Sailing on Stap Isi

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.