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“Ya know, I feel a lot more like I do now than I did a little while ago!”
By Bob Bitchin Cruising is NOT the easiest way of life. I believe that is why cruisers all seem to be cut from the same cloth. Because most people do take the easy way of doing things. The old saying, “A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner,” comes to mind. In order to live an adventure, first you have to face a challenge that you can overcome. One thing I learned while “out there” is just how much more life you pack into your years when you are cruising. Jody and I sailed all over for a lot of years and miles — me over 35 years, she for 20. I remember when we’d sail back into our home port after sailing the South Pacific, or coming back from the Med, how surprised we were that our friends had basically done the same things they’d done most of their lives, while we’d experienced all kinds of adventures. Looking back, I can recall vividly a lot of things that, at the time they happened, we considered to be problems. A broken exhaust hose in Cannes, France. A knockdown in the middle of the Atlantic by a waterspout. A rogue wave off the coast of Hawaii. I now realize just how important those “tribulations” were to the voyage. You know how I came to that conclusion? Simple! When sitting in a waterfront bar, the stories that come out first and are the most appreciated are the ones in which we overcame adversity. Where the Vigero hit the mixmaster, and we found a way to get through it. The getting through it is what made the adventure all the more valuable. I’ve always said, you have to slay the dragon in order to kiss the maiden. The dragons are the myriad of things that go wrong when you are “out there.” Coming up with a way to use an old beer can to help fashion a repair in mid-ocean on our exhaust system, or finding water up to our ankles in the nav station on a particularly harrowing crossing, or the 750-mile upwind sail from Samoa to Christmas Island. All of these things, along with hundreds of others, are what made the voyage all the more appreciated. You see, part of the joy of the adventure of being out there, where you are responsible for your own actions, is overcoming problems, using your wits! Here’s an example. We were sailing north out of the Vava’u group in Tonga heading for Western Samoa. About 100 miles out, a lady we were giving a ride back to Samoa
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went into the cabin to get some water, and came up saying there was smoke in it. Now, smoke is not something you want to see (or even smell!) when you are 100 miles from a port. In fact, I’d say it is one of the least fun things you can do while sailing. So, I headed below to see what was going on. When I opened the engine room access door, it was full of steam — not smoke (that’s a good thing) — but still, not what you want to find so far from land. I grabbed a flashlight and started looking for where it was coming from. I quickly found about a 3/4” hole in the exhaust elbow going to the water-separator on the exhaust system. I went to feel how big the hole actually was, and in doing so, as soon as I touched it, the hole became a 3” hole. A 3” hole in a 4” exhaust elbow is not a good thing! I shut the engine down, only to discover that at our current speed, the stern of the boat “sucked down” about 4 to 5 inches, and in doing so put the exhaust below the waterline. So, my situation was this. When we were sailing (or motoring), the exhaust went underwater and we had a 3” hole filling the boat with water! When I’d run the engine, the pressure of the exhaust would “blow” a lot of it back out the exhaust, but more was coming in then going out. Lovely! I checked the charts and found an island that was about 80 miles ahead of us, called Niuatoputapu. So we altered course, heading for a safe place to work on the boat. It looked like we’d arrive slightly before sunset Now I gotta tell you, approaching an unknown island in the dark is not high on my list of fun things to do! But by the time we reached the pass ,we had little choice. We needed to get into a safe anchorage so we could stop moving, and thus stop the water infusion into the boat. During the 11 hours it had taken us to get there, we had our regular bilge pump, our “secondary” bilge pump, and our engine-driven bilge pump all going, along with the hand-pump Edson “last ditch” bilge pump being hand-pumped 20 minutes at a time by the crew. We had not planned on stopping at this out-of-the-way island, so we didn’t have any good charts. The one chart we did have showing the pass, showed it was shallow and narrow. We drew 8 feet with Lost Soul, and the entrance showed 7 to 9 feet at the bar. We entered the pass at about 1 knot. I waited to hear or feel the thunk of hitting bottom, but we made it into the small bay. We dropped anchor in about 40 feet of water, and as soon as we stopped moving the exhaust rose so water stopped coming in, and we could kinda relax. I say kinda because whenever there would be a small wake water would enter the boat. Made us a little nervous, as you can imagine. I dove in and swam around to the back of the boat and asked Jody to toss me a tennis ball we had aboard, and guess what? It fit the exhaust perfectly. No more water! That night we had a good night sleep, and in the morning fixed the exhaust elbow with a beer can and epoxy! The adventure begins when something goes wrong, and the more wrong it goes, the more the “adventure” can be appreciated. W W W . L AT S A T T S . C O M
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Offshore Parenting How Offshore Sailing Helps Prepare for Parenting By Jessie Zevalkink-Yeates
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Offshore anticipation. Offshore communication. Offshore sleep training. Offshore mundanity. How sailing across the Atlantic Ocean west to east, and again east to west, was unknowingly an all-in-one intensive course for the unexplored territory of future parenting. There are copious amounts of ways in which crossing the ocean has been beneficial to us upon
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completion, yet I never anticipated how this “training” would later put me in a better position to become a mother, and for Luke to become a father. The core themes between the two are basic yet parallel. In the short span of time since welcoming our first born, we have enjoyed identifying the kinship between sailing and parenting. The grandest of physical sacrifices began in March of 2020, and ended with my body on the chopping block the evening of December 30, 2020, when Otis, our first son, made his grand entrance. Within the hours between delivery and arrival, I progressed from a barbaric animal, a hysterical monster, and into a primal mother whose relief and joy were so great I could hardly catch my breath, hyperventilating from release. It was Hollywood. It was transformative. Traumatic. Empowering. It was the completion of another passage. One in which the lowest low and the highest high, sunk deeply as the Earth’s inner core and reached heights stirring the exosphere. Ferocious. Superhuman. Profound. And then, just like the moment we set off to sea and lost sight of Newfoundland, there was peace. During the two weeks of adapting to parenthood, I will remember most this stillness and harmony. Full transparency, there is so much I do not yet know, that any parent reading this already may. I am learning, more and more and more every single hour. As a novice mother, I simply can’t appreciate enough how our sailing experience has assisted in this untroubled transition. For it is these categories in which sailing has seasoned us. ANTICIPATION The grueling and worrisome days, weeks, and months leading up to your first ocean crossing are all consuming. You are preparing for something in which you
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have yet to experience that could change your life or could take it. You are discussing and envisioning yourself in worst-case scenarios and striving to forecast a beautiful adventure all at once. You digest books and podcasts, and have hundreds of conversations. The time, focus, and effort put into the preparation alone is what I personally found to be the most difficult part of the journey, particularly the last few weeks prior to departure. It wasn’t until the day we left the coast of Newfoundland, when I was able to rearrange my mentality. We had worked so hard to get that far, and it was exactly where we were supposed to be. In the open sea. A few hundred miles of iceberg alley lay ahead. Cooking a baby, assembling their space in the world, experiencing constant discomfort, and preparing for intense physical pain are all part of the heightened anticipation of making it to the “other side” of pregnancy… motherhood. You reach the peak of anxiety in your final weeks leading up to birth. There is nothing else you can do but wait for the inevitable. There is a constant stream of new symptoms, books, podcasts, and the birth stories that make your head spin. The experience of others can set unrealistic expectations for your personal journey. In the same way that your experience navigating across an ocean will always be different than others who have done the same. Your expedition will be based off of your perception and your attitude, which can never be shared precisely with another being. From the moment our baby boy was out the oven, euphoria was on my chest and in my arms. We made it to the other side. We became exactly who we worked so hard to be. Parents. A few hundred days and nights of diaper changes and sleepless nights lay ahead. COMMUNICATION We all know about direct and indirect communication. Most of us are professionals at indirect communication. We merely hint at our immediate needs, lightly suggesting the tasks requiring attention, and neglecting to make our intentions clear. We wait and wait, assuming the other one will pick up on our sour mood or tone of voice. But it takes too long and suddenly we are resentful, pissed off, and likely tired and hungry all at the same time. What we need to become is professionals at being direct. I will credit my husband Luke for helping me become more direct and it was sailing together that taught me this. Luke came from a dinghy racing background, where communication with crew was everything. It was each member’s duty to use clear and direct communication. I failed to deliver this when we first began sailing together and throughout the preparation for our Atlantic crossing. My lack of communication came across as ill informed and unprepared, my silence mistaken for a blasé confidence, when the reality was, I had never sailed with anyone who expected me to speak out loud my intentions and decision-making process. I didn’t understand why he needed to know everything I was thinking. w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
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Offshore Parenting “Because it feels right” was not an answer. “I am going to put a second reef in the main because I am experiencing more weather-helm and gusts are now consistently reaching 28 knots” was the answer. In neglecting to communicate intentions, the result was being questioned, which resulted in me feeling inadequate. For us to become a functioning team, I worked on direct communication and recognizing that Luke was never testing or scolding me. He’s a tactician requiring information to achieve a single goal, which was to make it to the other side as quickly and safely as possible. Ultimately, I got better at saying exactly what I was doing and why. I got better at asking for exactly what I needed. I got better at asking for help and admitting to the things I did not know. Sailing double-handed has drastically improved as we have taken the time to work on productive and direct communication. It took two ocean crossings to achieve this, and we are still working on it today. The tables turned in parenthood, when I found myself immediately, naturally, and instinctually a mother. Just because I know what to do (or think I do), it is easy to assume and expect for Luke to do and to know the same. How to soothe, how to burp, how to change — these may not be immediate paternal knowledge, and this is where direct communication about how to keep a boat afloat and how to keep a newborn breathing are one and the same. There is no point in wasting time giving your partner “hints” at what needs doing. Ask kindly, or do it yourself with a smile. Chances are whatever needs to be done, needs to be done in a timely manner if not immediately. I’ve become the tactician, requiring constant information from the crew to achieve a single goal — to assure love, safety, and attentiveness to our freshest crew. SLEEP TRAINING The most obvious of comparisons, and by far the most helpful parenthood training we have received follows a schedule. Four hours on, four hours off, for weeks on end. Sleep training is taxing and takes practice. Exhaustion at its finest, yet I am finding a notable difference between what I am considering “safe tired” and “dangerous tired.” At home with a twoweek-old is “safe tired.” At sea, the
