Gryphon IV Ship's Log - 2013 Season


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Tracks may be viewed using Google Earth; The Google Earth (GE) *.kmz track path files were created by transferring (Garmin) GPS tracks to Maptech Offshore Navigator (5.08E), exporting the corresponding *.rtf file, and using GPSbabel 1.4.4) to convert the *.rtf to a *.kml.  Since the data are read as waypoints, the GPSbabel option of transforming the data to tracks is selected .  After loading the resulting *.kml file to GE, the path component alone is saved to a *.kmz file.

01/07/2013 - 01/14/2013

Another mild winter; so far.  Sheila, Cathy and I headed south for the British Virgin Islands.  Chris flew down from Minnesota after visiting Anna.  Here is the link to BVI 2013.

05/02//2013

Sunny, 50F.  LAUNCH DAY!  Gryphon temporarily at the dock at Stanley's Boatyard.

05/04/2013

Sunny, 60F.  Wind 5-15 knots.  Shakedown cruise with Sheila to Flasher 1.  Uneventful  was good! <no track>

05/18/2013

Sunny, 60F.  Wind 15-18 knots.  Short cruise with Sheila downriver.  Still a bit cold for sailing.   <no track>

05/25_27/2013 [BYC Spring Cruise]

Day 1 - Rainy, 55F.  Wind 5-10 knots.  Not much fog this year but rain showers instead!  Break out the foul weather gear! A wet and cold ride to Wickford, and a near miss with a big powerboat coming out of Greenwich prompting a crash 360 turnaround.  That captain apparently interpreted ColRegs as his having the right of way when overtaking from greater than 22.5 degrees abaft of our beam.  Not! We had a brief discussion about this on the VHF.  Despite that moron, we made it safely to the Wickford Marina.  Late afternoon cocktails and the appetizer contest; Sheila again one of the judges.  Temperature predicted to drop into the low 40's!  Crawled under every blanket we had aboard; it was cold.   Track

Day 2 - Cloudy with some drizzle in the morning, 60F.  Not much of a day in the morning but weather cleared up later; Cold night, up late, relaxed below.  Lots of folks drove to join the small fleet  for the party over at the Wickford YC.  There was a really big turnout with almost 90 adults and 20 kids.  Once again, John and Tony did an outstanding job serving up pork tenderloin, rack of lamb and swordfish!  Dessert - the famous BYC bread pudding with bourbon sauce.  We had a great time.  Nancy and Ed came aboard afterwards for a libation.  The temperature dropped into the 40's again; not as bad as the night before but still pretty cold.  Will bring electric heater next year!

Day 3 - Sunny, 55F.  Wind 2-5 knots.  Mid- morning departure from Wickford; sadly no real wind; motored back.  Unloaded the boat at the dock; dinner at Crossroads Restaurant in Warren.  Nice albeit cold weekend.   Track

06/09/2013

Sunny, 78F.  Wind 5-10 knots.  An absolutely beautiful day!  Slow sail over to Prudence Island with Sheila  Picked up a mooring and enjoyed lunch on the boat overlooking the upper Bay and the Mount Hope Bridge.   Track

06/15/2013

Sunny, 74F.  Wind 5-10 knots.  Nice afternoon for a short afternoon ride downriver.  Sheila and I had anchoring practice on the way back, just off of Beach Terrace.  Despite some initial skepticism, the Eartec Simultalk 24G wireless headsets helped quite a lot.  Track

06/16/2013

Sunny, 70F.  Wind 5-15 knots.  Happy Father's Day!  Christopher, Ed and I sailed up the Bay to Providence.  Played with the spinnaker for a while trying to take advantage of the southwesterly.  Hard on the wind heading home until past Conimicut Light, then sailed right into Warren.  Great sandwiches from Nancy.  Track

06/27/2013 - 7/07/2013  BYC Summer Cruise to the Hamptons on Long Island

Not too many boats coming.  The weather forecast turned really lousy at the last minute which gave a lot of folks pause.  A few had unforeseen business obligations.  We quickly went from 14 boats signed up with 37 adults and 11 children now to a fleet of 7 boats, 22 adults and 7 children.  Several are starting a day or two late from the planned departure waiting for a better window or will meet us mid-way.  The die hards are S/V Airwaves, S/V And She Was, M/V Escape, S/V Gryphon, S/V Mistral, S/V Neerlandia, and S/V Pearl!  

Day 1, Thursday.  Foggy, 65-70F.  Wind 5-12 knots.  Hard to believe we have not been out more this season.  Too many life complications.  Finally in "vacation" despite the Blackberyy and emails to the ipPad courtesy of AT&T.   The last few visits to the boat were little more than bringing aboard provisions for the BYC Summer Cruise.  This one has been a bit controversial to say the least.  We're off to Long Island insead of turning left at the mouth of the Sakkonet!  Just love Cutthyhunk and the Vineyard, but time for something new despite the prevailing southwesterly.  Maybe everything we have seen and heard about the Hamptons is all a fiction?  Maybe New Yorker's simply get a bad rap?  Could it be a conspiracy concocted on a Hollywood set?  We will just have to see for ourselves.  

Christopher and I departed very early with an aim to make Block Island.  Despite the lousy wind, opposing tide and fog most of the way, we soldiered on.  Mostly a motorsail although the tide was favorable on the leg from Point Judith.  Did I say it was Race Week at Block Island?  Fortunately, the Harbor Master was very kind and led us to a vacant private mooring.  Finally, Happy Hour with two kinds of gin.  Grilled chicken and vegetbles, cousecous, and an ice cold Gavi! Too bad some of our friends from the club dropped out at the last minute. Something about the weather?  Well, we'll have a good time anyway.   Track

Day 2, Friday.  Foggy, rain showers, blustery, 65F.  Lay day at Block Island.  Slept in.  Very foggy in the morning!  Christopher and I enjoyed hot breakfast sandwiches delivered by the Aldo's Bakery boat.  Hung out for the morning.  Chris invited us over to S/V Mistral for lunch with Cathy and Lorrie.  Meatball subs; delicious.  Relaxed the rest of the afternoon.  Watched movies; a few boat chores.  Sheila's barbecued pulled pork for dinner, G&T's.

