Lots of nice rain!

It's raining now, after several hours of rain during the night, punctuated by lightning and thunder. Yesterday before sunset there was so much rain in the SFD channel, we couldn't see Salt Island.

Should fill cisterns and green everything up, not to mention water my recently-transplanted palms. Doing the happy dance here!

At Long Bay, West End it looks like we received about 1/2".

It bucketed down several times during the night here in Little Apple Bay with lightning on the horizon..storm blew in from the west and the winds are strong from the west right now..

A strong west wind can create issues in some anchorages especially White Bay. Hope all the boats did ok.
G

And it was unusual to see the planes landing from the other direction.

I used the rain to clean the boat; and just arrived in Grand Case, St. Martin in a record 11 hours of sailing with the wind BEHIND me; at times I was doing 10 knots and only need the engine to get out of the North Sound!

Zanshin, that sounds amazing- curious if you planned in advance or decided last minute? Did you see anyone else along the way? Any details appreciated.

I was watching the NOAA weather and WindGuru and chose my window. My intent was to sail from the BVI straight to Antigua, but the wind from the NW was right behind me, as were the big north swell waves, so the boat was flopping about so I opted for 20 degrees less and a fast passage. I have AIS and only had 1 tanker cross my path and 3 boats going the other way (motoring from SXM to the BVI!) and I was surprised that nobody else chose that weather window to make the trip. I did see one mast far behind me at the beginning of the trip but no radar echo and don't know if it least one other boat was doing the same as I.
I just arrived in Antigua - the RORC600 boats here have for the most part given up the race due to light winds and I had to motorsail much of the way here. Very rare weather conditions for this time of year.

Per the race tracker, only 11 have retired. Granted, that's more than one would expect in light conditions (not damage-related) out of an 80-something boat fleet. You sure are telling the truth about the conditions! Man it looked painful for the boats that were stuck between Guadeloup and Isle de Saints for about 6 hours this morning <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />
Unless things pick up, I think a few boats might miss the awards party tomorrow night. That would truly be a tragedy, because it's one helluva party!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Groovin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Banana.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />

http://caribbean600.rorc.org/Tracking-Players/2017-fleet-tracking.html

Sorry for my incorrect statement - "For the most part" was construed with the crews I spoke with at the docks, and of course if they were still racing they would be at the docks
I'll be at the party, they have the stage set up at Nelson's Dockyard as well as the AYC and wow, there are some beauties at the docks (as well as literally tons of "stuff" that has been removed for the races to lighten the boats).
I spoke with a guy who just arrived from Guadeloupe in a 20-something sailboat with no engine and his trip here was quite lengthy indeed.

Enjoy yourself!! I truly wish I were there to share a drink with you. Last year they had Asher Otto perform at AYC, and she was amazing. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />
I expect a full after report <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />