Our progress towards Trinidad continues, but not without a minor setback. Last night, we encountered some strange engine vibrations. The intensity fluctuated, sometimes barely noticeable and other times more pronounced. This had us wondering if they'd been present all along and we just hadn't noticed. However, around 11 pm, the vibrations became strong enough to warrant taking action. We shut down the engines, folded the propellers, and restarted everything. After some testing, it seemed the starboard engine was the culprit, exhibiting slightly worse vibrations.
The reason? The mystery remains unsolved. My best guess is seaweed. There are large clumps of seaweed floating around, and it's possible some gets caught on the blades of the props causing the vibration and dislodged when the propellers fold. We'll know for sure once daylight allows a proper look overboard.
This whole ordeal served as a reminder that even the best-maintained boats can encounter unexpected issues at sea. The key is to stay calm, troubleshoot, and work together as a crew. We'll investigate further when there's light and provide an update. Hopefully, it's something simple like a bit of rogue seaweed, and we'll be back on track to Trinidad in no time. We've been passing by large clumps of seaweed on our way. Its interesting the vibrations seem to disappear after shutting down, folding the props and restarting the engine. This could be a clue in our investigation. Until we get a closer look, though, we're still guessing. That's where the GoPro on a stick comes in! We'll be deploying it for an underwater inspection as soon as daylight allows.
We are now 330 nautical miles from Trinidad, and with current conditions, we're looking at a Saturday lunchtime arrival at the customs wharf.
There's a bit of uncertainty regarding immigration closing times. Our contact, Junior, mentioned a 12:00 pm closure, but it's unclear if it's just for lunch or the weekend.
The wind continues to be light and fickle, making for slow progress. While this isn't the most exciting sailing, it does allow us to enjoy the tranquility of the ocean. Speaking of the ocean, I can't help but hope for a few more sprinkles of that red dust. It might seem like a strange wish, but it appears to be acting as a shield against hurricanes, and that's definitely a good thing!
