[PUP] Alanui 350miles down, 150 to go!

[Scott E. Bulger]

There are few people I respect more than Peter Pisciotta and Dr. Bob Austin.
It is respect for their experience and wisdom that caused me to put the
short disclaimer in my posting.  I was certain that some would take
exception to what I posted.  That said, the reality is that today more
people are going across then hugging the beach, a LOT more.  With the
shenanigans the Port Captain at Puerto Madero is up to (new random exit fees
being tacked on to cruisers exit process) and the number of fishing boats to
deal with, an offshore route, IN THE APPROPRIATE WEATHER WINDOW, has become
the norm.  If I was a delivery skipper and needed or wanted to advance a
boat in spite of a Tpecker blowing I'd take the beach route.  If I was a
cruiser without an agenda or time table (something we adopted from the start
to keep us out of trouble) then I'd simply wait.  If you watch the G of T
for a month you will see the periods between Tpeckers are as benign as the
rest of this coast.  It's a matter of being patient, staying in touch with
quality weather sources, and having a boat prepared for the worst, but ready
to when they say go.  

Oh, also, you better be ready to turn back or not leave when originally
planned.  Often people get so focused on leaving they will not evaluate
turning back in case the forecast starts to break down.  There was a story
about a boat that was close to leaving and the day he left he said the
weather forecast changed.  He got caught in a moderate blow, took some lumps
on the nose, but made it fine.  My question was, when the forecast changed
why didn't he just stay at the dock?  He got so fixated on leaving he took
the last forecast that suggested he MIGHT make it and left.  Had he been
more willing to wait another week or two, he could have crossed with us.  

These decisions are never easy.  I'm simply relating the facts as we
experienced them.  We were preceded in the voyage by the wooden sailboat
Fandango with Doug and Mary aboard.  Doug has 26 Atlantic ocean crossings
under his belt and this was the first time he took the route straight across
the G of T.  I can only assume he has finally become comfortable that the
vast array of weather products has reached a point where he can trust them
to be right for at least 48 hours.  

Thanks for reading along!  Scott Bulger, Alanui, N40II, Seattle WA