Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Northbound Ocean Crew Departs; St Thomas USVI - Norfolk, VA

CELESTIAL, our IP 440 departed Crown Bay Marina, St Thomas USVI at 1000 on May 7, 2013 after two days of preparation. The crew members are: Captain Jochen Hoffmann (Florida),  First Mate Steve Runals (Virginia) and student crew members Skip Stebbins (Illinois), Adrian Gnyra (Alberta), and Joseph Pazourek (Oklahoma).  A fourth crew member Richard Westrick participated in pre-departure preparations. CELESTIAL will make the passage to Norfolk via a non-stop ocean route. The cruise has an estimated distance of 1500 miles, and will take 11-13 days, sailing both day and night.  Initially, watch the schedule will be as follows:

12-4... Joe Pazoureck and Skip Stebbins

4-8... First Mate Steve Runals alone with auto pilot

8-4... Captain Jochen and Adrian Gnvra

Captain Tursi will be monitoring progress of the cruise and will be in contact with CELESTIAL's crew via a Skymate satellite system. We'll receive reports from the crew approximately every other day and Captain Tursi will supply the crew with detailed weather analysis.

More discussion on this soon, as well as weather updates, communication from the crew, and actual progress (see comments below), so please join us! To follow their actual progress on Google Earth, click here. For more information on The Maryland School, please visit our website.

22 comments:

Rita Hanson said...

From: Tom Tursi
To: S/V CELESTIAL
Sent: Tuesday, May 07, 2013 3:06 PM
Subject: Wx 5-7

Lows we discussed moving NNE along mid-Atlantic coast dragging CF may reach you but not certain.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for keeping us updated Rita. Happy Sailing Guys!!!
Kathy

Rita Hanson said...


----- Original Message -----
From: Tom Tursi
To: S/V CELESTIAL
Sent: Wednesday, May 08, 2013 9:18 AM
Subject: Wx 5-8

Atlantic High settling in for next several days. Expect Trade Winds E10-15 below 25N and clocking S to SW as you proceed to NW. No Lows in near term. Cold Front moving offshore Mon-Tue with possible NE15-20 at your expected position then.

Rita Hanson said...

From: S/V CELESTIAL
Date: Wed, 8 May 2013 13:24:53 +0000 (UTC)
To: Tom Tursi
Subject: 5-8-13


Thanks for weather report 5-7. Motorsailed to N of St Thomas and watched Trades finally returning.
Now E 15-18, double reefed main, single reefed jib, full staysail. C 335 psc, holding 6 kt. Chicken dinner great. Tired crew had good night, now rested, learning lots.

Jochen

05/08/2013
12:52:24 GMT
18° 53.69' N
65° 03.72' W

Rita Hanson said...

From: Tom Tursi
Subject: Wx 5-9
Date: May 9, 2013 9:00:20 AM EDT
To: S/V CELESTIAL

No significant change. Expect Trades to Sunday. Mon-Tue shift to S and NE 20. Thurs S15. Received your 5-8 update.

Rita Hanson said...


----- Original Message -----
From: Tom Tursi
To: S/V CELESTIAL
Sent: Friday, May 10, 2013 2:02 PM
Subject: Wx 5-10

Intense Low over Canadian Maritimes drag Cold Front offshore Mon = SW gale NW of BDA. Another Low off Hatteras Mon moving NE. Expect Sat E-SE15; Sun SE10-15; Mon SW15-20; Tue NW20-25; Wed N10-15.

Rita Hanson said...

From: S/V CELESTIAL
To: Tom Tursi
Sent: Saturday, May 11, 2013 9:38 AM
Subject: @ 0800 5-11

Position 25.28 N o69,25 W. Weak Trof first 4 days: O'cast, rain, strong winds ESE, squalls, now sun. Herb propagation better-no contact. Fast progress under scraps of reefed sails. Crew adjusting extremely well. Thu whale mom, calf blowing nearby. Y'day 3 BDA longtails. Startng day w pancakes & hashbrowns. Thx wx 5-10. Life is good. J

Rita Hanson said...

From: Tom Tursi
To: S/V CELESTIAL
Sent: Saturday, May 11, 2013 11:48 AM
Subject: Wx 5-11

Cold Front moving offshore Sun to line 47N60W 34N70W Mon with SW30-35 on E side. New Low at 33N71W Mon move NE. Expect Sun S10-15; Mon SW15-20; Tue NW20-25; Wed NW10; Thu SW15-20. Favorable Gulf Steam meander flowing NW on line from 33N75.5W-34N76.5W on Tues.

Rita Hanson said...

