Sailing on Stap Isi

February 27 – March 3 – The Paperwork Cha-cha

Note to self: When departing under less than ideal conditions, make sure to check the holiday schedule for your country of destination.

After getting hammered most of the way from Providencia to Colon, we were more than disappointed to discover that we had managed to arrive just in time for the three-day Carnival festivities. EVERYTHING would be closed until Thursday. We were warned that after three days of debauchery the office staffs would not be performing at their usual high level of efficiency even then.

Finally Carnival was over and the offices reopened. Getting checked in to the country required visits to three different offices: immigration, visa, and port captain. The immigration office was conveniently located at the marina and the nice lady put a stamp in our passport indicating that we had actually arrived in Panama. The stamp cost $20 per boat. The next step was to get a taxi to visit the port captain to check into the port and get a cruising permit. Even if one is not planning to actually cruise in Panamanian waters but is just transiting the canal, you need a cruising permit. Cost – $70. Then it is off to the visa office taking another taxi, where another lengthy form, fingerprinting, photos, and $20 will get you a Panamanian visa for some indeterminate amount of time. We never did figure out how long we could stay in Panama on the visa.

But the entry process was only half the fun. We still had to make arrangements to get through the canal. The first step was to get the boat measured. On Wednesday, even though it was still Carnival, we were able to get to the admeasure office to make arrangements for someone to come and measure the boat. They said that someone would come out on Thursday. Thursday we waited all day at the boat but no one came. A quick trip in to the marina (a mile rowing in in our dingy) and we phoned the office only to be told that it would now be Friday. We had arrived at the high point of the yacht traffic through the canal. When we first arrived there were 25 boats waiting at anchor. That number soon swelled to over 50 and the canal authorities were only taking two boats a day through the canal. The wait was over three weeks and growing longer with each day. We were feeling desperate to get on the list as soon as possible.

Friday morning at 9 AM we heard the pilot boat outside and soon the man from the admeasure office jumped aboard. It took him only a few minutes to measure the length and beam of the boat. Then he filled out a few forms and instructed us to pay our fees at the Citibank in Colon. Before the wake from the departing pilot boat had settled we were in the dingy and rowing in.

Here is where things got expensive. The transit fee for a boat our size was $600 with an additional refundable buffer of $850. The $850 would be returned if we did not cause any delays or damage anything on the way through. We hurried over to Citibank, paid our fees, and returned to the marina. The admeasurer had said that we could call the evening of the day we paid our fees and they would tell us the transit date. So we waited all day at the marina and at 6 PM called the scheduling office. The scheduler looked through the list, found our paperwork and calmly informed us that the earliest he could get us through would be the 29th of March. Today was the 3rd. Twenty-six days of waiting in Colon, arrrrgh.

March 4 – 21 – The Interminable Wait

After we got our transit date we waited. Colon is probably the most desolate city we have ever been in. The buildings are crumbling, evidence of poverty and high levels of unemployment are everywhere, and crime is rampant. One of our guide books warned that if you had been in Colon a week you were muged once; two weeks – twice. The marina was surrounded by a security fence and only those who wanted to prove the guide book right ventured out on foot. Other more timid folks (including your’s truly) took taxis.

To make matters worse, the anchorage where those of us who could not find or afford space in the marina were forced to wait was a real challenge. The wind blew incessantly, creating waves that competed with the wakes from the passing ships to see which could roll the boat more. The smoke from the ships and the shore-side insinerators soon had the boats covered with black nasty grit and dust.

Our life between arrival and transit would be a daily dingy trip in to the marina to check with the scheduling office and the occasional foray out to town for groceries. The marina had a small restaurant with inexpensive hamburgers so at least we could grab the occasional dinner out. Also it was fun getting to know the other cruisers. We were amazed at the number of couples making the trip across the Pacific. There were many boats from New Zealand, Australia, the US, and France and we saw others from places like the Czech Republic, Khazakstan, and South Africa. We look forward to seeing many of these boats again along the way.

On March 17th, while we were sitting at the marina restaurant, another cruiser stopped by and informed us that the canal authorities were moving boats up on the list. He had just got his transit date moved up to the 19th and he suggested we give them a call. Within 2 minutes we were on the phone with scheduling and were told that yes there were some additional slots available – how would the 22nd work for us? Absolutely no problem we replied. So he put us down for the 22nd, thereby cutting a week off our wait.

Each boat going through the canal was required to have, besides the captain (me), four line handlers and a canal advisor. The line handlers would be responsible for tending the lines with which the boat would be tied in the locks. The advisor would guide us through the canal, communicate with the lockmasters, and basically make sure we did not do anything stupid. We had already rented the required four – 125 foot lines but we still needed three more line handlers. Kathy would serve as one of the four. Many cruisers use volunteers from other boats for the line handlers but since so many boats were being moved around on the schedule right then we decided we would hire some guys from the marina staff. That way we were able to schedule our line handlers on the date we needed without worrying that a schedule change might cause us to lose them at the last minute. Also these were guys who had served as line handlers for years and knew the drill well. That might come in handy if anything went wrong.

March 22 & 23 – Transiting the Canal

The last few days before the 22nd were spent buying provisions and getting everything ready for the transit. Finally the morning of the 22nd arrived. Kyle went in the the marina to confirm our date and time with scheduling. He was told that we were still on the list and the advisor would come out to the boat at 6 PM. It was not unusual for a boat to be bumped at the last minute so we would not be sure of our transit date until the advisor actually stepped on board.

The rest of the day was spent getting ready to go. The second anchor was brought on board and stowed. A quick trip to the grocery got the supplies we needed to feed the line handlers and advisors for the two-day transit. With an evening start, we would get through the first set of locks and tie up to a buoy for the night in Gatun Lake. The first advisor would leave and the next morning another would come aboard to continue the transit.

At 3 PM Kyle went back to the marina to get the three Panamanian line handlers. By 4 everyone but the advisor was on board and we were ready to go. We made a quick radio call to the scheduler and were told that the advisor was still scheduled for 6 PM.

At 5:30 Kyle decided to start the engine. He had ran it a bit that afternoon just to make sure that it would start but now, 30 minutes before the advisor was scheduled to come aboard, when he turned the key there was nothing. No sound, no starter, nothing. In all the time we had run the engine it had never failed to turn over – until now. We tried not to panic but we knew that if the advisor arrived and the boat was not able to make the transit, half of our buffer fee would immediately disappear. Kyle got the cover off the engine and tried to find the problem. A loose wire hanging there would be nice – but everything looked fine. He wiggled some wires and asked Kathy to try again. Nothing. He wiggled some more wires and finally when she turned the key the engine roared to life. Thank you Jesus. We soon had the anchor up and were motoring out to where the pilot boats typically transferred the advisors.

There were five sail-boats scheduled to transit with us on the 22nd. Six o’clock came and went – no advisor. Finally at 7 PM we saw the pilot boat heading in our direction. It dropped advisors off at three of the sail-boats and they were off towards the canal. Then it started to leave. We flagged them down and asked about our advisor. Another boat would be bringing him out “any minute.” Hmmm. This is how boats get bumped. They normally are not informed until the pilot boat drops off the advisors and they are one or two short.

At least they said that one was coming so we continued to make our little circles in the anchorage while 8 PM came and went. No advisor. Finally at about 8:30 we saw another pilot boat heading in our direction. Please God, please God, please God! They hailed us and asked for our boat name. “Stop Isi” we called back and the pilot boat turned towards us. Oh thank you!

