Bye Bye Bridgeport
Provisioning began. I had been advised to buy most of my needs
in Panama but my observations indicated US food prices were as cheap as
any were. I opened an account with JB’s bulk store and purchased $2000
with of groceries. I had planned on provisioning for a compliment of four
and a trip lasting 12 months. I left flour and rice to be purchased enroute
as they are usually cheap everywhere. I planned not to use the refrigeration
system except in harbor and relied mostly on canned, dried and preserved
goods. It was surprising how these two carloads of food could be packed
away inboard. My sons girlfriend Anna who had joined me in April from Australia
prepared an inventory with a location guide so we could find anything we
needed later.
The route planed had included passing down Long Island sound to New
York. Passing through Hell’s Gate and East River into New York Harbor then
into the Atlantic. I time our departure so we could arrive at Hell’s gate
at slack water. This was at 10 pm so we sailed past the spectacular skyscrapers
and under the big bridges and past the Statue of Liberty all lit up against
the night ski. A beautiful reaching sail with mild winds even though still
a bit cold.
East River
From New York I wanted to sail along the coast with minimum stops to
make southing ASAP. However the advice I received from the mailing lists
suggested I should at least go inland past Cape Hatteras. This meant using
a section of the Intra-coastal Waterway Norfolk Virginia to Beaufort, North
Carolina. (See http://www.icw-net.com/) I could also have gone inland at
Ballimore Bay and then via Chesapeake Bay to Norfolk if the Atlantic had
blown up unexpectedly.
The Atlantic trip to Norfolk was quite eventful and I ended up spending
quite a few days there making repairs. I chose to go straight there rather
than vis Chesapeake Bay to save time From Norfolk I planed to stay inland
and go via the lovely Dismal Swamp Canal to Elizabeth City then across
the Albemarle and Palmilco Sounds to Beaufort. NC. I would have liked time
to have sail over to Hatteras in the Palmico Sound to see were the pseudo
Olympic were staged when the Moscow Olympics were boycotted. That is were
John Bertrand (later winner of the Americas Cup) represented Australia
in flying Dutchmen. I knew his crew member Geoff. Burn. However There was
not enough draft or room under a bridge to go that way to Beaufort so we
had to stitch to the ICW. From Beaufort NC I wanted to sail outside to
Ft. Lauderdale in Florida. then leave the USA for the Bahamas followed
by Jamaica => Colombia => Panama => Ecuador => Galapagos => Marquises =>Tahiti
=> Rarotonga => Fiji => Vanuatu => Noumea => Norfolk IS => Lord How Is.
=> Eden => Australia
The trip to Norfolk
I had four crew when I left Bridgeport CT, two young guys and one young
lady (Anna ) plus a young 50 yo., Roger Wood who was helping from just
from Ct. to Norfolk. To organize crew I had collected names of prospective
crew for over a year of during my preliminary preparations back in Australia.
I had advertised on the internet at locations like "International Crew
Finders" http://www.dorsetweb.co.uk/leisure/travelmate/vacancy.htm
and "Float Plan" at http://www.floatplan.com/
and "Cruiser Connections" at http://www.infohouse.com/amelia/ This gave
me over 200 inquiries that I ranked according to offshore experience or
long trip experience. I ended up with 3 guys and one woman. The lady was
my son’s girlfriend who was keen to experience what my son had done when
he sailed in the Europa rally a few years earlier. All on my list had lots
of experience and appeared as keen as mustard. I also had a back up list
of replacement. When I arrived in CT I was wanted to meet some of the guys
who lived in USA but they all vanished into thin air. All had last minute
engagements or what ever. In the end an e-mail friend who had looked at
"Illusion" for me a year earlier volunteered to sail to Oz with me and
one guy off my backup list agreed to come. Then to help get started Roger
another e-mail friend offered to sail as far as his hometown of Norfolk.
He would provide local knowledge for the entry to Chesapeake bay and Norfolk
Harbor.
Bye Bye New York
We left New York by midnight with a freshening south wind so we tacked
down the New Jersey coast but by the time we got to the entrance to Chesapeake
bay near Norfolk we had high sea and a westerly of about 35 to 40 Kt. Just
at the time the engine failed. We were unable to sail into Chesapeake due
to the current, wind and seas. So we tacked about for 24 hr. and eventually
got towed in by the Coast Guard. I was prepared to hang around out there
for another couple of days but the crew were getting restless so I thought
what the heck.
Bridge Opening along the Dismal Swamp Canal
From Norfolk we started the ICW using the Dismal Swamp canal. We had
to be at the fist lock at first opening so as to allow time to reach the
other end before the last opening of the last lock.
The trip through the Bahamas was delightful beautiful blue water
and the islands friendly and charming. We went first to Bimini then Cat
key, Chub Key, Nassau, George Town and finally Mathew Town. The wind was
on the nose all the way so we motored nearly the whole Bahamanian tour.
I then sailed direct to Panama. On the way I had trouble with the prop
shaft connection to the gearbox, the alternator regulator and the alternator.
The later two had been new
. In Panama the remaining crew departed and I wasted three weeks trying
to organize replacements. I felt worried about clearing customs and organizing
my passage through the canal. I had been advised to contact an agent to
organize it all for me. It was estimated to cost about $200. for the service.
In the end I decided to try and do it my self. When we arrived on Saturday
I found a Taxi driver Carlos Solano "Unidad 2" (445-1240) who offered
to take me around all the required offices. He did so and also acted as
an interpreter and even went off to purchase stamps for me. The whole
job was done in half a day and Carlos only charged $50 for his service
and taxi.
I tide up at the Panama Canal Yacht Club marina and the facilities
although old and dilapidated were functional friendly and provided good
service.
While Colon was a bit intimidating I enjoyed a trip to Portabello to
see the Historic Spanish fort and slave market. The largely black community
were not the most wealthy and crime was threatening at all times.
A visit to the Open City gave a chance to spend up on duty free goods.
To get through the canal I needed four rope handlers I still had two
crew but needed two more. Local agents wanted $50 each. Luckily for me
there was a New Zealand boat waiting to go through at the same time as
us. We agreed to pool resorses and We when along with him as his
crew. We had to be at the first lock at 6.00pm and arrived at Belboa before
night. After dinner at the Belboa YC we caught a bus home that night.
Next day It was my turn. Barbara and Vince from "Tera Moam" bussed
it down to help We set of early for a rerun of the canal crossing. Arriving
at the Gatun locks at 5.30 AM. Although we were required to have four rope
handlers we were tide up to a large motor yacht and did not have to touch
a canal line for the whole crossing.
Trying up to a 100' Motor Yacht
The Canal people charged me $500 to get through the canal. That would
not have paid the fee of the pilot we had to have aboard. They can only
make it pay by putting yachts in behind big ships that make the operation
of the lock profitable.
It was a bit disconcerting to be tide up behind a 1000' container ship.
Entering the 1st Lock on Panama Canal Lock
It took Three locks to lifted the ship and yachts 85' . You can see
live images of the Panama Canal operating this very moment by looking at
this Link
Once we left the top lock we had 50 ml to motor though the lakes before
reaching the locks on the Pacific Ocean side
WE were able to do the trip in plenty of time as we "Illusion can motor
at >9kts..
After leaving the Miraflores Locks it was a short run to Belboa Yacht
Club. This took us under the "American Bridge" built be Germans to connect
South America with North America. Part of the Pan American Highway
American Bridge
Belboa Yacht Club was a similarly run down old building but it provided
very good facilities to cruisers
It is burnt down now but the club still provides facilities to cruisers.
Boats tie up to swinging moorings and a 24 hr work boat ferries crew ashore
on demand. ( blowing a horn etc.)
