Book Review

By Capt. Jim Cash

A SATISFYING SAIL AROUND THE WORLD

By Zeke Holland

“At the end of life, looking back, would I regret it if I let this opportunity pass by?” “Yes” said my inner voice.” “Then go for it, and name the boat No Regrets. This opening in Mr. Holland’s book got to me, reminding me of the same question I and many other World Cruiser have asked themselves. He says he has had no regrets.

I’m happy this book made it to the top of the list for review, though I have to admit it was lost for a while during a house move. I was sent the ‘color version’ on slick paper that made the book pretty hefty, but learned it was also available in a black and white, less expensive, version. For those of you dreaming about the time you may untie those lines, either for a vacation cruise or a circumnavigation, Mr. Holland’s descriptions will give you a good idea of the reality of cruising, both the good times, and the “What the hell am I doing?” times.

We learn of the circumstances that came together for a co-owner partnership to buy the Atlantic 42 Catamaran designed by Chris White, and the agreement to join the Blue Planet Odyssey (BPO) rally organized by sailing legend Jimmy Cornell, leaving from Key West, Florida, to circumnavigate and help bring attention to Global Warming and the rising sea levels around the world.

They got the boat ready to head south from New Jersey, cruised in and out of the ICW, including the historic “Dismal Swamp”, Norfolk, Charleston, Ft. Lauderdale and finally to Key West with BPO departure date only days away, then “goodbye Key West”, and “Hello Hemingway Marina, Havana, Cuba” as their first stop outside the USA, where they spent a couple days in that “politically incorrect” Island Nation to our south.

Throughout the book our author is communicating with 7th graders back in his hometown in Maine, since education was part of the BPO objective. The questions ranged from weather to boat problems, the Bermuda Triangle, and if the Igunanas were friendly on the Galapagos Islands.

Cuba wasn’t on the BPO agenda, more of a “bucket list” stop for the crew of No Regrets, and they later rendezvous with the rest of the flotilla in San Blas Islands, and meeting the Cuna [Kuna], I’ve seen it spelled both ways, people of the island, before transiting the Panama Canal and sailing off to the Galapagos where our author has a less than romantic view of dealing with the officials, the costs, and not being able to sail to or anchor in the many wonderful places. The photos of the wildlife they encountered were spectacular, and the Iguanas don’t look very friendly. The longest passage thus far, between Galapagos and Marquesas, estimated to be 21 days but lucking into a couple 200+ mile days they were converging on Tahawus on day 17. Marquesas, we learn is Spanish for Island of Men and that being tattooed originated here. The tattoos, we are told, can tell your life story in body art. Our writer shows off his new tattoo depicting the islands, sharks teeth as strength and courage, waves as a voyager, sea turtles as protectors, and the symbol for man. For the next several chapters we are treated to a sail though the paradise of the south Pacific, “you can’t live here long”, Zeke writes as he’s lounging on the beach, “the sun erodes your will, your initiative, it’s too easy to sit and do nothing.” Referring to Tuamotus, and Tuvalu, we learn of the concerns of raising sea levels. In Tahiti, we learn your home is where you anchor is. In Tonga, (Lape Island) there is a weekly feast for “Yachties” to earn the money to build a pier, then on to Vanuatu where the crew was invited to many native festivals. Much of this passage was a trip down memory lane for me, especially the visit to Funafuti, the capital of Tuvalu, where the campaign slogan to bring awareness to raising sea levels was “Save Tuvalu, Save the World”.

Soon the crew was anxious to sail again and they were off to Australia where needed boat repairs were able to be accomplished and a rendezvous with family for a vacation through the northern country. But, soon they were off again for an exotic cruise through Indonesia. Having never been to that part of the world it was festinating to me to read about new places and see the wonderful photos. We are treated to the description of the Komodo Dragons, a very large reptilian creature that eats mostly dear, but anything within range including people if you are not careful. On Kumai we learn of the “O Green” organization with a mission to protect the endangered Orangutans. They were fixing the boat again in Phuket, and had medications confiscated in Sumatra.

Preparing to cross the Indian Ocean, Zeke was short on crew due to family departure and his partner’s trips back home and he turned to a website “Offshore Passage

Opportunities” and met TC, an Auzzi living in France, who joined the crew in Tua Pejat, and soon they were off with the Australian islands of Cocos (Keeling), in the path, anchoring first on Direction Island, and paid $8 (USD) for diesel in 2017.

They prepared the boat for the second longest passage of the voyage, 2000 miles an estimated 13 days to Port Mathurin harbor, Rodrigues Island. Along the way,they lost one spinnaker, broke the snuffer sock on another, lost a blade from the hydro generator, had the wind generator shake loose from its bracket, and the throttle control on one engine stop working…a pretty standard crossing. After a few days they were off to Mauritius for a 10 week hiatus for a trip home to the states, and another crew change where we meet Nora, before the crossing to South Africa and putting into Point Yacht Club in Durban. We are again treated to many wonderful photos of wildlife from the explorations taken while in South Africa before adventuring out onto what is called the “Wild Coast” due to the apposing prevailing winds and the Agullas Current. While making their way toward Cape Town to prepar for their Atlantic crossing, they stopped at the Port Elizabeth and Mosselbaai (Mossel Bay), the convenient “duck–in” harbors, used while waiting for the appropriate weather windows.

Staying at the Royal Cape Yacht Club in Cape Town, they prepared the boat for the Atlantic and handled the paperwork to check out of the country. They decided to hug the coast north, and to put into Walvis Bay, in Namibia on Africa’s southwest coast. “Sand, Beautiful Awesome Magnificent Sand” is how Zeke describes it, as they tour the local landscape where the beach is never ending.

Soon they were off, point the bow NW toward St. Helena, Island, “1,200 nautical miles (about 8 days)” he writes, it took me 12 days. He hired the same tour guide, Robert Peters, I had hired 17 years before… this cruising life style is truly a small world. He showed them all the sights, but where he showed them proudly the Island’s new airport, when I was there Robert was point to the area they hoped would one day be their airport and finally a connection to the outside world.

Their next stop, Fernando de Noronha, off the coast of Brazil, was also the same path I had taken, though they elected a several day stay. We had fuel up and went on our way north while No Regrets sailed to the mainland put into the Paraiba River close to Joao Pessoa, one of the oldest Cities in Brazil, a designated stop for the BPO. Being on the west coast of the Atlantic, they could feel the taste of home and were preparing the for the trek north with Barbados, as their first Caribbean destination, and the conclusion of the BPO circumnavigation. Their crew person Nara departs here having been part of the crew for 7 months and 8,000 nautical miles. If you want the perspective of a newbie sailor, on an ocean voyage her narrative is worth a read. From there they sprinted through the Caribbean and Bahamas, though the photographs again are a treasure.

“Yikes! I was not ready to leave her.” Zeke writes “but it was time to let go.” No Regrets was sold shortly after they “crossed their wake [on the ICW], mission accomplished! He proclaims. “Sailing around the world was deeply satisfying…a journey of the heart.” He writes.