At Charleston City marina

The Grateful Red is at Charleston City Marina ready for the next voyage: The Charleston to Bermuda race (or as they say “C2B”) and on to Europe. The sail from the Edisto party to Charleston was five hours of sailing and more then five minutes of chaos. Crew was Stan, Ron and Jim all new to a five hour offshore sail and Ann Marie—an experienced Chicago Beer can racer.

Nice breeze and on a reach with the fore sail only—couldn’t be better. Couple hours in noticed a front—rolled in the Genoa, started the motor and got wet. Winds were dying so we continued under motor with a round of beverages. Decide to sail up the Charleston ship channel under genoa only in moderate winds. So far a pretty nice story.

As we head up the ship channel the winds started to increase—ten, twenty, twenty five. Rolled in the two thirds of the Genoa—still doing six plus knots. But not done yet—soon the winds were 30 plus, Genoa rolled completely—motor only. Showing the crew how to drop anchor if being blown into the rocks.

As we headed up the Charleston river—winds started topping 40, and I am thinkin—be ready to turn downwind and back out to sea. The engine is moving us at maybe two knots in 40 plus. Ron is on the VHF with the Harbor master—we turn into the harbor which means downwind like a rocketship. Luckily Kristine, Mary and dock hand are waiting for us. In full reverse the group can barely keep the Grateful Red from charging into the floating dock ……. but lines and motor held. We stop a foot or so from the dock, tie up and open a round of beverages.

Terrific job by both boat crew and land crew—note the crew foul weather gear.

Just another day on the boat!