Now this is a 240nm passage. It will be two full days, which is a nice length. Although we enjoy passages of all lengths.

A good breakfast and we are off. The big question we had was could we sail the first leg? What would the wind angle be? After motoring the 8nm out of the anchorage we raised the sails and were cruising. The angle was tight and wind light, so we brought out the code zero sail. Sails full and the Miles to Destination were ticking down.

After clearing Cape Santa Maria, we had a much better wind angle and Catnip really came into her groove. 6 knots and pointing right where we want to go. We would hold this heading for the next 190 nm, right to Mathew town.

With the auto pilot we have three modes that we use.

The first one is “heading hold”, this keeps the boat pointing in the same direction. It will not compensate for drift from current, tide, or wind.

The second mode is “No Drift”, it keeps us on the same course, compensating for current, tide, and wind. It draws nice straight lines on the chart.

The third mode is “Wind hold”. In this mode Catnip is held at the same angle to the wind. By varying our wind angle, our course and speed also change.

If that’s not confusing enough, I’ll let you know that our wind angle can be referenced to either “true wind” or “apparent wind”

True wind is just what it sounds like, the wind referenced to a fixed object, like a tree.

The “apparent wind” is what Catnip feels. If the wind is on the beam, (that’s sailor talk for side), at 10 knots, and we are sailing at 1 knot, Catnip would feel most the wind from her side. However if we were sailing at 10 knots, Catnip would feel the wind coming from 45 degrees off the bow. Don’t worry, there’s no test.

FYI, Normally when sailing we set auto to wind hold.

Mathew Town is on Great Inagua Island. Lake Rosa is also on Great Inagua Island. Lake Rosa (means rose in color) is home to over 80,000 flamingos. Unfortunately we were not able to go and verify this number in person, but we did some fact checking online and I feel confident in stating there’s over 80,000 Flamingos. The flamingos feed on brine shrimp, this gives them the pink color. Another fun fact is the flamingo is a filter feeder, like a whale. They pump the water filled with nutrients like small brine shrimp, algae, larva, through their bills. Comb plates trap the nutrients for them to enjoy.

OK, back to the trip. Now we didn’t leave George Town with the fuel right full, but will certainly want to be full leaving Mathew town. So a quick call on the radio to the marina, and yes they have fuel. Great.

When pulling into the marina we couldn’t see the fuel docks, but over the radio are guided to a place to tie up. Here we learn the fuel is off site and William would bring us some.

William kept his fuel in his garage. He would buy hundreds of gallons at a time, then resell to vessels in the marina.

I went with William to his place, where we filled two 30 gallon containers, loaded them into the back of his vehicle and drove back to the marina, bringing his portable fuel pump and battery for it with us.

Back at the marina we filled Catnip and two Jerry cans. We were set for our next leg.