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majority of my experience was “dangerous tired.” In both situations you are required to wake up because it’s “your turn” or you hear a noise and must address a problem. You drag yourself out of a warm bed, solve said problem, and crawl back in. “Safe tired” is waking up to a crying and hungry baby. You drag yourself out of a warm bed, yet you stay warm (if you live anywhere with walls and a way to control room temperature), you stay dry (if your not soaking from night sweats and if your nipples don’t start leaking like a sieve), you know exactly what needs doing, and are likely not concerned about the general safety of your home and your family. You take care of said problem with confidence (hungry and poopy baby) and you crawl back into your warm, dry, and stable bed. You don’t need to bother worrying about the safety of your partner who’s on watch next. YES, you lose loads of quality sleep. But I repeat, you are all safe. You are warm. You are dry. You are not alone in the middle of the sea, full of your worst fears. “Dangerous tired” is waking up to face the ocean single-handed while you let your partner rest so he or she can survive. You are likely cold and even likelier to get wet. You have four hours to handle and adjust your sailboat to the current conditions and 12 of those hours often require you to complete risky tasks in low or zero light. Maybe you have a horizon for reference and spacial awareness, or maybe you don’t. You might be seasick. You might be throwing up. You’re not sure what might go wrong in those four hours, so you spend at least half of them trying to be two steps ahead of potential problems. When your watch is up, you lay down in an already soggy berth and desperately try to rest but remain awake with worry for the person you love up on deck. The nightmare of the other one going overboard always rests on your chest. In comparison, the “safe tired” of newborn responsibilities is watered down and we’ve found ourselves managing these tiresome duties with composure. MUNDANITY Repetition. Monotony. A dull work week lacking intellect and motivation. This is part of ocean sailing. This is part of motherhood. You find the world as you know it dumbed down to basic survival needs, requiring you to proceed with nothing but cyclical and peabrained tasks. Offshore sailing requires you to sit with your thoughts, whether you like it or not. Reducing your world into 4-hour increments and four basic needs. Sail w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
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the boat. Predict and prevent potential problems. Feed yourself. Rest. Repeat. Surrendering your time to these fundamental tasks and accepting your responsibilities, sitting with your endless stream of thoughts amidst a vast ocean. It’s challenging (for any social person) to not long for those stimulating activities you cannot do and the friends you cannot speak with. Yet you find your rewards in marking the chart and seeing how many miles you’ve sailed, eating a warm meal, changing into clean clothes, and having a pod of dolphins drop by. Its rewards feel epic. As a new mother you are a pacifier. You are a life raft for a partly conscious human. You live in 2-hour increments with four basic needs. Feed the baby. Change the nappy. Feed yourself. Rest. Repeat. Your sole purpose is to ensure your baby lives; without you they will not. These intelligible tasks require all of your time just as the ocean does; you surrender to the mundanity of your role. The rewards arrive in a baby fast asleep on your chest, an unconscious smile, a hysterically loud “shart,” or noticing how quickly they are gaining strength in the lift of a head or clench of a fist. Its rewards are so great, you don’t stop to think about what you are missing out on. Nothing. You are missing out on nothing. I’ll reiterate my truth, which is that there is so much I don’t yet know about sailing, and far less so about parenting. How the two are kindred, and how one has helped us transition from one to the other, is apparent. Being a team in each “sport” has required constant learning, adapting, and adjusting from each of us. My message for all sailors and parents to be: May offshore sailing help ease your shift into the triumphs and trials of parenthood. May your first unforecasted storm help you manage a defiant toddler. May navigating hurricane season help you tread lightly when they reach puberty. Come February of this year, Luke, Otis (Oti Boat), and I will move aboard our steel ketch, Alekona until May. I have zero expectations of what it will be like to introduce a 6-week-old onto a boat that is new to us, or how it will affect our sailing goals. We will begin in the San Francisco Bay Area and head south when we feel ready and able. Bring on the anticipation of our first passage with Otis, the communication required to be a kick-ass team, the ongoing 2- to 4-hour sleep increments, and what I believe is going to be opposite of mundanity this time around… Bring on the delight, adrenaline, and chaos.
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Lats&Atts Scuttlebutt If It’s Gonna Happen, It’s Gonna Happen Out There
Issue #34
All the News That Fits Between the Sheets
Need a Little Ice??
NOAA scientists project the maximum Great Lakes ice cover for 2021 will be 30 percent, higher than last year’s maximum of 19.5 percent, but part of a long-term pattern of declining ice cover likely driven by climate change. The maximum typically occurs between mid-February and early March.
Spring 2021
Brexit & Boating
From the end of the Brexit Transition Period on 31 December 2020, the EU retaliatory tariffs no longer apply to imports into the UK. In the absence of a trade agreement between the UK and the USA, the UK Global Tariff scheme will apply this and remove the 25% duty on yachts and boats. So, will we see more US marquees in UK waters? Brands such as Hinckley, Tartan, Catalina, and Island Packet are all high-quality US cruising boats that have been less visible in EU waters following the imposition of the US retaliatory tariffs and might become more affordable in the UK as a result of this change. Other US brands, such as Nordhavn, have avoided the tariffs as they are not actually manufactured in the US. New Nordhavn motoryachts are built in China and imported directly into the EU without having any physical contact with the US. VAT will still be payable on the import of US yachts into the UK. From 1 January 2021, this will be UK VAT which will not count towards the EU “Union-goods” status of the yacht. This means that for cruises within the EU, the yacht will be restricted to the 18-month EU Temporary Admission period before EU VAT becomes payable, assuming that the owner is UK resident and the yacht is operated on a noncommercial basis. VAT on secondhand yachts is based on the value of the yacht when it is imported into the UK.
A Little Perspective?
I was wondering why the frisbee kept getting bigger and bigger, but then it hit me.
Nautical Trivia
How is the phrase “feeling blue” nautically relevant?
Wanna Cheat? Answer is on page 36. w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
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Mike Horn Expedition to Greenland and Svalbard
Adventure may come in all shapes, sizes, and difficulty levels, but without question, one of the toughest pursuits is high-latitude sailing. Just ask adventurer Mike Horn, a man who has achieved success on the high seas — and on both poles. Horn (54) was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. By age 24 he began a series of expeditions, starting first with a six-moth solo traverse of South America. Many expeditions followed, including a circumnavigation of the equator via bike, foot, canoe, and sailboat (1999-2000), a solo-circumnavigation of the Arctic Circle sans motorized transportation (2002-2004), a human-powered trip to the North Pole (2006), crossings of the Arctic (2019) and Antarctica (2016-2017), and a two-year circumnavigation of the planet via the two poles aboard his 115-foot purpose-built exploration sailboat Pangaea (2016-2019). The man does know how to have fun!
Youngest Sailors Are Girls
Jessica Watson from Australia and Laura Dekker from the Netherlands were both 16 years old when they completed their sea voyages. Jessica Watson became the youngest person to sail around the world with no stops and completely unassisted! While the just-as-impressive Laura Dekker completed her own sailing adventure around the globe. Our own Tania Aebi did it at 17 many years ago.
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Electric Narco-Sub
Central and South American drug runners created a sophisticated electric submersible. The Colombian Navy, assisting by the U.S. DEA and local law enforcement agencies, raided an artisan boatyard near the Cucurrupí River in the Chocó area of Colombia. Under a makeshift roof they discovered a high-capacity narco submarine.
The submarine is estimated to have cost $1.5 million. Based on the plans that were seized by Colombian authorities, had it sailed, it would have carried some six metric tons of cocaine towards the American market, valued at around $120 million. Put into perspective, most narco submarines interdicted by the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard carry around 1.6 metric tons of cocaine, worth approximately $30 to 35 million. The trend had been towards smaller payloads per trip, but the discovery of the new submarine points toward a trend reversal.
S o m e o f u s a r e b o r n s a i l o r s , w e j u s t don’ t k n o w i t y e t . T h e n , w h e n t h e t i m e i s ri ght, the s e a c a l l s u s a n d w e d r e a m o f w h a t l i fe woul d b e l i k e o n a s a i l b o a t . We c h e c k a d s for us ed b o a t s a n d s t a r t c a l l i n g o u r f r i e n d s “ c aptai n.” I f t h i s d e s c r i b e s y o u , i t ’s t i m e t o l e ar n how to s a i l b e c a u s e d e e p d o w n , y o u ’ r e a l r e a dy a s a i l o r.
AT ANY PARTICIPATING ASA SCHOOL M us t e nr o l l i n a n A S A C o ur s e be f or e 3 / 3 1 / 2 1 i n or d e r t o r e c e i v e d i s c o un t . Vi s i t a s a . c om f o r a l i s t o f s c ho ol s .
# 1 I N S A I L I N G E D U C AT I O N - A S A . C O M 30 Latitudes & Attitudes
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Elan GT6 Wins Design Award
The new Elan GT6 won the prestigious Oceanway China Yachts Award for Best Interior Design Monohull Sailboat over 40 feet. It is the first award received by an Elan Yacht. It was designed by Elan R&D and Studio F. A. Porsche. The Oceanway China Yachts Award is the most prestigious award in China for the Yachting Industry.
Elan’s flagship GT6 is a next-generation Grand Tourer that designed for a perfect balance of speed and power, comfort and luxury, good handling and precise control.
Did’ya Ever Wonder?
Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They’re both dogs!
Quick Tip for Cruisers
Looking for a less expensive way to increase amps? Go to a place that services buses (like Greyhound, school, etc?) and look at the Leece Neville options. High output, but not at the “marine pricing.”
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Defender is the Largest Independent Stocking Dealer in North America
FLIR Now Teledyne?
Teledyne Technologies has acquired FLIR Systems, the parent company of Raymarine, for around $8 billion in cash and stock, the companies announced. The transaction reflects a 40 percent premium for FLIR stockholders. “ “At the core of both our companies is proprietary sensor technologies,” Teledyne executive chairman Robert Mehrabian said in a statement. The companies share similar business models in that they provide sensors, cameras, and sensor systems.
Folding Wheels
Winches
Blocks
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Nautical Trivia
We know that “feeling blue” means that you feel sad or depressed. So, it is actually very logical that the saying originated from sailing. In the past, when a ship lost its captain during a voyage, the sailors would sail blue flags to indicate their loss. So, if you’re feeling blue, you’re actually referring to the blue flags that were used to sign that the ship’s crew is in mourning.
Answer to page 27.