Our advisor jumped on board and instructed us to head for the main ship channel and turn towards the first set of locks. What a relief it was to finally be starting the transit. As we neared the locks we saw the fifth sailboat tied to a buoy. The other three had already gone through. We tied up to number five and waited for the arrival of the small freighter with which we would be locking through. Soon we saw it coming up the channel so both sailboats untied from the buoy and as the freighter passed we followed it into the channel. There we tied the two sailboats together side by side. That is how we would go through the locks. Two lines would be led from our port side to the lock walls and two would go from their starboard side to the lock walls. Since they were the bigger boat,(43 feet) they would use their engine to power us along.

A bit of a hitch developed at the entrance to the first set of locks when the freighter somehow dropped its anchor. Someone must have hit the wrong button. It took about 20 minutes but they were able to get their anchor up again and they moved into the lock. Once they were in and secured, our little two-boat raft went in.

Men on the side threw small lines with weights on the ends down to us and our line handlers tied on our heavy canal lines. These were then hauled up and secured to huge cleets on top of the side walls. Our line handlers then tightened up the lines so that our boats were centered in the chamber and pointed in the correct direction. The first three locks would take us 85 feet up to the level of Gatun Lake. These locks are joined to one another so after the first was filled we would just motor into the second and then the third. Each time the process was repeated the men on the side would tie our lines up to the cleets, the lock doors would close and the water would flood into the locks. Uplocking was the most difficult because of the turbulance. Not only was 50 million gallons of water suddenly welling up under the boat, but because fresh water from the lake was coming in under heavier salt water, additional turbulance was created as the fresh water tried to force its way through the salt water. This was where we were glad to have hired some big strong line handlers. The force on the lines increased as the turbulance tried to move the boats from side to side. And while the water level rose the line handlers had to take in the slack to keep the boats aligned. In just a few minutes though, the turbulance subsided and we reached the level of the second lock.

With the late start it was midnight before the lock doors opened and let us motor out into Gatun Lake. Most of the Panama Canal is actually a huge lake that was made by damming up the Chagres River. It was utterly peaceful and calm on the lake as we made our way through to the mooring buoy a mile away. There we found the other three boats along with one that was making its way from the Pacific to the Caribbean side. Soon we were tied up and after a late supper at 1 AM we all tried to catch a bit of sleep. The next advisor was supposed to board at 6 AM – just five hours away.

Kyle was awoken at 5 AM by the sound of howler monkeys on the shore a few hundred yards away. What a weird sound. If one did not know what they were, you would never associate that noise with a monkey. By six we were all up, the engine was started, and we were ready to go. Finally at seven the pilot boat appeared with a gang of advisors on board. They started going down the row dropping advisors on each boat in turn. Finally they got to us and our advisor jumped on board. Unfortunately there was one other boat still waiting and only then were they told that they would have to wait another day in the lake. While we felt sorry for them, we were overjoyed that we would actually be able to finish our transit on time.

The next set of locks was 21 miles away and our advisor informed us that we were scheduled to go through at 10 AM. Our boat only does a bit over 6 knots with the motor so those numbers were not exactly adding up to get there on time. We gave it full throttle and hoped that some delays might move our transit time a bit later. Within the hour the lockmaster informed our advisor that our time had been moved to 11 and then a few minutes later it was 11:40. That gave us plenty of time. So we could relax and enjoy cruising through Lake Gatun.

What a beautiful place. No development was allowed around the lake so it was pristine jungle almost all the way through. We enjoyed the green of the jungle and the occasional flash of color from some tropical bird or another. We all hoped to see some monkeys or other large animals but nothing made an appearance.

Soon we were into the Guilliard cut. This was a wide channel connecting the Pacific locks with the lake and was the hardest part of building the channel. It was here that we were able to cross the continental divide via boat. Once through the cut, we arrived at the first lock. Unlike the Atlantic side, on the Pacific side the first lock is separated from the second and third by a small lake. We rafted Stap Isi up to the same boat as the night before and made our way into that first lock. Down locking was much easier. Here the water flowed out of the locks and there was no turbulence at all. Soon we were into the small lake and we left the two boats tied together for the short trip to the second set of locks.

There is a web cam on the final lock and we had invited our family and friends to watch the internet to see if they could see the boat. Unfortunately as we were entering the second lock, the heavens opened and we were buried in a tropical downpour. Those of us who could, huddled under a tarp while the line handlers on the bow got completely drenched. And because of the rain it was impossible to make out the boats on the web cam.

Finally, we were into the last lock. The 70 foot lock doors closed, the water flowed out, and the doors on the other end opened onto the Pacific Ocean. In the distance we could see the Bridge of the Americas, the huge span connecting North and South America across the canal. Soon a pilot boat came and our advisor left us. We dropped our three line handlers at the Balboa yacht club and continued on down the ship channel to an anchorage a few miles south of the bridge. We dropped anchor and enjoyed the feeling of putting the Panama Canal behind us.

March 24 – April 6 – Preparing for the Pacific

From here we get into some serious cruising. The first leg is going to be the 8-10 day passage to the Galapagos Islands after which we have our longest passage, 25 days or so to the Marquesas. Fortunately this side of the canal has some wonderful stores from which we have been working to get all the supplies and provisions needed for the next leg. There is a modern mall, a couple of stores like Sam’s club, and several marine stores.

There were still a couple of repairs to be made that could not be undertaken in the Colon anchorage so we have also been working on those. Our goal is to have everything ready to go by Tuesday the 5th and try to be on our way by the 6th. The biggest problem with leaving this side is not too much but too little wind. There have been a few days since arriving here that the wind did not blow at all. After the rough conditions in the Caribbean it seems weird to be praying for wind.

Waiting for weather in Providencia

When we arrived in Providencia, our plan was to spend about a week there, rest and reprovision, and then proceed on to Panama. That last leg of our Caribbean journey was only about 250 miles or two good days of sailing. Our hope was to be in Panama by the middle of the February.

A week after we arrived we had a good window of moderate winds and seas but unfortunately the infection Kyle got on his leg on the trip from Honduras had not healed up completely so we decided to wait for the next window. A week later the weather appeared to be moderating again so on Friday we checked out of Columbia and prepared to leave on Saturday. Saturday morning, however, conditions were still a bit rough and Kyle was not comfortable leaving. So we decided to wait until Sunday. Sunday morning dawned clear with a 15 knot wind. Perfect. At first light we were up and preparing the boat for leaving when we heard a call on the radio from Tom on Nueva Vida. His wife Kathy was sick with the flu so they would not be leaving. Since we are traveling with them we figured to stay put too. By Tuesday the weather was supposed to deteriorate again so it looked like we were going to miss our window. Dejectedly we went back to immigration and checked back into the country paying a fee to check in again. Now, wait for yet another window.

Gale conditions were forecast for the area just east of our projected track to Panama through most of the week. That meant that our course would probably take us through higher than normal winds and seas. As we tracked the weather, though, the prediction was for some moderation over the weekend. By this time we were going on three weeks in Providencia and we were getting a little anxious about getting to Panama. We decided therefore to take this next window, even though the conditions would be marginal at best.

