1956 Newport To Bermuda Race
1956 Newport to Bermuda Race
In June, 89 sailboats at midday
Left Newport and Narragansett Bay.
We're on the way in a 635 mile race
To Bermuda - a beautiful place.
Light winds on the first day out
Even sighted a large whale spout.
Next morning at day light
No other boats in sight.
As there were none we could find.
Are we ahead or behind?
Sailing straight on the “rum line”
Not a good idea at this time.
As smart as it may seem
Don't want to buck the Gulf Stream.
And avoid all it's meanders
Or won't get to smell Bermuda's sweet oleanders.
Water temperature was taken with care
At 78 degrees got stuck in the stream there.
Now things began to change
Wind started to howl and started to rain.
Wind was now blowing 25 knots
We were healing and bouncing a lot
We secured the main hatch
On our way to the “Onion Patch.”
Time to douse the head sail
And prepare for the gale.
Rain and spray came through every crack
Bunks were wet, where we sat. and down my back,
It was now squall after squall
I couldn't count them all.
Shrouds and canvas were rope yard tight
Sailing through waves in the middle of the night.
Thunder and lighting above our tall metal mast
We had to ask how long could that last?
Wasn't the squalls that worried me most
It's the Lightning bolts that could turn us to toast.
The following morning the squalls had gone
But the wind was still blowing strong.
Glad to get out of those Hellish storms
Amazing how well the crew preformed.
But two became sick
And had to get them ashore quick.
Now it was not time to wait
We used sun lines to navigate.
The island is small and there is some risk
We would sail right by and totally miss.
At last Saint David's Light came into sight
Our course and steering had been just right.
Lots of boat damage and one boat went down
It hit a reef but nobody drowned.
Three days without sleep
Are not fond memories to keep.
Finistere was the boat that won
Yet records were broken by almost everyone.
The island is beautiful and there we had fun
But was last race for me, I'm truly done.
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