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Rising From the Ashes! As many of you know, a few months ago the California Bear Fire burned the Lats&Atts warehouse to the ground, along with the publisher’s home. In the fire, the complete inventory of all nine of publisher Bob Bitchin’s books turned to ash. Here’s the Deal! The plan is to reprint one title every few months. The first one Available Now reprinted was Biker To Available for Shipping Feb. 15 Sailor, one of his most recent releases. They are now off the press and being shipped as signed editions. All 9 titles will be printed as hard cover collectors editions, and will no longer be available as ebooks. “A Brotherhood Of Outlaws,” Bob’s First Novel, Will Be Off-Press Mid-February! The next book to be released will be “A Brotherhood Of Outlaws.” This was written in 1980 and was the first of the Treb Lincoln Novel Series. Critical Acclaim For “Brotherhood” Here’s what they said about “Brotherhood” when it was first released. Choppers Magazine Cycle News Biker Magazine “An insight into what “More truthful “A Brotherhood of Outlaws takes the real world of the and relevant Zen & The Art of Motorcycle outlaw biker was like. than Hunter Maintenance to dangerous levels. The freedom, the feeling Thompson’s Hell’s Life among the outlaw tribes... of brotherhood and the Angels. Not for the Hilarious, warm and chilling. The squeamish reader. most honest book to come out way of life exposed to the Fast moving about the outlaws motorcycle outside world by one who has lived it. It makes you first novel with a underground of America. You surprise on every won’t be able to put it down until want to leave it all behind and take to the streets.“ page. Not boring!” you have read it all” Order your signed collectors edition of “Biker To Sailor” or Pre-Order “A Brotherhood Of Outlaws” Just go to www.bobbitchin.com to place your order NOW!
Salty Dawg
Fifty boats left the cold for destinations including Antigua, the Bahamas, the US Virgin Islands, and Florida. Several boats suffered some damage in this year’s big seas but persevered to make safe landfall. Weather guidance from Chris Parker helped guide them through repairs while underway. To find out more go to www.saltydawgsailing.org w w w . L at s a t t s . c o m
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America’s Cup News
Cruiser’s Wine?
Fiddler’s Green lore states, “a sailor can find this paradisiacal land by walking inland with an oar over his shoulder until he finds a place where people ask him what he’s carrying.” Fiddler’s Green Vineyard & Bistro is where the Rath family has found their heaven on earth to produce fine wines and dining for sailors and land lovers alike. Pamela and Colin Rath, their three daughters, one dog, and two cats sailed from New York City in the fall of 2014 to find a new home. They visited 33 countries on 5 continents during the voyage. When they landed in New Zealand, they sold the boat and bought a wine vineyard. You can visit them at www.FiddlersGreen.nz for info.
Despite the inaugural America’s Cup race taking place in Cowes in 1851, Britain has never won the “Auld Mug.” The USA has won it 28 times, New Zealand three times, Switzerland twice, and Australia once. The winner of the America’s Cup match has the right to decide the rules for the next contest, including the types of boats to be used, the location of the race course, and when the race will take place. In 2021, the Cup will take place in Auckland, New Zealand.
As the Crow Flies:
The most direct route from one place to another without detours. Before modern navigational systems existed, British vessels customarily carried a cage of crows. These birds fly straight to the nearest land when released at sea, thus indicating where the nearest land was.
Ignoranus:
A person who is both stupid and an asshole.
$2.2 Billion Loss
And you thought sailboats were expensive!? Carnival Cruise Lines posted a $2.2 billion quarterly loss as U.S. Sailing Hiatus nears the one year mark. U.S. voyages ultimately depends on receiving a permit from the U.S. The CDC is requiring operators to conduct mock sailings and apply for a certificate at least 60 days before offering passenger cruises. w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
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Seventh Skipper Quits VendĂŠe
The Franco-German skipper Isabelle Joschke has been forced to abandon her VendĂŠe Globe yesterday after a further failure of the keel canting system on board her IMOCA MACSF. As the first woman in the ranking sailing the 2007 VPLP-Verdier designed IMOCA, she was in 11th place facing 30-35 knots of wind in the South Atlantic, some 1100 miles east of the Argentinian coast when she discovered the hydraulic cylinder which was holding her keel centered had failed. After the main keel canting system failed on January 3rd, she had been sailing with the keel centered, held in place by this replacement ram. With the latest failure, she immediately lowered the mainsail and was sailing under storm jib to keep the boat as stable as possible until conditions became moderate. Joschke becomes the seventh skipper to abandon their race.
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Sailing Around the World During the Pandemic
A couple sailing around the world had no idea about the scale of the coronavirus pandemic for almost a month. When Elena Manighetti, 32, and Ryan Osborne, 33, set off from Lanzarote to cross the Atlantic to the Caribbean island of Bequia they asked their families not to send them any bad news. At this point, the COVID-19 outbreak was mostly confined to China, and the World Health Organization had not yet declared it a global pandemic. The pair had no internet signal as they sailed the 3,000 nautical miles across the ocean and relied on a handful of people sending them weather and border information via a satellite phone for the 25 days they were at the sea.
boot Cancelled
After a valiant effort to keep the show, going, the folks at Düsseldorf Boat Show have announced that Europe’s biggest indoor boat show will be cancelled for 2021. The scheduled dates for the next Düsseldorf Boat Show as 22-30 January 2022.
“The continuing high level of infection and the fact that the end of the lockdown is not foreseeable for the time being make a resumption of trade fair operations at the end of April appear increasingly unrealistic,” explained Wolfram N. Diener, CEO of Messe Düsseldorf. The shows priority is the health of their exhibitors and attendees. All activities will now be focused on the successful staging of boot 2022.
Free Book!
Interesting Sailing Facts
In 1898 Joshua Slocum, a NovaScotian-born American, became the first man to sail around the world by himself. He also wrote a book about his journey, titled “Sailing Alone Around the World,” which became an international best-seller. If you’re interested, you can get his book for free on the Gutenberg project. Just go to www.gutenberg.org/ ebooks/6317 w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
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Paul Kortenkamp 1967 - 2020
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Paul was known as the “chocolatier” here at the Lats & Atts offices for many years. He lived down the dock from the Lats&Atts offices, and always stopped by with a big bag of chocolate, as he was a chocolate wholesale rep. But more than that, he was a sailor. He and his wife, Suzi, with daughters, Anna and Grace, navigated their sailboat Vales Valeo on a 21-month journey south to Baja California, Mexico, Central and South Americas, then west across the Pacific Ocean, stopping in the Galapagos Islands, many islands of Polynesia, and ending in Australia. He will be missed!
Al Golden 1941-2021
Allen “Al” Golden crossed the bar January 14, 2021, at the age of 80. As an avid sailor, he set sail across the Atlantic in 1978 for a cruise of the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas. Having been unable to secure insurance, Al entered into a second career as a marine insurance broker dedicated to assisting fellow cruisers in securing insurance, founding International Marine Insurance Services in 1987 with his son to allow so many the freedom to roam the seas in relative security. He was “the official insurer” for the Lost Soul when publishers Bob and Jody sailed the world for decades, but more than that he was a friend. Sail on, Al!
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Catalina Yachts Announces the loss of CEO Frank Willis Butler. Frank, President and Chief Executive Officer of Catalina Yachts, passed away November 15, 2020 in Westlake Village, CA, due to unexpected complications from a recent illness. We extend our most heartfelt condolences and sympathy to Frank’s family. Our thoughts are with them at this most difficult time. A sailing icon and industry “kingspoke,” Frank Butler has introduced hundreds of thousands of people to sailing during his lifetime. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Frank have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Frank leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Catalina Yachts. The photo on the left was taken in 2011 when Frank was the guest of honor at a special dinner in Annapolis celebrating him as one of the most influential innovators in the world of sailing. In his years, he was responsible for creating over 85,000 boats and bringing more people into the world of sailing than any other individual. He will be missed!
Linda Marie Knowles 1949-2020
Linda Marie Knowles, Co-Founder of the Salty Dawg Rally, died unexpectedly of a heart attack in her home in Vero Beach, FL, on November 14, 2020. She was 71 years old. Born in Buffalo, NY, and raised in Eden, NY, she was a devoted wife of 36 years to her husband William (Bill) P. Knowles. They spent the last 15 years living on their sailboat, Sapphire, cruising from the Northeast to the Caribbean each year. During this time, they founded the Salty Dawg Rally in 2011. The organization has grown to become one of the premier sailing associations in the world.
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Words Of Wisdom
Ships that pass in the night, and speak each other in passing, only a signal shown, and a distant voice in the darkness; So on the ocean of life, we pass and speak one another, only a look and a voice, then darkness again and a silence. Longfellow w w w . L at s a t t s . c o m
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ACTIVE PIRACY REPORT from the International Commercial Crime Services: A Narrative of the Most Recent Attacks Gulf of Guinea records highest ever number of crew kidnapped in 2020: In 2020, IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) received 195 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships worldwide, in comparison to 162 in 2019. The incidents included three hijacked vessels, 11 vessels fired upon, 20 attempted attacks, and 161 vessels boarded. The rise is attributed to an increase of piracy and armed robbery reported within the Gulf of Guinea as well as increased armed robbery activity in the Singapore Straits. Crew kidnappings surge in seas off West Africa: Violent attacks against ships and their crews have risen in 2020, with 77 seafarers taken hostage or kidnapped for ransom since January, reveals the ICC International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) latest piracy report. The Gulf of Guinea off West Africa is increasingly dangerous for commercial shipping, accounting for just over 90% of maritime kidnappings worldwide. Meanwhile ship hijackings are at their lowest since 1993. Maritime piracy incidents down. Gulf of Guinea a hot spot: There were 119 incidents of Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships reported to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre (IMB PRC) in 2019, compared to 156 incidents for the same period in 2018. Overall, the 2019 incidents include 95 vessels boarded, 10 vessels fired upon, 10 attempted attacks, and four vessels hijacked. The number of crew taken hostage through the first nine months has declined from 112 in 2018 to 49 in 2019. While the overall number of incidents has dropped, incidents involving guns and knives remain consistent. There have been 24 kniferelated and 35 gun-related incidents reported in 2019, compared to 25 and 37 for the first nine months of 2018. These statistics confirm IMB’s concerns over continued threats to the safety and security of seafarers.
