Rhiannon 3

Very Late Entry

2009-02-11T22:01:00.001-04:00

(Written sometime in November 2008)
I can’t believe where the past months have gone. It has been a long while since I updated our blog. My last entry had us in Venezuela. After our land tours to Merida and the Savanna, our daughter Erin continued travelling through parts of Venezuela and Columbia while Pat & I returned to Curaçao and Rhiannon the end of February. We spent time chilling out on the boat and got caught up on a lot of projects and general maintenance (like varnishing the exterior and interior teak). In April, our friends Brenda & Gerry joined us for 10 days. We met them in Bonaire, toured the island, did some diving, and then had great downwind sail to Curaçao, with a stop on Klein Curaçao. Klein Curaçao is a little island between Bonaire & Curaçao made from coral. It is only about 5 feet above sea level, the lee side of the island is a beautiful long sandy white beach while the windward side is black & rugged. There are 2 ship wrecks on the windward side, one a recent sailboat, no inhabitants, just an abandoned lighthouse in the middle of the island. It would not be a very good place to be in unsettled or rough weather. We spent 2 calm nights and a full day of enjoying the island. Fishermen frequent the area and we were able to buy some fresh fish the first night and then we were given a huge tuna the second night. If you ever taste fresh tuna, you will never eat it from a can again. It was marvelous!!
After arriving in Spanish Waters, Curacao we showed Brenda & Gerry how it can take all day to clear customs & immigration, but it is a nice way to tour the main city. We introduced them to Happy Hour at Sarifundy’s and rented a car for a quick tour of the island. As always, it was sad to say goodbye to our friends. One of the biggest downfall of cruising is having to always be saying goodbye to someone. The cruising community is very unique. You meet people from all over the world and you immediately have something in common. It seems that you become good friends very quickly. You may hangout for a while but then someone moves on, thus the saying goodbye. But you never know when you will meet again. Saying goodbye to Brenda & Gerry was a little easier because we knew we would see them in less than a month. We prepared Rhiannon to leave her in the boatyard at Curaçao Marine while we headed back to our land home in Quispamsis for the summer. Before leaving on May 7th (2008) I started to write an entry for the blog which never got published so I will enter some of it now as I remember having very strong feelings at the time I wrote it. Here goes.
Lately I’ve been thinking that life is just a series of short stories. What kind of book would you have if you combined them all together. As we approach the end of another short story, I am looking forward to starting the next chapter, returning to our land home, hugging family & renewing friendships. I can’t wait. We have had an incredible 16 months on the boat but it’s time to take a break from this amazing lifestyle. Pat & I have been fortunate to pick up some temporary work from our previous employment and are looking forward to pocketing some extra spending money and replenishing the cruising kitty. Afterall, the definition of a BOAT dollar is Break Out Another Thousand.
Till next time,
Fair Winds,
Miriam

Venezuela Continued: Los Llanos

2008-03-08T19:06:00.011-04:00

After an invigorating trek through the Andes, the Los Llanos savanna looked like a pleasant alternative. Our next journey began from Merida on February 21st in an 8 passenger Toyota Landcruiser.

Carlos was our excellent driver and guide for the next 4 days. Our companions were a young couple from Switzerland, a couple from France, & a psychology professor from Holland. Along with Erin, Pat & I, we made an interesting entourage. We had perfect visibility for the 5 hour trip down the mountains. This was the same route we took on the bus the week before to get to Merida so it was great to actually be able to see where we were going. Once down the mountain, there are no foothills like in Alberta, just flat plains. Our trek continued for many miles, with many stops along the way. Carlos has a degree in Biology with a specialty in Ornithology (the study of birds) & he proved to be a valuable source of information. The savanna is home to over 250 species of birds.

Dusk on the Savanna

Carlos also owns a small farm near Le Rancho Grande. Le Rancho was to become our home for the next 3 nights.

It was rustic but very comfortable. The 8 of us

slept in hammocks in a hexagon shaped hut.

The complex is surrounded by a little river that teams with Caimans (crocodiles), shore birds and families of Capybaras ( a large rodent that is the size of a pig and kinda looks like a beaver without the tail)
The owner Ramon built all the structures himself. His wife and family run the Rancho.

Comedor or kitchen

It operates on solar energy and a gas generator, so almost felt like being back on the boat.

The best way to describe these 4 days would be to think of a combination of a lot of driving, a lot of wildlife, a lot of relaxing, and a whole lot of fun. Carlos and his local helpers drove us around to find ant eaters, armadillos, capybaras, caimans, howler monkeys, anacondas, Scarlet Ibis and more birds than we can remember. We imagined it would be like an African Safari, chasing ant eaters instead of zebras.

The young kids found this 3 metre female Anaconda across the road from our Rancho. We also saw a 4 metre one the next day.

The young boys carrolled an ant eater near the road for all of us to see upclose. It was difficult to get a clear picture as it was running very fast.

We even went fishing for piranha and got to eat our catch at the end of the day. They are really quite sweet & tasty. On our boat tour, we saw more birds, turtles, guanas, vampire bats, river dolphins, & of course the endless supply of caimans A.K.A. crocodiles.

We were here during the end of the rainy season so there were still lots of little ponds and rivers. During the peak of the rainy season, the whole savanna is under water and the main transport is by little boats, as a lot of the roads get washed out. Most of the roads are built up higher than the flood plain and there was a lot of construction going on to improve the roads for the farmers. Not only is the Los Llanos savanna home to abundant wildlife, it also supports 10,000 people and 5 million cows.
We saw everything the tour advertised but were absolutely blown out of the water by something that is not a usual part of the tour. The first night (Thursday February 21st) a few of us were standing out on the bridge by the Rancho to catch the breeze, listen to the night birds & frogs, when I realized the full moon was getting an orangey-brown colour. Can you imagine standing out in the middle of nowhere on a cloudless night under a full moon & realizing it was going to be an eclipse. We thought the eclipse was a couple of nights later, but as we lay on the bridge deck looking up at the sky, we witnessed a total eclipse of the moon. Another WOW in our travels!

On our last evening, some of the local farmers, Ramon, & our guide Carlos brought out their 4 stringed guitars and sang local folk songs while we danced and partied. Normally they sit around the garden but we decided on a Bridge Party, since the breeze was so nice there. A first for Le Rancho & I think it was a huge success.

Unfortunately, all good things seem to come to an end. Sunday morning was time to pack up the Landcruiser and start the return trip. I think we all hated the thought of leaving. Half way back to Merida, Carlos dropped Pat & I off in Barinas to catch a bus to Caracas. We had a tearful Goodbye to our companions & especially to Erin as she continued on her own back to Merida. She was starting her own adventure while Pat & I would catch a plane in Caracas to return to Rhiannon in Curaçao. We really would have liked to stay longer in Venezuela, but the next available flight was not until March 17th. The crazy Venezuelans book all the seats to Curaçao because they can go there & withdraw US dollars directly from the bank machines. (The whole issue of currency is another story. Perhaps some day will get a chance to explain).

So today is Saturday, March 8th & we are in the beautiful anchorage of Spanish Waters on Curaçao. I am sitting at the nav station onboard our floating home typing this entry for our Blog. Everyday I am thankful for the opportunities we have experienced, the sites we’ve seen, the people we’ve met & the friends we’ve made. My forever wish is that everyone has some kind of dream of their own because dreams do come true.
Fair Winds,
Miriam
12°04.8’N
68°51.7’W

Merida, Venezuela

2008-03-05T21:41:00.009-04:00

We woke up to rain showers the morning of February 15th so our 5 hour bus ride through the Andes Mountains to Merida was shrouded in clouds and FOG. (We haven’t seen fog since leaving the northeast coast of North America). The scenery was gorgeous even if we could only see a short distance. Merida is a large University Town & a centre for Ecotourism deep in the Andes Mountains at an elevation of over 5,000 ft (1577 m). For someone who is used to living at sea level, it was a bit of an adjustment. With 6 or 7 Universities and tons of Tour companies, there are lots of young people and young travelers around. It was good for Erin to be among kids her own age again.
The hardest part of being here was trying to decide which tours to take. We signed up with Guamanchi Expeditions & Adventure Tours for 2 different tours. They also have a beautiful Posada (a type of small hotel popular in Venezuela) where we could stay while in Merida.
Our first tour began with a ride up El Teleferico de Merida. The Merida Cable Car is the highest in the world at 15,633 ft (4.765 m) and is also the longest serial tram, 7.77 miles. It spans the magnificent national park area known as the “Sierra Nevada” and connects Merida to the tallest peaks in Venezuela. The trip consists of 4 independent sections, each one connected by a station where you get off to acclimatize to the increased altitude. At each successive stop, it got harder to breathe. The original plan was to just go up to the 3rd station as the mountain tops had been shrouded in clouds for days and days however luck was with us. It was clear at the top so the 5 of us (Pat, Erin, a young couple form Austria & me) hopped on the final tram and experienced literally breathtaking views.

Erin, Miriam & Pat

At the top.

We are on Pico Espejo, 15,633 ft (4.765 m) above sea level.

WOW! A million times.

At the summit, we experienced the panoramic view of the twin peaks of Humbolt & Bompland, 16,214 ft & 16,020 ft (4.942 m & 4.883 m), & the Timoncitos glacier on the southern slope of Pico Bolivar. WOW again.

Above the cloud forrest

Well our luck held out. As soon as we got on the tram to descend back to the 3rd station, the clouds socked in and we could no longer see where we had been.

We continued on with the rest of our tour which consisted of a 5 hour Hike/Mule/Donkey ride along precipitous trails to the village of Los Nevados. In the end we walked the last hour as my butt couldn’t stay in the saddle another minute.

Trail Riding

To partially quote the guide book, Los Nevados is “stuck way in the hell of nowhere amongst totally spectacular mountain scenery”. It is a very picturesque village perched on the mountainside. Some of the whitewashed houses capped by red tile roofs are hundreds of years old. Each family is totally self sufficient with their own livestock and farms. It’s amazing to see.

Los Nevados

That night we stayed in a very rustic Posada with spectacular views and amazing food.

View from our Hammocks.

The next morning, we hiked along the dirt road looking for a flour mill, which we didn’t find, but we’re rewarded with a nice relaxing break by a cool mountain stream. After lunch the 4&1/2 hr return trip to Merida was by 4X4 Toyota Landcruiser. The dirt road was pretty hair raising most of the way, narrow with sharp hairpin turns, areas deeply rutted by rain, & some parts even washed away. We seemed to descend down & down only to have to climb up again. Our driver was excellent. He really knew how to handle the terrain. Fortunately the awe of the surrounding scenery helped keep our minds off the road. Once back in Merida it was time to rest our aching muscles and prepare for our next adventure.
Till next time,
Miriam

Curacao

2008-03-02T13:04:00.005-04:00

Written February 14th
I never get tired of looking at mountains, rain forests and waterfalls. Travelling by bus along the flat plains, passing rice fields and banana plantations add to the appeal of the mountain back drop. Unfortunately we missed getting a photo. I quess I never get tired of the variety nature bestows on us. We are back in Venezuela!
But let me backtrack a little here. We arrived in Curaçao, January 27th and anchored amongst a hundred other boats in Spaanse Waters aka Spanish Waters. The main city is Willhemstad and the downtown waterfront has been restored and is apparently just like Amsterdam. The Dutch influence is obvious.

There’s a unique Pedestrian Pontoon Bridge that spans the river entrance to Santa Ana Baai and the main harbour in Willhemstad. It opens on demand to allow ship traffic through (even with people on it)

Queen Emma Bridge

The beginning of February brought the celebration of Carnival. Each island in the Caribbean have their own unique version of this festival.

On February 7th we had an excellent 25nm downwind sail to Santa Marta Baai, a protected little inlet along the NW coast. The next day we rented scuba gear and did 2 shore dives off Sunset Waters Beach. It was really neat, complete with a small plane wreck in 25 feet of water. Then we continued along the “wall of coral” in 70 – 80 ft. Erin found a huge lobster @ 90 ft. It had to be at least 10 lbs. Along with the usual reef fish, we saw a 4 foot Tarpon and Erin saw a frogfish. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find the seahorses that were supposed to be in the soft coral. It was difficult to see as the coral wavered back & forth with the surge of water. We are definitely HOOKED on Scuba Diving.

Sailing back to Spanish Waters we had to make 15 tacks in order to sail the 25 nm. Then we rented a car & did a mini land tour. Geographically and culturally, Curaçao and Bonaire are very similar. Curaçao has a population of about 150,000 people in contrast to Bonaire’s 14,000. Curaçao has more bays & inlets along the lee shore, so there is more opportunity to explore by boat.

View from inside the cave at Boca Tabla, Shete Boka National Park, North Coast of Curacao.

Yet again, it was time to move on. The 20-25 knot east winds with frequent gusts to 35 & 8-12 ft waves were not going to allow us to sail to Venezuela anytime soon, so we tied Rhiannon up in a marina and hopped on a plane to Valencia, Venezuela, an hour’s flight. From the airport we took a cab to the bus station and jumped onto a luxury bus for a 6 hr drive to Barinas, were we took a hotel for the night and enjoyed a BarBQ Chicken dinner for Valentines Day. Our plan was to break up the bus ride to Merida so that we could travel the 5 hrs through the Andes Mountainsin the daylight.

I never get tired of looking at mountains, rain forests and waterfalls. Till next time,
Miriam.
Pat & Erin say Hi!

Learning to Dive

2008-01-25T23:05:00.000-04:00

Bonaire, Diver’s Paradise

2008-01-25T20:54:00.000-04:00

Happy 2008.

I can't believe how quickly time flies!
We have been in Bonaire, part of the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, & Curaçao) in the Dutch Antilles since December 7th. Our children Darryl and Erin flew to Bonaire to join us for Christmas. Darryl had to fly home December 28th to go back to work but Erin is still with us. She finished University in December and plans on cruising with us for a while, then she hopes to do some traveling in South & Central America before looking for a job back home.

What a neat island! Bonaire is 26 miles long and has a population of about 14,000 people. There is a strong Dutch influence but it is also very multicultural with influences from South America and the descendents of the African slaves that worked the salt ponds.
The north part of the island is the Washington Slagbaai National Park. It has several small mountains to hike and lots of interesting things to see. When Darryl was here we rented a little Suzuki jeep to tour the Park.

The tallest peak is Subi Brandaris

at 241 metres tall.

One morning, Erin, Pat & I enjoyed a challenging hike to the top to see the panoramic views.

Erin & Pat

Heading up the trail.

Rest Stop to enjoy the view.

We are still not at the top.

Looking up

Erin at the peak!

We enjoyed breath taking views of the whole island and the surrounding ocean.

The east coast of Bonaire is referred to as the Wildside with a rugged coastline & crashing waves while the west side or lee side of the island is calm & protected.

This is the Suplado Blowhole.

Views of Boka Kokolishi

The rest of the island is very desert like with lots of cactus & other vegetation as well as an abundant number of lizards and iguanas. It is also a birder’s paradise with 170 species of birds, including Flamingos & Parrots.

They refer to Bonaire as “Diver’s Paradise” and it is easy to understand why. The island is surrounded by an incredible coral reef system and crystal clear water. It is protected as a marine park and no anchoring is allowed. There is one area by the town of Kralendijk where moorings are provided. Our mooring ball is in about 25 feet of water and at the stern the depth drops dramatically to over 200 feet. The snorkeling and diving is incredible. There are mooring balls all along the coast for boats to use while diving or snorkeling.

On Christmas Eve Day we had one of the most incredible experiences ever, we went Scuba Diving! Best Christmas gift ever. Of course once you go that first time, you have to go again and so we were back in the water on Boxing Day. We took the PADI Discover Dive course so Darryl could experience the thrill of scuba. After New Years, Erin, Pat and I completed the course and we are now certified Open Water Divers. (which means we can rent equipment, get tanks filled, and go by ourselves rather than having to be accompanied by an Instructor or a Divemaster). I never thought I could do it and almost quit 3 times but I guess the stubborn streak in me prevailed and got me through the course. I am so glad I stuck it out, thanks to lots of patience and encouragement from our instructor and my family. I have experienced 7 dives since becoming certified and am completely hooked. (Now it’s time to re-evaluate the budget to see where new equipment fits in).

