Cordova
Where Next?
Bob Williams
Fri 31 Oct 2014 03:10
Alongside Cordova Small Boat Harbor
Wind: East F1 light air
Weather: partly cloudy, cool
Day's run: 87 nm
The wind was all over the place last night, keeping me on my toes (cold as they were), reducing sail
then setting sail again, trimming sheets, and adjusting the wind vane to
keep Sylph going roughly in the right direction. And it was cold, and it
rained, though not too heavy thank goodness. But despite its contrariness
the wind got us to where I wanted to go, depositing us in Orca Bay, about
fifteen miles short of Cordova, and there slowly diminishing and, by
07.00, it finally disappeared leaving Sylph drifting. It still being dark I
used the quiet time to get some sleep, and to stay warm, getting up about
every twenty minutes to check that we were not drifting towards any hazards.
At sunrise I furled the jib and started the motor, and, three hours of foot
stomping cold toes later, we tied up to a berth in Cordova Small Boat
Harbor.
The forecast for the next several days is for fresh easterly winds, which is
the direction I want to go in, so we will be sitting tight for the next few
days. I will use the time to re-provision and fuel, and to do the laundry. I
have decided that Cordova is too expensive to stay long term, so my plan
will be to go to anchor somewhere to wait for a favourable weather pattern,
and if one does not emerge than to return to Cordova for supplies then go to
anchor again, until eventually a favourable weather pattern does afford us
the opportunity to leave Prince William Sound. The next safe harbour on our
route towards the Inside Passage is Yakatak, about 200 nautical miles away.
At this time of year it is unlikely that we will get a break in the weather
of sufficient duration to make the whole distance without having to battle
some headwinds, but I will be starting to study this problem more closely
over the next several days (maybe weeks).
I have been for a short reconnoitre of the town, it did not take long. The
local pub looks like it has a free internet connection, so I might go and
have a glass of wine while I catch up on the world.
All is well.