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ANOTHER WAY Teddy Charles By Tania Aebi
We go through life, meeting people, connecting, accumulating a wake of stories and memories, never knowing when the past will bounce back into the present, or future. On a blustery November morning thirty-two years ago, I made landfall in NYC after a solo circumnavigation. A twenty-one-year-old person of interest. Everyone wanted to hear me talk, process, sign me up. Meanwhile, I also had to figure out what to do with my boat. Varuna and I had landed at South Street Seaport Museum in lower Manhattan, a fantastic setting for the grand finale, but she couldn’t stay there. I needed a yard, but had zero experience with boat management ashore in cold northern climates. From the chaos, an offer emerged that sounded generous. A reputable yard at the entrance to Long Island Sound said she could use their dock for the winter. I didn’t know boats almost never over-winter in the water, hence the free spot. With a bubbler. And, I’d also never heard about yards where owners couldn’t actually work on their own boats, that all projects had to be performed by yard crew, at great expense. I was able to empty and clean Varuna out at the dock, which was nice, but for anything beyond that, I needed a less restrictive yard. Several things happened in this short time that stand out in the blur of decades-old memories. Before finding another home, Varuna was transported to the Javits Center New York Boat Show, a centerpiece underneath the soaring sky-lighted entrance. The reputable yard hauled her out, built a cradle, loaded her onto the trailer of a reputable trucking company, transported her into the city, rigged and de-rigged her, and brought her back out at the end of the show. Meanwhile, at a booth, I shared the yard dilemma with another New Yorker who told me about Sagman’s Marine on City Island, run by Teddy Charles. “He’s a real character,” he said, “but a great guy. Teddy’ll hook you up.” When I reached him, shy to ask for, or expect, any favors from a stranger, Teddy didn’t hesitate, immediately offering Varuna space for as long as we needed. “After what you did, it’s the least I can do,” he said.
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I called the reputable trucking company who’d brought her to NYC to see if they could drive her to City Island, and the guy on the phone said, “Oh yeah, wasn’t your boat the one that got dropped?” What? It was only a couple of inches, not a catastrophe, but still. Get me outta here! Somehow in that pre-cell phone era, on the day Varuna was rescued from the reputable yard, somebody was able to find me at the Miami Boat Show to report a car was blocking the entrance to Sagman’s. A concerned citizen had recognized Varuna and was trying to save her from entering the rogue yard run by a disreputable sidewinder, Teddy Charles. Full of twenty-one-yearold indignation, I thanked the caller for nothing. Please, move the car. It was two months before the whirlwind surrounding me subsided and I finally got a ride to City Island and found Varuna in shambles. Between the yard and truckers who’d been in charge, her mast and rigging had been minimally tied down, turnbuckles and pins were left lying on deck, mainsail and jib wadded up into the cockpit, companionway not totally closed, cabin filled with water and ice. I had actually left the disreputables behind. That same day, I met Teddy for the first time. Short, gruff, sarcastic, and sharp-tongued about reputability, his pack of rescue dogs surrounded us as we toured the yard, and he started telling the first of many stories about his years of sailing up and down the East coast, to the Caribbean and back on the Mary E, his gaffrigged schooner. He introduced me to the West Indian guys who’d been working with him for years, and I felt right at home in a throwback yard of old boats, parts and wrecks, and characters who wandered in and out. While working on Varuna, I had two small world encounters—one was a high school friend, and the other had been my younger sister’s best friend from grade school — both were Teddy’s people. They’d pop in periodically to help take inner-city classrooms onto Long Island Sound for an afternoon of hauling sails and water sampling on the Mary E. I joined him for a bunch of these outings that season, and also worked as his first mate running booze cruises off Manhattan on the Hudson River. This translated into w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
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In May of 1985, an 18-year-old Tania set sail from Manhattan, New York, and became the first American woman — and youngest sailor at the time — to circumnavigate the globe. Upon her return to Manhattan in November 1987, Tania had visited 23 countries and sailed 27,000 miles. Nowadays, Tania runs charters and delivers boats all over the world when she’s not at home, raising her sons, working on her next book, or battling snow in the winter and weeds in the summer. hours of experience on boats with more tonnage for license requirements, and many more stories. Varuna was eventually sold, Sagman’s became a memory, and I saw Teddy once again at my high school friend’s wedding. Then, I moved north and we lost touch until years later. It was on Key West’s Sunset Pier that I saw the Mary E sail by. This reunion revealed another side to Teddy. He’d started sailing down to Key West for winters of running charters by day and playing his vibraphone in a jazz club by night. In all those talk-filled hours we spent on boats together, he’d never once mentioned he was also a Juilliard-trained jazz musician with multiple recordings and studio work with greats like Miles Davis and Charles Mingus. Not a big jazz fan, I could still appreciate this musical history added depth to a man who was clearly a liver of life, not a braggart motivated by reputation fluffing. More years passed, I was in an MFA program, and a piece of my workshop writing inspired a faculty member to share his teenage experience with sailing. “I was just a Long Island punk,” he said, “up to no good, when I spent one summer working on a sailboat with the biggest jerk of a captain. He cursed, ordering us around, wouldn’t put up with any of our crap, he changed my life.” This captain had shown him what a little creep he was, he straightened out, and years later, made a point of collecting all the jazz records the captain had released. “He was also a great musician,” he said.
There may have been another letter or two, but that was it until a couple of years ago, during an afternoon spent at the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, Maine. The first thing I noticed upon entering was a poster with a picture of a schooner called the Mary E. Below, it said she had been built in 1906 right next door, and the museum had purchased her to restore as their flagship. Could it be? I wondered aloud. The ticket lady muttered something about many Mary E’s, I disagreed, and went straight down to the work shed. It was her, returned home again, and the interpretive panel described her life as a fishing schooner, a cargo transporter, a rum-runner, and finally, the boat belonging to the influential and reputable jazz musician, Teddy Charles, who’d passed away. There went one of my living legends. So many stories — so many words — already bombard us from every direction these days, and not many topics fire me up enough to want to add to the fray. But, this one sparked a Teddy Charles-shaped flame, for a teacher and a reputation definitely worth sharing with a few more words.
“Teddy Charles,” I asked? Of course. That led to me writing Teddy a letter about how he’d changed somebody’s life for the better. Without telling him, he’d never know, and this is a pretty cool thing to hear. Teddy wrote back, grateful for a story connecting me to his past. He also said he was getting old. “I’m going to be 80, the Mary E will be a 100, it’s time to let her go.” w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
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Sailing Wackadoo The Bahamas
By Adam Deem
W
e made it! Crystal clear waters, warm air, blue skies, pristine beaches, and ample peace and quiet; now this is why we started sailing in the first place. Learning to sail, buying a suitable sailboat, refitting and outfitting the boat for cruising, and undertaking our first real cruise has all led up to this. We’re tired, but we finally made it here. After four hard weeks of nearly nonstop travel down the ICW, crossing to the Bahamas, and transiting across the Northeast Bahamas, we’re finally in the Exumas — and it is glorious to be sitting here in the cockpit, sipping rum as the sun begins to set over a beautiful anchorage. This is what we’ve been waiting for. To say the trip has been a bit more effort than we had anticipated is a bit of an understatement; but so far there have been no major calamities and just one near miss (see “A Bad Day Off Georgia” in Issue 33). Most of our equipment is in good working order and we are here, anchored off gorgeous Norman’s Cay with only a few other boats. We have sun and sand, warm water with small reefs, and an airplane wreck to snorkel.
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Sailing Wackadoo We left Key Biscayne exactly one week ago for the Bahamas. After waiting a few days in Key Biscayne for light or southerly winds and reasonable seas in the Gulf Stream, we got our window. I consulted with Chris Parker of Marine Weather Center for a forecast and examined the forecasts for the area. It seemed we would have a short window to motor across before the next set of north winds churned up the Gulf Stream again. We departed at sundown for our first overnight crossing and planned on about 10 to 11 hours to make the 55 nautical mile transit. The sky was a beautiful mix of orange, pink, and purple as we motored down the channel at Cape Florida. I took the first watch, set the throttle for our desired motoring speed, engaged the tiller-pilot, and sat back to enjoy the ride. As we entered the Gulf Stream off Fowey Rocks, there was some 3-to-5-foot chop, which made the ride a bit rolly and bumpy as we beat dead into the swell. My wife, Dominique, and Ella, our 5-year-old whippet mix, were down below trying to get comfortable. Perhaps a tall order given the rolly motoring conditions. After a few hours we were in the heart of the current and on course, heading straight across the current with a good northward push. The stars were brilliant and there was some sporadic large ship traffic on
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The Bahamas the AIS and visible on the horizon. About midnight, Dominique came into the cockpit and I laid down to try and nap for a few hours. Between the rolling of the boat and the mix of excitement and concern, I was unable to sleep, so I just rested in the cockpit for a bit. Dominique kept a watch and I showed her how to determine whether traffic posed a threat for us by visual reference and AIS. After two hours, she retired below and I made some coffee to keep going. Our speed with the current was up to 6+ knots over ground, and with a push from the Gulf Stream, we were going to arrive a bit early. Around 4 a.m. I began to see the lights of Bimini on the horizon. Once we exited the Gulf Stream I slowed to time our arrival with sufficient daylight to enter the channel. As the sun began to rise and cast a dim thread of dawn on the horizon, I saw the low, dark mass of the islands before us. We headed toward the entry channel at the south end of Bimini and began searching for the way in. Dominique spotted from the bow as I navigated the shifting sands below. The cruising guide advised us to line up with the marina channel and then turn north up the clear channel to our first destination: Bimini Blue Water Marina to check in with Customs and Immigration. This obviously hadn’t worked for the large powerboat thoroughly aground just inside a channel
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Sailing Wackadoo