Bonaire is really an excellent place to visit, definitely in our top favourite & it will be hard to leave. We plan to head to Curaçao sometime in the next few days, but then plans are made in Jello and subject to change. Keep in touch,
Fair Winds,
Miriam
S/V Rhiannon 3
12°09.4’ W
68°16.8’ N

The Outer Islands of Venezuela

2007-12-19T08:42:00.000-04:00

Venezuela is such an incredible country. We are so glad we came!!! So many cruisers are reluctant to come here because of the risk of piracy and crime but our experience has been wonderful! The Venezuelans that we have met are so genuinely friendly and considerate. It’s unfortunate that the BAD guys are out there. But the local people are affected by the crime rate as well, even more than the average cruiser. The country is ripe with natural resources but the inflation rate was reported at 13% in October. We really hope that the government can turn things around. The caring people of Venezuela deserve nothing less.
As far as Sailors go, the cruising is excellent. More islands to explore than time would ever permit. So many uninhabited places & I have never seen so many beaches (except maybe in the Bahamas). If you want to explore inland, there is a vast and almost endless list of places to go and things to do.
Novemeber 28th. We left Caya Herradura, (Tortuga) Wednesday evening under a double reefed main and full genny. Again we had an incredible night sail till about 5 am when the wind died and we started wallowing in the swell. Time to motor the rest of the way to Los Roques. At 9:30 am we passed through the channel in the reef at Boca de Sebastopol. From here we motored north in deep water between the outer reef and the middle reef. The water was very clear and it was easy to see all the shoal areas. Another interesting experience in reef navigation. By 12:15 pm we were anchored off the island of Francisquies along with Gabrielle and Side By Side, the 2 boats we left Los Tortuga with. 99.6 nautical miles covered.
Los Roques is about 75 miles off the coast of Venezuela and covers an area about 14 by 25 miles. It is a series of islands protected by reef-studded water. Every island has a collection of beaches and good snorkeling. The area is also a National Park that attracts a lot of Venezuelan tourists. There is a quaint little town and airport on the main island of Gran Roques. The tourists fly in here then the local tour operators take them out to the numerous beaches for sun and snorkeling. Despite the tourists, we were still able to find some secluded anchorages.
Wednesday December 5th. It was uncharacteristically calm during our stay. Usually the wind blows 20 knots all the time. Our next stop was to be the Islas de Aves, little island archipelagos that got their name from all the birds that inhabit them. We got restless waiting for the wind to return, so we motored the 32 miles to Isla Sur, Aves de Barlovento (south island, windward island of the birds). On Thursday we motored the next 16 miles to Aves de Sotavento (leeward island of the birds). That night the wind returned along with lots of rain. We delayed our departure in the morning waiting to see what the weather would bring.
Friday December 7th. We had a dead downwind motor/sail from the Aves to Bonaire, a 40 mile trek. The wind died after the first ½ hour so it was pretty uncomfortable with the swell of the following seas. Oh well, we take the bad sails along with the good.
We made our destination and celebrated with an incredible fish dinner at the Mona Lisa Restaurant. Bonaire is wonderful. Will elaborate next posting.
Till next time,
Fair Winds,
Miriam
12°09.3’ N
68°16.8’ W

A Great Sail, November 24th

2007-12-19T08:31:00.000-04:00

Saturday November 24th. The forecast was not perfect but at 8:20 am we decided to leave. We checked the chart and decided that we could head to the far western end of Tortuga to the little islands known as Las Tortuguillas. It looked like an anchorage we could approach in the dark and we would have the light of the full moon to guide us.
By 9am. the anchor was up and we motored out of the protection of our little bay. If things were bad, we could always turn back. Due to the morning land effects, there was absolutely no wind or waves as we motor sailed out of the larger bay and into the Mar Carib (Caribbean Sea). By 11:30 am we’d covered 15 miles, then I noticed some white caps on the water ahead of us. By the time I said to Pat, “I see some white caps ahead, I hope there’s some wind to go with them”, we were sailing under a reefed main and genny. Our course was 330°, the wind was from about 080° at 17 knots and seas were 3 – 4 feet from the East. Life does not get much better than this. By 12:20 pm, Pat put a second reef in the main. We thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the afternoon under clear blue skies. We did not see under 7 knots of boat speed for the rest of the trip (thanks to the 1 knot current). Our wind speed averaged 18 knots, with the highest gust to 23; seas were variable, but mostly 5 -8 feet with the occasional 10 footer.
I remembered how much I love sailing! The day went by very quickly and we watched the sunset while in the lee of Tortuga. There are no anchorages along this coast that we would be able to enter in the dark. After we cleared the southwest corner of Tortuga , we beat to windward for the last 2.5 miles before anchoring in 20 feet of water behind Los Tortuguillos (the little turtles). In the moonlight, we could make out the sandy beach ahead of us and see the waves breaking over the reef to the west. It’s hard to image seeking shelter behind something not much better than a sand bar, but it knocked down the waves as the wind howled all night. It was reassuring to know that 3 fishing boats sought shelter in the same spot that night. After setting the anchor drag alarm and having a hot meal, we easily fell off to sleep.
Fair Winds
Miriam
10°57.7 N
65°26.1 W

End of October, Early November

2007-12-19T08:23:00.000-04:00

After our memorable trip to Angel Falls, it was great to get back to Rhiannon. Plans were made to meet the kids in Bonaire for Christmas, approximately 300 nautical miles away. There’s a lot to see and do between here & there. On October 28th we left the Cumanagoto Marina to start the journey West. Our first stop was an anchorage area known as El Coral on the island of Caracas del Oeste, one of the many uninhabited islands of the Mochima National Park. (Venezuela has lots of Parques Nacionales). We were rewarded with beautiful clear water and great snorkeling right off the boat as well as peace and solitude. Tropical Storm Noel (later Hurricane Noel) formed that day 240 miles north of us. It was nice not to have to worry about finding a Hurricane Hole for a change; but you still worry about all the potential threats to the areas in his path. After sailing amongst numerous islands and dolphins, our next anchorage was a neat little mangrove lined hideaway surrounded by tall rugged cliffs called Ciéneguita on the island of Chimana Grande. The next day we motored to Playa El Faro, a beach on Isla Chimana Segunda. There’s grass shade huts on the beach, a little restaurant and a small Policia Turistica station. We hate to leave the peace and quiet of lonely anchorages, but it is not prudent to stay in one place for more than a couple of days, especially if you are alone. Although we have not had any incidents, and none reported in the area, there is still a slim concern of banditos or pirates.

Playa El Faro

Thursday, November 1st. We got settled into a berth at Bahia Redonda Marina in Puerta La Cruz, close to the swimming pool and the east gate. It will be November 19th before we leave. We see many friends that we have met during our travels and made new ones. Sandcastle left to head north for the winter and leant us their Air Conditioner. I never thought we would have A/C on the boat but it was a Godsend. There was never a breath of air in the marina and average temperatures were over 90° F or 32° C. Since we had some boat projects to do, the cool air allowed us more energy to complete them. Not all cruising is exploring and relaxing in secluded anchorages. Remember one definition of Cruising is Yacht Maintenance in Exotic Places. Our major projects included the purchase of 4 additional batteries for our house bank, therefore Pat had to build a box under the seat at the Nav Station to contain them. We also built a bed in the aft cabin, and made some new privacy curtains for when Erin comes to visit (since the aft cabin had been converted to the equivalent of a storage barn when we left). I forgot to mention that Erin will be staying with us on the boat for a few months. We are really looking forward to her company: just wish her brother could join us for more than a week. Oh well, someone in the Family has to have a job.

Time went by very quickly in Puerta La Cruz. I can understand why so many cruisers like to come here to spend the Hurricane Season. We finally untie the lines to the dock on Monday November 19th with plans to stage from one of the little outer islands before heading to Isla La Tortuga. As all plans are subject to change, we delayed our departure for the 65 mile sail till Saturday, November 24th. Pat picked up some kind of bug and was knocked off his feet for a few days. Then the weather did not cooperate as a large north swell with 8 to 10 foot seas and 5 to 6 foot wind chop accompanied by NE winds blowing 20 – 25 & gusts to 30 knots made me decide I did not want to be a solo sailor. We waited till Pat was feeling better and the sea state was more favourable.
Fair Winds,
Miriam
10°17.4’ N
64°39.0’ W
Ciéneguita, Chimana Grande, Venezuela

Pictures October 2007

2007-12-19T07:54:00.000-04:00

Pool at the base of the Angel Falls, Salto Angel
the tallest waterfall in the world.

A 4 hour canoe trip followed by a 1.5 hour hike through the jungle to get here.

Early morning view of Angel Falls
from our camp.

A freshing morning shower in the
Happiness Pool,
on our way back down the river.

Leaving on a Cessna

Canaima Lagoon and the 7 Waterfalls

Incredible!

Angel Falls

2007-11-18T21:33:00.000-04:00

What an adventure! I could write a mini novel
describing our trip of a lifetime, but I’ll try to be brief. Our trip inland started on Sunday October 21st with a 6 hour bus ride from Cumana to Ciudad Bolivar. Our friends Bev & Ross from Raft were with us. The next morning we boarded a 5 passenger Cessna for the 1 hour 15 minute flight over the Savanna, the Orinoco River Delta, the Tepuis and numerous mountains before arriving in Canaima.

Canaima is an Indian Village that is part of the Parque Nacional.

From here we had a boat ride across the Canaima Lagoon, crossing in front of a series of 7 waterfalls before arriving at the Tomas Bernal Basecamp on Isla Anatoliy.

After relaxing in our hammocks & enjoying a wonderful lunch, we joined another group for a half hour hike to Sapo (frog) and Sapito (small frog) Falls. Sapo Falls is 40 meters high by 80 meters wide. Our first thrill of the trip was walking behind the Falls. The roar of rushing water was almost deafening as we cautiously inched our way to the other side.

The Brink of Sapo Falls

Trail Behind Sapo Falls Looking out from behind the Falls

That night we slept in our hammocks under the shelter of a thatched roof hut.

Tuesday morning our group of 10, our guide Jose,

our boat driver Joel and his assistant loaded into

the motorized dugout canoe for the 4 & ½

hour ride up the rivers Carrao & Churun to the

Island Raton. We walked around the first set of

rapids while the boat powered through them.

After that there was no mercy.

Zooming along at top speed with a 45 hp engine,

we basically were white water canoeing though

the too numerous to mention rapids as well as enjoying the scenery during the flat water spells. I still have a smile on my face remembering the thrills as we careened around rocks and through canyons, not to mention the fresh water splashing and soaking us on a regular basis...

Yes, the boat wet through here.

Early afternoon we began the 1 & ½ hour hike through the jungle to Salto Angel. It was a rugged climb, far more challenging than we expected but what a feeling of accomplishment when we stood by the natural pool at the base of the Falls. Pat and the others swam in the cooling waters while I nursed a nasty gash on my shin. (In the excitement of approaching the falls, I slipped on the wet rocks).

That night we enjoyed a roasted chicken dinner prepared by our guides on an open fire barbeque. The camp was very rustic compared to the base camp at Canaima but the full view of Angel Falls across the river was spectacular. Again, we slept in hammocks. I wish we had space on the boat for hammocks, they are sooo comfortable.
Wednesday morning we enjoyed the return trip down the rivers with an early morning stop at the Happiness Pool for a swim. After lunch, we loaded onto another Cessna for the flight back to Ciudad Bolivar. I wish the tour didn’t have to end; it would have been nice to spend another evening at the base camp. Well the purpose of the tour was to visit the Angel Falls, which are the Tallest in the World, however the rest of the trip was just as exciting and rewarding and only added another dimension to the thrill & enjoyment. (the internet is not co-operataing so I will have to post more pictures in another entry)
Till next time.
Miriam

2007-11-15T23:23:00.000-04:00

Monday October 15th
We headed to the most eastern part of the Golfo to the Rio Cariaco and anchored in 10 feet of water before taking the dingy up the River as far as we could go. There are more different species of birds than we will ever be able to identify but the highlight is the Scarlet Ibis. We saw some of these birds in Trinidad but not to the extent that we did in this spot.

At dusk, hundreds of these red birds come to roost for the night in an area at the mouth of the river. The trees look like Christmas trees covered in red. The biggest bummer is that the battery died in the camera so we were unable to get a picture of the trees. When I got up at 6 am, the trees were still littered with birds but by the time I got the camera out, they had all flown away. Thank goodness we have memories. Not everything can be caught in photos.

Tuesday October 16th
After a lazy 6 hour downwind sail (heading west), the wind swung to the West and we covered the last 7 miles to Laguna Grande in less than an hour, heeled at 20 ° & accompanied by a pod of dolphins. Dolphins abound in the Golfo but only seem to be interested in swimming with you when you’re doing hull speed.
It is our 3rd visit to this incredible lagoon. Pat’s back had been bothering him during our last visits, so now that it was better, we returned to do the trek up the ridge. It’s hard to imagine the contrast of the rainforests to our south and the desert mountains to our north. Every evening we watch the lightening shows and rainstorms to the south while we are high & dry a few miles away in a desert landscape. A truly magical country.

Wednesday we started our climb up the ridge around 9 am and enjoyed a perfect morning of clear skies and a fair breeze to help keep us cool. The panoramic views were out of this world. I still can’t believe how amazing this landscape is!!!

Can you find Rhiannon?

Isla de Margarita is 20 miles to the north.

Thursday morning we hated to leave but the Angel Falls were waiting.
Fair Winds,
Miriam
& Pat says Hi.

Still Behind - October 10th

2007-11-15T23:04:00.000-04:00

October 10th.

While in Medregal Village we organized a bus trip with some of the other cruisers to go to Caripe & the Guacharo Cave.

The cave is eight miles long and one of the world’s largest caves. It is inhabited by about 18,000 guacharo birds that live in the dark and echo-locate like bats. They only come out at night to feed on fruits. The first part of our tour was very noisy with the sound of the birds but as we trekked deeper into the cave, the only sound
was the trickling of water from the stalactites
and stalagmites. It was utterly incredible.

The Exit/Entrance to the Guacharo Cave

The all day bus trip though the mountainous countryside and rainforests was more than breathtaking. The more we see of Venezuela, the more we love it. The diverse landscapes are amazing. But to top it all off, the people are what really makes the difference. You just have to come here yourself to discover how warm and welcoming the Venezuelan people are. I think we have found our favourite country. (But I’m getting ahead of myself).

Fair Winds,
Miriam

I am very very behind in updating the blog but here goes.

2007-11-15T22:34:00.000-04:00

Medregal Village
10°31.96’ N
63°48.00’ W

October 3rd. After a very relaxing stay in Laguna Grande & a trip to Cumana to restock with groceries etc. we headed east down the Golfo de Cariaco to check out Medregal Village. Medregal is a small resort and boat yard who really welcomes cruisers and invites you to anchor your boat in front of the resort. For the price of the occasional beer, you are able to use all the facilities. We spent a lot of time lounging around the pool and accessing the free internet at the poolside bar.

The unbelievable thing was that it was a serve yourself bar and you just wrote down on your tab what you had. We felt like we were staying at an all inclusive resort. Jean Marc is the owner and chief cook at the restaurant. Saturday nights he cooks up a special Bar-B-Q for the cruisers. He also provides transportation to the local market on Sat. mornings to stock up on fresh supplies. I have only mentioned a few of the perks that Jean Marc and his wife Joleda provide. It is an incredible place!!!
Fair Winds,
Miriam
& Pat says Hi.

A Different Paradise

2007-10-06T12:03:00.000-04:00

We have found a different kind of paradise! After the dense lush green rain forests of Trinidad and the Windward Islands, only pictures can truly describe what we are enjoying now. From the cockpit is a panoramic view of a desert landscape dominated by red and yellow cliffs, showered with gray & green cactus, bordered at the shore by mangroves. All this in an incredible lagoon that is a little more than 2 miles long. The lagoon is full of enough little nooks and crannies to easily harbour a couple of dozen boats AND you would never see your neighbour. Several years ago the lagoon protected over 150 boats who sought shelter here from a hurricane that threatened Grenada. Today (September 24th) there is only one other boat in the lagoon and she is out of sight from us.
Over night the water is so calm it is like a mirror. It’s wonderful to have good night sleeps after the poor rolly anchorages we experienced in Porlamar and Trinidad. In the morning we are woken by the sound of baby goats bleating as they search for their mothers on the craggy hillside & the swoosssh of wings of the Frigate Birds as they scoop up the fish that swim in the shade of Rhiannon’s Hull. In contrast the splash of the Pelican is loud enough to startle you. Pelican’s are graceful flyers and they glide silently forever above the surface of the water but when they land, it is the most hilarious crash landing imaginable. Occasionally the peace is broken by the sound of an outboard motor as the local fishermen slowly cruise by in their wooden pirogues. We always receive a big wave and Holá as they pass by. There is a small fishing village of about 5 families that live in one of the bays near the entrance to the lagoon. They live a very simple life and seem very happy. They often come by the boats looking for swim masks to help them dive for mangrove oysters. Next time we are in a city we will buy a supply of masks to give them. Maybe trade for some Spanish lessons? Hardly anyone speaks English so we are desperately trying to learn a few words everyday. Meanwhile sign language is usually the most effective means of communication.

