Bermuda Cruise Recap 2025

This year's Norfolk-Bermuda ocean training cruise brought some interesting sailing weather for the crew to deal with, and they did so with top-notch seamanship skills. Captain Frank Mummert expertly skippered our Island Packet 40 ocean cruising yacht with a crew of six in fast passages both to and from Bermuda. Initial weather forecasting predicted storm conditions for the scheduled day of departure from Norfolk, followed by a day of clearing weather, followed by another storm, followed by clearing weather. Our cruise plan was to delay for a day allowing the first storm to pass, then depart making as much southing as possible toward the Gulf Stream off Cape Hatteras, cross the stream and turn southeast toward Bermuda. This required them to heave to and ride out the second storm before entering the Gulf Stream, which they did well, and the plan worked to perfection. Captain Frank will discuss the cruise, the weather and the celestial navigation used during the cruise with commentary also by Captain David Gifford, who served as Mate, and Captain Tom Tursi, who served as shore-side weather adviser communicating with the ship by satellite-based email.