marker buoy. We came to find out that the red buoy was off-station and more of a hazard than a help as it lured the powerboat onto the shoals. After a couple aborted attempts to navigate the shifting sands around the channel entrance, a friendly Bahamian fisherman in a center-console skiff showed us the way through the narrow cut in the sand piles. We arrived in good spirits among white sands and clear turquoise water. After a quick and easy check-in with Customs and Immigration, we had our clearance and cruising permit and were on our way to explore Alice Town. We walked toward the Atlantic Ocean side of the narrow island and grabbed some fantastic fried lobster tails and cold beer from CJ’s Deli and strolled the white sand beach overlooking the Florida Straits. Although we had to be careful of the ever-present broken glass along the beach, the view over the deep blue water did not disappoint. After strolling through Alice Town for the day, we had a pleasant night in the marina, topped up our water and fuel, and headed out across the Great Bahama Bank in light headwinds and calm conditions. We planned to get to the other side and anchor off Chub Cay for the night before continuing to New Providence on our transit south. Motoring across the bank was pleasant — the air was clean, the sea was calm, the sun was shining bright, and Ella was relaxing in the sunshine in the cockpit next to me. Not bad at all. As we got toward the eastern end of the bank and closer to the Northwest Channel, the tide began to run faster, and the wind and sea built until we were beating again into short, uncomfortable chop. I weighed
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turning back a few miles and anchoring on the bank for the night (with no where to walk the dog) or falling off onto a reach and heading north for Great Harbor Cay. In hindsight, we could have probably just headed northeast a few miles and anchored on the bank behind a string of shoals; but after making the turn we comfortably sailed the 25 nautical miles on an easy beam reach and anchored off Bullock Harbor at about 10 p.m. I dropped the dinghy and ran Ella to the town landing for a much needed relief break before we prepared some dinner. The weather forecast called for another front to push west and north winds into the area, so we decided to hang out and explore Great Harbor Cay for a couple days. The next morning, in preparation for a strong cold front to move through, we moved into the well-protected Bay of the Five Pirates. We took the dinghy ashore and explored a bit of the island on foot. We found the Beach Club and enjoyed a late lunch and rum drinks, then took a refreshing swim before heading back to the boat. We decided that we liked the island and would stay a few days before moving on. I arranged for a slip for two nights at the Great Harbor Cay Marina for a reasonable rate, which made exploring the island and tending to Ella’s needs easier. We borrowed bikes from the marina and explored the island beaches, airport (I’m an aviation nut to the core), beach club, and checked out the ruins of the old clubhouse, said to have been a happening place back in its heyday. After returning to the boat, we took the dinghy for a spin to see if we could find a fishing spot or get to the shelling beach, but the chop outside
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The Bahamas the harbor was too much to negotiate comfortably in our little inflatable. We contented ourselves by exploring the harbor and headed back for a dinner at the marina then met up with a few marina neighbors for drinks at the gazebo. After three nice days on the island, we departed for what was expected to be a rollicking 75 nautical mile broad-reach to the West Bay of New Providence Island. The weather did not disappoint. Once we beat around the north end of the Berrys — and past the cruise ships and their private island playground — we flew south on a fast broad reach in 20-to25 knot winds, averaging over 7 knots the whole way, and surfing down waves at close to 9 knots! Although it was a bit of a long day, the sailing was glorious. We even tried our hand at fishing along the way. Surely, the deep water along the eastern edge of the Berrys would hold some mahi-mahi or other tasty fish for our plate, but no such luck. In fairness, I have never professed to be a proficient fisherman in any terms. After a fun but tiring 11-hour sail, we made our way up into West Bay and dropped anchor as close to the beach as possible to avoid the reported swells that often wrapped into the anchorage. I took Ella to the beach for some exercise and then a late dinner on the boat. Apparently, we didn’t get quite close enough in as the anchorage was quite rolly that night and sleep did not come easy. The next morning, we explored Jaw’s Beach. It could have been quite a fantastic beach, but unfortunately, it was littered with sharp, broken glass on which I sliced my foot right between my toes. After cleaning, mending, and sealing the cut with some superglue, we explored more of the beach and found some good shells for Dominique’s collection. We spent another rocking and rolling night on the boat and I rigged a “flopper-stopper” fashioned from a 5-gallon bucket, some sailcloth, and a string of dive weights. It w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
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was no relief, as my makeshift contraption tangled on itself as it rose and sank, rendering it ineffectual. The next morning, I retrieved it and made improvements which I hoped would help as we waited for favorable winds for the next leg to Allen’s Cay. We decided to explore more of the island and took a hike during which we met Ivy and her dog, Jasper, from Sidecar. They were headed to Nassau the next day. Although I intended to avoid the city, I thought we might get a bit of relief after three solid nights of rolling our guts out at anchor. It would also give us a chance to fill up on fuel, water, and food before setting off to the Exumas, so we made plans to meet there. We motored the dropoff around the northern side of New Providence, and I thought, surely, I could
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Sailing Wackadoo catch a fish there. But I came up empty handed again. Maybe I need some lessons on deep-sea fishing. We arrived in Nassau in the mid-afternoon with a rushing current. Let’s say my docking at Nassau Harbor Club Marina was, well, less than graceful. Nothing a little sandpaper and some varnish can’t mend; my pride was far more bruised than the toe-rail. After shopping at the convenient and well-stocked grocery across from the marina and a quick swim at the pool, we met up with Ivy and Rudy from Sidecar for a drink on our boat and then walked to a nearby restaurant for dinner. It was a good time to hang out with some new friends that were close in age to us, and we had a nice evening and a tasty, if a bit overpriced, seafood dinner. After returning to the marina, we had a few more cocktails with our dock neighbors whose catamaran had an icemaker, a supreme luxury we could only dream of, and then slept well for the first night in several days. The next morning, I went searching for some bits at the local marine store to see about fixing a hot water backflow problem from our hot water heater that caused the cold water side to start with a significant slug of scalding hot water whenever we motored. I figured a simple check valve would do the trick, but one was not to be found. Oh well, put it on the list. We planned to leave the next morning with light but favorable conditions forecast for the 35-nautical mile run to Allen Cay in the Exumas. The run to Allen Cay across the Yellow Bank was a pleasant motorsail into light winds, with flat seas and the few coral heads of concern were easily visible. We arrived in the late afternoon to a beautiful anchorage and few other boats. I found a tiny beach spot on the rocky western islet to take Ella where she would not disturb the protected iguanas. As evening fell, we enjoyed a nice dinner on the boat and a comfortable night under the stars which must have numbered in the billions with no nearby lights. Before bed, I ran Ella to the tiny beach for a pee. The tiny sand patch was bordered with a thick, low, waxy-leafed plant where I saw another kind of light. As my headlamp shined on the plants, I saw tens of thousands of shiny green lights winking back at me. Of course, I explored closer and found tens of thousands of associated medium-sized black and green spiders
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among the plants. I wasn’t scared of them, but I was quite mesmerized by the sheer number of bright green, glowing eyes watching us. Once Ella finished her business, I told Dominique what I had seen and she was, let’s say, less enthusiastic about the idea of tens of thousands of spiders with glowing eyes; I thought it was cool. I reassured her that they would not swim to the boat to climb in bed with us in the night. The next day we checked out the iguanas and I finally got around to replacing our electronic wind vane that had not worked for the whole trip thus far due to a faulty wireless masthead unit. I fished the wire for the new instrument down the mast while Dominique worked to locate and grab the end from the bottom. To say it was an easy job would be a lie. Ultimately, I ended up using the masthead light’s cable to pull a length of paracord up the mast then used the cord to re-fish both the masthead light and the wind instrument cable down the mast to the bottom… it was a bit dicey, but we got it done. Yes, it would have been easier to simply replace the wireless masthead sender with the same unit, but the new wired system would interface with the rest of our instruments, and I thought, be more robust in the long-run. It also was a whole new system for less than the price of a new wireless masthead unit that didn’t interface with anything else. We left Allen’s Cay in 10-knot winds and smooth seas for a nice, calm daysail to Norman’s Cay, about 10 nautical miles away. We anchored off the beach in the early afternoon and walked along the shore looking for shells and enjoying the day and the beautiful evening
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The Bahamas
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that followed. The next day, we took the dinghy around the island to snorkel the wrecked DC-3. The current was running in fast, but there were plenty of small fish to be seen on and around the wreck, and swimming against the current from the dinghy to the wreck was a good workout. After diving the wreck, we explored the sand flats and beach on one of the smaller islets and took a try at looking for conch, which were rumored to be plentiful, but did not find any. On the way back I explored a few small reefs off the southwest tip of the island to see if I could find some lobster or a fish worth spearing. I didn’t have any such luck finding something to eat, but saw some small, colorful fish which made for a pleasant dive. We decided to move the boat into the anchorage between the islands for better protection and to give us easier access to the area between the islands for exploring. I’d have liked to stay here at Norman’s longer, but our time was running short before we had to head for home and back to work. For now, we’ve made it and plan to spend a few more weeks in the islands before rushing home. This is what it’s all about — my lady and our dog sailing the crystal blue waters of the Bahamas. Adam and his wife Dominique are novice cruisers and the proud owners of a beautiful and well-kept 1969 Tartan 34C, s/v Wackadoo, which they recently sailed down the East Coast to the Bahamas and back. Adam is a commercial pilot and Air Force Reserve officer, and Dominique is a pharmacy technician. Together, they are building their sailing experience to hopefully head off someday on a great cruising voyage, one step at a time. w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
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DIRECT.com Latitudes & Attitudes 51 1/26/21 11:14 AM
By Suzy Carmody, s/v Distant Drummer
Cruising Panama West
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M y husband Neil and I left
Mexico in March onboard s/v Distant Drummer, our Liberty 458 sloop, with a plan to spend the rest of the year on a leisurely voyage down the Pacific coast of Central America. After enjoying four months cruising El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, we were looking forward to exploring the estuaries and islands of western Panama. Unlike Costa Rica, large swathes of Panama have no mobile coverage. We were off the grid and relished the freedom of disengaging from the outside world. Exploring secluded anchorages and deserted beaches, snorkelling, fishing, and watching the antics of humpback whales filled our days until the need for fresh veggies or to reconnect drew us back to the mainland. In short,
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cruising the Pacific coast of Panama was a remote and memorable experience. Arrival in Panama Panama lies well to the south of the hurricane belt—but even so, the summer wet season is plagued with squally weather and intense thunderstorms. Southerly winds backed up by a solid north-setting swell are typical this time of year, and as we departed Golfo Dulce the weather was true to form. After a soggy day of pounding into the waves on a tight starboard tack, we were glad to round Punta Burica, a peninsula that hangs down like a giant epiglottis
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Cruising Panama West
