Tom McDonagh

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Tom McDonagh

@tommcdonagh

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sv RedShift

East Greenwich

We purchased our new to us Tayana37 and rebuilt her throughout the pandemic. Retired July 2023 for cruising the Atlantic coast as we prepare for a transatlantic crossing in 2025

Tom McDonagh

Norfolk, Norfolk County, VA, USA • Apr 19, 2025

In Norfolk to take care of some business before heading back to the boat in the Abacos. Then we make tracks north! Check out this cool ship in a bottle Daniel Reilly made for me. Check him out on SeaPeople. @idlewild

Tom McDonagh

Marsh Harbour, Bahamas • Apr 7, 2025

Distance

19.2nm

Avg. speed

5.7kts

Duration

3h 20m

Looking for an Outboard

Some say you can buy a new 2-stroke outboard in Marsh Harbor. So far, I am oh-42. Many of the shops were destroyed and never reopened. No selection at the car parts store and National Marine closes @ 2pm. So, I’ll give it a shot tomorrow. The motor from Lynyard Cay was twisty and turns and has a different vibe when compared to the Exumas or Eluethera I hear the Jib Room is the place for dinner and drinks!

Tom McDonagh

Lynyard Cay, Bahamas • Apr 7, 2025

Distance

52.5nm

Avg. speed

5.4kts

Duration

9h 41m

Farewell Eluethera, Hello Abacos!

Too much of a good thing is the old adage? I enjoyed my stay in Eluethera but left plenty to discover on our next trip south. I was thinking the Abacos trip was going to be a quick drive by but Mother Nature is thinking differently. Let’s find out what the big deal is with the Abacos, shall we? Near perfect beam reach run from Spanish Wells to Little Harbor Cut. The old girl was rolling from beam to beam with the heavy swells rolling in from the east. I was planning to go through the North Bar Channel but all the cool kids were making tracks for Little Harbor. Anchored off Lynyard Cay in 17’ of water with wind rising from the south. Time for the anchor alarm to earn its keep.

Tom McDonagh

Bahamas • Mar 31, 2025

Distance

8.2nm

Avg. speed

4.7kts

Duration

1h 46m

It’s amazing how different 8.3 miles can be.

Repositioned after a truly restful evening off Current Settlement. I went from 10-12 Knots true to about 20 knots in a mile or so. All in the right directions I might add. The south anchorage at Spanish Wells was fairly open but rocking and rolling. I dropped in 9’ and put out 90’ of chain and followed up with 20’ of 3/4 nylon as a snubber. The wind has moderated a bit and luckily 1 foot swells do not bother good, old Redshift.

Tom McDonagh

Bahamas • Mar 31, 2025

Distance

50.9nm

Avg. speed

5.3kts

Duration

9h 32m

Tired of waiting for perfect conditions

It’s time to head home. It is pretty clear 50 mile jaunts will take me forever to get home. I hope to jump from Marsh Harbor into the stream in the next week or so. I took advantage of the winds from the east to make a pretty straight shot to Current Cut from Rock Sound. It was a bit lumpy and rolly at times but overall a beautiful 50 mile deep broad reach. Current Cut was thankfully uneventful even though I arrived somewhat late. The Current Settlement anchorage to the west of the cut is one of my favorites with an east wind. The skies were perfect for viewing after the thunderstorms throughout the day seems to settle the skies. I slept like a baby with two anchor alarms on watch. Spanish wells is in my sights today.

Tom McDonagh

Rock Sounda, Bahamas • Mar 23, 2025

Distance

73.3nm

Avg. speed

2.3kts

Duration

1d 8h 31m

Long passage but some of the best sailing in the Bahamas

Decided to break from the Exumas for Rock Sound. Weather suggested it might be a beam reach but ended on the nose all day. The close hauled sailing was great with a reef in the main to flatten her out then another as the wind piped up through 18 knots. I did motor through Davis Channel all the way to RS as the wind was one the nose and I was done for the day.