I think we will stay here until our food and fresh water runs out. Until next time
Fair Winds
Miriam
10°35.1’ N
64°02.0’ W

Laguna Grande,
Golfo de Cariacou,
Venezuela

Isla de Margarita

2007-10-06T11:33:00.000-04:00

September 3rd
Our permission to stay on Los Testigos for 4 days was over so we headed to Isla de Margarita. It was a calm day and we ended up motor sailing the 50 miles to the anchorage in Bahia de Guaraguao. It is a huge bay surrounded by the city of Porlamar & is home to over one hundred cruising boats. Some cruisers stay here for all of the hurricane season while others (like us) come to visit and restock our ship’s stores.

Porlamar is a duty free port and is a shopaholic’s dream come true. (I really HATE shopping). I have never seen so many big malls and shopping districts in my life. The hardest part about shopping other than the crowds of people is getting used to the local currency. We changed $500.00 and became instant Millionaires. One US dollar is worth 2150 Bolivares at the bank but some businesses will give you a much better exchange rate, as they need the US$ to purchase goods & services outside of their country. Needless to say, everything is very inexpensive compared to the rest of the countries we have visited in the Caribbean. It is a real treat to pay 1500 B’s (about 40 cents) for a beer in a bar or 850 B’s (22 cents) in the grocery store, or 12,000 B’s ($4) for a nice bottle of wine. Taxi’s average about 7000 B’s a ride (less than $2) so we didn’t experience the local bus system here. One day we hired a taxi for 35,000 B’s an hour (about $9) to take us to a half dozen little shops in the different areas of town. We would never have found these places on our own. Needless to say we thought we would save money and get back on budget once we arrived in Venezuela; however it is easy to spend a lot of money here too. On the other hand, we were able to fill our lockers with non perishable food and refreshments, and the fridge was overflowing with fresh produce when we left. Hopefully we will encounter some Gold Star Days soon. (A Gold Star Day is what cruisers refer to as a day you don’t spend any money).
Marina Juan and the Rum Bar each offer a “free” dinghy dock for you to “park” your dinghy while going ashore, however you are expected to Tip the dock boy about 2000 B’s for looking after your dinghy. Marina Juan is also the pick up point for a free bus service 3 times a week to one of the local shopping malls plus he has a Happy Hour every afternoon. It’s a great spot to meet other cruisers. At 1000 B’s for a beer, everyone wants to buy a round. We ran into some old friends and acquaintances and made some new friends as well.

It seems that we always stay longer at places like this than intended, usually due to boat maintenance or repairs. One of our propane tanks ran out and while changing to the other tank, Pat noticed that the fitting on one of the hoses was leaking. This turned into a full 2 days of searching for a replacement. We finally ended up having a shop make a new hose for us. While we were at it, we decided to install a fitting for the Bar-B-Q so that we could run it off our main tanks instead of using those little green disposable propane bottles. This was truly a nice upgrade, one that we had been talking about doing for a long time.

Not all areas we visit are paradise. Porlamar demonstrates the contrast between the rich and the poor of this country. The economy of Venezuela is in question as the gap between the rich and poor widens. Venezuelans from the mainland come here to shop and to holiday while the Barios (shantytowns) get hidden behind concrete walls.

The army comes in and builds and paints walls with doors & windows in them to surround & hide the rubble and shacks that people live in. At first they look like neat little neighbourhoods until you peer through the open doors. It is hard to imagine that people live in such hovels. It’s also hard to get a really good handle on the local politics when you don’t speak the language. One thing is clear, that the people either really love or really hate Presidente Chavez.

Sunday September 16th. It’s time to move on & in the company of Cheers, we head to the Golfo de Cariacou. We first met Bob & Zan on Cheers in New York City September 2005. We were new to the cruising life while, at that time, they had been out for 2 years. It truly is an incredible cruising community. As much as we miss family & friends from our land home, we form new friendships as we go, only to say goodbye & then meet up again in some other foreign port. One of the reasons to go to the Golfo was to catch up with Bev & Ross on Raft, a couple from the Barrie area in Ontario whom we first met in Georgetown in the Bahamas, January 2006. Since then we have crossed wakes many times.
Till next time,
Fair Winds
Miriam
10°57.1 N
63°50.0’W

Tropical Storm Felix

2007-09-05T17:29:00.000-04:00

Islas des Los Testigos

A small portion of Real Beach to the left and the cut between Testigo Pequeno & Testigo Grande.

The swell coming through the cut looked like reversing waves crashing towards us.

As always, our plans are due to change, usually dictated by the weather.
Friday August 31st we slept in and woke up to a weather forecast of potentially nasty weather. It was too late to run to the mainland so the anchorage between Isla Iguana and Isla Cabra looked like our best option.

We left the beach area and got settled for the coming storm. At this time it was just a Tropical Depression but something not to fool around with. We set 2 anchors and sat back to relax & wait. It was really fun watching all the activity as the local boats started to arrive. They have beautiful fishing trawlers that double as their major form of transportation. Some of the boats brought the locals back from their mainland shopping trip while other boats brought people over for the weekend party. They set up tents on the beach and played load Spanish Music. It was fun for awhile. By 3:30 am the first rain squall blew through (no wind) and the shore party continued despite the rain. The second rain shower at 4:30 calmed the party. By 6:30, the next downpour brought the wind. Felix was then officially a Tropical Storm and the centre of Tropical Storm Felix passed 25 miles to the north of us.
With 2 anchors down, the company of 2 other sailboats, 21 fishing trawlers, and over a dozen pirogues, we Comfortably rode out the storm.

Looking West: View of the village before the Storm. Looking East: View after the worst of the storm was over.

By 11 am the worst was over; by 2 pm the sun peaked out and the locals started going about their business setting traps and fishing. The weekend visitors emerged from their tents on the beach and continued their party. Such is life after a storm. Later that afternoon we enjoyed Happy Hour and Dinner with a young couple from Holland on board Tranquillo. Such is cruising life.

We just Love these Boats!

When we last visited our land home, the 2 most common questions were; Did you run into any pirates? & Did you run into any bad storms? So far the pirates are behaving themselves (since the Venezuelan Guardacosta have increased patrols in the high risk areas) and Felix passed us by before turning into a Hurricane. Our luck will continue.

Fair Winds,

Miriam

11°21.4’N
63°07.8’W

P.S. I forgot to mention how really fabulous these little islands are. It's too bad we lost a couple of days of exploring while waiting out Felix. It is another place we would love to return to some day.

Sand dunes on the East coast of Testigo Grande

Intriguing driftwood anchored in the sand

Goodbye Trinidad

2007-09-05T16:51:00.000-04:00

The North Shore of Trinidad

One of the numerous caves in La Vache Bay. There were much biggger ones but our camera battery died. Great dinghy exploration though.

View from the anchorage in Scotland Bay

We have had an interesting time in Trinidad since arriving from Tobago July 30th. As one definition of Cruising is “Boat Maintenance in Exotic Places”, we thought it time to take advantage of all the facilities here. Chaguaramus Bay is a Yachting Haven with over 5 marinas and even more boat yards, numerous chandleries and all kinds of service providers. It is also a commercial working port so there is always lots of activity going on. The anchorage in the bay is the absolute worst we have ever been in. Not only does it suffer from a horrible southwest swell, the water is terribly polluted and is a dark brown colour from the silt of the Orinoco River. The humidity averages around 97% and is unbearable at times. You can’t swim to cool off but the marina we stayed in for a week had a nice little pool. It is also the rainy season, so guess what. It rains every day. Needless to say we have gotten lots of boat chores done, added some improvements such as a 150 watt solar panel, and still managed to have fun.

Rhiannon's New Solar Panel

Jesse James is the local Cruisers Guru. He runs Members Only Maxi Taxi service, does tours on request, has regular runs to the Supermarkets and the Fruit & Vegie Market, helps anyone in need and is a genuinely outgoing friendly guy. While in Chaguaramus we went on a day tour to the Asa Wright Nature Centre, saw tons of birds and a snake in the rainforest before getting drowned by a torrential rainfall. That afternoon was a boat tour of the Caroni Swamp to see the Scarlet Ibis, a beautiful gorgeous red bird.

It is also very easy traveling around by Maxi Taxi, the local public transport system. Port of Spain is the Capital City of Trinidad with more than a million people. It made for very intriguing exploring one Saturday Morning.

The Lighthouse in Port of Spain

painted to resemble the Trinidadian Flag

Monday August 27th marked our 2 year anniversary. That was the day Rhiannon, Pat & I sailed away from the Rothesay Yacht Club. WOW! It’s really hard to believe sometimes. I still wake up thinking it is all a dream. Needless to say we celebrated by going out to the Lighthouse Restaurant at Crews Inn for a nice seafood dinner. To celebrate our last evening in Trinidad (Tuesday August 28) we took Jesse’s bus to Port Of Spain to the Movie Town Complex, complete with 9 cinemas. It was probably the nicest Cinema we have ever been in. We were able to sit back in reclining chairs with more leg room than at home, and enjoy The Bourne Ultimatum. What a good action packed film that was.

Wednesday August 29th. We cleared out with Immigration & Customs Wednesday afternoon and by 4:30 pm we were waving goodbye to Chaguaramus. The forecast was for light winds and calm seas. We motored for about 2 hours then the wind picked up and were then able to sail all the way to Ilas de Los Testigos, 108 nautical miles in 20 hours. The only down side was the fear of Pirates off the North coast of the Peninsula de Paria, Venezuela. To avoid these guys, you leave the Bocas in Trinidad and set your course heading North, so they think you are going to Trinidad. We sailed north to 11° , about 20 miles off the coast and then altered course to 270°, West with an East Wind. Now Rhiannon does not sail the best directly downwind, and since it was blowing 18 knots plus, we ran all night under a reefed main. The genny would have helped cut the roll a little but we furled it in as you don’t want to run the risk of being overpowered at night with a short handed crew (2). During the night we were able to alter course, thanks to the Radar, to avoid a big squall, and enjoyed the company of an almost full moon. By 12:30 pm, Thursday August 30th, we were anchored off a little village on Isla Iguana. We Made it to South America! (Although not the mainland yet) Isla Iguana is one of the small islands that make up Los Testigos, a group of small offshore islands with about 160 inhabitants. There is no customs here, no one speaks English & we don’t speak Spanish, but the Guardacosta gave us permission to stay for 4 days. Yeh!!!. 4 days of playing on sandy beaches and snorkeling. We haven’t done that for a while.

Fair Winds,

Miriam
11°21.4’ N
063°07.8’ W

Hurricane Dean

2007-08-19T23:11:00.000-04:00

Hi From Trinidad
It is bright and sunny, almost no wind and we are in a slip at Coral Cove Marina, Chaguaramas, Trinidad. All the worrying about Hurricane Dean is over until the next tropical wave/depression arrives, which happens to be at approx. 19 deg N, 38 deg W. This will have an impact on us probably next Thursday/Friday, if we are still here, which I hope we ain’t. We firmly believe that the best “Hurricane Preparation Plan” is to be somewhere else! So, Venezuela looks good, hopefully heading in that direction in the next day or two.
Some models of Hurricane Dean’s position on last Tuesday had Trinidad & Tobago in it’s direct path. This would have been the first Hurricane to hit here in 120 years. We were in the midst of some boat work, and we did not have time to escape to a “hurricane hole”, plus we were convinced that it would veer north. Not only us, but about 350 other boats in the various marina’s and anchorages in Chaguaramas would have taken a serious hit, probably one that would have destroyed everything. As it was, Dean did veer north and passed between Martinique and St. Lucia, leaving a path of destruction. Unfortunately later today, Sunday 20th, the eye of Dean will be 30 miles off Jamaica then Cancun, Mexico as a Catagorie 4/5 Hurricane. The destruction will be massive and we hope the people have taken the time to seek refuge.
Cruisers who have spent some time here in Chaguaramas warned everyone on the Wed. and Thurs morning “Cruiser’s Net” (VHF radio broadcast @ 8am) of the exposure to the Southeast in the anchorage and some of the marinas. A lot of boats left for refuge elsewhere only to be replaced by boats arriving from Grenada and other places north escaping the storm. The place was packed! There is very little room to anchor here, most of the space taken by moorings which are spaced way too close together. We appraised our situation and decided to stay at the dock.
The ocean swell of Dean was felt here about 8 hours after it passed our longitude. In Coral Cove Marina there are strong concrete docks which don’t move when big waves hit it. But that doesn’t mean that the boats tied up to it don’t move.
First thing after morning coffee was to visit Budget Marine and buy 120 more feet of nylon rode to prepare Rhiannon for the predicted swell. We always felt fairly confident in our “ground tackle” and assumed that we would ride out situations like this on our anchors. We are never in a marina, never tied to a dock and only have dock lines that keep is tied in minimum forces. Not for what we were expecting this day.
Within 30 minutes of adding the extra lines, she started to roll. There were boats on moorings that were breaking loose and piling into other boats, boats on anchor were dragging onto their neighbor and big waves were bashing into boats in the marinas.
Rhiannon was rolling from side to side, (with me watching from the stable concrete dock), but not as bad as our neighbor boats which were closer to the wall of the marina and getting the back wave after it hit the marina wall. The swell lasted about 3 hours and it was awful! Masts banging other masts in fact two hit about 10 or 11 times. Our rig hit the shroud running between the main mast and the mizzen mast of a 54’ ketch beside us only once but broke our wind instrument.
About 200 yards away more openly exposed to the waves a few boats in the marina were litterly picked up and smashed onto the marina wall! The local boat businesses went all out running down with huge fenders, lines and people to help out. All this and not a breath of wind, it was amazing! You might check out www.guardian.co.tt then go to archives for August 18th , which is at the end of the list. This is the local newspaper and the cover page has photos of what was happening. We were too busy to take any pictures ourselves.
Our boat projects are complete now, installed one 150 watt solar panel, added more insulation to the fridge and re-worked the propane locker and we are setting sail to Venezuela, minus our wind machine, where we hope that we will never have to experience what we went through here in Chaguaramas, or the potential disaster that it could have been. First Rule in Hurricane Preparation, Be Where It Ain’t!
See Ya, Fair Winds and Seas
Pat & Miriam
S/V Rhiannon3

Carriacou to Tobago

2007-07-23T11:51:00.000-04:00

Thursday July 5,2007
Tyrrel Bay is on the Island of Carriacou, which is part of the country of Grenada. It is a very large but pleasant anchorage with a mangrove swamp in one corner of the bay. The mangroves become a popular spot to “hang out” in case of an impending storm. Fortunately, we do not have to make use of the protection of the mangroves. The anchorage was very crowded when we arrived on Thursday but a lot of boats left Friday morning for the south shore of Grenada. We decided to stay and with more room in the anchorage, let out a lot more scope on the anchor. Saturday morning was very calm and the morning forecast called for the rains and wind to start around 3 pm and expected to last till about midnight. Pat & I took a bus into Hillsborough, to the only Gas Station on the island, to fill up our jerry cans with Diesel (total of 7 gals). One of the drawbacks in a lot of the islands is the lack of “convenient” facilities. There are no wharfs to pull up to to refill fuel and water tanks; so jerry jugs are an essential piece of boat equipment. We bought some fresh fruit & veggies but were anxious to get back to the boat.
Saturday afternoon had a very eerie feeling as everyone was hunkered down on their boats. Waiting. Nobody stirred. Then around 4 pm, the sun came out and all of a sudden dinghies & people started moving about everywhere. It was really weird. The storm missed us!! I will not complain. Apparently Grenada, 20 miles to the south got a lot of wind and rain. Go figure. The unpredictable power of nature will always amaze me and always warrant respect.
We had a nice surprise Sunday morning when we heard about a boat launch that was to happen that afternoon in the village of Windward. We shared a “taxi”, as the buses don’t run on Sundays, with a couple from Toronto, and enjoyed the half hour drive to the north part of the island. Carriacou has a history of boat building and the Carriacou Sloop has a very good reputation. Several Carriacou Sloops participated in the Antiqua Classic Yacht Regatta last April. They are very fast, sturdy wooden boats with an aesthetic beauty all their own.
So what is a boat launch? Well, the boats are built on the beach and when complete, the whole town and all the surrounding villages show up to participate in the launch. The women and children are singing and chanting while the men prepare. Logs and giant timbers are stratigically placed under the keel, a giant rope is wrapped around the hull & gunnels and the supports from the hull are removed. There is lots of yelling, singing and general merrymaking as the hull is eased down the beach on top of the logs; one at a time a log is moved from the stern as it emerges & placed under the bow of the advancing hull. Really fascinating to watch. We stood in the water to observe and take pictures. But as all things related to boating, it did not go smoothly. At one point, the boat slid forward too quickly. After lots of yelling and lots of suggestions from the men, the situation was remedied and with the assistance of a big power boat and several pulleys, she was dragged through the shallow water on her side and eventually floated upright on her belly. It was so exciting to watch such a traditional event. It will be hard to top this one.