The extra time in Providencia was fun. Besides doing some repairs on the boat we explored the island, did some shopping, and caught up on computer work and email. We even got to attend church a couple of times. After three weeks of waiting, though, we had seen and done everything Providencia had to offer and were more than ready to leave.

February 24-25 – Departure for Panama

Friday morning was another beautiful day. Winds in the anchorage were about 15 knots and everyone was excited to be under way again. We were a little apprehensive about the weather and sea condition though. Kyle downloaded the latest National Weather Service forecast for the area and it showed us just skirting an area of 20-25 knot winds and 8-12 foot seas. There is nothing fun about being out in those conditions, but then the forecast did not show any real moderation for a week or so. It was time to leave.

We raised our anchor and motored out of the harbor. Turning south, we raised the sails, turned off the motor, and were on our way finally to Panama. Since we were still in the lee of the island the seas were moderate and we were making over 6 knots in the 15-20 knot winds. It was a beautiful day for sailing – until we got beyond the lee of the island.

At that point we were exposed to the seas that were being kicked up by the gale 250 miles to our east. Quickly the waves built to 8-12 feet with a few even higher. It wasn’t long before everyone on both boats was sea-sick and we were all beginning to think that this was not such a good idea. Still as uncomfortable as conditions were, they were not dangerous, and we were hoping that as we moved south we might see some moderation.

That first day was a fine and pleasant misery. Kathy remained in the cabin with her sea-sick bucket while Kyle stood watch with his. Waves were regularly throwing water into the cockpit so he wrapped up in a sail cover and let the wind vane steer the boat as the water washed over him, looking up occasionally to check for other boats.

Friday night was as miserable a night as we had experienced at sea. Neither of us slept that night, just waiting for dawn. Saturday morning found us exhausted but it was apparent that the wind was laying down and the seas were only in the 6-10 foot range. It looked like maybe this would be a nice day.

With the moderating conditions we were no longer taking water into the cockpit so it became more comfortable. Both of us were still sick but getting better and by the afternoon were able to eat and drink a little. Things were looking up.

The wind continued to decrease during the afternoon until by sunset it had dropped to less than 10 knots. For awhile it looked like we might even have to start up the engine – an unbelievable turn after the winds of just 24 hours earlier. In a few minutes, however, the wind filled in a bit and we were off again.

The guidebooks had said that shipping traffic would increase dramatically as we neared the entrance to the canal. So it was important that we keep a good watch that last night. Strangely, we only saw evidence of one ship the whole night – which was probably good because after nearly 36 hours with no sleep we were nodding off on watch fairly regularly. Finally after a beautifully uneventful night we saw the light begin to fill the sky in the east. The GPS showed just 18 miles to the entrance to Panama. Almost there.

February 26 – Arrival in Panama

As we got closer we began to see a large number of ships. At first we thought they were exiting the canal but it soon became clear that they were waiting at anchor to go in. About 10 miles out we radioed the canal control to let them know we were coming. With the amazing quantity of ship traffic, no one moves into or out of the port without notifying control. We got permission to come within two miles of the breakwater, at which point we were instructed to radio again for instructions. We threaded our way through the anchored ships, watching carefully for any sign of one of them getting under way. Finally, at two miles out Kyle radioed the port control. He had three large ships coming in and then two scheduled to come out of the narrow channel through the breakwater. Stap Isi and Nueva Vida were to get in line and follow the last ship in, then keep to the east side of the channel as we made our way south to the small boat anchorage. About that point two dolphins surfaced on our bow, the first ones we had seen the whole trip. That was a nice welcome to Panama.

The final three miles were wonderfully uneventful. We found a place to anchor and were soon safely on the hook. The first phase of our trip was the voyage down the rivers to the Gulf. This was the end of the second phase – and what a relief it was to finally be done with the Gulf and Carribean. Now it was just a matter of getting through the Canal and we would be off across the Pacific.

Usually Stap Isi has been the smallest boat in the anchorage. Here, though we found one even smaller – a small catameran that can’t be much larger than 20 feet long. It is from Kazahkstan or some such place and the owner has brought it across the Atlantic and is waiting to get into the Pacific. Compared to his boat, Stap Isi is a luxury yacht.

January 26 – Leaving French Harbor, Roatan

We ended up staying in Roatan a bit longer than anticipated, mainly due to the unsettled weather. Some may wonder what we do with ourselves during these days at anchor. Typically a wide variety of boat projects occupies quite a bit of our time. When we left Isla Mujeres we had checked off the last item on our “things-to-do” list. When we arrived in Roatan we started a new list and within a few minutes had a list of 17 items. Soon there were 21. Some of these were ongoing tasks that have to be done at each land fall. Refueling, buying groceries, and catching up on email are on every TTD list. Then there are the ongoing maintenance items. Engine fluids and filters need checked and/or changed, fittings need grease, and varnish needs to be touched up. Finally, it is inevitable that something breaks on every passage so repairs are a part of our regular life at anchor. While at Roatan we had to repair leaks that had developed around two of the ports, around the mast and chain plates. We also had some electrical problems to solve including some running lights that had died and a solenoid that need rewiring. It seems like we are always busy keeping up with the needs of the boat. It is not all work though. We make sure to take time to explore the islands, visit with the locals, and relax in the sun.

Finally everything was done and the weather window we were waiting for appeared to be developing. The long range forecasts called for the winds and seas between Roatan and Providencia to begin moderating on Monday January 30 and to stay fairly settled all that week. We wanted to position ourselves as far east as possible so Tom and Kathy and we decided to leave Roatan for Guanaja on Thursday. Guanaja is the easternmost of the Bay Islands of Honduras and since there are port and immigration people there we could check out of the country there and get a jump on the weather window Monday morning.

Unfortunately the weather window was not here yet and when we left French Harbor, Roatan we ran directly into stiff winds and 4-6 foot seas. Guanaja was about 40 miles east of French Harbor so at four knots it was going to take us all day to get there. But as we motored into the wind and seas our speed dropped below 4 knots and it became apparent that we probably would not be able to make Guanaja before dark. Tom had some charts of the eastern portion of Roatan and he checked to see if there were any good anchorages. He found one called Port Royal for which he had charts so we decided to pull in there and try again tomorrow for Guanaja.

We kept bashing our way east until Port Royal finally came into sight. Port Royal sounds grander than it actually was. It turned out to be a nice anchorage behind some reefs with a couple of houses on shore. By the time we got in and anchored the wind began to settle. It turned out to be a beautiful evening as we watched a dolphin swim by, noticed a small sting-ray also pass by and got a picture of the cuttlefish that hung around our anchor chain. Hopefully the wind would stay settled through the night and we would have good conditions for the final 25 miles to Guanaja tomorrow.

January 27-29 – Guanaja, Honduras

Since we were going to try to get to Guanaja, anchor, and get checked out on Friday it was important that we be on our way as early as possible. So at first light we were raising the anchor and heading out of Port Royal. As we got back out onto the open ocean it looked like things had indeed settled down a bit overnight. With the motor we were making over four knots into the wind so it would be no problem making Guanaja. As we left Roatan behind us though and got into the pass between the two islands things got rough again. There we were exposed to the normal Caribbean swell and we were soon in 4-6 foot seas again. The swell was coming across our beam and the boat was rolling back and forth. It looked like our anti-sea sick meditation might not be up to the task.