Belboa was a big change from Colon being a modern city. I walked around
with out feeling too concerned for safety
Panama City (New Area)
Although I was a not so happy in the old part of town:
Although the dilapidated building looked to me a wonderful place to
start renovating.
Belboa is a town in the Canal Zone and is very pleasant:
Belboa Township
I really enjoyed Panama. I Tried to find crew using the internet and
tried to get one person who was planning to join me in Ecuador to change
and come to Panama . Penny agreed to change her plans so I waited for her
to arrive I had notices on the YC notice board. There were many such notices
and people often check in to see if crew vacancies exist. Not many wanted
to go to Australia. I discussed it with a few but not many wanted to spend
sop long at sea. The crossing to French Polynesia could take 25 to 45 days
Eventually I set of for Ecuador with an Australian young
married couple who were backpacking around South and Central America.
together with my new lady crew member.
It was 1000 mls to Salinas in Ecuador and the wind blows on the nose
all the way. So we were motoring again.
Salinas is a play ground for the rich of Ecuador with beautiful beaches.
However you don't have to go far inland to see poor living conditions
Salinas Foreshore
THe back packers left to continue there travels and I met a new prospective
crewman from the USA. a 70 yo retied English professor. He and penny went
off for a few days traveling inland while I worked on the boat.
I slipped the boat at Salinas Yacht club for inspection and antifouling.
I found that the coupling between the Gear box and the prop shaft was nearly
worn through. I had to drop the rudder and extract the shaft to get it
welded. I was lucky to find good trades men who reconstructed the shaft
and the attachment flange for $100.
I also found that the center-board had broken off. I had repaired it
back in Beaufort NC. I remembered hearing a bang while passing through
the Windward Passage. that I thought may have been a big fish. That must
have been the end of the center-board.
I mad a plan and got the engineers who had fixed the prop shaft to
fabricate a steel board. I hoped it might last a bit longer than the old
fiber glass one. The belt on the Auto helm had broken on the way down but
with plenty of crew it had not caused a concern. I had three spare belt
but I found that none of then fitted. So I ordered 5 new belts from West
Marine. They shipped it down to Ecuador by air freight. However I had to
weight week to get it through customs.
I lost several weeks in the US, Panama and in Equator making repairs
or trying to get crew together. I was worried about making to Australia
before the start of the cyclone season in November. So I decided to skip
the Galapagos Isds.
When I told Penny and the Professor this and that we would have to keep
moving and not have much time to sight see in the Pacific islands they
decided it was not what they wanted and flew to the Galapagos instead.
I chased crew through the Internet again and looking for replacements.
I had one Spanish guy from a Salinas night club who was interested. I waited
three week while he waited for his partner to return from Spain. But in
the end he decided to buy another business instead. So as no new crew eventuated
I eventually set of solo for French Polynesia
I had not sailed solo over a long distance before. I had only done a
couple of short afternoon races solo. I had not intended to sail this time
alone either. I just got fed up trying to organize crew. . In the end I
just went on regardless .I was not worried about my sailing ability but
I had heard stories of people going bonkers when so long alone. I had not
been alone for much before on land or at sea. Salinas to Marquises was
3500 mls. and could take 25 to 35 days. I had done several ocean
races in Australia, but nothing over 700 mls. and always on my fully crewed
yacht.
It took only 25 days to the Marquises and I quite enjoyed the solo trip.
I manage to avoid loneliness by maintaining a firm schedule of watch keeping.
Log maintenance, and radio listening. I could hear south Bound for over
1000 mls into the Pacific. I grew very fond of broadcasts from the BBC,
ABC and Radio NZ. The V of A left a lot to be desired. Even Voice of the
Andes was more interesting. I had one contact with a yacht in Caribbean
Colombia, but generally I could not get two way radio contact until I was
nearly in French Polynesia. Then I contacted Toupo Marine in NZ. I was
not able to get the French to talk to me from Mahena Radio even when on
their doorstep.