July 12th comes to quickly and we are moving on with our goal to make Tobago still in the forefront of our plans. We head back north, clear out of customs at Hillsborough and beat our way to the island of Petite Martinique. There is a lot of current and strong wind against us. Our knot log shows we did 13.7 nautical miles to cover the 7 nm route. But that is what sailing is all about, taking the easy sails along with the challenging ones. We ended up anchoring off the beach at Petite St.Vincent (PSV) as it looked calmer than the anchorage at Petite Martinique. PSV is a privately owned island that has an exclusive resort on it and is only accessible by water. It only costs $500.00 US a night to stay there but certainly offers seclusion and rest and relaxation. Friday morning we dinghied across the channel to Petite Martinique to have a look around. It is a very quaint fishing/boat building village with friendly people & a population of about 1000.
2:40 pm We drop anchor to start off on another leg of our voyage. The wind is predicted to be NE and we seem to have a decent weather window for a night passage. Well the weather co-operated, we did not hit any squalls, but the wind stayed out of the East. Due to the NW set of the Equatorial Current, our speed over ground averaged about 4.6 knots even though it felt like Rhiannon was flying through the water at 7 knots. It was a long hard slog to windward to cover the 90 miles to Tobago (not to be confused with the Tobago Cays). Despite the wind and the current, we made it all the way on one tack to end up less than a quarter of a mile to the west of the entrance to Man of War Bay. Several short tacks bring us into the bay. By 1 pm, we’re anchored off a lovely sand beach in Pirates Cove in Man of War Bay surrounded by steep lush hills and coral reefs.

The trees are constantly alive with the sound

of birds. The fishermen cruise by in their

pirogues on a regular basis.

Was it worth the long hard SLOG?

Most definitely!
Till next time.
Fair Winds,
Miriam
11° 19.7’ N
60° 33.1’W

St. Vincent & the Grenadines

2007-07-23T11:39:00.000-04:00

Friday June 29, 2007
Last year we visited Wallilabou on St. Vincent. This was the harbour where parts of Pirates of the Caribbean 1 & 2 were filmed. The “boat boys” were very aggressive & unrelenting therefore we did not have a pleasant stay. There have been problems with thefts and violence against cruisers & “tourists” so decided to bypass the island this year.

The Grenadines are a group of islands that are part of the country of St. Vincent. Our destination this morning was the island of Bequia, pronounced Beck-way. As usual, we had a romping sail across the passage between St. Lucia & St Vincent, at times reaching 8.4 knots (with a little boost from the current). By 5:15 pm we were anchored in Admiralty Bay on Bequia. Port Elizabeth is a quaint but bustling little town and is very welcoming to cruisers (and no boat boys!!). The waterfront is attractive with stone walkways and flower gardens, dotted with lots of restaurants, bars, little shops and a new dinghy dock. Names like The Frangipani, Gingerbread, & Solana’s help paint the picture.

Saturday morning we went into Port Elizabeth to clear Customs & Immigration and also to pay a visit to the market for fresh veggies and fruit. The market is run by Rastafarians and they can sometimes be very aggressive in their marketing techniques. When we were here last year, I was not happy with the reception we got at the market as every vendor demanded that you buy something from them. This year it was a very pleasant experience.

Cruising involves the endless boat chores and maintenance as well as sightseeing and lazy days. The vinyl windows in our dodger had deteriorated so badly by UV damage that it was impossible to see through them, and since the stitching was also coming apart (threads rotted by the sun) we thought we might as well replace the vinyl rather than spend the time restitching it. We found Alick’s Sail Repair and Canvas Shop. Alick was too busy to do the repair for us but he was kind enough to sell me the material to do the job myself. Now I am a capable sewer and the little machine I have on board handles the heavy material fairly well but will not take the heavy duty thread required for a proper application. Therefore when I sew something for the boat, I end up double stitching everything, which means double the time necessary to complete the project. So after the better of 2 days, our dodger now has crystal clear windows. What a pleasure to look through! It was well worth the time.

Monday July 2nd
It was getting too late in the day to pick our way through the countless reefs surrounding our destination of the Tobago Cays so we stopped in Charlestown Bay, on the island of Canouan. It is essential to have good overhead light when sailing in reef strewn waters. Between the hours of 11am and 3pm seem to work best for us.

Tuesday morning we arrived in the Tobago Cays, often referred to the Bahamas of the Caribbean. We anchored in 10 feet of crystal clear turquoise water nestled among 3 little islands that are protected from the ocean by a treacherous reef that stretches for miles.
The Tobago Cays are a protected marine park and offer beautiful scenery, excellent snorkeling and of course a chance to play Bocce Ball on the beach. Unfortunately all good things seem to be cut short by the weather. (It’s hurricane season so we are particularly watchful) Weather systems referred to as WAVES cross the Atlantic Ocean after originating in Africa. Each wave has the potential to turn into a Tropical Storm &/or Hurricane. We keep a close watch on the wave at 48° W as it may combine with a Low Pressure system at 9.5°N 38° W and turn into a Tropical Depression. Time to change plans! We had wanted to go from here and explore the islands of Mayreau and Union Island (all part of the Grenadines) and then leave for Tobago &Trinidad (do not confuse Tobago with the Tobago Cays), instead we head to Carriacou, Grenada on Thursday July 5th. I guess we’ll have to come back next year.
Miriam

St. Lucia

2007-07-11T17:23:00.000-04:00

We left Grande Anse d’Arlet, Martinique the morning of Friday June 23rd to cross the Martinique St. Lucia Channel, a distance of about 25 nautical miles. The forecast was calling for 20-25 knot winds and you can usually add 5 knots to the forecast, especially if the wind is forward of the beam; so we put a second reef in the main. Along with a reefed genny, we enjoyed a brisk but comfortable sail in 18-22 knot winds with gusts to 25. This was the first time that we could remember putting a second reef in the main. I think we may do it more often and run with a fuller genny. The main really helps steady the boat when the wind is aft of the beam. Each boat sails differently and it’s fun to experiment with different sail combinations. Rhiannon likes to sail on her feet and Miriam sure prefers a 10 degree heel over 15 degrees.

We arrived in Rodney Bay, St. Lucia shortly after lunch. It’s a great big bay bordered by a pleasant sandy beach and several resorts. You can enter a narrow channel into a protected lagoon which also houses the Rodney Bay Marina. There were a lot of boats traveling together in the same direction with similar time tables, so it made for a more active cruising community than when we were here last year. We enjoyed many Happy Hours at the Scuttlebutts Bar & Grill where it is 2 for 1 beer between 6 & 7 pm. It’s a great way to meet people. Scuttlebutts also offers free Wi-Fi so an even better reason to enjoy cheap beer and internet access.
While in Rodney Bay we enjoyed a hike up to the top of the signal station of Fort Rodney and a pleasant stroll through the ruins of the fort. You could see Martinique very clearly across the channel. We also took the bus into the main city of Castries to get our alternator fixed (it needed a new rotor) as well as have a little tour around.
From Rodney Bay we sailed south to the Pitons on Wednesday June 27th. We had stopped here overnight last year but did not get off the boat. This visit was spent snorkeling, exploring the coast by dingy, visiting the Bat Caves, and a short walk around the town of Soufriere. It was interesting snorkeling around the base of the Petit Piton as the coral was in terrible condition, it was really struggling to stay alive, but the fish were incredible. We hadn’t seen that many different varieties in a long time. Our new friends Chris & Natalie are Marine Biologists and they are searching for an area where they can do some research for their Masters Degrees. They felt the fish count was very low, especially compared to the British Virgin Islands, where they call home.
We had met Chris & Natalie in Portsmouth, Dominica and had given them an old Canadian Flag (as they couldn’t find any place to buy one) so it was fun to run into them again. One morning, they hired a guide and climbed to the top of the Petit Piton, a height of 743 meters (2460 feet) which was almost straight up. We considered joining them but thought our poor knees would not be able to make the descent. Besides we did not want to slow them down, considering they are about 25 years younger than us. After the hike they said it was more challenging than they had expected. Needless to say we were glad we made the decision not to go with them. (Although it would have been nice to say we had climbed another volcano). The Gross Piton is 777 meters tall and has a gentler trail, but apparently is too wooded to afford any nice views once you get to the top.

Petit Piton in the foreground; Gross Piton behind

12°50.0 N
62°04.0 W

It was time to move on and Friday June 29th we crossed the St. Lucia St. Vincent Channel.

Martinique

2007-07-10T23:46:00.001-04:00

This is “Meggie” a Bermuda 30 with Mike & Kylie from Thornbury Ontario onboard as we leave the tip of Dominica and head out into the channel between Dominica and Martinique. We met Meggie’s previous owners last year. Dave & Kim from Toronto are now sailing on Amanzi. It truly is an amazing Cruising Community.

We are now in the Windward Islands!
Bonjour Martinique!
We arrived in another French Island on Monday June 18th after one more incredible sail. (Have I mentioned before how much we love the Sailing). I really wish I was bilingual!! These French Islands are astonishing. Not only are they beautiful and full of European Flare, if you attempt to speak any French at all, the people go out of their way to try and assist you in whatever it is you desire or need (like having the alternator for the engine bench tested). If only I had continued with French lessons when our kids started French Immersion in Elementary School. Throughout the Caribbean, in the English speaking islands, the locals speak a Creole French as well as English but on the French Islands they speak Creole and regular French. Very little English here.

Our first stop is St. Pierre, which was once a thriving port city known as the Paris of the Caribbean. It was destroyed in 1902 by the eruption of the volcano Mt. Pelee and took 22,000 lives with it. An amazing museum has incredible pictures of the pre-eruption days & the aftermath.

I mentioned in another blog entry that I have a fetish for Waterfalls. Well my number 2 fetish is Forts. Every island we visit has at least 2 forts and we like to visit as many as we can. Not only do they command the most dramatic views, as they are perched on the top of cliffs and highlands, but the history is amazing. The French and British fought over the islands in the Eastern Caribbean for decades, not to mention the Dutch and the Spanish influence. So much history!

The next day we sailed down the coast to Baie du Fort-de-France and anchored in Trois Ilets, (3 islands). From Trois Ilets we were able to take a ferry across the bay to the city of Fort-de-France. The French influence here is incredible. We had a great walking tour and a nice lunch.

Side street in Fort-de-France

Thursday afternoon we moved Rhiannon to Grand Anse d’Arlet, which is a big bay surrounded by a beautiful beach. It is a good staging ground to leave in the morning for St. Lucia.

Dominica

2007-07-10T21:11:00.000-04:00

June 11th we sailed from Pointe-a-Pitre to Iles des Saintes, a group of tiny islands south of Guadeloupe. We had visited the quaint town of Bourg des Saintes last year on the main island of Terre d’en Haut, and since we were just looking for an anchorage for the night, we anchored in Marigot Bay just east of the main town. We were the only visiting boat there. It was very quiet

as well as very pretty.

Tuesday June 12th. Another great sail across the passage to Dominica. You just have to love these open water passages. We arrived in Portsmouth, in the northwest portion of Dominica, to be greeted by a “Boat Boy” (or boat helper as I prefer to call them) named Albert. In some of the islands especially Dominica, St. Vincent and St. Lucia, local men try to make a living by offering services to visiting yachts. They come out in their little wooden boats to your boat and offer to bring you water, gas, take your garbage, sell you fruit, veggies, trinkets, be a water taxi etc. You name it. Sometimes they can be very aggressive and down right annoying but Dominica & St Lucia have tried to organize the boat helpers and they have taken courses in tourism & guiding etc. This has made a great difference. We did not feel as hasseled as we did last year when we had a dozen guys hounding you for the same thing. It has been much more pleasant this year than last season.

Albert was also a certified Indian River Tour Guide. He worked with the film crews while they were making Pirates of the Caribbean 2 & 3. The scenes where “the pirates” travel up a swamp to visit the Witch were filmed on the Indian River. Albert’s role was to row his boat up the river carrying guns and people. He even met Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom. Lucky him. The Indian River meanders it’s way through a large swamp and makes for an interesting trek. They do not allow any motors on the river, therefore you have to hire a guide to row you there. (helps the local economy as well). It pays to visit these areas in the off season when it isn’t very busy; we had the river to ourselves for the majority of the trip.

We rented a car for a day for a self guided tour of 2/3rds of the island. Amazing mountains, banana & coconut plantations, rain forests and of course Waterfalls.

This is the Emerald Pool, the reward of a fresh water swim after a short hike through a shaded rain forest.

A typical plantation.

Coconut Palms reach high in the sky.

Banana Trees proliferate lower to the ground.

One Banana Tree produces one bunch of Bananas.

We also saw several other areas where the Pirates were shot. A lot of people back home ask the question “where did you like the best’? That question will probably never be answered. These islands are all so incredibly beautiful. Outstanding, breath taking, every adjective imaginable. I never get tired of the scenery.

On Monday, June 17th, we sailed down the coast to the city of Roseau hoping to take a tour of the southern part of the island from there, however weather dictates our agenda and we decided to continue south. Tuesday morning we headed out across the passage between Dominica and Martinique.

another late posting

2007-06-25T18:18:00.000-04:00

After a really nice 2 week vacation to our land home in Quispamsis, we arrived back in Antigua May 31st. On June 2nd we sailed to Guadeloupe, a 50 mile day which entailed a boisterous 40 mile close reach across the open passage between the two islands. It was probably the wettest sail we have ever had, with steep waves and a short chop, but as Pat says what he enjoys most about cruising is the SAILING. I will have to agree.

Guadeloupe is often referred to as being the shape of a butterfly, with Grande Terre and Basse Terre separated by the Riviere Salee. On June 4th we entered the Riviere Salee, which in reality is a 5 mile passageway or channel through a mangrove swamp. The mangroves made for really neat dinghy exploration while waiting for the bridges to open the next morning. There are 2 bridges that we needed to pass through but they only open once a day; the first one at 4:30 in the morning and the 2nd one opens at 5 am. However there are mooring balls by the bridge where you can spend the night waiting.

We anchored near the main city of Pointe-a-Pitre and had an incredible tour of the islands. One day we dug out our bicycles and toured a major portion of the city. It was a great place to bike.

We then rented a car for 2 days. The first day was spent circumnavigating Grande Terre. It is mostly what they refer to as a chalk plateau, lower & drier than Basse Terre. We drove through sugar cane fields, past beaches and hiked along some incredible cliffs looking out across the Atlantic Ocean.

A midday self guided tour through the Damoiseau Rum Factory, which sits in the middle of a beautiful plantation, was very interesting.

The next day we were blessed with an unbelievably clear day. Most days you are unable to see the tops of the mountains on any of the islands in the Caribbean, as they are covered in clouds, but this day was a rarity and we took full advantage of it. After driving over the bridge to Basse Terre it was like immediately entering a different world. The lusciousness of vegetation was strikingly different from Grande Terre. Unfortunately, there is never enough time to “see it all” so we chose to spend our day hiking. The term in French is “Randonee”. The first hike was to Les Chutes du Carbet. The Carbet consists of 3 levels that cascade down the hillside from the Soufriere for 10 km. The first falls is 125 meters, the second is 110 meters and the third is 20 meters high. They have developed a beautifully groomed walking trail to the second falls, which takes about an hour to do the return trip. The hikes to the other falls are more rigorous and require a lot more time. We chose to do the 2nd falls mainly due to lack of time. It was GORGEOUS! (but then I have a little fetish about waterfalls). From the base of the falls, we climbed along the river bed to a little shady spot away from the main “tourist” trail and had a little lunch. Another magical moment of our trip.

To top the day off, we drove to the southern tip of the island, dipped our feet in the ocean at a black sand beach and then climbed to the Summit of the Soufriere (an active volcano), a 2 hour hike one way. The Eastern Caribbean chain was created by volcanic activity many years ago, but the Soufriere in Guadeloupe is the tallest of them all, at a height of 1467 meters. Needless to say, the randonee was breathtaking. The trail started through the rainforest and eventually went through about 5 different types of vegetation zones. Near the summit, we were virtually rock climbing to reach the top. It was a fabulous feeling to know that these old bodies could still perform. As I mentioned earlier, it was an incredibly clear day, which also meant it was extremely hot at well, so the heat and the elevation slowed us down a little. By the time we reached the top, the batteries in the camera were getting low, so did not get as many pictures as we would have liked, but took a ton anyways. I would also like to mention that the trail was very rugged and not at all groomed like the nice new trail to les Chutes du Carbet. It was 6:30 pm before returning to the beginning of the trail where we were rewarded with a swim in a great little fresh water pool.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and it was time to move on. Our cruising life is strongly dictated by the weather and since it is hurricane season we need to head south. On June 12th we sailed to Dominica (pronounced Dom-e-neeka) and that will be another chapter.
Fair Winds,

Miriam & Pat

June 10, 2007

2007-06-16T17:19:00.000-04:00

Hello from Guadeloupe. This is the 2nd cascade level of the Carbet Waterfalls. There are 3 levels to this falls. It was a beautiful hike through the rainforest to get to the bottom of the falls. To reach the upper level is a 3 hour hike one way, so maybe next visit.