Fortunately the pass was only about 10 miles wide and in a couple of hours we began to loose the swell – just in time for the wind to pick up. Now the seas built back to 4-6 feet right on the nose. We were passing over an area of shoals where the water was only 20-25 feet. Over those areas the seas got even steeper and higher. Stap Isi would climb up the face of one wave, plunge down the back, and bury the bow into the face of the next wave. Water was running in torrents across the boat and we were continually being drenched. Basically all we could do was hang on and try to keep the boat pointed in the right direction. A couple of hours of this and we both felt like we had been hit by a truck. Finally we came abreast of the entrance to Guanaja and turned north towards the island. The seas began to settle as we approached land and soon we were able to come around to the lea of the island and set our anchors. What a relief to be done with this passage.

Tom put his dingy in the water and came across to pick up Kyle. Then the two of them rowed over to the small key where the town of Guanaja is located. What an interesting little place. It seems to be hardly 1/2 mile across and almost every inch of land had a house on it. When they ran out of land, they began building on stilts out over the water. The “roads” were about wide enough for a four-wheeler, had there been one on the island.

Kyle and Tom found a place to tie up the dingy and began the search for the port captain and immigration offices. The port captain was about 100 feet from the dock – that was easy enough. He filled out the paperwork and now it was time to find the immigration officer. They wandered through the maze of paths until finally a young boy took pity on them and directed them to the office. The immigration officer was very friendly and helpful and even though his 6 words of English were about equal to Tom and Kyle’s 8 words of Spanish, somehow they got through the process. With the visas stamped and the boats officially cleared out of Honduras we were ready to go find a better anchorage and wait for the Monday departure.

We raised anchor again and made our way east to where several other sailboats were anchored. It was a quiet cove with good shelter from the wind and seas and two small restaurants close by. We were all feeling pretty beat up and tired so we got an early supper and went to bed.

Saturday and Sunday were spent making final preparations for the passage to Providencia. Each evening we took the dingy over to one of the ocean-side restaurants for supper. The one we went to was managed by a young German couple who had somehow found themselves in Guanaja. It was fun to visit with them and to share cruising stories. Sunday night after dinner we hoisted the dingy back on deck, lashed it down, and were ready to begin the trip to Providencia.

January 30 – Departure for Providencia

In this part of the Caribbean the trade winds blow constantly from the east to northeast, usually in the 15 knot range. Since the first half of the passage was going to be heading east, we anticipated having to motor for the first couple of days. The winds were supposed to be moderating throughout the week though, so at least we would not have to be bashing into high winds and seas. It was a pleasant surprise to find that the winds had actually come around to the southeast overnight. On Monday morning, when we left Guanaja, we were able to get the sails up and actually get a bit of lift out of them. That meant that we could make 5 knots or so with the engines turning over at only about 2000 rpm. This really kept the fuel consumption to a minimum.

The seas had settled and for the first time in about 10 days the sky was clear and sunny. Winds were only about 10 knots. The day was an absolute gift from God. Our stomaches were a bit queasy but that is normal first-day stuff. It passes quickly. By the evening we had made good progress and when the sun went down we enjoyed a spectacular view of the milky way. What a beautiful day.

We were amazed to find after sunset that we were surrounded by boats. This apparently was an important fishing area and throughout the night we could count up to 7 boats at a time. This is also an important drug-smuggling area and the little keys and islands around are reported to be infested with “bad-guys”. At first the boats around us were a bit of a concern but we finally decided that the bad guys wouldn’t have their lights on. Still we kept a close watch on the boats we could see and checked the radar occasionally to find out if there were any around that we couldn’t.

January 31 – Still moving East

The last day of January found us still motor sailing east, making good progress, and looking forward to turning the corner and making southeast towards Providencia. About dusk we entered an area of reefs, shoals, rocks, keys, and islands. This was going to require some careful navigation. Usually our position is plotted on the charts every three hours but we decided that while negotiating this area we would plot it every hour. There was really no danger – as long as one paid attention. Still we were happy that Tom and Kathy were out there. If we did plant the boat on a reef they would be able to get some good photos.

Of more concern were the bad guys that we had been told were living out on those isolated islands and keys. At five knots Stap Isi couldn’t outrun a sea turtle, let alone a drug boat. So we said some extra prayers, kept a sharp lookout, and trusted that the Lord would watch over us. It turned out to be a completely uneventful night – finest kind. The wind was still from the southeast at about 10 knots. That was a bit of a concern because tomorrow we would be turning the corner for Providencia and setting a southeast course. The weather geeks were predicting a shift to the north to northeast. If it was going to come, now would be a nice time.

February 1 – Turning the corner

During one of his voyages, Columbus followed this route. It took him 33 days of beating to windward to make the trip along the coast to the easternmost tip of Honduras. He promptly named that point Cabo Gracias a Dios – The Cape of Thanks to God. Our passage to that point only took two days but we understood a little of what he must of felt. No one likes to sail towards the wind and we had been looking forward since Roatan to making that turn south and let the northeast trades carry us effortlessly to Providencia. From here on most it was downwind all the way. Except it wasn’t. The wind stubbornly refused to listen to the weather geeks and kept blowing from the southeast. So when we made our turn finally, instead of a comfortable beam reach, we were once again sailing to windward. But at least there was enough of an angle now that we could turn off the motor and go under sail alone. Kathy pushed the button, the engine stopped, and peace descended on the boat. We hate using the motor, even though we are thankful to have it on occasion. Now that we were sailing again all of us, Dory included, relaxed.

Dory hates the motor and refuses to go below while it is on. So for the first two days she lived in the cockpit on one of the cushions. Kathy and I even had to bring the litter box and food bowls out occasionally. Once the motor was off she immediately headed for inside the boat and spent the next several hours exploring and playing and bouncing off the walls.

To celebrate, that evening Kathy made a big batch of popcorn and we sat in the cockpit, munching on popcorn, and enjoying God’s nightly sky show. Suddenly we heard a “smack, flop, rustle rustle rustle”. A little investigation revealed that a flying fish having been disturbed by some predictor had launched himself into the air only to strike the boom on the boat and drop into the bowl of popcorn. Our surprise at having a flying fish in our popcorn was probably only exceeded by the flying fish’s surprise at being there. We extricated the fish from the popcorn and sent him back to the deep, followed shortly by the remains of a bowl of distinctly fish-flavored popcorn.

Time to get some sleep. The past couple of nights we had worked out a casual watch schedule that allowed each of us to get 4-5 hours of sleep. That left us both feeling fairly human and we looked forward to another good night and to feeling rested when we got to Providencia tomorrow. Kathy took the first watch while Kyle went below to get some sleep – the only sleep either of us would get the rest of the night.

February 2 – Arrival in Providencia

Shortly after midnight, Kyle woke to the sensation of the boat beginning to heal over and to the sound of wind howling through the rigging. He got up to see if Kathy needed a hand and found her in full foul-weather gear sitting in the cockpit in the rain and wind. She said that rather unexpectedly the weather had turned sour but that she had things under control. She told Kyle to try to get some more sleep but he figured that it was time to shorten sail a bit. Once he got on deck he put a second reef in the main (that means that we tied up the bottom part of the sail to make it shorter so that the wind would exert less force on the boat). Even though it was dark we could see squalls all around. Each time one would hit the winds would increase, the boat would pick up speed and heal over, and we would be off on a sleigh ride. Then it would pass, things would settle down, and a half-hour or so latter another squall would hit.