marking the border between Costa Rica and Panama, and bear away to the northeast. Eventually the rain stopped and we enjoyed a pleasantly uneventful night passage across Golfo de Chiriquí, arriving in Boca Chica as the sun rose over the volcanic peaks of the Cordillera Central. The frequent changes to the Customs and Immigration procedures in Panama and the somewhat arbitrary application of the various rules and fees at different ports had been the subject of many cruisers’ tales as we came down the coast. We had heard offputting reports of exorbitant fees being charged at Puerto Armuelles, so we decided to give it a miss and head straight to Boca Chica. The offices of the Port Captain and Customs and Immigration are located in the port of Pedregal, about 27 nautical miles up the Rio Chiriquí. Shallow, shifting sand bars and low strung, high voltage cables make access by yacht difficult, so the two-hour journey from Boca via two buses and a taxi was the better option. After two trips to Pedregal and a visit to the boat by various officials, we were issued a 1-year cruising permit, a 180-day tourist visa, a health certificate, and a mysterious Declaración General—all of which were elaborately signed and colourfully stamped. Changing buses in David was a great opportunity to visit the market for provisioning as the tienda (village shop) in Boca Chica had almost no fresh produce. David is the third largest city in Panama but feels like a bustling market town; the shops were full of goods and humming with people, the stalls in the streets were overflowing with fruit and vegetables. We filled our bags
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for a handful of dollars and struggled back to Boca on the crowded bus. Located at the mouth of the Rio Chiriquí, Boca Chica is not a great anchorage: the channel has strong tidal flows and is cluttered with shoals, rocky reefs, and the rumour of a wreck. One morning we woke to find that we had dragged about 300 meters; a submerged tree trunk carried in the current had tangled in our chain causing the anchor to lift. We were amazed that we hadn’t collided with one of the five other yachts or various underwater hazards in the bay. I motored to keep us in position while Neil hacked at the trunk from the dinghy with a machete. It was a perilous job. We were glad to finally see it sink below the surface and we could reset the anchor. Island Hopping in Golfo de Chiriquí Isla Parida lies about 10 nautical miles south of Boca Chica in the middle of Golfo de Chiriquí. The island is surrounded by reefs and islets but has several safe anchorages. We headed for Ensenada del Varadero where we had arranged to meet Kevin on s/v Colmena, a cruising buddy that we had run into in Costa Rica. The entrance to the southern bay was sinuous and scattered with rocks, but the sheltered coves fringed with white sand and lush jungle tempted us into the shore. With a lookout posted on the bow and a sharp eye kept on the charts and the depth sounder, we nosed our way into the cove where we found Colmena rocking gently at anchor. Many of the islands in Panama are privately owned and the landowners often install a caretaker w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
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to keep an eye on their property. Three of the four beaches at Ensenada del Varadero were private, but the caretaker didn’t mind us exploring them and picking up a coconut or two, and he kindly let us use the freshwater tap to have an openair shower and fill up a few jerry cans. One evening a fishing boat came alongside and we traded a couple of shackles for some oranges, a bucket load of crabs and lobsters, and two huge conchs. We enjoyed a seafood feast—except for the conchs, which we found inedible no matter how much we bashed them or boiled them! After a few days, we moved to Ensenada Sepulcro on the eastern side of the island where we met Gerai who runs the Isla Parida Lodge, a small tiki bar tucked away in the corner of the bay. He serves cold beer and simple, delicious seafood, so it was no surprise to find a couple of other cruising yachts already anchored there. It was fun to get together to swap tips on favorite anchorages and places to avoid, and to catch up on news of other cruisers up and down the coast. The Islas Secas island group lies about 20 nautical miles southeast of Isla Parida. We had a beautiful sail across under the full main and jib in a light southerly breeze. We normally navigate using Navionics, having found the charts in Panama to be reasonably well positioned. Rocks and reefs are usually in the right place, though inadequate soundings often cause the depths close to the coast to be poorly mapped. The east side of Isla Cavada, the main island in the Secas group, has several bays which looked like w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
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attractive anchorages, however we found two of them to be much shallower than charted. Luckily, the northern inlet was a little deeper. We dropped the pick just as a squall hit and it rained for the rest of the afternoon. The Secas Islands are known for their clear water. We were really pleased to be able to hop in and enjoy some good snorkelling. As we explored the reef we were often surrounded by large schools of jacks, parrotfish, and numerous other small, colourful fish. We watched turtles launch languidly from the coral bommies and saw several free-swimming moray eels snaking across the sand, all the while accompanied by the haunting sounds of whales in the distance. June to October is whale season on the Pacific coast of Panama and we saw humpbacks almost daily. Often they were boisterous, breaching or slapping their tails and pectoral fins on the surface of the water with a loud crack. While anchored at Islas Secas, we were visited by whales swimming peacefully through the anchorage, sometimes coming close enough to the boat that we could hear their song in the aft cabin. One morning a pair of prawn boats appeared in the bay, their rigging festooned with frigate birds and a gaggle of pelicans hovering behind for scraps. We traded five beers for a big bucket of prawns and spent a very enjoyable evening onboard Distant Drummer with Kevin and a young French couple, Roxy and Manu on s/v Bucanero, playing music, guzzling camarones, and polishing off a box or two of Clos—the cruiser’s choice of local wine.
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Cruising Panama West
The Veraguas Coast We were in need of provisions and a quick internet fix, so we headed to Pixvae, a small village on the mainland. Once again the tienda had no fresh produce, but internet was available from 4–8pm in the park beside the police station. It felt very nostalgic to see the villagers gather in the plaza at the end of the day to share news and gossip, until they whipped out their mobile phones and started messaging people hundreds of miles away. Even so, there was a warm communal atmosphere; the cantina pumped out jaunty music, young lads played football, teenagers flirted, and small kids chased dogs and chickens around the square. Although we were loath to visit another river anchorage after our Boca Chica experience, we decided to back track to Río Santa Lucía where we hoped to get some provisions. We waited a couple of hours at the river mouth for a flood tide then navigated 3 nautical miles upstream to a public jetty. Trying to follow the channels as they meandered and split around sand bars and islands was hair-raising, but we finally dropped the pick and went ashore. We were
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disappointed to find there was no tienda at the dock, so we hitched a ride to the Pan-American highway, then hopped on a bus to Tolé, the nearest “big” town. We loaded up with veggies and other supplies, connected to the internet for a couple of hours, then took a taxi back to the boat—mission finally accomplished! We had planned to spend a week or so cruising around Isa Coiba, a large island on the eastern side of Golfo de Chiriquí, however we had been warned that the fee to anchor in the national park was about $100 per day, which was well outside our budget. Instead we sailed to the Contreras Islands, speeding southward with a rare northeasterly wind on the port beam, and dropped the pick in the northern bay of Isla Brincanco. The next morning we were awoken with a cheery “Good morneeeng!” The park rangers had arrived. Apparently, Islas Contreras lie within the boundary of the Isla Coiba National Park. We pleaded ignorance, had a quick breakfast, and moved swiftly on. The normal wet season resumed. It was with a southerly wind and heavy rain that we sailed the 30 nautical miles around Punta Jabali to Isla Santa Catalina. Dolphins splashing in the bow wave and sighting two pairs of humpback whales cheered up an otherwise tedious voyage. We dropped anchor in the channel between the island and the mainland where we were sheltered from the southerly swell, and went ashore to explore the village. Waves crashing on the beach made landing the dinghy difficult, but at high tide it was possible to enter the river mouth and tie up in the swampy lagoon behind the settlement. w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
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The village of Santa Catalina is a well-known surfing and diving destination that has developed a low-key tourist infrastructure with a few small restaurants and guest houses. I fell in love with the place when I found it had a bakery and a fabulous fruteria. After struggling to find fresh produce for the last few weeks, it was an Aladdin’s cave of fruit and veggies. Punta Mala and Golfo de Panama Unlike the Caribbean coast where the tidal range can be measured in inches, the spring tides on the Pacific coast of Panama range up to 15 feet. Strong tidal currents stream between islands, at river mouths, and around headlands, so tides need to be carefully checked not only when anchoring but also for passage planning. In the Golfo de Panama, the flood tide flows northwards on the eastern side of the bay and runs southwards on the Azuero Peninsula, reaching up to 3 knots at Punta Mala, which marks the boundary between western and central Panama. There are no good anchorages on the Azuero Peninsula in which to hide from the southerly swell that pounds the rocky shoreline, so we decided to make an overnight passage from Isla Cebaco to Vista Mar Marina in the gulf. We motorsailed for most the first day in squally weather with a moderate swell but luckily had a favourable current to keep us moving. During the night the wind picked up from the northwest, and we had a fantastic sail around Punta Mala under a reefed main and full jib. At day break the tide changed, and it was a slow haul up Vista Mar with the flood tide w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
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against us. We arrived in the marina just as the sun was going down. Tying up at the dock was fraught with problems. When a spring tide combines with a moderate southerly swell, strong currents race through the marina and boats in the berths are pulled and pushed around, straining the mooring lines and squeezing fenders hard against the dock. We were grateful to the staff and other cruisers who helped us control the boat and secure our lines as we entered the berth, and were glad to unwind in the friendly community at Vista Mar. Cruising on the secluded Pacific coast of western Panama was a wonderful opportunity to visit isolated islands and out-of-the-way villages far off the beaten track. Numerous anchorages with picture postcard perfect beaches sheltered us from the southern swell, and although the wet season is not the best time for cruising in Panama, the frequent sighting of humpback whales was a joyful compensation. Rain rarely dampened our spirits for very long, and only an occasional thunderstorm passed close enough to worry about. On balance, it was an experience not to be missed.
Latitudes & Attitudes 57 1/25/21 1:38 PM
Double Journey: By Mike and Jacquie Champion
It was day 4 of our second trip from Vancouver to San Francisco. We were 150 miles offshore, somewhere northwest of Cape Mendocino, California. The GRIB file Jacquie had downloaded through the SSB showed a gale to the southeast at the cape. It looked to be intensifying from a fresh 25 knots to a more ominous 35–40 knots, with seas in the 4–5 meter and at 10–15 knot second range. With nowhere to go and unable to run for shore this far off, we agreed to steer a little to the southwest and avoid the worst of the gale closer to shore. Eventually we would need to turn east for San Francisco, but that was a discussion for two days from now.