Next trip I would like to get a HAM license as I could always
pick up 13300 etc. in the Eastern Pacific. This would have been useful
as the marine nets such as Foxy 2 and Russell Radio were too far
away or at the wrong time of the day for prorogation.
The biggest difficulty I had was the first 200 ml out of Ecuador. Because
the coast is lined with mile and miles of gill net. This required dodging
and weaving through the boys and light that use naked flames at night.
Just out of Salinas the new Autohelm belt I had purchased in Salinas started
slipping on the drum. I though I was going to have to hand steer all the
way. I was rescued by the cruising sailors best friend "duct tape" I double
a length of tape over so that the sick side was out on both sides. I wrapped
this around the drum and "hey presto" the belt stopped slipping. That lasted
all the way to Oz.
My Irwin Citation 39 was in very good nick. I had replaced rigging,
sheets, got sails restitched. reconditioned the engine electrics and injectors.,
replace most of the exhaust system. and install gear for long range cruising
such as: life raft. sea anchor, storm anchor, GPS, SSB/HF and purchased
a spare autohelm and a lot of spares for just about every thing. I had
brought from Australia some spare sails, storm sails and safety gear to
bring it up to Cat 1 (IYRU). My problems on the trip were mainly mechanical
(engine related) or crew finding / keeping.
I know now why most of the cruisers one meet along the way are couples
or singles. Not having an after cockpit meant the boat had plenty of room
in the saloon. A very roomy comfy boat for its size. Having roller furling
headsail and autohelm made sailing solo a breeze. I did the main sail reefing
from the mast. I slept in the cockpit so as to be quickly available to
work to boat. A benefit of the large cockpit. I had a look around every
30 min at least. It takes that long for a ship to come over the horizon
to the yacht. So I "slept all day in the cockpit and any had to sit up
to look around.
But I never saw any ships from Ecuador to Oz. over 7000 mls.
I fist sited The Marqueses as a large high mountainous island 24 hrs
before land fall. 50 ml. out I landed at Nuka Hiva in Taiohae Bay. After
clearing in at the police station, I when to the Keilkahanni Inn in Nuka
Hiva a steep climb up a made road the a lovely building over looking the
bay. My legs were not used to so much exercise after so long on the boat.
In the Keilkahanni Inn
they maintain a log of visiting yachts . It is a must to read through
and add one name to the old list. I was the only visiting yacht at that
time. Every one else had been and gone months before.
Nuka Hiva
Taiohae Bay
Read more about Marqueses at http://www.gowestsf.com/marquise.htm
From the Marqueses I sailed 1000 mls to Papette This required passing
through the Tuamotu Archipelago a collection of low atolls that are not
visible until a few miles away. Many atolls have extensive reefs that could
reach out to a yacht before an atoll is visible
Rangiroa the Largest Atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago
I wanted to arrive at day break so I had a chance of seeing what was
there so I set a course that would do just that. The GPS put me in the
correct place and I sailed through past Rangiroa and on to Tahiti.
Papeete Harbor tied up at Techni Marine
For information about Tahiti Harbours see http://www.tahiti-ocean.com/port.html
Papeete Port
I was contacted in the Maqueses by a member of my yacht club to say
a member wanted to meet me in Tahiti. So I waited a in Tahiti for
few days while Ben arrived by plane from Oz. I cleared customs and tied
up at the quay-side.
Quay-side at Papeete
As soon as be arrived we departed and headed for Moorea island not far
from Tahiti just a days motoring. There was anchored on Cooks bay
Cooks Bay Moorea
This is a beautiful bay and we shred the anchorage with a Club Med sailing
Cruise Liner
Cook's Bay
We had already cleared customs for French Polynesia so we only stayed
on night at Mooria Is.
As we were motoring out of Cook's bay the diesel through a. big end.
The wind was on the nose as usual I I had to drop anchor and weight for
the wind to change. Three hors later we were able to tack out of the reef
entrance. and headed back to Tahiti. Only a few hours n but we arrived
at dusk. the wind on the nose as always I had to take in through the reef.