Tom McDonagh

Bahamas • Mar 21, 2025

Distance

26.3nm

Avg. speed

4.6kts

Duration

5h 41m

Beautiful day for run up the Exuma Sound

I Splurged and stopped at the Marina at Emerald Bay. Nice folks but there was a significant surge bouncing around the marina. I thought I figured out how to back my drunkin elephant of a boat. Well that did not happen. I was lucky I did not crease any expensive yachts. Seas were near flat so I raised the main and unfurled the Yankee. I had 7-10 knots anywhere from SW to NW. I trimmed the sail for 50 degrees apparently and set the autopilot windhold. It was a fun ride up to Rudder Cut Cay. My course oscillated with the wind. I thought I timed slack tide but found about 2 knots against me. Dropped anchor is 9 feet of water ML and put out 90 feet of chain as we may have gusts to 15 knots. Overall, nailed it today and nobody got hurt.

Tom McDonagh

Great Exuma Island, Bahamas • Mar 19, 2025

Distance

27.3nm

Avg. speed

5.1kts

Duration

5h 21m

Tropic of Cancer? Check!

I set an artificial goal to cross the TofC this winter and went out of my way to cross. It’s time to start heading north! I’ll mosey my way north to the Abacos then jump for the USA.

David Brittain

Bahamas • Mar 15, 2025

Distance

99.1nm

Avg. speed

4.5kts

Duration

21h 53m

Afternoon trip

David Brittain

Warderick Wells Cay, Bahamas • Mar 13, 2025

Distance

19.1nm

Avg. speed

6kts

Duration

3h 10m

Evening trip

Tom McDonagh

Bahamas • Mar 12, 2025

Distance

28.3nm

Avg. speed

5kts

Duration

5h 40m

As far as I go?

I tend to go from one extreme to the other. Leaf Cay was an idyllic quiet island with pink iguanas. Now I am in the hubbub of Georgetown. It is time to reprovision and take care of some business. Do I continue south to the Tropic of Cancer?

David Brittain

Big Major Cay, Bahamas • Mar 15, 2025

Distance

17.5nm

Avg. speed

5.3kts

Duration

3h 18m

Morning trip

Tom McDonagh

Bahamas • Mar 9, 2025

Distance

8.9nm

Avg. speed

5.3kts

Duration

1h 42m

All hunkered down for the next blow

Easy motor with no wind to leaf Cay. The current was still strong (2 knots) 1 hour before slack exiting Rudder Cut. Rudder Cut Cay was a nice stopover after the Staniel Cay Madness.

David Brittain

Bahamas • Mar 9, 2025

Distance

38.8nm

Avg. speed

6.9kts

Duration

5h 35m

Headed north

Met up with my friend Tom.

Tom McDonagh

Bahamas • Mar 8, 2025

Distance

25.3nm

Avg. speed

5.3kts

Duration

4h 49m

Change of plans

Sure seems to be getting more crowded as I head further south. I am guess that will change once we get past Georgetown.

Tom McDonagh

Staniel Cay, Bahamas • Mar 7, 2025

Distance

18.8nm

Avg. speed

4.1kts

Duration

4h 35m

Maybe we will have better weather now that I have moved.

Back to civilization to get a beer. Warderick wells was awesome but the weather made it tough to enjoy. Hopefully Staniel Cay will dole out better weather.

David Brittain

Bahamas • Feb 24, 2025

Distance

27.3nm

Avg. speed

5.1kts

Duration

5h 19m

Quick shot back up to Rollesville

Tom McDonagh

Rock Sounda, Bahamas • Feb 22, 2025

Distance

14.7nm

Avg. speed

5.5kts

Duration

2h 42m

I guess this boat was not big enough for the both of us

Family emergency cut our plans short and now without my co-captain! I guess I will get some more experience single handing this beast. You may want to read that as stay clear when anchoring near svRedshift!

•

Tom McDonagh

Bahamas • Feb 20, 2025

Distance

24.6nm

Avg. speed

4.9kts

Duration

5h 1m

Found a wonderful little marina to recharge the batteries

Staging for the crossing to Cat Island to meet good friends. Cute little marina that can handle just about any boat. $1.9/foot and $10 for water. Nice people. Don’t let the approach scare you. It is worth it.

Tom McDonagh

Rock Sounda, Bahamas • Feb 18, 2025

Distance

37.1nm

Avg. speed

5.8kts

Duration

6h 24m

Enjoyed motor sailing!