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Vancouver to San Francisco
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Double Journey: Vancouver to San Francisco It was during my watch, midnight to 3 am, that I remembered our first trip around Cape Mendocino. It was nine years earlier, September 2008, and we were running within five miles of the coast. It was our first cruise to San Francisco and we were coast-hopping. Some may claim this is the easier route. Looking at an approaching gale, I was inclined to agree. Now that we have done the trip both ways, coastal and offshore, I am not able to definitively state which route is better. Both have their pros and cons, with the pros far outweighing the cons. Coastal route, September/October Our first trip south started in late August 2008. We had sold everything, Jacquie had retired, and I had taken a leave from work. The boat, and our home for 14 years, was a 34-foot Coast named Angelique of Vancouver. We had done all of the things to get ready for an offshore cruise: boat upgrades, navigational courses—I even crewed on a race from Victoria to Maui. We were ready, or so we thought. The original plan was to sail 100 miles southwest out of Juan de Fuca Strait, turn left, and head south until the butter melted. All seemed fine as we sailed past Cape Flattery and started heading offshore. We had checked the weather, which claimed a northwest around 15 knots. As night fell, what we got was southeast at 20 knots. In hindsight, the weather we saw was a low close in to shore; if we had continued further offshore, we would have picked up the forecast northwestern winds. This was Jacquie’s first offshore passage, as well as her first night at sea. She was not having fun, and since she was the admiral (and me the only crew), we changed our plan and headed back inshore for Grays Harbour, Washington. Our coastal cruise to San Francisco had begun! For a first cruise in your own boat, shorthanded, a coastal route is a good plan. You see a lot of the coast, have time to explore the beautiful towns, and can easily make it to San Francisco with no damage to the boat. You will also meet a lot of like-minded cruisers, heading south. For us, it was great cruising south in our makeshift community of like-
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minded folks, sharing the highs and lows and boosting each other’s confidence. Bars If you decide on the coastal route, you will need to get comfortable with crossing bars. A lot of them. They can all be a little hairy, but the NOAA weather report and the U.S. Coast Guard are great for providing current bar information. Some of our crossings were calm, like Grays Harbour. We timed the tides just right — high water slack. Our only challenge was the thick fog. Radar for a coastal cruise of the Pacific Northwest is a must. Some bar crossings can be stressful. For example, Newport, Oregon. We left Grays Harbour and had an interesting night passage, planning to stop in Newport the next day. The night was OK, but it was moonless and overcast. So we turned on the radar to chase the boogieman away. Our course was within 20 miles of the coast, just along the continental shelf, right where the crab fishermen like to string their pots. We did our best to avoid the floats, but I missed one just as it went under the bow. We were motorsailing and I quickly popped into neutral. Bump, bump, bump, and up they popped in our stern light, fading into the black. I waited for the trap line to go taut, tying us to the bottom. One minute. Two minutes. We were clear. Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. At dawn, five miles off the Newport sea buoy in thick fog, the engine quit. Now what? Jacquie called the Coast Guard to get an updated bar w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
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report and assistance entering the bar, and I dashed below to fix the engine. “Mike, the Coasties say the bar is closing to vessels less than 32 feet.” OK, it was getting rough, around 3 meters at 9 seconds. There was no wind, just fog so thick Jacquie couldn’t see the end of the boat. I needed to get this engine running fast. “Hey, Mike, I can hear a bell. I think we are close to the sea buoy. If you can get the engine started we should run for Newport. It’s only 5 miles away. Are you OK?” “I’m fine, sweetie,” I reply. Truth is, I was frustrated, insecure, neurotic, and exhausted. FINE. I was guessing that the rough seas had stirred up sediments and fouled the fuel filter. I somehow managed to move all of the fuel valves in the right way (I’ll have to remember to label these things) so the fuel feed was changed to the secondary filter, and the engine started. Just in time too, as the Coasties were close. We could hear their engine in the fog. Radar showed them to be really close. Looking aft, I could see the bow of a U.S. Coast Guard cutter coming out of the fog about five meters back. Yikes! They lead us in, and the bar proved to be straight forward, with 3-meter breaking surf running. “We can do this,” I told Jacquie. She smiled, and off we went. Occasionally, bar crossings can be scary. For example, Fort Bragg a week later. We f—ed up the tide and came in at a low ebb in thick fog. We couldn’t see anything, but we could hear the breaking waves on either side of the boat, and we could feel when we
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Double Journey: Vancouver to San Francisco
bumped the bar a few times in a breaking swell. Lucky for us, it was sand where we crossed. Once we got in, the Coast Guard informed us that the bar was closed to vessels under 50 feet. Oops. The next day when the fog cleared we walked out to look at the bar. Very narrow. Without radar, and lots of luck, the outcome could have been very different. Fuel & Traffic Plan on more motorsailing if you take the coastal route. Winds are more affected by the shore structures and the land temperature gradients. These can cause some unpredicted weather, with winds contrary or nonexistent. We made a lot of power-assisted sailing passages to ensure the daytrips did not extend into multiple days. While all of the harbours will have fuel, not all of them have it on a floating dock. Sometimes you might need to tie alongside large pile docks. Be patient — and use lots of fenders. Commercial fishing will be all around you on the coastal route. This includes crabbers, seiners, trawlers, and nets. Fortunately, the gear in U.S. waters will normally be marked with flags, buoys, and lights. Normally. Have a plan to deal with nets, pots, and other fishing gear that may become entangled on your boat. While AIS has made it easier to track commercial fishermen, as well as freighters, not all vessels will have a working unit. A keen lookout is still required. Timing Don’t be in a hurry. We were stuck in Fort Bragg for ten days as the bar was closed due to a gale. The commercial tuna fleet was losing a fortune — and their minds — waiting for the bar to open. A 36-foot sailing vessel was in a hurry to get to Los Angeles and left before the bar opened. We heard later that the boat was lost. Enjoy your port stays. Each will have a distinct feel, and the people are generally very friendly. Newport, Oregon, has the coolest brewery right on the water. In Fort Bragg, we would watch the turtle races.
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One of our neighbors had two turtles that would race up and down the dock every day. Jacquie and I started making bets. Finally, enjoy the marine life. There will be whales, sunfish, sharks, dolphins, sea otters, and tons of birds. There are also many, many sea lions. In Monterey, they formed a raft of over 100 at night, barking all night long and trying to dislodge their mates from the docks, buoys, and rocks. Equipment Along with the usual equipment, some things to have for a coastal passage are: • Cell phones for weather, either through NOAA or internet sites like Predict Wind, Windy, Sail Flow, etc. • Radar • Accurate charts for all bar crossings, even those you don’t plan on crossing. • AIS transponder for commercial traffic Offshore route, September Our second trip started like the first. We still lived full time on Angelique, and we were leaving from Vancouver, B.C. This time we wanted a crew, so Jacquie asked our brother-in-law Terry to join, and the silly bugger said yes. Off we went, leaving mid-August 2017. w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
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Timing When leaving Juan de Fuca in the summer, you have to contend with the prevailing westerlies, usually in the 20–25 knot range, and tidal currents in the 2–3 knot range. Our window was at the tail end of a westerly gale. We left Port Angeles around 1 am in horizontal rain and lumpy seas, a good first passage for Terry. It wasn’t all bad. Once we got to the entrance of Juan de Fuca, the sun came out and we sailed with a pod of hunting sperm whales. The first three days were as expected: winds from the northwest at 15–20, seas from the same at 2 meters. The swell was a long period, so not a bad ride. However, as we passed the OregonCalifornia border, a gale at Cape Mendocino intensified with 35–40 knots inshore and extending on a 100-mile front offshore. “We have a decision to make. Run southwest, further offshore, or stand on and take our lumps.” Discretion being the better part of valor, we headed southwest to avoid the worst of it. By day 4 we were running under the staysail only, making a solid 6 knots and surfing in 4-meter swells. Jacquie had been launched over her galley strap and into the nav station, I had broken my nose on a stanchion, and Terry had twisted his back. Are we having fun yet? Jacquie popped up from below and smiled. “Sorry guys, it’s too rough to cook. Dinner is PB&Js with hot tea or Cup-a-Soup.” By day 5 things had eased a bit. We rolled out the jib and caught a nice tuna. The seas were down to 2–3 meters and the galley was open. “Hot food, boys,” was the call from the galley. The crew cheered. We were two days out of San Francisco, but the front had slid a little to the south. If we wanted to cross under the Golden Gate we would have to turn southeast, into the gale. After sweating over the latest GRIB, we all agreed that the gale looked to be easing. We jibed and headed towards San Francisco. It was day 6 and the winds had eased to a steady 20–25 knots. While the seas were still 4–5 meters, at least they were from the northwest. Angelique was surfing, as was a pod of dolphins on the port side. As we started to surf down the swell, they followed on the port quarter. As we slowed in the trough, they surfed under the keel and out the starboard bow. This was repeated for the next 90 minutes. Terry and I watched, memorized by the beauty and poetry. And no one thought to get a camera or call Jacquie up from her off-watch. On day Seven, we passed under the Golden Gate Bridgeat 4 am in fog. Welcome to San Francisco. w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
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Equipment For an offshore passage, you should have the same things you need for a coastal run. You never know if you need to bail. You should also have: • Crew. Have at least three people on board who can stand a watch. This allows for longer off-watch time, so you can sleep, cook, read, study the horizon, chat, etc. • Charts. We plotted our position every watch on a small-scale chart. This allows you to see your daily mileage and keeps you focused on your goal. For old-timers, it’s also fun to keep a celestial plot. • Sea berths. Ensure everyone has a comfortable sea berth, someplace they can call their own, keep their stuff, and feel safe. Jacquie and I were never on the same watch, so we shared a birth. Not a lot of options on a 34-foot boat. • Weather data. We used our SSB radio and a PACTOR modem to get GRIB files and weather data. Others highly recommend the Predict Wind and satellite phone package. • Autopilot. We had a fourth crew on board, fondly called “Tilly,” a Hydrovane selfsteering system. It steered better than I could in the big seas. Whatever type of autopilot you choose, take some time to learn how to use it, as well as balance the boat under sail, before heading offshore. • Safety gear. Angelique had all of the safety gear listed for a coastal passage. And while you don’t have to have any of the following, Angelique also carried: ჿ 4-man life raft, complete with an offshore pack and ditch bag that held SOLAS flares, food, documentation, tools, lights, water. ჿ EPIRB. Also, both the SSB and VHF radios had emergency signal buttons. These will send an emergency call, complete with the ship’s MMSI and GPS location. ჿ Jack lines and hard points in the cockpit. Crew were always clipped in, no exceptions. Jacquie and I are very fortunate to have made both a coastal passage and an offshore passage to San Francisco. Each passage had its highs and lows. For a first long cruise, I would recommend the coastal route. There are enough overnights to test yourself and your boat, boosting your confidence for future cruises. However, if you are planning to head further afield, to the South Pacific or Caribbean, then there is no better way to shake out your boat and boost your confidence than an offshore passage. In the immortal words of Captain Ron, “If something’s going to happen, it’s going to happen out there.” Go cruising now, my brother, it’s later than we think.
