"Hurricane" Earl and the psychology of a first major voyage

By Sailor Keddy -
Well it has been quite the week for Winchelsea and I. Just over a week ago, hurricane Earl threatened to bring 100+ mph winds across Newport. I had a few options: stay in Newport harbor at anchor, follow Green up the bay to a protected cove, or get her hauled out of the water. A mooring was not one of them because Oldport Marine, who owns most of them here, kicks people off when there is a hurricane watch or warning; go figure. I decided to get her hauled out because my insurance will pay for 50% of the cost, plus she reallllly needed to get her bottom painted before we head south where all sorts of sea creatures like to grow in the warm water. To make a long story short, the "hurricane" ended up being a mild gale by the time it got here, but better safe than sorry, thinking back to my previous post. I took her up Thursday morning, 8 days ago, and got her back last night. I did the trip up single handed, from raising the anchor to docking, and the engine worked like a dream the entire way. On the way back Matt joined me, it was a great day for a boat ride. I spent the week staying at various friends places on land in Newport and working. It was a nice change, but by the end of it, I was ready to go back to being gently rocked to sleep snug the in the V-berth.

Now, with all that behind me, I have just a hair over three weeks left before I head south. I've been looking at a ton of different routes, planning how much time it would take me overall, thinking about all the stuff that could go wrong....and it has done nothing but freak me out. I've talked to people about it, and they agree that both my boat and myself are ready for the trip, but it is pretty daunting. I can't simply think of it as one long trip down south that will probably take me over a month. If I do, I start to get overwhelmed, doubt myself and start thinking crazy things like selling Winchelsea and moving back in with mom. Right now, its just Newport to Montauk. That's it. When I get to Montauk, its just Montauk to Barenegat Bay, NJ. From there, its a trip from Barnegat to Cape May (or a stop in Atlantic City? ;-). Again, I know I'm ready for it, and I know its not going to be easy. But, as with all things worthwhile, they never are.

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