I will try to post more pictures and text next internet stop.

2007-05-15T07:36:00.000-04:00

Where would I rather be right now. At the moment we are sitting in JFK Airport waiting for a connecting flight to Portland Maine. We are on
our way for a 2 week visit to our land home in
New Brunswick. Our son Darryl is graduating from Mechanical Engineering at the University of New Brunwick. A great reason to be celebrating.
It will be a great opportunity to visit with family and friends before returning to Antigua. Once we rejoin Rhiannon, we will be heading south through the Islands so will try to keep you posted.
This photo was taken in March, in Antigua and Rhiannon is the boat beside Pat's elbow.
Take care,
Miriam

Late posting

2007-05-15T07:22:00.000-04:00

Thursday April 19th
It’s a great morning for the 15 mile sail from Jolly Harbour to Falmouth Harbour. We are on our way to join our friends on Memory for the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta. The festivities start today with 4 days of racing starting tomorrow. Rick was a little anxious that we weren’t going to make it but HEY we are good at making deadlines. Something I thought we were going to leave behind with our work life. Oh well. Life is about commitments no matter what situations you find yourself in. This was a commitment we have been looking forward to since last Labour Day. We first met Rick & Carey in Georgetown in the Bahamas, February 2006. Rick & Carey own a summer cottage in Burnt Coat Harbor, on Swan Island in Maine. We had visited this harbour a couple of times on our summer vacations so when we met we immediately had something in common. Rick had wanted to enter Memory, a Block Island 40’ Yawl, in the Classic Regatta so when we visited them on Swan Island last September the plan was set. We agreed to meet them in Antigua to crew for them.
Today, along with PJ & Tom from Conch’d Out, we are excited about tomorrow. Unfortunately there was no time for PRACTICE/ not only were we late arriving in Falmouth, but Memory’s engine was in a state of “not working” despite the local mechanic’s valiant efforts to get her running.
Tonight we find ourselves at the Mount Gay Rum Party... You buy 3 rum drinks and get a free hat. Guess what? I don’t drink rum but Pat got a hat anyways.

8:30 am Friday morning we find ourselves being towed out to the middle of the harbour by Hutch and Linda in their dinghy. Hey we feel like the America’s Cup boats, they don’t have engines either. Now it’s time for a shakedown sail before a 10:15 start. We blew the start this morning but all we cared about was having FUN. Not only fun, but it was pretty incredible to be out there amongst some of the most beautiful sailing yachts in the world. We really felt it was a privilege to participate in one of the most prestigious yachting events around.

Day 4; Monday morning, April 23rd we find ourselves tired and wondering what are we doing out here. 3 days of racing a 20 mile course each day in light winds and 4 -6 foot waves leave us disillusioned when the forecast is for less than 10 knots of wind. Well never believe a forecast. We HAD AN INCREDIBLE DAY. Wind was 12 – 15 knots with 1-2’ seas. We really came together as a crew and were only 8 seconds after the gun to cross the start line. We really pulled it together and felt we were finally competitive. We couldn’t catch Eddie on Moonshadow, a 40’ Hinckley but were able to stay ahead of Lazy Leg, both local racing boats. I must mention that the 6 of us on board Memory are diehard cruisers not racers but as they say, practice makes perfect and by Monday we all had learned how to make Memory go faster. And we still had fun!

There were a total of 60 boats divided into various classes. We were in the GRP class with 7 other boats. Check out www.photoaction.com for some awesome pictures. Follow the link to Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta 2007, look under boat name Memory, and you’ll see us. Also look under the heading of BEST and you will see a shot that is pretty awesome. Memory looks like she will T-bone Heron, but we’re not really that close. Incredible photography by this guy Tim who goes out there in his inflatable dinghy to take photos... Awesome! Also check out Belle Aventure. She won the Concours d’Elegance award and she certainly was number 1 in my books.
The overall winner was Galatea, a 66’ Yawl, she was first over the line each day, first in class and the oldest boat participating. Built in 1898 & refit in 2003, she was beautiful & sleek and it’s important to mention that her skipper and crew were very friendly, down to earth, average people. (like us)

Now that the parties are over for the Classic Regatta, the heat pumps up as Antigua gets ready for the Antigua Sailing Week. There are 204 boats registered for 6 days of racing. This is serious racing, not the Gentlemen’s race of the Classics and it is also serious party mode with competition between Mount Gay Rum of Barbados and English Harbour Rum of Antigua. Pat & I were still recovering from our Bermuda trip so did not party as much as a lot of our new friends but we still managed to put in a decent effort. Free rum goes over well with everyone except me. No matter how hard I try, I do not like the taste of rum, so no worries for a designated driver here.

Racing started Sunday April 29th, with the Racing class going one way around the island to Dickenson Bay while the Cruising Class goes the other way. We missed the start
but then we were trying to get ready to leave Falmouth. It is time for some R&R on our own boat. Rhiannon was starting to feel neglected and was complaining that it was time for a change of scenery.

Monday April 30th we cover the 50.2 miles to Barbuda in 8.5 hours. I love sailing in these waters. A beam reach or close reach in 12 -18 knot winds is the order of the day. There’s nothing more enjoyable than that… Barbuda is an island North of Antigua and is considered part of Antigua but it is very very different from any of the other islands in the Eastern Caribbean. She is 14 miles long by 8 miles wide and is very flat, almost featureless and very dry. In comparison, the other islands are very mountainous with rugged coastlines. We visited the west coast which has 11 miles of uninterrupted beach. Nothing but gorgeous white and pink sand. I’ve never seen pink sand before. It is unique. Needless to say we basically did absolutely nothing but relax for 4 days, enjoy the snorkeling, swimming and Bocce Ball on the beach. On the other side of the sand dunes is a mile wide lagoon. On the opposite side of the lagoon is the town of Codrington, which houses the majority of the residents of Barbuda. Wednesday we took a water taxi across the lagoon and needless to say found a very sleepy little town. This is the most laid back place we have visited in a very long time. This area is one of the best kept secrets of the Caribbean and I hope the residents will continue to keep it that way. On the 11 miles of beach, there were 9 boats anchored on one night, but averaged 5 boats a night. Talk about solitude. This is a real paradise, only 1600 people live on the island (which is considered part of Antigua) and they do not allow very much development, so no fancy resorts or marinas to spoil the view. Truly an exception in the Caribbean!

Friday May 4th it is time to be moving on. We have other islands to explore while heading south. There is the endless concern that hurricane season is coming and we need to be out of the hurricane “box” by July 1st. So Friday afternoon we are back in Jolly Harbour. It is beginning to feel like home, but it is a great spot to reprovision and prepare for our next journey.
Fair Winds.
Miriam

Still in Antigua

2007-05-13T13:21:00.001-04:00

April 10

2007-05-07T14:32:00.000-04:00

This is a copy of an email I sent to some family & friends via Satellite phone while sailing Magique.

It is now Tues April 10th at 1330 hrs. Latitude 27°37 N Longitude 64°06 W Course 180° with light winds right on the nose. Needless to say we are motor sailing.
We left Bermuda, Lat 32° Long 64°48, Sunday April 8 @ 3 pm under cloudy skies, 18 knots of WSW wind and seas 8 to 10 feet. Not bad considering she blew gale force Sat. night.
We had excellent sailing conditions Sunday night, all day Monday & covered 154 nautical miles in 24 hr. Unfortunately, early this morning, the wind turned due South and under 15 knots. On came the engine and she has been purring away at 5.8 k ever since. There is a gentle ocean swell, lots of sunshine and that is all. Pat & Brian are trying their hand at fishing. Hope to have fish for dinner!!!
The weather is supposed to stay like this till Thurs. although the wind is supposed to swing WSW again. Here’s hoping.
Take care everyone,
Miriam

April 2nd -17th

2007-04-26T01:26:00.000-04:00

Monday April 2nd
It’s 9 am and we find ourselves at the airport in Antigua. After numerous security checks we are finally in the air flying to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Just as we are approaching Puerto Rico, I realize that we spent our anniversary in P.R. last year. That’s a co-incidence because this year we thought it would be fun to fly to New York City for our anniversary. Happy 30th Anniversary, Pat & Miriam.
In reality, Monday offered the most direct flights to Bermuda, our final destination, even though we had to overnight in New York City. It’s hard to believe, but there are no flights from anywhere in the Caribbean to Bermuda. While in the airport in San Juan, we bought some Champagne at the Duty Free Shop which we enjoyed later that evening in our hotel room.
1:30 pm Tuesday we arrived in Bermuda to be greeted with open arms by Brian & Paula. We are here to help them sail Magique, a 44’ C&C, to the Caribbean. It will be leg 2 of a trip that started October 31, 2006. Magique ran into problems last November on her way to Bermuda, but is now repaired and anxious to continue her voyage. After last minute preparations we were ready to leave on Thursday April 5th however the weather guru Herb says “Don’t Go Today” it may be Monday before the various Low Pressure Systems & Fronts settle down. Now is the waiting game, which Pat & I have played too many times to count, waiting for the right “weather window” to venture out. Then Sunday April 8th it’s a go. By 3 pm we round the outer buoy at the north end of Bermuda and have nothing but 900 miles of ocean before us. For Pat, it is the continuation of a journey he started last year; for me, it is the opportunity to sail offshore and gain the valuable experience that only offshore sailing can bring.

Magique carried us safely all the way to Antigua. We arrived in Jolly Harbour on Tuesday April 17th. It felt really good to be back home on Rhiannon.
Pat wants to write about the voyage, a sequel to his first Magique Story. Unfortunately, the story is a flop at the box office, no storms or scary rescues, but stay tuned anyways.
Fair Winds,
Miriam

I'm a little late posting this entry

2007-04-26T00:31:00.000-04:00

Falmouth Harbour, Antigua, West Indies
Wednesday March 21st.
Happy Birthday to our daughter Erin.
Farewell to the Rum & Sun Tour, aka visit from Steve, Gerry & Sean.
Our company is gone, we’ve had a great reunion with Rick & Carey on board Memory, played lots of Bocce Ball on Pidgeon Beach and received updates on other cruising friends from Bev & Ross on board Raft. Now it’s time for a few days of relaxation and a change of scenery.
Sunday March 25th we enjoyed a nice lazy 15 mile downwind sail to Jolly Harbour.
Tuesday we revisited Deep Bay, where we had been previously with the Rum & Sun Tour.
Wednesday morning brought more sunshine and a beautiful beam reach while heading north along the west coast of Antigua, then we turned east into the Boon Channel and the wind was dead on the nose. We were forced to motor sail the 5 miles into 17-20 knots of wind before we could turn south and work our way around the reefs into Parham Sound. By lunch time, we were anchored between Red Head Island and Rabbit Island. All I can say is WOW! FANTASTIC! ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKING! A panoramic view of rugged islands in all directions, Antigua to the west, and the Altantic Ocean to the East.
After settling in, we dinghied to Hells Gate, a very interesting island with rock formations that look like a bridge that goes over a small channel that runs through the middle of the rock. There was no place to land, so we anchored the dingy in a patch of sand and swam to shore. It was really neat. It reminded us of the Baths in Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands. We climbed over rocks and through caves up to the top of the island and walked across the “bridge” of Hells Gate. Definitely a highlight of the day. This area is a must see on my list of “To Do’s” We accomplished our goal of relaxing with the only regret that we had to leave so soon (due to other commitments). I could have used a full week there to swim, snorkel the numerous reefs, and explore the other islands. It is the only place we’ve been in the Caribbean where we were the only boat. We haven’t experienced that since leaving the Bahamas.
Thursday March 29th
Happy Birthday to our son Darryl.
Before we knew it, Saturday snuck up on us and we’re off again, with good visibility to help pick our way back through the reefs. It is so much easier the second time. Saturday afternoon, we dropped the hook in the outer anchorage at Jolly Harbour (Jolly Harbour is starting to feel like home base). Sunday morning, April 1st, we moved Rhiannon into the dock at the Marina to prepare for our next adventure.
Fair Winds,
Miriam

Still in Antigua

2007-03-18T22:17:00.000-04:00

Latitude 17°00.98’N
Longitude 061°46.39’W

We are having a blast!!!
Our friends Syd & Liz joined us March 2nd for a week. We were in Jolly Harbour, Antigua when they arrived. It was really windy the whole week but not a drop of rain. There was lots of time for swimming, snorkeling and enjoying the scenery and time for a little excitement as well. While sailing from Jolly Harbour to Falmouth Harbour on March 4th, the fitting at the foot of the Genny disintegrated and the head sail blew out of the furling track. Our first instinct was that the forestay had let go and we were all looking to see if the mast was next. Fortunately, the forestay was intact, the sail was still attached at the mast head and we were able to haul it all in on the deck, with no harm done, except a few missed heartbeats.
Falmouth Harbour is a big, protected bay full of Mega Yachts, both sail & power and just a short walk to English Harbour and Nelson’s Dockyard. (We will have to learn how to post pictures on the Blog). The Antigua Yacht Club is based here and home to The Antigua Classic Yacht Race mid April as well as the gigantic Antigua Race Week the last week of April. We are planning to crew for our friends Rick & Carey on their yawl Memory in the Classic Boat Races.
Sunday night we took a taxi to Shirley Heights for a Bar-B-Q and some great music with a local Steel Drum Band. Probably the best we had ever heard. The panoramic views from the top of Shirley Heights were breathtaking, looking out across the open water of the Atlantic Ocean in one direction, then looking down into a very picturesque English Harbour with Falmouth in the background, then looking across the mountainous island. WOW! Shirley Heights was used as a signal station to warn the navy of the enemy approaching. This whole area is a national park, filled with forts and ruins from the days when the English and French were at war. Lord Nelson was based here. The history is quite interesting.
From Falmouth, we beat to windward up the East Coast to Green Island and Nonsuch Bay. We anchored in a tiny cove protected from the waves by a network of coral reefs.
On Friday, we enjoyed an afternoon at Harmony Hall in Brown Bay, a restored Sugar Mill now housing a restaurant, art gallery and gift shop. After ordering drinks, we climbed to the top of the old sugar mill and enjoyed the view, including watching a race around the buoys by the local yacht club. As all good things come to an end, we said goodbye to Syd and Liz on Saturday morning.
It was great to have company but then we needed to relax. Green Island was the place for that (it is uninhabited). We read, snorkeled and generally did nothing for a couple of days. Sunday night was perfect as we enjoyed home made pizza and a movie in the cockpit. Life does not get any better than that.
Monday morning came & it was time to move on, as we were expecting more guests on Wed. (the 14th) We wanted to return to Jolly Harbour Marina as it is a great place to reprovision and meet quests. We had an incredible 4 hour downwind sail to cover the 20 miles. It was so much better than the beat to windward of the week before.
The 14th arrived and so did Steve, Gerry & Sean. More fun in store. Jolly Harbour is on the West coast of Antigua, and we decided to head north. We spent a night in Deep Cove, and then went into St. John’s for the afternoon before moving to an anchorage in Dickenson Bay. Saturday we beat to windward, again, to head east. We covered 49 miles before arriving in Green Island. I think we gave the guys a real good idea of what ocean sailing is about. Now Pat & I can say we have circumnavigated the island of Antigua. Today we arrived in Falmouth after a nice short 9 mile run. Pat, Steve, Gerry & Sean went up to Shirley Heights tonight to enjoy the Bar-B-Q and the steel band. I decided to stay home for some quiet time and to get caught up on the blog.
We are able to pick up Wi Fi on the boat, so it is a real treat to sit at the nav station and enjoy the benefits of the internet instead of sitting in some café or bar.
Take care everyone and please keep in touch.
Fair Winds,
Miriam

Antigua

2007-03-02T15:15:00.000-04:00

Wednesday February 28
Hello from Jolly Harbour, Antigua,West Indies.
Latitude 17° 04.4’ N
Longitude 061° 53.6’ W

A week has come and gone & we put on a lot of miles for a shakedown cruise. After launching Rhiannon last week, we discovered the depth sounder was not working (something you can not check while on dry land) then worried about what to do since we had a deadline of being in Antigua for March 2nd. We weighed the options, bought a hand held portable sounder that would at least get us into an anchorage, and decided to just go.
At 0730 Saturday morning Feb. 24 we found ourselves heading out of Prickly Bay with a good weather forecast. Once we cleared Pt. Salinas on the south west shore of Grenada, it would be a straight line to Antigua, 295 miles away. If you look at a map of the Caribbean, you will notice there are a lot of islands between here and there, so we had some bail out plans if things were not right on the boat. The sailing on Saturday was incredible, average 18 knot winds on a close reach with a course heading of 030 degrees magnetic. Winds were NE to E with a 5 foot NW ocean swell and lots of little NE wind driven waves. It was fun, exhilarating and most of all GREAT TO BE SAILING. (We did not go under 6 knots or alter course for more than 24 hours under a reefed main and reefed Genny).
Night fall came and it was time to take 3 hour watches. Sleeping in the main cabin proved to be more comfortable than our usual bed in the V Berth; as the Hobby Horse effect of the wind and waves is less noticeable midships. At this point we were 20 to 30 miles off shore of the closest islands but still felt the effects of the lee of the islands, and the effects of the open passages between them, something I never expected. One of the things I really love about sailing is that no matter how long you’ve been doing it, you learn something new every time you go out.
Night sailing can be very intimidating at times, especially when fighting sleep, and you start seeing things in the water or in the night sky, but it is also very magical.. One of the modifications Pat did to Rhiannon before leaving our land home the summer of 2005, was to extend the stainless pushpit around the cockpit. I often have the feeling of being in a playpen, confined and safe. I feel so safe and secure while standing in the cockpit, holding onto the stern rail looking into the water while heeled 15 degrees, it is reassuring and comfortable. There was a lot of florescence in the water that night. We have florescence in parts of the Bay of Fundy and the Gulf of Maine, but a lot of people have never seen it before. It is difficult to explain, but I thought the best way to describe it is it’s like looking at a million little sparklers dancing off the bow wave. Magical!
Another magical side of night sailing is the Stars. Normally while anchored, the Bimini covers the cockpit, for sun & rain protection and you never think of taking it down at night. Well, while sailing, the Bimini is rolled back about ¾ of the way and as you lie in the cockpit looking up at the sky, you start to notice constellations you have never seen before, and see our northern stars in different quadrants of the sky. At times like this, I always swear I will learn more about astronomy.
PS I guess I should mention that our 3rd crew member, Auto, was steering the boat the majority of the time and did an incredible job.

