Re:east coast, heading north

Reggie, If you're contemplating going north to Norfolk by way of the Gulf Stream, you must be sure you have wind coming from the southeast, south, southwest or west. Anything out of the northwest, north, northeast or east will roll up the surface on the stream and you'll have a horrendous ride ... chop, chop, chop. You should have some way to get updates on weather, since the trip up to Norfolk from mid-Florida will be about five days, and winds can change. Also know that if you decide to "duck in" if the winds do change, you'll be 60 miles or so off shore, which is a day's sail. Spring is a good time to do this, as winds tend to be from the south. I came from Abacos to New Smyrna Beach the end of this past May and had a wonderful ride on the stream at 7-8 knots. I tried to make a trip in early September this year from New Symrna Beach to Ocracoke, NC. Unfortunately, the SE wind shifted to E to NE in about a day's time and I took a beating until I could shift out of the stream (about even with St. Augustine). In order to keep a northerly course, I sailed NW for 24 more hours to Port Royal, SC. Still a close haul, but once out of the stream it became bearable. Of course, the ICW is a piece of cake. Only a couple of spots of sometimes rough water in the Albemarle and Pamilco sounds in NC. Fewer and fewer bridge openings as new high rises are built. It's just a lot of motoring. You can sail here and then, motor sail a lot of the time, but when the good winds come up out of the south, I'd want to be off shore. Fair winds, James Williams s/v Alizee, San Francisco CA 650-575-9825 te… [at] pacbell.net http://alizee.us