Log 31 – New Haven, CT to Norwalk, CT
Monday, October 1, 2007
Hello Friends and Fans!
Once again we are off on an adventure. We left New Haven Harbor yesterday after spending the night on the boat and finishing innumerable errands – including ferrying the truck to the house, thank you PJ! Finally Jim speeded back to the boat on the dingy and we pulled the anchor and were off. (We had had the mooring pulled the day before and it now proudly sits in the NHYC parking lot.) We were able to sail out of the harbor with dignity on the jenniker (big blue and white sail made of nylon) and were able to keep it up for a few hours before the wind, of course, died. Motored the rest of the way to Norwalk harbor.
Shortly after leaving the harbor we noticed the Fluxgate (autopilot) compass was reading 90o off of the independent compasses. The hand-held agreed with the independents, so the problem had to be with the Fluxgate compass. We tried driving in circles to re-calibrate it but that didn’t work. Jim decided the problem was the installation of the washer/dryer too close to the compass. No fix tonight.
Now, we have anchored many times in Norwalk Harbor in the past. Last night we came in, in time for the Giants game, of course – Go Big Blue! – where they beat Philly!!!!, in dead calm. Threw out the anchor and immediately the wind started. And the waves started. And we rocked and rolled all night long! This has happened before in Norwalk Harbor and one time, with family and a lot of partying going on onboard, a freak gale blew up and we dragged! (It wasn’t just us – the Coast Guard was overwhelmed with mayday calls that night!)
We got out of Norwalk about 7:30 am (really early for us!) and headed toward NYC. Jim went to check on moving the Fluxgate compass further from the washer/dryer and found that it is going to be a major project during which time I am going to have to hand-steer. Oh, goody. He also noticed a bundle of wire leaning up against the compass and for the last hour we have been driving in circles in Long Island Sound trying to get it to re-calibrate after removing said bundle of wire. Nope, now it’s worse than before. We would wait until Baltimore to fix it but the weather off NJ tomorrow is supposed to be 8-10 ft. waves on the beam (side) and we don’t want to have to hand steer in that. (That weather is suppose to continue all week so waiting is not an option – after all we’ve got the Fells Point Festival to go to next weekend!)
Gave up on the compass, raised sail and are heading for Hell Gate and the East River. We are on a 250o heading while the autopilot shows us on a 191o heading and the GPS shows the boat tracking sideways. Hum. Oh – the other “gremlins” are the grey water pump in our hull and the spark lighter on the new stove. Wouldn’t want Jim to run out of jobs!
Now,
one final thing for all of you. In the pictures you will see a picture of
our new crew member. S/he (we don’t know for sure) is currently unnamed
and we need your help! Please send suggestions! We are looking for
something with sophistication and dignity, like “Madame…” or “Sir…” or “Duchess…”
or “Baron…” or something! (However, Jim is looking for any scurvy name
that comes to mind.)
Regards,
Roxanne,
Jim, Shadow
Dawn
Dancer