Monday, August 29, 2011

Re: Irene

Sorry it took so long, but as of this email, I'm back on line onboard.
Irene was intense but it could have been alot worse.  I chose to remain in my anchorage, supplementing my two anchors with a third, a forty pound danforth with chain.  As a result I remained in the same place all night.
We had strong winds from the northeast moving to the south east over Sunday night.  Speeds of pretty continuous 35-40 knots (rough guess)with some gusts as high as 80 knots (actual reading on top of a friends mast).
Only a couple of boats got on the beach but nothing like last year.  
Ok thats two down, now I'm watching 12 now.  No doubt the fact that I bought a used MacBook, I'll be a ble to feed my anxiety.  Makes me wish I was in Grenada looking with relief to the north. 
Was there alot of storm surge in the Chesapeake.  Potomac coming up?  
Yes I heard about the earthquake.  Did you feel anything?
Got to experience a trembler here while hiking along a cliff on the east coast of STJ.
Like the whole rock moved, felt the vibration in my chest.  wow (Rams Head, ST John)
It was something I will never forget.  You know the virgins are on a major fault.
I'm in St Thomas right now.  I'm working alot and saving up so I won't have to be here next Hurricane season.
Keep an eye on 12.   i'm hoping that it goes north of us and we get some waves. Really needing the therapy.
mark

On Tue, Aug 23, 2011 at 5:45 PM, Jeff Redden <jpredden@frontiernet.net> wrote:
Mark, how long did the storm last?  Sounds like fun.  Irene is going to hug the cost and there really wont be much fetch for the swells to organize in.  I am expecting a very short window of wind swell and good offshore conditions mostly I see VAS conditions from this storm.  Give me a nice Cat 3 that  sits just west of Bermuda for 10 days.  On the bright side, we did have a relatively significant earthquake today that registered 5.9 with an epicenter in Mineral VA, pretty weird.  Been to busy dealing with blood sucking nursing homes and deranged parents who have no money this week to give the Canoe much thought.  Will get back to  it once things have settled down.  Clay also got his learners today, earthquakes, senility, lack of healthcare, hurricanes and 16 year old drivers, it doesn't get much crazier than that.  Possibly riding out a hurricane in a 30" sail boat would suffice.   All in all I think I would enjoy a ride on your boat more than the storm I am enduring at the moment.  BTW, where are you?
 
Jeff
 
Magicseaweed.com does have NJ being 30' on Sunday morning, with offshores blowing 30+.  Yahooo!!!!
 
 
 
From: Mark Grant
Sent: Tuesday, August 23, 2011 12:07 PM
Subject: Irene
 
Hi Jeff,
well that was fun.  We clocked 80 knot wind gusts at the peak.  Natie M.  came through ok, my anchors held well in a crowded anchorage.  One thing is that I am not going to assume anything and head to the hurricane hole early.  I was wondering at one point if I had made a mistake in staying in the anchorage and just throwing out a couople more anchors. 
if Irene tracks as the models predict there should be some great waves.  Hope you get a couple.
Let me know how the canoe transfer goes.  There should be some other parts there that were part of the sailing rig.  If your interested.
Thanks and good luck.
Mark

Monday, May 16, 2011

pictures from the weekend

Very cool picture with effects of Natie M. post haulout.  Plus photo during Comodores Cup, Coral Bay St John

Saturday, March 12, 2011

update from here

Hi Kitty,
got your email and sorry I couldn't provide the warm weather respite.
I sailed back to the USVI from Grenada in October or somewheres around there.  The sail back was like riding a bycycle uphill to have the reward of a nice long down hill on the back end.  It was 4 and half days to St croix (350 nautical miles).  One of the most pleasant sails ever. The best sails on the natie M; she practically sailed herself back. 
Since returning to the USVI, (read: southern FLA with hills) I've been working painting and varnishing rich mans villas but lately been doing alot of boat work.   I have alternating between yacht varnish work on St Croix and villa work on St john. Its cash work and....well, cash work and I make my own hours.
I've been working here on St Thomas though with some really impressive shipwrights here, learning carpentry from a totaly three demensional aspect, alot different than building some square box with a roof.
I keep my eye out for another engineering position, but frankly what I read and what I've seen, it doesn't make any sense right now, people are pissed off everywhere and I'm too much of a selfish bastard to be a part; its all insane.
best to everyone,
mark