Which way to Hampton?

We'll sail south until the butter melts, then turn right.

Here is some thinking-out-loud about possible routes, for your entertainment:

1.  An 1100 departure at 7.5 kn SOG for the 52.7 nm gives an 1802 ETA at Block Island.  If the wind is SW, we won't average 7.5 SOG, so will end up at Cuttyhunk unless we keep going overnight.  If the wind is NW12, we should be making 8-9 kn SOG.  The current is favorable as we'll be riding the ebb out of the bay until around 1400.  The long range forecast looks favorable for Westerlies.

 

3.  Plan A:  Direct to Cape Charles from Marion.

- 385nm, if 7.5 knots SOG, depart Sunday 10/9 at 1100, arrive Wednesday 10/12 at 0230.

- takes ideal weather and might exhaust the 3-man crew.

 

4. Plan B:  Block Island to Cape May to Cape Charles

-- Sunday night Block Island.

-  323 nm to Ches. Bay Bridge, if 7.5 kn SOG and depart Monday at 0700, arrive 43 hours later at the bridge at 0200 Wednesday.  Not good.  We'd have to go slower or leave later to arrive after sunrise on Wednesday.

- takes two nights at sea, and might exhaust 3 man crew. 

 

5.  Plan C:  Block Island to Cape May to Cape Charles

--Sunday night at Block Island.

--202 nm to Cape May Harbor.  If 7.5 kn SOG and depart Blk Monday at 0700, arrive 27 hrs later at Cape May at 1000 Tuesday.

--139 nm to Ches. Bay Brdge.  If 7.5 kn SOG and depart Cape May at 1400 Tuesday (short rest), arrive at 0830 Wednesday at Ches. Bay Bridge.  Nice.

--If depart Cape May at 0700 Wednesday (long stay), arrive 18.5 hrs later at 0130  Thursday at Ches. Bay Bridge.  Not good. 

 

6.  Plan D:  Block Island to Cape May to C&D to Hampton

--Sunday night at Block Island.

-  Monday night at sea.

- Tuesday night at Sassafrass if no stop in Cape May

-  Wed night at Solomons Island

-  Thursday night at Deltaville, or long stretch to Hampton.

-  Friday noon at Hampton.

 

7.  Plan E:  Block Island to NYC to Cape May to C&D to Hampton

-- Sunday night (late) at Block Is.

-- Monday night at Sandy HookPort Jeff or Oyster Bay.

-  Tuesday night at Cape May

-  Wed night at Sassafrass.

-  Thurs night at Solomons

-  Friday night at Deltaville or long stretch to Hampton

-  Saturday noon at Hampton

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Here are some quick numbers for the three offshore routes (Plan A):

 

1)  Direct from BB Tower to Ches Bay Bridge turning point:

---- 346 nm

----  62 nm off of Sandy Hook

----   38 nm off of Atlantic City

----   38 nm off of Cape May Harbor

 

2)  Same as (1) but with a dog leg that takes us to 20nm from Cape May:

---- 348 nm  (only 2 more miles)

---- 51 nm off of Sandy Hook

---- 20 nm off of Cape May Harbor

 

3)  Same as (1) but with a dog leg that takes us to Cape May Harbor and then another dog leg to clear Ocean City MD on the Delmarva:

---- 356 nm (only 10 more miles that (1))

---- 41 nm off of Sandy Hook

---- 0 nm off of Cape May Harbor

 

So there is virtually no penalty in going close (or to) Cape May Harbor vs. sailing the minimum distance route to Cape Charles.  Doing so will give us the option of stopping if we need the rest, to get cell coverage for a weather update, or to get in if the weather does not follow the forecast.

 

Looks like we'll do Plan A-3 if we get the weather!

Jay