Sunday morning arrived and at 7:30 am we had covered 144 nautical miles totally under sail. Not bad for a 36 foot boat. Then about 2 pm. WHERE DID THE WIND GO? WE ARE WALLOWING! Time to take advantage of the calm and do some dishes etc., and start the motor to recharge the batteries, then at 4:30 the wind came back to 18 knots just as fast as it had died a couple of hours before. Interesting. By 5:45 she was blowing a constant 22 knots and time to reef in the Genny even more. The main sail was still reefed from the day before. Now we didn’t go under 7.2 knots. FUN!!! Rhiannon was singing. She liked this Trade Wind Sailing. By 9:30 pm we were finally in the lee of Guadeloupe and had to motor for an hour or so. By 11:45 we are sailing again, this time with gusts to 33 knots. It’s amazing how fast conditions change. We decided not to head out into open water in the middle of the night and that Deshaies was a great option. Deshaies is a sheltered bay in the North West corner of Guadeloupe we had visited last spring and knew it would be easy to enter in the dark. By 2 am Monday morning, we were poking our nose into the bay and dropping anchor in 50 feet of water. After feeling comfortable that we were well hooked, we both slept soundly till about 9 am, & enjoyed a day of rest. We did not get off the boat.
7:05 Tuesday morning, feeling re-energized, we headed out across the 45 mile open water passage arriving in Jolly Harbour on the West coast of Antigua around 2 pm. Another great sailing day: wind 14 to 18 knots with occasional gusts to 20, seas 7 to 10 feet, a typical sailing day in the West Indies and another milestone accomplished.
After clearing customs, immigration and paying the Port Authority, we anchored in 10 feet of water in Mosquito Cove & enjoyed a nice calm, relaxing evening.
By for now
Miriam.

Feb. 21,2007

2007-02-22T13:37:00.000-04:00

February 21, 2007
Splash down occurred today at noon. It feels so good to be floating again. After 6 months rest and 3 weeks of clean up and maintenance, Rhiannon is a sailboat again. Her crew is tired but excited and anxious to get sailing. We have not had the energy to update the blog since leaving home, so now is the time to get started.
Pat & I flew out of Saint John on Sunday January 28th. We met Pat’s brother Tom & his wife Jackie at Toronto Airport and then proceeded to my brother John and wife Anne’s home in Scarborough, where my sister Rosie was also waiting. We all went out for dinner and had an excellent meal and it was a great way to say goodbye. Then it was back to the airport for an overnight flight to Trinidad and an early connecting flight to Grenada, West Indies. By 11 am Monday we were reunited with Rhiannon in the boatyard at Spice Island Marine in Prickley Bay. She was really dusty and tired of being on the hard, but no worse for wear. Then the work began.
Have you heard the definition for Cruising?
- YACHT MAINTENANCE IN EXOTIC PLACES
and the definition of a Boat Dollar
- BREAK OUT ANOTHER THOUSAND
That was the story of our lives for the next 3 weeks, but now with many projects completed, like adding insulation to the refrigerator, varnishing the woodwork, moving batteries around so that we no longer list to port, and all the other “things that boats need doing” we are floating.
Tonight we are anchored in Prickly Bay. It is a little rolly but better than watching the cars go by from the cockpit while on the hard. (We lived on the boat while working on her, so that had its challenges as well).
The weather has been tropical, average temperature about 28 degrees (Celsius), rains everyday at least 5 or 6 times and then the sun comes out again. We call it the RAIN DANCE. Open the hatches, close the hatches, bring things outside, put them away again, hide under the boats for shade from the sun, hide under the boats to get out of the rain. I trust you get the picture. One of the benefits of the yard we were in is that it was next door to Budget Marine, a really good marine supply store very popular in the Caribbean, so when we ran out of paint, or silicone, or sandpaper, it was very easy to spend money.
Getting around the island is really easy by bus. They are 14 seater vans that drive around on specified routes. They will stop and pick you up anywhere and drop you off at your destination for $2.00 , that’s Eastern Caribbean Dollars, the equivalent of about 90 cents Canadian. These buses are everywhere and will drive you off the beaten route for $5.00 EC.
The people here are really wonderful. Grenada is definitely one of our favourite places. We would recommend it to anyone, but it is time to move on and explore more Islands. WE plan on heading North in the next few days. It will take some hard sailing as our plans are to meet our friends Syd & Liz in Antigua the first of March.
Until next time,
Fair Winds,
Miriam

Bermuda Story

2007-01-02T11:16:00.000-04:00

S/V MAGIQUE

A Story Of A Sail From Saint John New Brunswick To Bermuda

October 31 To November 11, 2006

By Pat Heeney
“…my bags are packed
I’m ready to go
I’m standing here
Beside the door
Hate to wake you up to say goodbye..
So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you will wait for me
Hold me like you will never let me go…”

I sang this song along with my wife Miriam this morning. We improvise words when we don’t know the true ones and plugged in our own words to make the song more appropriate. We often sang this song over the years as in my working career I spent a fair bit of time traveling the Maritimes and New England States.

My bags are packed with personal items that I would need for three weeks and since Magique is loaded we pack light. Included with my stuff are some items borrowed, from my friend Syd Brittain, a one piece survival suit and his life vest/safety harness, and from my daughter Erin, a warm and comfortable sleeping bag with a faint scent of her for comfort.

I was not “leaving on a jet plane” but “on a sailboat named “Magique”. It was early in the morning, Halloween Day, October 31, 2006. Miriam was ready to go to her work downtown and I was going to The RKYC Yacht Club to help finish final preparations on Magique. We were determined to catch the slack tide at the Reversing Falls at 16:30 that afternoon.

The boat loaded, our crew traversed the falls and tied up at Market Slip, in downtown Saint John, to receive last minute computer downloads from Bill Nugent and a big hug and kiss from Miriam who came down to the slip after work to see us off. Also there, for one last goodbye, was Paula, Brian’s fiancé and Karen, Bob’s partner.

At about 17.15 we set out of the Saint John Harbour, laying a course that would take us through the Grand Manan Channel. By sun-up we would alter course, steer between Grand Manan Island and Machias Seal Island on a heading that would take us directly abeam of the tower in Princetown, Mass. which is situated at the tip of Cape Cod. Our course would then take us thru the Cape Cod Canal into Buzzard’s Bay and on to Newport, Rhode Island, the first stop on our voyage. From Newport we would sail to Bermuda, rest, refuel, top up our water and wait for a weather window to take us due south to our ultimate destination, Tortolla, British Virgin Islands.

Our crew consists of Brian Cullinan, owner and skipper of Magique, Bob Barnes, our 1st mate, a very skilled and experienced ocean sailor having participated in The Newport to Bermuda Sail Race, as well as sailing to the Virgin Islands numerous times. Dave Lyon a retired chief pilot with Air Canada, an experienced sailor and a very skilled navigator and myself, Pat Heeney, an experienced cruising sailor with a few short ocean passages under the keel of our sailboat “Rhiannon”, now lying in Grenada, West Indies. There was a very capable and competent crew aboard Magique.

Brian, as well as the skipper assumed the duties of “head chef” and just off Coleson Cove cooked the first of many delicious meals we would enjoy. I assumed “the chief dishwasher and coffee maker duties” (everyone must pitch in). Our only concern for the time being was the dreaded Lobster Pots once we entered Maine waters in a few hours.

Fed, and cleaned up, we decide since we were motoring, with no sails up and the boat on autopilot with the chart plotter charting our course and location, that we would have one man watches of 3 hours each starting at 9.00 pm. When on watch one’s duties include checking for other moving and not moving objects in the water, lights from other vessels around you, checking your course and position, scanning the radar to see what it can see that you can’t see and struggle to keep awake. My watch this night was midnight to 3am.

At 2.30 am we were purring along. Our boat speed over the ground was consistently above 10 knots due to favorable tide conditions meaning the tide was going with us. The tide would soon change to slack tide for about an hour and we then we would fight the tide for almost 6 hours. Moments later there was a huge banging noise, the boat shook and the engine came to an abrupt stalling halt. In the dark we had ran over the dreaded Lobster Pot, contrary to Bob’s first thought that I steered the boat right into Grand Manan Island!

Floating, in the channel with flashlights we assessed our situation. We could see a line under our boat and the lobster pot float off our stern. It was dark, cold and just hours past Halloween. We had one shitty belated prank pulled on us!

Trying the engine without first seeing how bad the line was wrapped around our prop and shaft could cause more damage than we may already have. Our brave skipper donned his scuba gear for a solo night dive into water just above freezing to assess the damage around 3.30am. To our amazement Brian surfaced with news that nothing was on the prop or shaft, it turned freely and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. With relief we got a cold, shaken Skipper aboard, checked the engine from inside, it started with no problem and we were on our way again.

Puzzled over what had happened, our only conclusion to our Lobster Pot encounter was to surmise that the trip line went under our keel pulling the float under until the float itself jammed between the hull and our prop stalling the engine without the line ever wrapping around anything and the line eventually floating free by itself at slack tide.

The rest of our leg to Cape Cod was uneventful possibly due to the rhumline we took that put us many miles offshore, hopefully well out and away from the Lobster Pots. We were abeam of the Princetown Tower at about 10 am Thursday, hours ahead of our estimated time and were into the Canal early afternoon. All through this time we had a very pleasurable motor if one can ever call motoring pleasurable. The seas were small, the wind was light and the air was very cool.

Brian had outfitted Magique before this adventure with a complete enclosure for the cockpit. Made of Sunbrella and clear plastic to see through, it kept the wind, spray from waves and any showers out of the cockpit. Even without the sun it was warm and quite pleasant. We were a very spoiled crew!

By 21.00 hr we were in Newport Harbour and picked up a mooring. Tomorrow we would refuel, top up the water tanks and get a few supplies and perhaps leave. We ended up spending all day in Newport, enjoyed some rest, a walk to stretch our legs, and nice meal in a local restaurant. In hindsight, perhaps we should have left today!

Early Saturday morning we headed out taking direct aim at Bermuda some 635 nautical miles to the southeast. The wind was light, 10-15 knots, seas about 2-5 feet and the sky clear and sunny. This was the forecast for the seas, wind and weather for the next 5 days.

We raised the mainsail as we left and soon we were flying the cruising spinnaker making about 6kts. It was imperative that we sail part of the way to Bermuda because we did not have the fuel capacity to motor all the way.

Just before dark we snubbed the cruising spinnaker, set the jib and enjoyed the sunset after another delicious meal. I should point out that our “Head Chef – Skipper – Brian” in reality just reheated these delicious meals prepared ahead of time by Paula. Once the frozen prepared meals were all eaten, which would be in about a week, then we would find out exactly how good of a “chief” our skipper really is.

With our sails up we decided to have 2 – men watches each 4 hours in duration, starting around 8.00 pm. Bob and Dave were one watch and Brian and I were the other watch. To help keep the watch keepers alert we had our “Radar Chicken” set to alarm every 10 minutes. The “Radar Chicken” is a wind up egg timer that looks like a chicken and when it alarms one member of the watch would go below and scan the radar for any reflections in our 6 mile radius. There are large freighters hauling cargo to unknown destinations out there and you don’t want to get in their way. When you put your radar cursor on their radar reflection and wait a few minutes you can define the other ship’s course and speed by the separation of the radar reflection from the position of the cursor. This is a whole lot easier and far more accurate than assessing his often weak, obstructed and hard to see running lights in the dark from a distance of 5 miles or more away.

Overnight we made pretty good mileage considering we were mainly sailing but by daylight the wind had really died and we decided to motor. Early morning we obtained our weather information by shortwave radio and “Max-sea” a computer software program for weather information, grid maps and weather maps which you downloaded through Globalstar Satellite Telephone. Our weather forecast was for a great weather window, what you see now is what we should have for the next 4-5 days, except there was a low pressure system over the Carolina’s on the weather map.

Almost all ocean sailors tune into “Herb Hildebrand” the weather guru, who comes on shortwave radio everyday around 3.30 pm. Herb, or “South Bound Two”, as he is called on the radio, has assisted sailors for many years with weather forecasting and weather routing. If you want to obtain a personal weather report or weather route you call South Bound Two ahead of his broadcast, identify your boat by name, give your position in latitude/longitude and what your destination is. Herb will call you on the shortwave radio, answer your questions and help you interpret the weather in your area. Herb has provided this free service now into a second decade and his advice is taken by most sailors as “gospel”.

Magique was approaching the Gulf Stream around the time of Herb’s broadcast on Sunday afternoon in calm seas, light winds and relatively clear sky’s. The forecast from Herb was the same as it had been previously and we just kept on going.

Once you cross the Gulf Stream you enter what some people call the Saragossa Sea. Our guess is that the name comes from the Saragossa sea plants that float and drift on the surface as this is not defined as area on the ocean as most seas are. Never crossing the Gulf Stream at this high of latitude it was a pleasant surprise to find that the sea temperature does not change much from the warm Gulf Stream. This means that the water and air is warm and we do not need all the layers of clothes we had been wearing since the start of our voyage. The full enclosure is taken down and stowed below; we won’t need this again on this trip!

That night, during Bob and Dave’s watch, Magique went through a large field of debris in the water. The radar picked up numerous reflections including large floating objects and they visually could see black cone shaped objects floating abeam of us. This debris field was about 1.5 miles from the time when we entered it until we departed it. Prudedent scanning of the radar is important and our Radar Chicken was now an even more important crew member.

Monday morning brings up a little more wind and cloud cover. The wind helps a lot blowing around 20kts and we are making good speed. We have refueled the boat’s main fuel tank from jerry cans that were lashed to deck. Dave our air pilot, well versed in fuel consumption and fuel range, calculates that with all things being constant: rpm of the motor, speed over the ground and our course over ground; that we should be able to motor, if we have to, all the way to Bermuda, with about 8- 10 gallons to spare. Not a lot of spare fuel but we have a cushion of about 7-8 running hours. We miss early morning weather reports on shortwave radio due to poor propagation of the radio signal but all seems fine.

At 3.30pm Herb’s weather would change our comfort level real fast. His report that afternoon advises any vessel behind Magique regardless if they have crossed the Gulf Stream to return to the U.S. Mainland. This can be dangerous because they will be crossing “the stream” with wind and waves in the opposite direction to the flow of “the stream”, making for the potential of some real steep waves.