Along with the squalls the wind was shifting back to the south east and soon it was blowing directly from the direction of Providencia. It was time to get the jib down and start motoring again. Kyle went forward and dropped the sail and tied it down while Kathy started the engine. We left the main up to provide a bit of stability and, if the wind shifted, maybe a bit of assistance to the engine. For the rest of the trip, however, Stap Isi would be under motor and Dory would be back in the cockpit.

Dawn brought a view of solid over cast with rain and squalls in all directions. Some of them were relatively benign while others looked truly ugly. Tom reported later that he experienced 45 knot winds at one point. We were happy to have missed that one.

By 11 AM the island of Providencia appeared through the haze and rain. The squalls were about over and the sun began to pop out occasionally. At 1:30 we reached the sea buoy, dropped the main, and began following the channel into Providencia harbor. Soon over the radio we heard “Sailing vessel entering Providencia, this is the office of the port captain.” We responded, identified ourselves, and were given instructions on where to anchor. The port captain ended by inviting us for coffee in his office and welcoming us to his island. I think we are going to like it here.

Stap Isi and Nueva Vida were soon peacefully at anchor. There was only one other boat in the harbor. We were not able to get checked in that afternoon so we all called it an early night, dropped into bed, and slept the clock around.

We seldom pray for calm seas anymore. Instead we pray that God would provide the grace, strength, and wisdom to deal with whatever His oceans dish out. The past days we experienced quite a variety of conditions and throughout it all we sensed His presence in answer to those prayers.

February 3 – Checking in and our first exploration

Providencia has quite a history. At various times it was under the control of the English, Spanish, Dutch, French, and maybe one or two others. Today it is under Columbian administration. At times it was a major pirate stronghold and the islanders claim that it is the inspiration for Stevenson’s Treasure Island (The map of the island in the book is almost identical to Providencia). The island is small and quiet and largely unspoiled. People seem genuinely happy that we are visiting their island.

At 9 AM a launch pulled up to Tom and Kathy’s boat and the port official and ships agent went aboard. The launch then came over to get Kyle so he took the official paperwork over there to complete the entry process. Soon the port official was finished and after welcoming us again, he left on the launch. The ships agent told Kyle and Tom to meet him in his office in an hour to take care of the immigration paperwork.

So Tom launched his dingy and they rowed into town. It is a small town full of shops, offices and restaurants. The buildings are colorfully painted and a lot of repairs are in process as a result of hurricane Beta. After completing the immigration process and getting all the passports stamped, Kyle and Tom went to one of the restaurants for lunch. The asked the girl at the counter for a menu and she replied that their menu was chicken. One could buy a whole chicken or a half chicken. It came with potatoes and rice. That was it. We are going to like this place.

After lunch we went and got the ladies and kids and we all spent the afternoon exploring the town and the shops. In the evening we were invited to a large catameran anchored a short distance away. Kathy and I thought that we had seen it before and it turns out that they are from Mobile and the boat had been at the marina adjacent to ours. Small world.

January 3 – Bill arrives in Isla Mujeres; Checking in

We arose before dawn and immediately put out a call for Bill on the marine VHF radio. There was still no response. By now, almost 24 hours after our arrival in Isla Mujeres, we were nearly certain that something had happened to him. We left the radio on channel 16, the international hailing frequency, and discussed what to do.

Each morning there is a cruisers’ net on 8188 Mhz for people cruising the northwest Caribbean. We had been checking in on the net each morning and it seemed that this would be a good place to inquire about how to report an overdue boat. By now it was 7AM and the net would start at 8. An hour to go and we could initiate the process, such as it might be, for finding AnnVeraLynn.

Suddenly, just above the static level on channel 16 we heard Bill’s distinctive call “Sta …. I … Stap Is … Annver …” We were only catching part of the transmission so he must be several miles away but clearly Bill was still among the living. Praise the Lord, what a relief. In a few minutes the call came again and this time we were able to hear Bill clearly. He was north of Isla Mujeres and was needing directions for how to get to the anchorage. We told him how to proceed and about an hour later he appeared around the head of the island.

Apparently the night we had separated, Bill had fallen asleep and the Yucatan current had swept him westward along the north coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. When he awoke he was in 12 feet of water somewhere close to land. He had spent all day making his way east towards Contoy Island, arriving there about dusk. He decided to heave to (set the boat up so that it drifts rather than sails) and get some sleep. While he slept, the current setting north through the Yucatan channel swept him several miles north of Contoy. Finally in the wee hours of the morning he awoke and began making his way back towards Contoy and Isla Mujeres.

Now that we knew Bill was safe we could concentrate on getting checked into Mexico. When you arrive in Mexico via airplane, you fill out a form, they stamp your passport, and you are in. Arriving in a boat is a bit different. You must contact the sanitation department who comes and checks your boat to make sure that you are not carrying rats or the plague or something. Then the port captain issues a clearance for you, and then the immigration stamps your passports for a fee of $21US each. In order to expedite things, we hired a local agent to handle the process for us. It cost a bit more but it was nice to have everything taken care of.

By noon we had completed the check in procedures and were ready to start working on the boat. We like to refuel, fill the water tanks, and reprovision as soon as we get to a new port. That way, should some emergency arise, we could be on our way immediately. So the rest of the day was spent getting all of that accomplished. Soon our fuel and water tanks were full and after a trip to the grocery store we had all the food we needed for a couple more weeks. After a quick dinner we were again ready for bed early. After a multi-day passage we are finding that it takes several days to really be back up to full speed again.

January 4-9 – Waiting for weather in Isla Mujeres

Our intention when we came to Isla Mujeres was to refuel and reprovision and be on our way again in three or four days. But when the weather forecasts came in for the remainder of the week, it was obvious that we would be here a bit longer than anticipated. A major cold front was coming though the US and would be impacting this area by Thursday. By Thursday night the winds would be out of the north at 25-30 knots and the seas in the Yucatan channel would be as high as 18 feet. Clearly this would be a good time to stay put.

The marina had made us a good deal on dockage so we stayed in a slip there and while we waited for the front we worked on some boat projects, caught up on email, and explored the town. Given that hurricane Wilma had camped over Isla Mujeres with 145 mph winds for 36 hours, we had expected to find significant damage. But instead we found a town that was much like we had left earlier this year. The people had done amazing work repairing their island. The shops,restaurants and hotels were open and except for a lack of tourists it was business as usual.

Thursday, just as predicted, the front blew through. The wind shifted to the northwest and increased to 25 knots with gusts to 30. Even though we were tied to the dock, it was still uncomfortable as the waves rocked and rolled Stap Isi. It was a good time to do some reading, watch a video and wait it out.

Friday the wind continued to howl. Bill radioed us that his anchors were dragging and that he was getting very close to an anchored ferry boat. He put out a third anchor and was finally able to secure his boat. There was nothing we could have done at that point to help him so it was good to hear that he was finally well anchored. Throughout Friday night the waves and wind beat against the boat. It was a fitful night for sleeping but by Saturday morning things had settled down appreciably.

