you’ve been studying the weather,” Captain Alfred said.

“You’re up early,” I replied.

“I was laying there looking at the winds and that approaching storm and decided to get up and change the sails. I think we should tack north of west, say 295 degrees or so for a few hours and see if we can skirt the worst of this storm and pick up a little speed on the peripheral winds.” We had been on a general southwesterly heading of 221 degrees for the last three days, so this represented a big change in direction away from Nassau.

We went to work changing course and setting our sails to take advantage of the south-by-southwest winds. The captain explained how it wasn’t a hurricane, but there was a low pressure system and the winds would revolve around that low in a counter-clockwise rotation. And by positioning the boat to run off course for a while it would speed us around where the counter-clockwise winds would catch and propel us in a curving arc back to the southwest towards the Bahamas.

“It’s kind of an old fashioned way of sailing where you don’t actually sail in a straight line to your destination, but instead ride the prevailing winds in an arc to accomplish the same thing without sailing through the meat of the storm or having to use the engines,” he explained.

That was the first morning I really felt like a sailor as we had to constantly man the wheel (or joystick, in this case) and constantly monitor and change the sails. I was as wet as I had ever been from going outside to take care of the sails as we still got hammered with the winds and the rain on the outer arc of the low. But to see the Captain constantly put us where we needed to be with the sails full and the Serendipity scooting across the waves at what felt like breakneck speed, was the thrill of my life.

I kept the lifeline tied to my life vest at all times and on at least two different occasions, I was glad that I did. As big sweeping waves seemed to come out of nowhere and wash across the foredeck. I also found out what the trampolines are for. The netting that covered the two large square holes in the foredeck was actually designed to allow the water to rapidly drain through in rough seas.

Finally, around two o’clock Sunday afternoon, we began to see blue skies followed by the sunshine peeking out shortly before sunset around six pm. We had done it. Captain Alfred showed me the chart and the big sweeping arc we had made first, almost north all the way around the storm back to our south-by-southwest course to Nassau. And after some rough calculations, we discovered that we had averaged over twenty-eight knots in the winds of the storm. That was approaching the speed of some classes of ‘America’s Cup’ racers. I think it would have been hard to wipe the grin off my face, even though I was as physically tired as I had ever been.

“Mr. Masters!” the Captain barked. “That was as fine a job of sailing as I have ever experienced and I could not have done it without you. However, it’s time, Alex, to hang up your sailing shoes and say goodbye. I’ll be taking the Serendipity into Nassau from here. Because of your efforts, we picked up about three hours and so we’ll be landing in Nassau right on time.”

Then he stepped back and came to attention and snapped off a salute and then stepped forward and shook my hand.

“We’re going to miss you, son. Will you come sail the Caribbean with us this spring?”

I couldn’t help it as my eyes began to water.

“Of course, Sir!” I replied.

“Then head below for some chow and a dry bed. I’ll see you later when you get up,” he said.