The weather has been so fickle of late we have largely motored. Fair light winds accompanied us on our journey to Rock Sound. Recovering from food poisoning, we did not go ashore. We hope to explore and reprovision today

Tom McDonagh

Hatchet Bay, Bahamas • Feb 14, 2025

Distance

19.2nm

Avg. speed

5kts

Duration

3h 52m

Anchored for a blow

Made our way through the infamous old current cut at 1.5 hours after Nassau high tide. It was a quick motor dead into the wind. Hatchet Bay hopes to be a honeyhole as we are expecting gust to 20+ knots.

Tom McDonagh

Bahamas • Feb 13, 2025

Distance

10.5nm

Avg. speed

4.8kts

Duration

2h 13m

Meant to head to Hatchett Bay but the Current Cay anchorage was too nice

We dropped anchor to wait out the current. Decided to stay! We rowed in and walked about Current Settlement. Quiet village with little infrastructure. Post office open two days a week. Library closed with no foreseeable date of reopening. Small convenience store that we missed as we walked right by it. Met a group of Canadians that have been returning for the past 40 years. The locals are beautiful people. No, really beautiful. Great smiles and manners!

Tom McDonagh

Bahamas • Feb 10, 2025

Distance

7.3nm

Avg. speed

4.1kts

Duration

1h 48m

Repositioning for supplies

Tom McDonagh

Royal Island, Bahamas • Feb 9, 2025

Distance

47.6nm

Avg. speed

5.7kts

Duration

8h 18m

Getting the heck out of the Berrys!

It was fun while it lasted. We are set to explore the Eleutheras. We picked the calmest day to motor the distance between Little Harbor Cay and Royal Island.

Tom McDonagh

Bahamas • Feb 9, 2025

Distance

20.1nm

Avg. speed

1.3kts

Duration

15h 32m

Moving to stage for Spanish Wells

An easy run down to Little Harbor Cay. We enjoyed dinghying to Flo’s for beers and Conch Fritters. Lots of giant starfish and sea turtles!

Tom McDonagh

Bahamas • Feb 4, 2025

Distance

18.3nm

Avg. speed

5.7kts

Duration

3h 12m

Back to Nature

We enjoyed the check in process of checking in through Great Harbor Cay Marina. We watered and rested, now off to an idyllic anchorage.

Tom McDonagh

Bahamas • Feb 2, 2025

Distance

135.1nm

Avg. speed

5.3kts

Duration

1d 1h 43m

Let’s make our way to Bahamas. Shall we!

After two attempts, we have arrived. Ask about our journey.

•

Tom McDonagh

Lake Worth, Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, FL, USA • Jan 31, 2025

Distance

3.4nm

Avg. speed

4.1kts

Duration

50m

Testing the waters

With this strong south mind, it was too rough to start our journey east. We will wait till the winds begin to drop

Tom McDonagh

Riviera Beach, FL, USA • Jan 15, 2025

Distance

2nm

Avg. speed

1.6kts

Duration

1h 18m

Trip to Cracker Boy

With the last offshore I saw a lot of play and heard a lot of grinding from my steering system. I was pretty anxious to be sure. We made it safely to West Palm Beach and contacted Cracker Boy Boat Yard. They connected me with Ben to check out the complete system. So far, I think we are on track for being back in the water in 7 days or so. Think positive thoughts!

Tom McDonagh

Palm Beach, FL, USA • Jan 14, 2025

Distance

253.4nm

Avg. speed

4.2kts

Duration

2d 12h 55m

A little mix of everything

Weighing anchor at the plantation had us cover a very interesting portion of the ICW. We were able to view many cookie cutter expensive homes with manicured waterfronts. It’s definitely a path we rejected and prefer to spend time out on our boat traveling over what we witnessed. We cruised through St Augustine passing an old friend as he anchored on his classic Tayana37. The remainder of our time was spent motor-sailing to West Palm Beach. The dichotomy of lifestyles is clearly evident here also. I cannot wait to point our bow eastward toward the Bahamas. A different contrast will be evident I am sure as we mingle amongst the natives.