Sailing on Stap Isi

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.