Eventually in near dark we dropped anchor off Techni Marine on the
opposite side of Papeete Bay from the Quay.
Bernard and others at Techni marine could not have been more helpful.
They did not mind me being a DIY and let me pull the engine out and
dismantle it. They gave what ever help they could when asked. I thought
I might just have to replace the big ends or even get the crank shaft reground
and it would only be a few days. But that was not to be. The crank shaft
was to badly scored and I had to order a new one from the USA. That took
weeks.
Ben was not able to weight that long so after 3 or 4 weeks he flew
home. I advertised in the local French news paper for crew and picked up
a young French pearl diver who was happy to visit Australia on his way
home to France.
So in the 31st of October I left Papeete , The last day visitors were
allow to be there. due to the onset of the cyclone season.
We set off direct to Tonga about 1000 mls. This time with a little
bit of wind from the correct direction. Only this time it got stronger
and stronger. I had cyclone Martin heading my way. It was quite rough with
winds > 40 Kts. My new crew took to his cot and was not seen again until
we arrived in Tonga. The cyclone passed 200 ml away and went on to do a
lot of damage in French Polynesia.
When my engine parts took so long to arrive I had toyed with the idea
of sailing from Tahiti with out an engine. But when I arrived at Tonga
my land fall was Nuku'alofa (a welcome sit) I was glad I had the functioning
engine. The channel into Tongatapu Island was very complicated and took
hours of motoring through a narrow passages in many reefs.
Once in the marina at Nuku'alofa I was able to relax. My crew too off
like a shot. straight for the airport and back to Papeete.
I stayed a week in Tonga. I had a good time and made a few friends
more with the expatiate Aussies than the mainly USA cruisers in the harbor.
No crew again. A local taxi driver had many local contacts and a few Tongans
volunteered to sail to Australia but none could get a visa. One chief offered
my a lovely young lady to take as a companion. Being single in more ways
than one I was tempted. But like many Tongans she was much bigger than
me and I was too intimidated.
There was no wind on the forecast. Yachts on the radio net reported
motoring most of the way to New Zealand. So I filled up with diesel and
took off. 2500 mls to Sydney. Little wind so I motor sailed
most of the way. I was concerned to get through the area while conditions
were calm. The area has a bad reputation and many yachts have been lost
going or coming between NZ and Tonga. a few days out and I received
news of a deepening depression near New Caledonia. If that became a cyclone
it would have headed straight for me. so motor motor motor. I tried to
make as much Southing as possible to cooler water. This meant missing Norfolk
Island. I kept going and eventually the depression petered out and I made
my landfall at Eden in New South Wales.
If ever I buy a boat with an after cabin it will have to that much
longer than "Illusion III" because I would want to keep the same size main
saloon and cockpit. I had big following sea a lot of the time and a lot
of fine reaching. The boat handled it nicely and the little old Autohelm
3000 did all the steering. Although I broke three belt along the way. (I
will add more comments later)
I had chosen the Irwin because it was a good compromise between a performance
handicap racer and a cruiser. I had been sailing "madrigal" a 34' GRP sloop
displacing 6 ton with 3 ton in the keel. A boat similar to a Sparkman and
Stevens S&S 34. "Madrigal" sailed very well to windward and stood up
well in a storm. Unfortunately the storms don't always come when you need
them or blow from the right direction. This means arriving 6-8 hrs behind
the bulk of the fleet when the partying was over. I have lead the fleet
on handicap in Melbourne to Hobart races for three days in strong winds
and still lost when the wind died in Storm Bay at the end. The answer is
a lighter bigger boat. It is easier to shorten sail than jettison ballast.
The Irwin 39 is only 17000-lbw displacement, 4'6" draft, with a Centreboard
to 9'6" and has 1/3 of ballast ratio. She is 1978 construction in GRP The
Boat is of 19 yo .See my home page for more info. on "Illusion 111". .
