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We are busting our way under power toward Charleston, South Carolina, amidst 15 to 25 knot contrary winds which make head seas of about 6 feet against us. The weather is warming up and the humidity is going up, too, as we pass close to the Gulf Stream in our effort to avoid it while skirting the coast. This is tricky business because there are significant shoals that surreptitiously stick out from the coast for 15-20 miles every 60 to 100 miles. This forces us to flirt with the contrary current of the Gulf Stream and its powerful flow northward and eastward along the southeast coast of the United States.

We have been underway since leaving Annapolis Monday morning. We had contrary winds then, too, but of a lesser strength and smaller sea. We were able to sail down Chesapeake Bay tacking our way towards ocean.

The crew and the guest crew worked hard together handing all sail as we tacked from side to side across the Bay. Pride II caught the wind-power in her sails and thus dragged her 185 tons through the water and her massive rig against the breeze. We sailed almost 24 hours that way between the Eastern and Western Shores. Dawn's early light on Tuesday found the wind nearly calm and we started motoring as the crew put much of the sail away. We have been motoring since. I think we will be motoring for at least another day. At least till we can get closer to Charleston which is now some 214 nautical miles away. When we get closer, we can go sailing without fear of being late for Pride II's obligations in Charleston which are set to start Saturday.

Our contrary weather conditions started Monday in Annapolis and look like they will continue through Friday. It is just plain bad timing to be so burdened. Most of last week and all of last weekend, the winds were from the east and north. But now they are from the direction we must go to keep to the ship's itinerary. It is the nature of modern schedules and Mother Nature to be in conflict. I try to minimize this natural conflict by planning routes that respect the average wind direction and strength. For the area near Cape Hatteras, I am not sure there is a best time of the year to go south any more than there is a best time to go north. Hopefully our return voyage north at the end of this month will have favorable winds rather than requiring us to expend fuel and use up more of the company's assets.

PRIDE Person-of-the-Year Party

The party was a big hit. Pols traded insider jokes while toasting Mayor O'Malley. Plus there was great Cuban music provided by an enthusiastic and loud Cuban band as well as Cuban-themed food and drinks. The fact the weather was perfect played a huge role, too. The ship looked great for the event after so much crew effort in the resent past, and many guests and friends commented on it. The crew looked good in their official uniforms and did a great job of making the party guests feel welcome. Their help to the Pride, Inc. staff in setting up the event was greatly appreciated.

Getting Ready for the Season

The next day, Pride II headed down to Annapolis where she spent the next ten days handling numerous mission events. It was also a time for getting onboard last minute items for the ship's season since she would not be in home waters again till the end of September. Annapolis was also an opportunity for me to help with the move of my home from one dwelling to another. Leslie, my wife, had been wonderfully patient with the fact that I will not be around much this summer since there is only one captain for the ship right now while we search for a good replacement for my recent partner, Dan Parrott. But since the ship was nearby, I was able to play an important roll in the move and still fulfill the ship's mission needs. These needs have been modified significantly recently by international, national, and local politics that conspired to prevent Pride II from visiting Cuba.

So instead of a visit to Havana, the ship will sail out to the Dry Tortugas for a few days before picking up the rest of the itinerary with the Miami stop. The Dry Tortugas is not a bad consolation stop for not going to Cuba - especially as they are somewhat remote and rather exclusive. It will be a big change from the megalopolis route Pride II is scheduled for this year.

But for now, Pride of Baltimore II is underway to her first out-of-state stop and, instead of sailing, is motoring into contrary winds and seas.

Cheers
Captain Miles