July 31st, 2019
I am back to Ponce. Have been here since Saturday 27th. First provisioning and preparing the boat, then just waiting. A mild anxiety comes and goes, and is hitting a forte today as my departure becomes imminent: tonight after midnight. I was supposed to depart yesterday night but Chris Parker discouraged me to do so. Today was going to be a day of squalls according to the forecast, though so far it doesn’t look that way.
The marina is rather empty. The only humans are those working on boats or in charge of maintaining the facilities. I’ve spent most of the time inside the boat. With the fan on it is very livable, but there is not much to do. I look at the weather and charts, read, feed myself, have a drink at sunset, go to my bunk early. Two times I walked to the east side of the marina from where I can see the sea and surroundings. I wanted to get a mental picture of what I need to do to get out of here. I don’t really feel lonely or sad, but I am also not euphoric. I would say a bit less than content. Motivation and productivity at low levels.
I’m headed to the west coast of St. Croix only 100 miles away in a straight line. With the winds blowing mainly from the East though, I’ll be taking my way there and might not make it before midnight on Thursday. Until yesterday, once in St. Croix, the plan was to sail south or south west on Saturday. A tropical low was forming and was supposed to hit St. Croix Monday afternoon. By then I would have been some 200 miles south. As the low passed north of my position it would have given me an opportunity to sail east towards Grenada (or one of the islands in the chain) with south winds. But this morning I woke up to a message from my wife telling me that the low had dissipated. I checked and, indeed, it has been replaced by another low that will hit the region later and pass further north. It might still give an opportunity to sail east. First I need to make it to St. Croix, then will see. Hopefully the next update comes from there.
d.
Sailing to the Pacific 