It would take a couple of days for the seas to settle down in the Caribbean so it looked like it would be Monday before we could plan to leave for Honduras. Still on Saturday we began preparing the boat for heading offshore again. Kathy cleaned it up and began stowing things away again. Kyle tightened the standing rigging and repaired a jib sheet that had been damaged on the way down. There always seems like a lot to do to get ready for a passage, even when one had just been completed. We will finish the preparations on Sunday and Monday and if the weather still looks good we will leave Mexico on Tuesday for our next stop – Roatan Island in Honduras.

January 10 – Leaving for Roatan

During January and February, cold fronts sweep down out of the US and into the Gulf and Caribbean every few days. The strength of the front determines the extent of its impact. Weaker fronts stall and die out somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico. Stronger ones will make it as far south as the northwest Caribbean. The strongest ones can impact the Caribbean as far south as Panama.

These fronts usually bring with them high winds and seas so most cruisers watch them carefully and try to time their passages to avoid being caught out at sea when a cold front passes. The weather forecast for this week was that after the passing of the front over the weekend, things would settle down in the Caribbean for a few days before the arrival of the next system on Saturday. On Monday and Tuesday, winds would be 10-15 knots from the east but the seas, having been stirred up by the last cold front, would still be in the 6-10 foot range. By Wednesday the seas would calm and the wind would begin to drop until by Friday we could expect calm seas and almost no wind on our path to Roatan.

Since it was going to take us three days to complete the passage, we were faced with a bit of a dilemma. Would it be best to start on Tuesday, with good winds but high seas, or should we wait until Wednesday with less favorable winds but better sea conditions. If we left on Wednesday, we would probably be faced with extensive motoring and would arrive in Roatan on Saturday, just ahead of the front. But if we left on Tuesday, that first day would be mighty uncomfortable. Still a Tuesday departure would allow us to sail at least most of the way and arrive comfortably ahead of the next cold front. We decided on Tuesday.

That morning we were ready to leave by 8 AM. Bill came by in his dingy to see us off and he helped cast off the lines. With a wave we backed out of the slip and headed out of the Isla Mujeres harbor. The sun was bright and the seas in the lee of Isla Mujeres were light. There was enough wind that we would soon be able to shut off the engine and become a sailboat again.

We knew that once we got beyond the end of the island we would be exposed to the waves coming east and would get an indication of the true sea condition. I told Kathy that if it was just too rough out there, we would return to Isla Mujeres, anchor out, and try again on Wednesday. It was a pleasant surprise, though, to pass the southern end of the island and find only 4-6 foot seas. What were we worried about; this was going to be a piece of cake. So we got the sails up, shut down the engine, and at 5-6 knots proceeded south.

What we had not counted on were the currents that swirled and eddied around the Mexican coast between Isla Mujeres and Cozumel. In this area currents of 2-3 knots would set towards the north, east, and even south. And whenever they took on an easterly set the opposing wind would increase the sea state almost immediately. Throughout the day we would be heading south comfortably in the 4-6 foot seas. Then with no warning we would enter an area with an east setting current and the seas almost immediately would build to the predicted 6-10 range. There was no real danger here but things did get very uncomfortable was the boat plunged and rolled. Then again without warning we would leave that area of current and conditions would become comfortable.

It was for the most part just too rough to spend much time below so we both stayed in the cockpit most of the day. There would be no cooking today so we ate some sandwiches and nibbled on snacks. The first day of a passage, everyone feels a bit sick anyway so neither of us was very hungry. Dory the cat spent most of that first day huddled in her box no doubt wondering why she could not have been adopted by normal people.

By evening we were passing the island of Cozumel and looking forward to being out of the weird fluky currents. By the time we passed southern end of the island we knew that we would be out of the worst of the currents. Coupled with the predicted smaller seas for Wednesday and Thursday we anticipated that the worst was behind us and we were looking forward to a couple of days of more normal sailing conditions.

January 11 – On the way

Wednesday did not disappoint us. The day dawned bright and clear, the seas were down to the 3-5 foot range and the wind was still on the beam at about 10-12 knots. Absolutely perfect conditions. We were making just under six knots.

The day passed without incident. Kyle was able to get below to check email and download the latest weather forecast. The NWS was now calling for the 10 knots of wind to continue all the way through the end of the week. If that worked out we would avoid having to motor at all.

Because it had been so rough Tuesday night neither of us had slept well. So we took turns during the day on Wednesday napping and watching. Dory came out of her box a bit and kept us entertained. All too soon the sun slipped below the horizon revealing a moon that would be full in just a couple of days. The moon gave us light to see by for most of the night.

January 12 – On the way

By Thursday conditions had improved even more. Seas were now down to the 1-3 foot range and the winds were still blowing from the east at about 10 knots. As memories of Tuesday receded we began to congratulate ourselves on the fine decision to leave when we did. At dawn on Thursday we were only about 70 miles from Roatan and began making plans for landfall. It looked like we would arrive in Roatan somewhere between midnight and 3 AM.

Today was more cloudy and as the morning progressed the clouds began to develop. It looked like we had the possibility of a bit of rain. As long as it was just rain it would be welcome. It would give the boat a good wash down and also, if it was heavy enough, we would have a chance to take a bath. Around noon we could see rain clouds all around us but thankfully there was no indication of lightning or any severe storms. About that time the wind, which had been so good all week, suddenly died. The sails just hung there flopping and our speed dropped to 2 and then 1 knot. Well that is why we spent all the money for a new motor. Kyle reluctantly dropped the sails and started the engine.

By 1 PM it was clear that we were going to have some storms. Dark clouds were all around us and we could see the rain falling to the east and south. It was heading our way quickly. Kathy got everything stowed away and sealed the windows and hatches. In just a few minutes the wind piped up to 15 knots and a gentle rain began to fall. For about 30 minutes we had wind and rain and then just as quickly as it had started the clouds moved past, the sun reappeared, and a beautiful rainbow filled the eastern sky. The wind however disappeared with the clouds and we continued to motor along about about 5 knots. It was looking more like we would be at Roatan between 3 and 6 AM.

January 13 – Arrival in Roatan

By midnight we were already seeing the lights on Roatan. Unlike the low keys we had seen along the way, Roatan has a central mountain system rising several hundred feet above the ocean. The radio towers on top of those mountains were clearly visible for 25-30 miles out.

Around 1:30 AM we passed to southwestern tip of the island and made our way east towards French Harbor. That is were we would meet our friends Tom and Kathy Crafton. By 3 AM we were outside French Harbor. The pass in is a bit tricky, definitely not something we wanted to tackle in the dark, so Kyle turned off the engine and we drifted gently along in the glassy seas. We were able to get a bit of sleep while waiting for dawn. Finally the sun came up revealing a beautiful island on one side and the mountains of the Honduras mainland on the other. A cruise ship was coming into the main port at Coxen’s Hole about that time.

Kyle got on the marine VHF radio and called out for Nueva Vida, Tom and Kathy’s boat. Tom responded immediately and said that he would dingy out to meet us so that he could lead us through the pass. We motored toward the entrance and soon we saw Tom heading out to meet us. We had got to know Tom and Kathy several months earlier while we were in Isla Mujeres the first time. They are cruising with their three children and are, like us, heading for the south Pacific. We had decided to sail together from Roatan at least as far as the Marquesas.

