May 12, 2013-As English Harbor Empties Out, Wings Remains.

wingssail images-fredrick roswold
Judy and the Canon.

The sound of large ship’s horns blowing tells us another of the super yachts is departing for the Med; the other yachts still here are giving it a send off. We look to see who is leaving. This time it is Endeavour, last of the J’s in Falmouth Harbor, and we see her mast moving through the anchored yachts towards the ocean. She reaches the mouth of Falmouth Harbor and turns into the wind, her long bow rising and falling with the Atlantic swell. We see the huge mainsail creep slowly upward, waving gently in the breeze. Then Endeavour bears off and gathers way.

And is gone around the point.

Many of the other boats have already left or are leaving; all of our cruiser friends have departed.

It’s getting quiet here.

We, too, are ready to be on our way, yet not ready; there is a sail, a replacement for the number 4 jib, now under construction at North Sails, to be finished, there is a new computer to be delivered, (replacement for the beloved Dell studio which died, out of warranty of course), some rigging bits to be built at Antigua Rigging, mail to be delivered from Seattle, etc, etc.

We pass the time. Today we took a walk to Fort Berkley.

But sail we will, and soon, possibly Monday or Tuesday. By then the boat should be ready.

Bound for where?

When all preparations here in Falmouth Harbor are complete we’ll sail around to Jolly Harbor for final provisioning and to check out of the country. It is an easy shakedown from here to Jolly. We can take a look at the new sail and check out the cruising systems.

Then a short passage to Dominica. We missed it on the way north.

But by early June we should be on our way southwestward, to Bonaire, and after that, Cartegena, Columbia.

These are ocean passages, yet not the long ones we’ve done in the past; 480 miles to Bonaire, another 500 miles or so to Columbia. A few days each.

But we’ll go prepared, and that is why we are still here in English Harbor.

wingssail images-fredrick roswold
Two Boys on a Slow Day.

Click here for a few more images from English Harbor and Falmouth.

Fred & Judy, SV Wings, Antigua