Herb advises Magique that you are too far to return, so go as fast as you can make that boat go to Bermuda. The low pressure system over the Carolina’s has developed a second low; they have combined and are heading right at you with potential storm force winds and waves. The peak of the storm will hit waters off Bermuda on Thursday, so make easterly ground now while you can. When the storm really starts to blow you will then be able to make a southerly direction towards Bermuda. At our hull speed, which is as fast as the boat can go, our ETA (estimated time of arrival) for Bermuda would be early afternoon on Wednesday. We feel very confident that Magique can outrun this storm.

Magique is now flying. She is surfing off waves which have been growing steadily and flying into the next. She is a real sailing machine! To be on a sailboat that is leaping from the crest of one wave onto the crest of the next wave at about 9 plus knots is indescribable. Magique is fast, strong and she has a very motivated crew!

Through the night we sail fast deploying our mainsail, jib and the iron jenny (motor). Tuesday brings more of the same, but, we are closing in on Bermuda. During the day we have to reduce our sail as the wind is over 25kts and seas between 10 – 15 ft.

Tuesday night, Bob takes over our supper preparations, a delicious Sheppard’s pie, of course, prepared by Paula. It is starting to get real rough, seas pounding, wind noise piping up and our once hearty appetites have diminished. Hardly anyone eats much, maybe half a serving and the last thing on earth that I feel like doing is dishes. We are down to a second reef in the mainsail and have rolled in the jenny. The motor is still on to help point us on a more direct course to Bermuda.

While resting in the starboard birth at approximately 2am, despite all the noise of the wind, waves and boat, there was an extraordinary loud noise that woke both me and Brian up out of a fairly deep sleep. I jumped out of my birth and poked my head into the cockpit. Bob and Dave were on watch and apparently to me did not hear or more importantly feel anything out of the now normal howling.

I returned to my birth getting up again at about 3.00am. All hands were on deck. We were tying our 3rd and final reef point in our mainsail which was difficult due to the conditions and reef point alignment. That wasn’t the worst news. Bob asked Brian to go below and look at the rudder post movement. Does it turn and stop at the rudder stop? Turning the wheel hard over in both directions, normally we would have turned very fast and hard, but no response. Brian confirmed that the rudder responded as it should which ruled out steering cables and the steering system. We face the fact that we have no functual rudder!

It is possible to steer a sailboat using your mainsail, engine and whatever you have for a rudder. We were able to steer a course of 150 degrees magnetic, a southeast direction but at a reduced speed, down to less than 4 knots due to the ever increasing seas. Our fuel consumption was now critical and by calculation we would never make it all the way to Bermuda but we would get close. A little later while it was still dark our mainsail blew out, the third reef clew pulled out of the sail and what was left of the mainsail disintegrated like a rag under the stress.

Our options didn’t look good, no steerage, no control of our direction without our mainsail, not enough fuel and oh ya, two broken in half rear motor mounts. We did however have a storm anchor or sea drogue. This is a canvas cone shaped device with fairly large square holes to allow water to flow through it but at the same time slow the boat down. Still dark, we put Magique into the wind and deployed the sea anchor off the bow with as much line as we could find at the time. The seas were now 20 ft and the speed of the waves coming at us was scary.

The sea drogue set Magique broadside to the waves, meaning, down below, because we were taking the waves on our beam, the motion was awful. The boat would yawl from side to side violently. In a birth you could rest while the waves pressed you against the hull of the boat then you braced your arm or leg against a table or other fixed something for the return trip which would be in about 8 seconds when it would try to launch you out of the birth. Arm in, arm braced, arm in, arm braced every 8 seconds. You actually got to the point whether this was subconscious or automatic that you could rest but never really sleep.

As daylight approached we noticed that our line to the sea drogue was under our wing keel. This was a result of our failed nighttime attempt to deploy a bridle intended to put our bow into the waves to reduce the motion. With all hands helping we managed to hook Magique’s danforth anchor under the drogue line, bring it forward and secure the line to a cleat. With this line secured, we were able to release the original tie and pull it free from the keel. This process, which under normal conditions would have taken any one of us less than 5 minutes, took all of us probably an hour and literally exhausted the whole crew.

Early that morning Bob contacted Bermuda Harbour Radio the equivalent to Fundy Coast Guard Radio here in New Brunswick. Bob gave them our position, told them of our situation and asked if there was any chance for a tug boat to come out to tow us in to Bermuda. Our position at that time was about 121 nautical miles from Bermuda. They advised us that they would not dispatch rescue tugs outside a 40 mile limit around Bermuda. Bermuda Harbour Radio put out a broadcast to any ships in the area asking if they were willing to render assistance. One ship about 30 miles away refused to help, but the “Berge Boston” a Liquid Natural Gas ship would steam to our location to assist Magique. They were 120 miles away and would be to us in 6 hours at a speed of 20kts. They said they had experience in this sort of rescue and a plan to execute.

Our line to the sea drogue was starting to get shorter because the drogue would twist in the waves resulting in a very twisted line. We needed a swivel to take out the twist before the line broke or the drogue rendered useless because it became too short. There was no swivel on any of Magique’s anchors so the best we could come up with was snatch blocks which have built in swivels. It took all hands to pull the sea drogue line in enough to attach one end of the snatch block to it. We attached more line to the other side of the block and were happy to see the line on the sea drogue spin on the snatch block, taking out the twist. We now had over 250 feet of line out and she seemed to handle things a little better. Exhausted, the crew returned to their own space on the boat where we found peace.

It was at this time that as a crew we made our group decision; that if we had the chance to safely abandon ship we would, with the understanding that we were committed to return for Magique and bring her in after the storm. I rationalized, if only to myself, that there was nothing more we could do except holding on. Magique would make it with or without her crew. The bottom line was that we were not getting out of this situation without a tow, either a tow in now or a tow later, it all seemed the same. The first concern was for the crew’s safety! Our plan was set, once we got to shore then we would get another boat to come back for Magique after the storm.

A long day was put in by the crew on our storm anchor. We calculated our drift at about 1.3kt per hour. The seas now were 20 to 25 feet high, the size of a two story building coming at you at about 40 miles per hour. My preferable position was in the cockpit, watching the waves which occasionally would break and put a lot of water in the cockpit that would drain once Magique rose on the next wave. Below, wet and smelly clothes and the smell of the leftover Sheppard’s Pie still gimbaled on the stove was not a very pleasant place to be, never mind the crazy motion. Food for me consisted of Granola Bars and plenty of bottled water to wash them down with. I don’t know what the rest of the crew ate that day. Our appetites were pretty much gone along with our strength and enthusiasm. All you could do was just hold on!

In Magique’s cockpit staring at the huge waves it is not too hard to think of the absolute dangerous position that we were in. Each one of us I am sure had very difficult moments coming to terms with our situation however, there was absolutely no time that anyone of our crew panicked, complained or voiced any fear or blame. A tribute to the courage we each found within!

Myself, in order to cope with our situation found it most peaceful to think of my loving wife Miriam. I would think of every time she walks into a room the wonderful smile she sends me as soon as she sees me. I thought of the wonderful life that we shared, of our now adult children Darryl and Erin and all the good times we have had. Just thinking of them and especially Miriam soon gave way to an indescribable sense of peace which soon becomes courage and the determination that I am going to get out of this and continue to be part of their lives. If that was not meant to be then at least I was at peace.

As the day wore on Captain Ernst Hensen on the “Berge Boston” kept steaming towards our position. It would be a nighttime rescue attempt. The thought of that was most depressing. The Berge Boston made contact about 6 miles away. From that distance she had to start slowing down because of her size. She advised that she had us on her radar and would be along in about 1 ½ hours. Her plan was to float down on us from windward, block the wind from us, fire a thin messenger line that we would pull until we got a heavy line that was attached to it in our hands. We would then secure this heavy line to Magique, sort of rafting off to a 920 foot long ship. She would lower a basket from her crane over our boat and on the captain’s signal we would jump into the basket. This was the Plan??? Sounds Great!??

I will now address all the second guessing, Monday Morning quarterbacks, hindsight being 20/20 etc. Would I commit to this ever again in my lifetime, ABSOLUTLY NOT! Had I not read before Not To Do This! ABSOLUTLY YES. I can only say that you had to be there! That out of the way my story continues.

The Berge Boston’s initial approach was from our bow. Down below looking at our radar I could see the struggle she was having to maintain control of her speed and direction. The skipper would approach us from about a ½ mile away only to loose his helm and fall off. Captain Hensen radioed and told me of the difficulties he was experiencing, and stated in no uncertain terms that “this was very dangerous and he did not want to be responsible for killing anyone”. A very sobering thought to say the least. I asked if a windward approach from our stern would be better and he thought it might and steamed in a large arc around us to position himself behind us.

As our rescue ship was repositioning herself the wind was now blowing 55kts plus and the seas were 25 feet plus high. Height of seas is only a guess from a sailboat but the Berge Boston later confirmed this size. On top of this it was raining in sheets, stinging your eyes driven by the wind. My thoughts also went to our storm drogue which he would go over. What would happen then?

The Captain Hensen of the Berge Boston radioed us he was on his final approach. From our cockpit it looked like a whole city coming at us. His bow and hull towered over the top of Magique’s 67 foot mast and he was MOVING. The wind drove walls of rain from his ship onto ours. If I was never scared before I was now. To quote Bob, “he is going to kill us”

As planned, they sent the messenger line by firing a rocket at us. The unexpected noise and the flash of light from the rocket that appeared aimed at Dave’s chest was enough to make you shit yourself. It was an unbelievable shot, fired over our boat’s stern to bow dead center of our boat and we started to haul it in as we collided with this ship all within seconds of the rocket launch. Magique’s hull and rig violently scrap and banging down the hull of the Berge Boston. Scraping approximately 450 feet down the ship’s hull, about halfway, we looked up at the same time in complete horror. The Berge Boston’s gangway was partially lowered and our mast was heading right for it. Obviously, once our mast got caught in her gangway with the speed the ship was traveling, she would push Magique under the water like a toy until her mast broke like a toothpick and collapsed on top of us.

If I ever believed in Devine Intervention before, or maybe it was our sea drogue parting on Magique’s cleat, or maybe it was just a big wave, or maybe as I believe that it was a combination of all the above, whatever it was, Magique’s mast moved out and around the gangway with the upper shroud sliding against the outer edge of the gangway to keep us off. I saw this with my own eyes and could not believe it. It was a miracle and we used up another life!

We smashed, banged and scraped the rest of the length of the Berge Boston’s hull and her desperate to help crew was trying to pass down more lines that we did not want. We wanted her to go away!

I do not know how we got turned around but now we were stern to stern with the ship and I was on the radio talking to the Captain Hensen. This saved me from witnessing most of the time that Magique was getting pulled under the stern of the ship, by far the worst and scariest part of all. The stern of this massive ship had reared up on a wave and was coming down with our boat trapped under her stern. We could reach out and touch her rudder!

Again Devine Intervention, it just wasn’t our time. The ship’s stern dealt a glancing blow to our backstay and pushed us clear of her way. In recalling my personal images of this it was similar to the movie Titantic where all those people are in the water and the ship breaks in half and the stern falls down and crushes all those poor souls in the water.

Just when you think we are safe and the crisis over, the Berge Boston still was not finished with us. The messenger line fired so long ago and that never seemed to be attached to her suddenly snugged up with three wraps around Bob’s leg pulling him over our stern into the water, certainly to be sucked into the giant propellers of the ship. Captain Brian quickly drew a knife and cut the line which was now as tight as a guitar string and saved Bob’s life.

We were at last free of the ship and alive though as Bob put it “it was like 8 different ways to kill yourself in 15 seconds”. Emotionally spent we all went to our own peaceful place on Magique. My biggest fear now was for the mast and rigging. How much damage was sustained to the rig smashing its way down the Berge Boston? How safe was Magique now?

Captain Hensen from the Berge Boston radioed us and said how sorry he was that things went so wrong and that he would stand-by with us thru the night. This is a true ocean skipper. His ship standing-by all night had mixed emotions for me. Since my peaceful place on the boat was in the cockpit I assumed the first watch. We had started the motor to charge batteries and I think to help drown out the storm. By now the noise from the motor was very assuring. If the motor was engaged at low speeds we could propel ourselves but had very little control. We were just drifting at the mercy of the waves and we seemed to be all over the place. At one point I thought the ship was too close and asked Brian to radio him to move away. He was moving away but I must have been hallucinating as he appeared to get closer and I was near panic! With all his lights on I was convinced his stern was his bow and he was heading right towards us. I only relaxed when he was more than 2 miles away.

Captain Hensen later called on the radio saying that he was in touch with Bermuda Harbour Radio and they were dispatching a boat to tow us in and we could expect it by morning. A new life was breathed into our sorry boat and her crew. A few hours later he called again and said that there would not be a tow boat but he had reached the US Coast Guard and that we could expect helicopter evacuation at first light. My response to him was “we would prefer the tow boat” to which he responded “your preference has little bearing right now”.

In the dark in the cockpit I wondered what the Berge Boston looked like. Was she really as big as she seemed? I am sure had we got off Magique and onto her we would have had lots of time to check her out. She was heading to Trinidad via a small island called St. Eustatius near St. Kitts in the Lesser Antilles. We would not be allowed to get off until we reached Trinidad in about 10 days! I was glad that I wasn’t going with her to Trinidad as we would never find Magique in this huge ocean if we had to wait that long.

At daybreak we could see that she was every bit and even bigger than imagined. She towered over the ocean and was truly the size of a city block. Her hull was painted an odd shade of green, and had a red boot stripe just like Magique. The weather was still raging a storm but looking at the Berge Boston and how she stood by us through the night was reassuring.

Captain Hensen called on the radio to let us know that he had spoke to the US Coast Guard and that they were about 40 minutes away. He would stand-by until all were aboard the helicopter.

Two bright lights could be seen low in the horizon heading directly for us. As it approached we could see that it was a Hercules spotter plane. They flew directly over us and called on the VHF radio. They told us that they were ahead of the helicopter to assess the situation and the degree of difficulty the rescue would be. They took two passes over us and the Berge Boston tipping their wings each time, and went back to rendezvous with the rescue helicopter. We would wait another 30 minutes for the helicopter.

Time is hard to tell in situations like ours and you probably don’t care about time. No one aboard was keeping time, but rather just trusting that the rescue would be sooner rather than later. We spent this time stuffing our pockets with important personal documents. Passports and wallets were secured into Zip Lock bags; we could only take what we could swim with. I included my cel phone and digital camera. These last items would not fit in my pockets so I duct taped the leg of my (Syd Brittain’s) survival suit and stuffed a zip lock bag down my leg. I had room for more so I threw in my toothbrush and toothpaste.

Soon the spotter plane was circling accompanied by the rescue helicopter. The helicopter hovered above and carefully approached our yacht. The pilots seemed to take their time assessing the waves and wind. They did not want to get too close to Magique’s mast and rigging, doing so would be disastrous. Once they were comfortable with their position the cargo door opens and a swimmer is lowered into the water by a cable and harness. The helicopter pilots have to try to judge the waves so the swimmer does not get too low before the crest of the next wave. They reel him back into the helicopter for some reason that I will never know leaving us with a little more anxiety.

A second trip down the wire for the swimmer puts him in the water he lets go of the line and swims toward Magique. His approach is on the windward side and about 15 feet from Magique asks if one of us is ready. The first one off is Dave. Unfortunately, Dave jumps into the water on the same windward side. The first wave pushes him against and partially under the yacht. A split second later the swimmer has closed in on Dave, flips him on his back and is towing Dave away from Magique. The helicopter lowers the cable which now has a basket attached to it. The basket enters the water about 10 feet from Dave and the swimmer and closes under water. The swimmer dives under the water as the wire stops and positions Dave in the basket. As the helicopter starts to raise the basket the swimmer hauls on one side of the basket to spill excess water. We watch with feelings that are hard to describe as our first crew member is safely taken aboard the helicopter.

As soon as the swimmer spills the excess water he heads back to Magique and the next crew member. We have lowered the stern swim ladder so we can get clear of the yacht when we jump into the water. The next to go is Brian, who will be followed by me and last to go was Bob.

I can not describe what Brian’s experience was like. You can only describe what you see and it was the mirror image of Dave’s rescue, perhaps more graceful since he didn’t hit the boat when he jumped into the water.