As Tom led us through the pass into the anchorage, we were really happy for the help and that we had decided not to try this at night. The pass was shallow,narrow and winding but soon we were beyond the hardest part. Tom led us to a small cove where he and another boat were anchored. There was just room enough for one more. Quickly we got Stap Isi anchored. The motor was shut off and we relaxed with the completion of the passage. After dingying over to see the rest of the family, Kathy and the kids, we returned to Stap Isi to spend the rest of the day napping and straightening up the boat. Things do get a bit messed up during a passage. We could have gone into Coxen’s Hole to complete the immigration process but decided to just wait until Monday.

January 14-16 – Our first days in Roatan

We slept like logs Friday night and woke Saturday fairly rested. As we learn how to sleep more on passages it seems like the recovery time is getting shorter. The next cold front was predicted to be into Roatan some time Saturday afternoon with 25+ knot winds out of the north. Tom came over and helped us get another anchor out for insurance. There was not much extra room in the small cove so we definitely did not want to be dragging anchors.

Kathy spent much of the day cleaning and straightening the boat. In the afternoon we took the dingy over to a small resort on one side of the cove just to look around. By then the front had come through and the wind was kicking up a bit. It rained off and on during the afternoon so we did not stay long at the resort.

Saturday night the wind blew in earnest. Gusts were as high as 30 knots and we were very thankful that we had put down a second anchor. Everything held well and we did not drag an inch.

Monday it was time to head into Coxen’s Hole to complete the entry procedures. Tom and Kathy were wanting to go to the bank there so we hiked a couple of miles down the road until we could get a cab. Cabs here charge by the person and not by the mile. It cost us 25 Lempiras (about $1.25) each for the 10 mile cab ride to town and another 30 Lempiras back. The cab driver dropped us off at the port captain’s office which was in the same building as customs and immigration. At least we would not have to run all over town to complete the process.

Clearing a boat into a country usually involves customs, immigration, and the port captain. In some countries you will also have to deal with health, sanitation, and other departments. Immigration is for the people, customs is for the cargo, the port captain clears the boat, and the other people make sure that you are not bringing in dangerous cargo, contaminated foods, etc.

Our first stop was at the customs office. We told the official there that we had just come in on a boat and needed clearance. He told us that if we were not bringing cargo in, he did not need to be involved. Excellent. Next stop was the Port Captain. But he was not in his office and no one seemed to know where he had gone or when he might be back. Usually immigration is the last stop but in the absence of the Port Captain we stepped next door to see them. They checked our passports, crew lists, and clearance papers from Mexico and asked how long we would be in Honduras. Even though we only planned to be here a week, Kyle told him sixty days. That way we were covered if illness or mechanical breakdowns delayed our departure. Soon we had our passports stamped and were in possession of 60 day visas.

The Port Captain was still not in his office and we were having visions of having to come back repeatedly over the next week to finish this off. In a few minutes, though, a man in a naval-looking uniform walked past. We were not sure but he looked like a Port Captain to us. We followed him along to the Port Captains office and sure enough, it was him. We presented our clearance papers from Isla Mujeres and he quickly typed up a cruising permit for 60 days allowing us to go anywhere in Honduran waters for that period.

Checking into Mexico had been a long and expensive process costing us almost US $200 in port fees, immigration fees and agent fees. How refreshing it was to complete immigration and clearance in Honduras in a matter of minutes, without and agent, at a total cost of US $10.

After taking care of the legalities, we stopped in a local grocery for supplies. It was well stocked and the prices were similar to back in the states. Kathy had one very pleasant surprise. She had been looking in the US supermarkets for weeks for Log Cabin sugar-free pancake syrup made with Splenda. She had found it in a store months before and had wanted to get some to take on the voyage. When we left the last store in Fort Myers Beach without finding it she resigned herself to not having syrup on her pancakes. But here in a small grocery in Honduras was a whole shelf full of pancake syrup and there in the middle of the shelf were dozens of bottles of sugar free Log Cabin. God is good.

Tom is waiting for a new battery to be delivered from the states so we will be here in Roatan for about a week while we wait for that to arrive. Then our plans are to leave ASAP for Panama with a rest stop in Isla Providencia. We want to be in Panama by around the first of February in order to get through the canal by the first of March.

December 27 – Departing Fort Myers Beach

It was still dark when we started getting things squared away for leaving. The dingy had to be brought aboard, disassembled, and lashed down. Lifelines had to be run and secured, and everything in the boat had to be secured in case we ran into heavy seas along the way. At dawn we were ready to go and shortly thereafter Bill motored over in his dingy to take us to breakfast. There was a small waterfront hangout a short distance away that served inexpensive breakfasts. We had decided to get one last American breakfast before leaving.

Bill still had to refuel so after breakfast he took his boat to the fuel dock while we waited. At about 9:30 he had completed the refueling so we cast off the mooring and motored under the bridge into the channel. On our way at last. For a few minutes anyway.

As we came under the bridge we saw the channel markers about 1 mile away. Should be easy enough. We set a course for those markers forgetting that on the way in we had followed the shore closely. Soon the depth meter began showing the water becoming shallower but we were convinced that we were aiming for the channel. Suddenly Stop Isi shuddered to a stop. We were aground again. Five minutes into a 10,000 mile trip and we were aground; not a particularly auspicious beginning. Still not sure of what had happened we started looking around and soon saw another set of channel markers over by the shore. Oh yeah, I remember now. The channel parallels the shore. We had been unintentionally attempting a short cut. Quickly Kyle put the engine in reverse and once again we were able to motor off the shoal. Four groundings so far and we had been able to extricate ourselves from each one. As we proceeded south, however, the nice sand and mud was going to be replaced by hard rock and coral. We would need to become more careful quickly.

Coming out of Fort Myers Beach, we got the sails up and set a course for our first stop, Dry Tortugas. For an hour or so there was barely enough wind to keep the boat moving and then that quit altogether. It was time to fire up the motor.

We hate to motor. It is noisy, hot, and consumes expensive fuel. But faced with the alternaive, spending the day drifting within sight of Fort Myers Beach, there was no question. Sometimes the motor is a wonderful thing to have.

Throughout the day we continued on under motor. The seas became calm, then glassy. Because the only autopilot we have works on wind power, we had to stear by hand for all of this first day. During the day we steered a compass bearing. At night we would find a star on the correct bearing and aim for that – sailing towards the stars. All night we took 1 hour shifts at steering while the other tried to sleep. Finally dawn arrived, just a few more hours and we would be in Dry Tortugas.

December 28 – Arrival at Dry Tortugas

Dry Tortugas is a cluster of small sand Keys located about 40 miles west of Key West. It has no water or other facilities but is the location of Fort Jefferson. The Fort was built back in the 1800’s as an attempt to exert American control over the Gulf of Mexico. It is a huge thing, built with 1.6 million bricks and designed to hold 450 guns and 1500 men. Today it is part of the national park service and visitors arrive daily by boat or float plane from Key West.

For us Dry Tortugas was going to be a rest stop. After our overnight from Fort Myers Beach, we thought it would be nice to anchor there and get a good night sleep before starting the three day passage to Isla Mujeres.

Different boats sail differently depending on their size and the wind direction. Bill’s boat did better than ours sailing into the wind but ours seemed to be a bit faster sailing with the wind. Since we were still motoring, though, it was fairly easy to stay close. At 1:30, when we were just a few miles out, Bill came on the radio – his motor had just died.

He described how the motor had died and it sounded like a fuel problem. The first order of business would be changing the fuel filters. On Bill’s boat this was a fairly involved process that could take hours. He told us that the last time he had to change filters it required a mechanic coming out to the boat. We looked around – mechanics were going to be a bit hard to find.

