heretic | 0 comments
Heretic sailing chronicles the voyage of the sloop Heretic westward around the world. Seth Leonard of Blue Hill, Maine purchased her in April 2006 and began refitting her for the voyage. Heretic departed Blue Hill in September 2006 with Seth Leonard, Ellen Massey, and two friends. They reached the Panama Canal in March 2007 where the two friends departed and Seth’s father joined for the passage to the Galapagos Islands. From the Galapagos onwards Seth and Ellen sailed Heretic alone. Their route took them to French Polynesia and other South Pacific Islands, New Zealand, Australia, across the South Indian Ocean to South Africa, and across the Atlantic from Cape Town to the Caribbean, Bermuda, and back to Maine. The entire circumnavigation took 3 years and 10 months and totaled 32,000 nautical miles.
heretic | 0 comments
We have successfully completed our global circumnavigation! Seth and I returned to Blue Hill, Maine on June 28, 2010, where a large collection of family and friends greeted us with cannons, signal flags, champagne, and hugs. We couldn’t have asked for a better homecoming.
We left Bermuda on June 19 after ten days packed with sightseeing, varnishing, and socializing. We were sad to say goodbye, especially to our South African friends aboard Thiswan. Our passage to Maine was very pleasant at times, and at other times very frustrating. Our first day and a half out of Bermuda saw dead calms. Although we had never done this in the whole previous 31, 000 miles, we motored for a full 24 hours. The wind came up from the SW and we had very pleasant sailing for a day as the wind steadily strengthened. The next day was uncomfortable with 30 knot SW winds. A calm followed, and again we motored until a pleasant SW wind picked up. We saw the same pattern of steady strengthening to 30 knots as we were approaching the eastern side of Georges Bank. We left the Gulf Stream on the night of June 24 and were stunned by the cold after so much time in warm waters. The Gulf of Maine greeted us with light winds from ahead and a few hours of thick fog. The night and morning of the 26th was calm but beautiful. We were excited to see the sun rise earlier and earlier as we moved north, and landfall off Mt Desert Island in the 3:30 pre-dawn light was breathtaking. We motored the rest of the way into Bar Harbor where our US Customs and Immigration official was friendly and efficient. We enjoyed the sea life again on this passage. We sighted White tailed tropic birds, Great Shearwaters, and in the Gulf of Maine Northern Fulmars and a couple gull species. Just before leaving the Gulf Stream, Seth landed a large mahi mahi.
It is great to be back home; we both appreciate the beauty of Maine’s coast after being away for so long. After clearing customs we had a pleasant sail west around the bottom of Mt Desert and anchored for the night off a little spruce-covered island where we saw several bald eagles. After a good night’s rest, we sailed up Blue Hill bay for the excellent welcome home party our parents had organized. Dropping the hook in Blue Hill completed the full circumnavigation of 32,000 miles and 3 years and ten months.