For me my experience was surreal. First, you are looking at a very angry sea that has been threatening you for 36 hours non-stop and you are supposed to jump in and go for a swim. Well I am a good swimmer but had a little problem with this idea. Anyway, there is no choice, a decision had been made. I did a perfect shallow rescue jump into the sea with my swim mask on and started to swim for my life. About 10 strokes into my swim I was flipped on my back and towed by my (Syd Brittain’s) life vest away from Magique. The swimmer assumes TOTAL control! He stops as I see the basket lowered under the water and I feel him under me, positioning my body inside this basket. I give him a “thumbs-up” signal that he instantly shoves back into the basket… Hands and feet inside the basket Asshole!

The view one has on a cable in a basket being raised from an angry ocean is an image that you should never forget. Below I could see the Berge Boston, floating , Magique wallowing like crazy and the swimmer going back for Bob. Looking up I could see the cable drawing me toward the spinning helicopter blades. Seconds later the Coast Guard crew member who operates the winch pulls the basket with me in it into the helicopter and slides it forward. On his signal I am supposed to get out of the basket. Sounds simple enough, but, I am on my back in a survival suit that is weighted down with 100 pounds of sea water. Anyway, I manage to get free of the basket and look forward towards the pilots. Where am I! All I see is two bright orange suits, the back of black helmets with small antennas sticking out of them, and fog being blown all over them. I have been rescued by Martians!

The operator of the winch signals me to a seat and I get another look at my new surroundings. First thing is “thumbs-up” to our winch operator, Dave and Brian. Then looking at our Martian buddies, realize that the fog is cool air being blown at them to keep them cool. They never once look back or at anything not related to flying the hovering the helicopter. The concentration of these guy’s is incredible.

The winch operator has removed the basket from the wire cable and attached the yoke harness. Bob with the rescue swimmer appear at the cargo door, Bob in the yoke, the swimmer with a bear hug and leg lock on Bob. It would look all too friendly at another time, but, we are all aboard and safe!!

“Thumbs-up” to the real hero, the swimmer, who swam in those seas four times to rescue us. Once aboard when asked or signaled by the winch operator, what it was like, he made hand signals, big, swimming, shark!

One final look at Magique and a whispered personal commitment that I would return for her and we were off. I am not really sure of our destination, land will do.

In the movies when the brave men of the US Coast Guard rescue stranded sailors, once aboard they are greeted with a hot drink, a blanket and sometimes a snack. I would have given anything for EARPLUGS. It was so noisy seated just in front of the engine and transmission of the helicopter that it hurt. We passed around a canteen of water and looked out the windows at the ocean. The winch man passed around a note pad where we wrote our names and phone numbers. This would be the total amount of paperwork for us to fill out for this rescue mission. There was no hot drink or blankets, the noise was deafening, you really had nothing to say nor would anyone hear you if you did.

The trip to Bermuda in the helicopter, I think, took a little over an hour. We landed and taxied in behind the Hercules aircraft in front of Customs and Immigration. Once stopped we disembarked the helicopter, with warm and heartfelt congratulations and thanks to the entire crews of the Coast Guard Rescue Team, Helicopter and Hercules Crews. Handshakes and thumbs-up all around, you don’t hug these guys!( although now I notice that the helicopter co-pilot was a very huggable young lady!)

Brian asks the helicopter pilot for an invoice or bill for this service. I am thinking that there is not enough money in my whole net worth to pay for my share, and why bring it up. Let’s see; one Hercules spotter plane left Elizabeth City, North Carolina yesterday evening. Onboard the Hercules, in the cargo department, was the rescue helicopter, and complete crew change for both the Hercules plane and the helicopter. They flew through the night and passed over our yacht before landing in Bermuda. The crew flying the aircraft got some sleep while the spare crews prepared both aircrafts for a daybreak departure and rescue.
The total personnel on the ground involved in this rescue, and I am sure that we never met everyone, had to be around 20. When you factor in support personnel back in The U.S, people that you will never see, the numbers really are unimaginable. All this to save 4 Canadians! Speaking for the 4 Canadians we can never thank you guys enough!

When you think about it, just the hourly cost of each aircraft totaled over two days must be in the six digit figures. Perhaps Brian’s angle was to claim this on his boat insurance, but my ears are ringing so bad that I am not thinking much about this.

The pilot‘s response to Brian’s inquiry was that this was “on the taxpayers in the United States”. I never thought I would ever say this, But God Bless President George W. Bush! We would toast the taxpayers, the President and just Good Ole America many times in the next few days.

Bermuda Customs and Immigration met us on the tarmac and drove the four soaking wet crew of Magique to their building. They handed out immigration and customs forms to be filled out with one pen. This process seemed to take hours as we wrapped paper towel around our wrists to keep the water off the forms. You do not have much to declare to customs when entering a country by swimming to a helicopter like we did. Once we all cleared customs they drove us in a van to immigration on the other side of the airport where we were denied entry until we bought an airplane ticket out of Bermuda.

Like four wet ducks we waddled thru the airport, accompanied by 3 immigration guards in case we made a run for it, to the backdoor of Air Canada. Two ladies after some difficulty issued us tickets home. Thank goodness we all swam with our wallets and credit cards. Armed with tickets home we were again paraded thru the airport back to immigration and our entry was stamped. Another parade thru the airport back to the vans and whisked off back to the customs building on the other side of the airport. Welcome to Bermuda!

We had time to thank the rescue co-coordinator with Bermuda Harbor Radio, who throughout this ordeal kept in touch with us, the U.S. Coast Guard, Bill Nugent who kept everyone’s families back home informed and the Berge Boston. Bermuda Harbor Radio is a first class organization, professional in every sense of the word. They share the building with customs on the opposite side of the main airport terminal.

The crews of the US Coast Guard were there and we had another chance to thank them. In civilian clothes they didn’t look quite so ominous, no antennas grew out of their heads, no fog blowing around them. The swimmer, who hours before I swear had to be at least 6’6” all muscle even when he blinked, was no more than 5’10” but still all muscle. They were getting some rest before their next mission. There were three other yachts out there that would require their assistance before this storm was finished. To these guys (and girl) it was all in a day’s work. This is what they do for a living. Thank You!

Brian’s eyes lit up as one’s does when they see a good friend when in need, and no one could deny our need. We must have looked pretty pathetic to Ronalda Higgins as she entered the customs building. Another catch with immigration is that they want to be sure that all visitors have a place to stay. Although I had given them my name to make reservations at The Grotto Resort, Ronalda convinced us and immigration that she had room for us. It didn’t take much arm twisting to convince me that she was an angel sent to take care of us.

My ears were still ringing.

Our angel took us to her condo, welcomed us into her home. Within seconds we had stripped off our wet clothes, placed them in the laundry and were enjoying hot showers. We would all dress like Ed, her husband, as the only clothes we owned were in the clothes dryer. The sky cleared into a beautiful warm sunny day and soon the four of us were found sitting on Ed and Ronalda’s sun deck, dressed in Ed’s shorts and Tee shirts, drinking his cold Coronas.

The process of drying out wallets, passports or trying to save cel phones and digital cameras kept us busy. We also had the opportunity to call home and let our families know that we were all right.

We were famous so it seemed. Phone calls from reporters here in Bermuda and home in Canada were calling non-stop. At this time we had very little to say, save that we were OK and how professional all the persons involved with our rescue were. Mid-afternoon a reporter from the local paper just waltzed into the condo unannounced requesting an interview. Somehow I didn’t quite feel like a celebrity.

Ed and Ronalda Higgins are transplanted people from Rothesay, New Brunswick. At dinner that night in a very nice restaurant Ed told me a story of how he came to love Bermuda. It happened while he was at St. Xavier University (same University as Ronalda) studying law. They had a drinking party also known as a “suitcase party” where everyone threw in money ahead of time, and came to the party with a bag packed to go to some unknown destination which was the prize for whoever won. After a night of serious drinking, Ed was on a plane first thing in the next morning to Bermuda. He fell in love with the island and its people.

He and Ronalda raised their family, they have three adult children, in Rothesay. Ed practicing law and Ronalda worked in the real estate business for Brian’s company. My claim of attachment was their daughter, Katherine, and my daughter Erin, taught junior sailing together at the Rothesay Yacht Club. Was there a missing lesson they could have taught her Dad?

Ed and Ronalda are now living their dream. Ed as a lawyer for an insurance company in Bermuda, and Ronalda is involved in the real estate market. Their daughter Maureen is a chartered accountant practicing in Bermuda. Katherine lives in Calgary and their son William is an engineer at Point Lepreau. They have a very envious life.

After dinner Ed and Ronalda brought us to the home of Chris and Paula Merritt who would take Dave and Bob into their home. Paula is a Bermudian by citizenship although raised in Canada. Both she and Chris are long time residents of Dartmouth NS, both ex Canadian armed forces and now work in Bermuda. Two more people in an ever growing list of people who helped, comforted and turned a terrifying experience into a manageable reality. We owe more thanks to all of you than we can put in words.

Brian and I went back to Ed and Ronalda’s home for one hellofa sound sleep. Tomorrow would bring a very busy day.

First thing, after we found the coffee, in the morning, was to call home and talk to Miriam. My ears had finally stopped ringing enough to be able to hear. It was so nice to hear Miriam. For Brian, it was all business, the phone permantly attached to his ear just like it would be back home in his business life. We had made contact, through friends at The Royal Hamilton Dingy Club, of a sport fisher who would be interested in going out to sea and tow Magique back. With hopes high, and the OK from the insurance company things were looking good. Next thing was to make contact with a local doctor for prescriptions for medications, then to meet up with Dave and Bob for lunch, then to a men’s store for essentials, underwear, socks, deodorant etc.

Our bubble burst when Craigan Curtis, the skipper of the 46 foot sport fishing boat “Reel Addiction” who was willing to go out and tow Magique back, called with information that Radio Bermuda had lost the EPIRB signal and they assumed the boat had sunk. Brian had activated the EPIRB before we left Magique so we could use this signal to find her in the open ocean. It would be the only way of finding her. Not giving up, believing that she was still afloat, Brian called a friend back in Canada where the EPIRB is registered.

Apparently once the US Coast Guard rescues a stricken vessel they suppress the EPIRB signal; their rescue mission completed. We were able to get a “location fix” for 16.30 today, Friday, with the help from unknown friends in Canada. Now we had to convince Craigan that this wouldn’t be a “wild goose chase “ looking for a small yacht in a huge ocean rather, we have a “fix”.

Craigan was ready, had two men as crew, and Saturday about 3 pm Brian, Bob and I set out with the crew of “Reel Addiction” to bring Magique back. Within an hour Bermuda Harbor Radio called with a fixed position obtained by a Coast Guard aircraft. With this position entered into the GPS we ran at about 10 knots per hour to this waypoint.

Bob questioned this position to me because it was quite a bit away from all other fixes and projected fixes. Back home, Bill Nugent had modeled a location based on where we left her, the wind and waves for the last 48 hours, the ocean currents and tides and how she would be predicted to drift. At almost 23.00 hrs we arrived at our waypoint and found nothing. It was time to study all our information and we concluded that somehow the fix from Bermuda Harbor Radio was off by 1 degree exactly. That might not sound like a lot but it is 60 nautical miles away! Entering Bill Nugent’s waypoint into the GPS, the autopilot of “Reel Addiction” drove toward what we hoped was Magique. Through the night the crew of “Reel Addiction” rested and Bob and I watched as the sport fishing boat made miles.

“Reel Addiction’s” radar required adjusting which Bob was able to do and the range set at 9 miles. Around 4am a strong reflection on the radar appeared right on our bow. We were pretty sure she was there and as we got closer the strobe light from the EPIRB lit up the cockpit of Magique. It was still dark but we knew we had found her!

As boat owners will attest, you become emotionally attached to your boat. You may own your house but seldom do you name it as you name your boat, unless, as I found out later, that you are British and/or live in Bermuda! Your boat is part of you, who you are, what you do, what you are about. Different than being part of your family but still attached, not a family pet, but just as close in a different sort of way. Your boat has a personality and over time you build a special relationship with her. Your boat takes you places, keeps you safe, protects you and often comforts you.

As daylight came on Sunday we could see Magique. For the first time since Thursday morning when I remembered her wallowing alone in this huge ocean, there she was, floating, wondering what the hell took us so long to come back for her! I swear that the red boot stripe on Magique’s hull had a big smile from bow to stern and what was left of her rudder was wagging like a dog’s tail! Boy was she glad to see us, probably, as much as we were to see her!

At first light, Craigan maneuvered his boat close enough to Magique to minimize our swim to her. Having put the swim ladder down for our helicopter rescue, it was easy to board. Craigan then pulled close enough to pass our bags and stood by while we dried ourselves and changed into dry clothes. That done, he passed us a tow bridle consisting of a ¾” line inside a rubber heater hose to prevent chaffing. This we secured partially around the bow cleats and back to the mast to distribute the shock load. To this line “Real Addiction would tow us with a 250’ line bridled to his stern. He also passed us a bridle for our stern. This was a rope bridle that we attached to the stern cleats. Shackled to this line was a chain with two mooring balls attached, one at about 10 feet, the other about 15 feet. About 100ft of chain with a weight was trailed behind the last ball. This would give us directional steering once we started to be towed.

The sky was overcast, wind was light and seas ran less than 9 ft when we started our tow to Bermuda at about 7.40am Sunday. Our crew had our job cut out for us inside Magique as there was literally nothing for us to do as far as steering or watching, this being performed by the crew of “Reel Addiction”. We first cleaned up all the wet soggy clothes that covered the floor, wiped up water on the floor, emptied the bilge and yes, threw out the “Sheppard’s Pie” still on the stove. Eventually, we threw out a lot of spoiled food, and garbage, making the yacht more presentable as she should be. Bob made contact via shortwave with concerned friends back home to announce our successful quest and recovery of Magique. We started to feel a whole lot better about the experience.

The day got better, high cloud, the wind lightened even more and the waves kept on decreasing. Brian cooked a big spaghetti diner and, the now again crew of Magique, crashed at about 7.30pm for the night.

Monday morning as the sun came up we could see definitions of Bermuda, range lights. aircraft lights and offshore buoys marking Bermuda’s outer reef. “Reel Addiction’s” instructions at first were to have Magique cleared through customs at St. George. This instruction changed as we approached the channel for St. George Harbor and we altered course and ran the length of the island to West End, where we had started out from on Saturday. It was a beautiful sail, even though we were being towed, the reef outside us provided almost no waves inside as we looked out at the resorts and mansions.

It was about 1pm when we got tied up on the government wharf at West End. Magique made it to Bermuda! Customs cleared her in and we were able to get off to take some pictures of her tied up and upright. The rest of the day was a sort of celebration, reflection and giving thanks. We certainly had our reasons to indulge in a few rum and cokes.

The rest of my story is fairly anticlimactic. On Tuesday, we arranged for Magique to be hauled out of the water and damages assessed. Brian’s insurance company sent a surveyor to look her over and comment on what should be done in damage control. This consisted of rinsing out saltwater with fresh, WD40 all electric connectors that we could find. Bob took charge of laundry duty and rented a “Hog” (scooter) and it was quite amusing to see him “riding” the streets with garbage bags of wet laundry hanging off the back.

There was lots of cleaning to do, Bob left on Wednesday, and I followed on Friday. Dave had left the previous Saturday. I left Brian knowing that he would not be alone for long. Paula was flying in to help. She would be exactly what our Skipper needed!

This is my story, in my words of the events of our voyage and I hope that I haven’t misled, overemphasized, or exaggerated the events. I wrote this story starting the week that I returned home and re-wrote it a few times to get it to this and as far as I am concerned the final stage. As I make no claim as an author, I hope you read and enjoyed my story complete with its sins, but, I wanted to write my story before the waves grew to 80 feet , the wind blew 150 knots, we were taking on water, sinking ….let your imagination fill in the blanks.

Writing this started out as a story for my family, perhaps future Heeney generations may find it interesting, my immediate family did the first time that they read it! Writing the story was, as Miriam thought it would be, good therapy. She was right as usual!

To our Skipper Brian, First Mate Bob, fellow crewmate Dave, it was a pleasure to sail with you, it certainly was interesting! To all the people who came to help us, you have my many Thanks!

Pat Heeney

2006-12-14T21:49:00.000-04:00

Just a short note as we start our first Blog. It is getting close to Christmas and there isn't a lot of time to customize our site. We wanted a site set up so that we could send the address to family & friends in our annual Christmas Letter. Last Christmas we were sailing on our Catalina 36 Rhiannon3 in the Bahamas and this year we will celebrate in our land home in Quispamsis NB . We have had very little snow so far this winter and no cold snaps however we are anticipating being south in a month or so. Plans are falling into place to fly to Grenada in January and rejoin Rhiannon (who has been waiting patiently for us to return). We look forward to using this blog site as a means of communicating with family & friends we leave behind, with all the sailing friends we met last year and all our future friends.

Wishing You A Merry Christmas and a Healthy & Prosperous New Year

Miriam & Pat