We brought Stap Isi in close to Bill’s boat and threw him a line. Soon we were tied up together with fenders between the boats. We could pull him along this way all the way to Dry Tortugas or until he could get his engine running again. We were so thankful for the quiet seas. Tying the boats together like this would have been impossible under anything but the wonderful conditions we were enjoying.

Kyle jumped over to AnnVeraLynn, Bill’s boat, to try to help. They bled the lines and tried to engine. Nothing. Bill continued to tinker while Kyle returned to Stap Isi. Bill tried again and again to get the engine to start but without success. We were thinking that getting this fixed in Dry Tortugas was going to be interesting.

After over an hour we were ready to make the turn into the channel leading to Dry Tortugas. About this time Bill found a can of starter fluid and decided to give that a try. A couple of squirts and the engine fired off. PTL! We cast off from his boat and he followed us into the anchorage at Dry Tortugas. We dropped anchor and sat back in the cockpit, glad to have arrived safely with nothing more than a bit of a motor problem.

December 29 – Rest day at Dry Tortugas

Rather than head right back out, we decided to spend the day at Dry Tortugas. After cleaning up the boat we assembled and launched the dingy and rowed over to the fort. The National Park Service maintains Fort Jefferson and a small staff of rangers and maintenance people live there full time. There is a self guided tour of the facilities that explains the history of the fort. Kathy and I enjoyed wandering the grounds and exploring the nooks and crannies of the fort.

Probably the most interesting and moving part of our tour came when we discovered a small floatilla of crudely built boats tied up together on the shore. The ranger told us that these were boats in which Cubans had made the passage across to America. The US holds a wet-feet/dry-feet policy towards Cubans. If the Coast Guard interdicts a boat at sea they are returned to Cuba. But if the refugees are able to get their feet on American soil they are granted asylum. Apparently Dry Tortugas is a popular landing place as the ranger said that all of those boats had come in over the past few weeks.

We were amazed at the desire that would drive people to risk everything in a crudely built boat just to taste the freedom offered in America. The ranger told of one woman, a diabetic, who had come over in one of those boats. She had maintained her glucose levels by subsisting on hard candy and sweetened milk. When her boat landed she went to one of the rangers and asked in Spanish where she was. In broken Spanish and sign language the ranger was finally able to convey that to her that she was on American soil at which point she fell to her knees sobbing with joy. Both of us were reminded that even with her problems, America was still the land of promise for many people in the world.

December 30 – Downwind sailing towards Isla Mujeres

At first light we raised anchor and started on towards Isla Mujeres. The wind had filled in during the night and we were able to finally get our sails up. Sailing downwind we left the main down and sailed along at 4.5 knots on a jib alone. It was very relaxing and it felt nice to take our hands off the tiller for a bit.

This was textbook sailing. The wind vane took care of the steering, the seas were only 1-2 feet, the sky was crystal clear, and we were making good progress towards out next destination. We read and napped and worked on email. After the sun set we enjoyed looking at the trillions of stars and the occasional meteor or satellite. Our satellite radio was still working so we left it on all night listening to jazz or classics. Best of all, it was finally warm. At long last we were in T-shirt and shorts weather.

December 31 – Another Perfect Sailing Day

During the night the wind clocked around to the south east and we were able to get the main up. With that our speed increased to over 5 knots. Still the seas were calm and it was beautiful sailing. Again it was a relaxing day, catching up on sleep and reading. If only every day was like this. At 12:00 Kathy it was Kathy’s turn to take a watch. I woke her, wished her a Happy New Year, and went below to try to get some sleep. Even though that was the extent of our celebration, we couldn’t have had a better venue from which to enjoy the new year.

January 1 – Working our way through wind and current.

The wind had continued to clock around and on Sunday we were sailing up wind and contending with the north setting current that flowed up the Yucatan channel into the Gulf. This kept us from sailing directly to Isla Mujeres so we decided instead to aim north, get beyond the current, and then come down towards Isla Mujeres from the northwest.

At about dusk Bill had had enough of trying to sail against the wind and current. He radioed us that he was going to start his motor and try to make a course directly to Isla Mujeres. Kathy and I really wanted to sail all the way in so we told him that we would try a bit longer. If he was going to head directly in he would probably beat us to Isla by several hours. That, however, was not to be.

As Bill’s boat disappeared to port, we continued on. At 2AM, however, the math was showing that, while we might be able to sail all the way in, we would not be able to make it in under sail before dark on Tuesday. By this time we were tired, wet, smelly, and were really looking forward to Isla Mujeres, a hot shower, and a good night sleep. So we dropped the sails, started the engine, and set a course for Isla.

Even though Bill had left several hours before, his course had only been about 20 degrees different from ours. Since sailboats move so slowly we figured that we should still be in radio range. So throughout the night we called out for him on the VHF but with no response. Since he was motoring, though, we thought maybe he was not able to hear the radio. A couple of times in the night we thought we saw a light on the horizon that might have been his. But when the sun came up there was no sign of him.

January 2 – Arrival at Isla Mujers

Coming into Isla Mujeres from the north, the first land one sights is Isla Contoy. Contoy is a nature preserve with a lighthouse on the north end. It is about 20 miles north of Mujeres. At 9:45 Kathy saw the distinctive shape of the lighthouse on Contoy. We had made it.

Before he left us, Bill had said that he might wait at Contoy for us to arrive. There are a couple of good places to anchor on the west side of the island so we figured that when we got close enough we would see his mast on the other side. We were disappointed though to pass along the island and find no trace of Bill. Well, he probably went ahead and was already resting at anchor at Mujeres.

We were still motoring into 2-4 ft seas but the wind was slightly off the bow so our main sail was able to help a bit. With the sail up we were making 5 knots against a small current. Occasionally we would call out to Bill on the radio, hoping that as we got close enough to Mujeres he would hear us. Still no response, though.

Soon the shape of the large hotel at the north end of Mujeres was visible and then we passed the place where last spring we had run out of fuel just short of the island. It was nice to put that behind us and know that this time there was plenty of fuel on board.

Finally at 3PM we pulled into the harbor and tied up at one of the marinas in town. Tomorrow we would take care of the entrance procedures. Today it was time for a shower and a long sleep. But first we scanned the harbor for Bill’s boat. When we did not see it we called on the radio to see if any of the other cruisers had seen him. No one had seen his boat so it was obvious that he was not here. We wondered how Bill could have gotten behind us? He was motoring directly towards Mujeres with a several hour head start. We began to fear the worst. He was single handing the boat, running on little sleep. A slip or fall or miscalculation could have sent him overboard or sent the boat up on a reef.

By dusk we were becoming increasingly alarmed. It was possible that he had somehow gotten behind us but still, he should have been at Mujeres by now. We figured that if he had not arrived by morning we would notify someone. But whom? Back in the US the Coast Guard will spend countless man-hours and money to find and rescue a sailor at sea. But leave the US and one finds themselves very much on their own. We could report him overdue but would anyone down here actually go looking? We had been three days with very little sleep so by 7 PM we couldn’t stay awake any longer. We put out a final call on the radio for Bill but the only response was the gentle hiss of static. Kyle clicked off the radio, we prayed for Bill, and with a deepening sense of gloom we dropped off to sleep.