Day 3, Saturday.  Cloudy, rainy, foggy, again.  Weather just not getting any better. Quick taxi ride over to New Harbor with a bit of exploring.  Not even nice enough to rent mopeds.  Walked back to New Harbor.  Lunch at The Oar.  Very good sushi by the way, as well as mahi-mahi tacos, and rum punch!  Visited with Pat, Walt and Kaitlin on M/V Escape for Happy Hour.  The party re-convened aboard S/V Mistral that evening.  Cathy's lasagna was fantastic.  

Day 4, Sunday.  Same weather pattern!  Ugh.  Crew getting very restless.  Sheila took the ferry over from Point Judith.  She was flying up from Baltimore after attending a memorial service for her Aunt Lillian, and was delayed a bit due to the weather.  She drove from Providence to Point Judith and caught the ferry.  Family dinner at The Oar.  Christopher then took the ferry back to Point Judith, picked up her car and headed home.  He may rejoin us later in the trip.  

Day 5, Monday.   Again, foggy and rain showers.  Departure for Three Mile Harbor in East Hampton, Long Island.  Our plan was to leave at 0900 local time; delayed to 0945 to allow rain squalls to pass over.  Once into Block Island Sound, we were able to take advantage of a southerly (10-15 knots; gusts to 20).  Visibility was 1-2 nm with some occasional fog; nice to have radar and AIS aboard.  About half way to Montauk, the wind speed slowed to about 6-8 knots so we motor sailed for an hour, but then the wind really pick up (18-23 knots).  As we approached Montauk, the current and wind were now both favorable, so we decided to go over the top of Gardiner's Island.  A fast sail on that lag; Gryphon's speed was often over 7 knots, hitting 7.5 at one point!  As we made our turn around Gardiner's Island, the wind was now on the nose so we tacked back and forth, and motor sailed at times.  Lots of lobster pots as well.  One bumped the hull with a thud; we obviously missed seeing it and thankfully did not get hung up.  A few miles out of Three Mile Harbor, a rain squall passed overhead which made the approach a bit more interesting!  Visibility improved however by the time we made the entrance.  Very well marked fairway; turn to starboard at Red 24 and into the anchorage where S/V's Mistral and Neerlandia awaited out arrival.  Chris and Joop each came over to say hello after our 8 hour sail.  We were tired and hungry.  Marinated steak tips, couscous and salad for dinner.  Red wine of course.  Track

Day 6, Tuesday.  Cloudy, 75F.  On the hook at Three Mile Harbor.

07/14/2013

Sunny.  80F.  Wind 5 -10 knots.  Christopher and I hoping the wind would pick up.  Unfortunately it did not cooperate, so we headed in early.  Nice day to be on the Bay for a short sail nonetheless.  Track

08/10/2013

Sunny.  82F.  Wind 15-20.  Sheila aboard; mid-afternoon start.  Fast sail over towards Potter' Cove.  Picked up a mooring just outside the cove near the beach.  A beautiful afternoon to be out.  Happy Hour, lamburgers,  tomato/feta salad, chianti!  Back on the Barrington mooring just as it was getting dark.  Would have been even better if stayed out overnight, but the dog was at home.  <no track>

08/11/2013

Sunny.  78F.  Variable winds 5-12 knots.  Anna and Christopher aboard.  Sailed down the Bay towards Bristol Harbor.  Wind died down mid-afternoon.  Nice day to be on the water just the same.  <no track>

08/16/2013

Sunny.  75F.  Wind 5-15 knots.  Provisioned Gryphon the night before and left her at the BYC dock.  Sheila and I made an 8 AM departure to assure a favorable current at the mouth of the Sakonnett in Tiverton.  Wind was light and westerly, began to shift to the southwest as we motor sailed down the Sakonnett.  Picked up and a bit more southerly as we rounded the light.  Once on course for Cuttyhunk, beam reach on 10-15 knots all the way over; great ride.  The Pond was full of boats, but we lucked out with a mooring right next to Sharon and Ted on their J120, S/V Skimmer.   Weather at Cuttyhunk was perfect.  Ria, Joop and some family members are also here on S/V Neerlandia.  Sharon and Ted came aboard to kick off Happy Hour.  We went over to see Skimmer; the J120 is a "go fast" boat for sure.  Great to see them on the water; planning for another get together in September.  Sheila made a supper of grilled chicken, roasted corn on the cob and a tomato salad for dinner accompanied by a Rodney Strong Merlot.  Movies on the iPad.  Track

08/17/2013

Sunny.  82F.  On the hook at Cuttyhunk.  S/V Skimmer left around 10:30 AM.  Nice day for a swim off the boat.  Relaxed mostly. Fresh scallops and stuffies from the Cuttyhuk Fish Company for dinner.  Scallops with braised leeks and vegetable rice.  Washed down with a cold and crisp trebbiano d'abruzzo.  

08/18/2013

Sunny.  80F.  ANother beautifil day in Cuttyhunk.  Boat chores in the AM.  Another great day for a swim off the boat and more R&R.  M/V Egbert arrived mid-day with the Terhune family.  Happy Hout aboard Neerlandia; rum punch a favorite.  Sheila's grilled chicken fajitas for dinner.
   

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