0600 hours, March 8, 2015, Nevis: We headed through The Narrows for a windward passage to Antigua 50 nm to the east. During the 12 days we had been at St. Kitts and Nevis, I had talked with Chris Parker at least 5 times looking for a window. Before moving to Nevis two days earlier Chris had said this day, March 8th, would be the best of the bad weather days that had been with us for the last 12 days and would be better than any of the days for the next week.
As Chris predicted we experienced seven foot plus seas with an 8 second interval. Winds were blowing at 17 when we left and were a constant 22 nmph as we approached Antigua. During the passage we had two rain squalls with gusts of 30 nmph. The swell was due east and our course was slightly south of due east giving us a little edge in these short seas. With the deep entry of Catalina Sunshine with her steep "V" extending to the bottom of the keel just aft of the bow, she does not pound. Although the spray rails make noise as they enter the water they don't pound. Notwithstanding, straight into these waves there was a significant upward thrust as we entered each wave. There were two twelve pound exercise weights in the pilot house that were adrift and went airborne on the first wave we entered straight on. As our auto pilot veered from time to time and our course was just south of due east, we took a number of waves straight on. Fortunately we were able to take the majority of waves at enough of an angle that upward motion was less severe and we averaged 8.3 nmph, only a little less than the 9 nmph we normally average.
Riding up the wave
The bottom of the trough
Arriving Jolly Harbour
Looking out to sea from Jolly Harbour
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