Go/Don't Go

Lady's Island, SC
32 25.192 N 080 39.540 W

Looking at the weather, we see that today, tonight and tomorrow are favorable winds to jump offshore for a 24 hour passage to Florida.  But wait.  The tide is against us and we could not get out past Port Royal Sound before sunset.

Worse, there is nasty weather coming in Friday night.  It will blow 30, perhaps 35 knots (which is the threshold for the word "gale")   We would not want to be out there in a gale.

So, if we race we could beat the gale just, and arrive in Fernandina Friday night.  Should we do it?  Hell no.  The literature is full of stories of sailors who thought that they could beat the bad weather to a safe port.  In the stories we read about, they almost always choose wrong. Pilots call it "get there itis"  it is considered a mark of poor judgement, which we try to avoid.   (Of course the ones who choose right. and arrive before the storm, don't write stories, but who pays attention to that?)

It is the responsibility of the captain to look out for the safety and comfort of the crew.

So we'll spend a lazy three days here a Lady's Island and Beaufort.  This is a very nice place with nice people, so the stay will be enjoyable.   Prospects for a noon-Sunday to noon-Mondaty passage to Fernandina look good.