From: Tom Tursi
Subject: Wx 5-12
Date: May 12, 2013 1:31:20 PM EDT
To: S/V CELESTIAL

Colf Front pass offshore Sun and pass you Mon night or Tue. New Low Tue at 34N/70W move NE. Expect Mon SW10-15; Tue N20; Wed N10; Thu S15; Fr SW10-15. Gulf Stream same.

Rita Hanson said...

From: S/V CELESTIAL
To: Tom Tursi
Sent: Monday, May 13, 2013 8:55 AM
Subject: 0800 5-13-13

Position 28.43N 072.47W. Y'day 27.08N 071.14W. Spirits high. To catch last of Trades, Spinnaker run yesterday morning, motor sailing in the afternoon, then motoring in calm. Now SW 10 motor sailing. Current slg pushes us 1+ kts. Started celestial nav. Students excited. Good Herb contact Sat. no propagation yesterday. Watching fronts. Thanks for your daily wx. J

Rita Hanson said...

From: Tom Tursi
Subject: Wx 5-13
Date: May 13, 2013 10:31:26 AM EDT
To: S/V CELESTIAL

Expect cold front passage Mon night followed by high pressure Tue. Tue new Low at 35N70W move NE. Second CF pass offshore Thu. Expect Mon S10; Tue NNW20-25; Wed variable 5; Thu SW20 GS sleigh ride; Fri SW to NW10-15

Rita Hanson said...

Just a note to readers... some short hand explanations:

wx = weather
CF = Cold Front
HP = high pressure
BDA = Bermuda
GS = Gulf Stream

Herb: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herb_Hilgenberg

Feel free to ask questions!

Anonymous said...

Thanks Rita!! Sounds like they're a great time.

Rita Hanson said...

From: S/V CELESTIAL
To: Tom Tursi
Sent: Tuesday, May 14, 2013 10:01 AM
Subject: 0800 5-14

29.38N 74.06W. Per Herb went W lat nite below 30N. CF winds stayed N 22-28 our lat, now 18-20. C 255, now 315-deeply reefed. Crew superb. Prop caught debris, cut rpm, then shook loose. Restarted DR after good sun-run-sun fix y'day. Got 5-13 wx. All well. J

Rita Hanson said...

From: Tom Tursi
Subject: Wx 5-14
Date: May 14, 2013 3:04:34 PM EDT
To: S/V CELESTIAL

Another CF pass offshore late Wed. Expect Wed N10 becoming SW15-25 overnight; Thu SW10-20; Fri SW10-20 becoming 10; Sat S to SE10

Rita Hanson said...

From: Tom Tursi
Subject: Wx 5-15
Date: May 15, 2013 1:26:37 PM EDT
To: S/V CELESTIAL

No sig change in Wx systems. Expect Wed night SW15-25; Thu SW15-25; Thu nigh-Fri SW10-20; Fri night-Sat SW to E 10

Rita Hanson said...

From: S/V CELESTIAL
To: Tom TUrsi
Sent: Wednesday, May 15, 2013 9:52 PM
Subject: 5-15, 2100

31.52 N 7645 W. Big day: Entered GS 2000, c 025 psc. SW 15-18. Morning: 420 main sail showed vertical tear, mid third panel. Stowed it and hoisted 440 main. Good MOB exercise with pole rig. Students got excellent sun fixes. I am to write I "have a happy crew." J

Rita Hanson said...

From: Tom Tursi
Subject: Wx 5-16
Date: May 16, 2013 11:34:09 AM EDT
To: S/V CELESTIAL

Rec'd your 5-15 update. CF move offshore later Thu; become stationary near Hatteras Fri-Sat. Expect Thu SW15-25; Fri SW10-20; Sat E to NE10

Anonymous said...

I bet I know of at least one crew member that doesn't want this to end!
Kathy

Rita Hanson said...

From: S/V CELESTIAL
To: Tom Tursi
Sent: Thursday, May 16, 2013 11:56 AM
Subject: 5-16 0800

33.11N 76.12W. SW 20-25, clear skies, scrap of main sail. reefed jib. S 8 + kts. Gulf Strem not just yet, as water temperature shows. We did enter its perimeter current last night pushing us at consistent 2+ kts. All's well. J

Rita Hanson said...

From: S/V CELESTIAL
To: Tom Tursi
Sent: Friday, May 17, 2013 9:16 AM
Subject: 5-17 0800 - Landfall

E of duck, NC @ 36.00N 75.32 W. After noon-noon run up GS of 200 NM in SW 25 kts, rounded Cape Hatteras 2300 last night. Now motoring up coast in calm. ETA Norfolk after midnight. An excited crew is signing off. J

Rita Hanson said...

CELESTIAL arrived at Taylor's Landing Marina on the morning of Saturday, May 18, 2013.