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Ending the Journey By Vicki Seymour
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Sailing under the huge steel arch of one of the most iconic structures in the world, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, I was so raw with emotion that I was laughing and crying and shouting with joy at once. Really, I cannot start to describe how I felt, as it was quite simply, in the terms of today, “crazy!” Most definitely, it is a moment I will never forget in my life. I had just circumnavigated the world by sea, and now skipper Matt and I were back where it all began 27 months earlier – with both boat and bodies intact.
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It was a short circumnavigation – too short of course. But, being friends rather than partners, it is a quite different scenario to the usual couples and families that spend a lot longer cruising their way around the world. Owner, skipper, and now my good friend, Matt had family here in Sydney and also an ongoing love affair with his sailing business in the harbour, and so it was reasonable to be back so soon. Already, of course, both of us were planning the next voyage, and so although it was the end, we could console ourselves with the thought that it was also perhaps the beginning of a new adventure. In truth, we had officially circumnavigated when we crossed our outbound path up in Queensland. Equally, we had arrived in Sydney the day before on a grey and dull spring day, and our emotions had been welling from the moment we started to see the familiar landmarks of the city. As we had neared Sydney Heads, a flotilla of boats of all types and sizes, and complete with (mostly Matt’s) friends and family, had come outside the Heads to greet us and escort us into the Harbour. It was wonderful to see
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a few familiar faces, so it must have been incredibly heart-warming for Matt! For me, seeing one of our COVID lockdown friends from Papeete, Pete, come out to greet us on his yacht, was especially poignant. He, of all the people there, had some idea of what we had done, and I have to admit at that point to shedding the first of a few tears — it really was all too much to take in and an incredible welcome. At the same time, the tears were for the end of a journey and the cruiser’s life I had grown to love more than I could ever have imagined. Tears wiped away, we sailed through the Heads into Sydney’s Middle Harbour, the entourage followed, waving, tooting fog horns, and having as much fun as us as we made our way to tie up for the night at the local yacht club. Somehow though, this just didn’t feel right — it just didn’t feel finished. As I said to Matt, “I’m not finished until I sail back under the Harbour Bridge into Darling Harbour where we left from.” However, we proceeded to enjoy the welcome and celebrations at Matt’s place over the bay — a truly joyful
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affair put on by his wife Helen! It was amazing to see friends again, and more emotional than I would have ever imagined as they barraged us with questions and congratulations. All those tales of whales, gales, turtles, manta rays, dramas at sea, starry nights and sunny days, anchorages ,and people you will never forget started flowing. The journey itself and what we had done began to slowly sink in. But, as I said, the real deal for me was to get truly back to base, to sail back under the bridge deep into Darling Harbour. And did we pick a day for it – wind of a steady 38 knots, gusting to at least 44, rain blocking visibility, and waves only meters away, far too close for comfort, as we literally bashed our way out of Middle Harbour into the main harbour. I will admit that this had me slightly nervous as I imagined our potential fate at the final hour if we lost the engine and couldn’t sail ourselves out of it. We had donned our wet weather gear that hadn’t seen the light of day since we left in 2018, and had one of the trickiest exits from w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
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a marina ever — involving Matt’s son having to cut one of the ropes so we could make a fast reverse exit straight into the howling wind. As soon as we rounded into the main harbour and got away from the waves and big swell coming through the heads, the exhilaration set in. It was so wild and woolly that I was, genuinely and literally, screaming with joy. Better still, there was no traffic on the harbour — only a crazy man would be out today — and even the ferries appeared to be on hold. I headed to my favourite place, the bow, hugging the genoa in delight as we rode the swell and I rode my emotions. I was screaming, crying, and laughing all at once. This was, beyond any doubt, one of my favourite times in the whole journey. Skipper Matt gallantly let me go and be and do what I wanted to do, as he kept us on course and off any rocks. I did at least make him one final cup of tea. Black, no sugar, lots of milk and many biscuits to dunk! We could not see the city for rain; this was not one of those picture postcard Sydney days, but I was glad. It absolutely could not have been better. I was glad that nobody had wanted to join us — that it was just the two of us on our final journey. That seemed right, we understood what each other was feeling. We had both done the whole journey, and selfishly, I wanted us to end the journey alone together and alone in our understanding of each other. The tops of city high rises loomed into view, then the bridge, and finally the Opera House. We didn’t need dolphins to greet us, or the sun — this alone was enough. Selfies were in order, then some more shouting. The indescribable joy and sadness welled up once again as we made our way close past the Opera House and watched our mast pass above us under the steel goliath. We may have officially circumnavigated the globe when we crossed our path up in Queensland, but only now were we back. Only now did I really feel that we had sailed around the world.
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Lost Souls, Wicked Weather, and Heaps of Fun2 By JoAnne & Bill Harris
LET’S CATCH UP: Bill and JoAnne’s catamaran, ULTRA, had taken a beating while crossing from the San Blas to Grand Cayman. In Grand Cayman, they repaired the hulls and spars, then searched for the wire that would render their SSB functional again. Though they enjoyed Carnival and scuba diving, adventure called them to Rio Dulce. But more bad weather led them to Lighthouse Reef in Belize. Here the days are unpredictable — a mix of stunningly brilliant summer days and days full of rain, thunderstorms, and squalls. Here is the rest of their story. We sincerely appreciate the hospitality of the two dive resorts on the island, Huracan Diving Lodge and Itza Resort. Chris at Huracan was wonderful and we were able to get cold beer, dive tank fills, and wifi. At Itza, Chef Giggs really made us feel at home with his fresh hibiscus tea, cold beers, and wifi. Both resorts did not have guests at the time, but still had a few staff on site. We continued killing heaps of lionfish and enjoyed eating every single one. Just a few days after we had arrived, Belize lobster season opened up. All of those lobsters were a beautiful sight to see. The lobstermen soon arrived in their small sailboats carrying their dugouts, 12 men, freezer boxes, and all their provisions. We enjoyed meeting and chatting with them. It is not an easy life since they spend almost two weeks at sea working and living nonstop in those cramped conditions.
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We were blessed to meet only one other boat while we were anchored at Long Caye. They were a Brazilian family and had been in Panama, mostly the San Blas Islands, for the last few years. Even though we spent lots of time cruising those islands, we had somehow never met. We had a great time making memories with Peter, Elena, and their adorable son, Arthur, of s/v Pura Vida. Pura Vida was also making their way to the Rio Dulce for hurricane season and had stopped into Belize due to bad weather. We waited for a favorable weather window before heading to the Rio Dulce. Each day we spent at Long Caye was filled with either scuba diving, snorkeling, or hunting, whether by ourselves or with Peter. In the afternoon, we would enjoy either lunch or dinner with the family. We had the entire area to ourselves. We explored the surrounding cayes and reefs easily via dinghy. Note: There are loads of sharks of w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
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all types. We have had many shark encounters in Panama, The Bahamas and other places, but in Belize it seemed as if they were more concentrated and less shy. On the shallow reef, several would just swim by closer than arm’s length. It definitely gave us a shock when we saw large reef sharks, blacktips, and others in our peripheral vision. During one scuba diving trip, one large shark followed us up from depths of 65 feet to 20 feet. It seemed to be following JoAnne, though she had not killed any lionfish. It seemed that someone had been feeding the sharks lionfish, and therefore being armed with a lionfish spear and a GoPro on a stick was no bueno. This event was a definite heart-stopper, considering the dinghy was a half a football field away from us. After being stuck there in that amazing place due to weather, we planned our departure. We said our goodbyes to Pura Vida and moved out onto a dive mooring ball for the night. Great plan, since we could depart the following morning bright and early in good weather without having to navigate the coral heads. Rio Dulce Bound We departed from Long Caye and … WHAM! Just an hour out, a squall blew out of nowhere and we soon w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
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were surrounded by zillions of lightning bolts with kickin’ winds and driving rain. Oh yes… it was a full-on sailing experience, indeed. We quickly dropped the sails and were once again motoring in raging whitecaps and high winds. The only good thing about squalls is they come fast and they leave fast. It soon passed and the sails were up again, and we caye-hopped our way towards the Rio Dulce over the next several days. After anchoring in Belize cayes with names like Mosquito, Sandfly, Alligator, and Snake, and an abundance of squally weather, we made our way across to Livingston, Guatemala, located at the mouth of the Rio Dulce. We hailed the Servimar Agency, where Raul and his nephew Gerson are located. It was a national holiday, so we were blessed they were open. We dropped the hook, launched the dinghy, and chained it to the town dock. It was a smooth check-in process, like we had experienced several years ago, and an hour later we were on our way. We pulled up anchor and cruised through the majestic Rio Dulce entrance, complete with towering limestone walls, thick jungle, and a variety of wildlife. We anchored at beautiful Isla
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Grande across the river from Texan Bay and toasted to a job well done. After a very peaceful night at anchor, we pulled up the hook and headed up the freshwater river to Catamaran Marina. We were greeted by old and new cruiser friends that helped us with the lines and gave us welcome hugs. In the Rio Dulce, we purchased an old aluminum mast, cut it in half, and hired Caesar at Mar Marine to weld us two new bow spars. We then painted the new bow spars and installed the bowknots. We were back to normal, with morning coffee and Happy Hour cocktails in the nets. Jeff, aboard s/v Solace, gave us a generous gift of the proper GTO-15 off a brand new spool. Now our SSB worked as if it was brand new, too. Our sails needed to be restitched, so we sailed down Texan Bay and anchored. We saw our friend and professional rigger, Tom, who did a beautiful job. We were delighted to have three big boat projects checked off of the long list.
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Back to Belize After a fun-filled hurricane season spent with cruisers and locals, organizing super fun cruiser events and spending numerous hours volunteering for our many school and community projects, we departed for Belize. We dropped the hook in Punta Gorda, Belize, and dinghied over to the government dock to check in. We were delighted to meet the extremely professional and friendly agents. Afterwards, we were off the hook and sailed onto Moho South Caye for the night. The next morning we sailed to Placencia to reunite with great boat friends, John and Jenn of s/v Lady J. They quickly gave us the lay of the land there, and we explored and soaked in the wonderful local vibes. We explored Belize by snorkeling, riding bicycles, enjoying live music, bar hopping, and cruising more of the cays. We also wanted to take a few days for some adventures into the interior. This was perfect timing since Joe, JoAnne’s brother, was coming to visit. The day Joe
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arrived, we were thrilled to dinghy to shore, taxi to the tiny airport, and pick him up. While dinghying back to ULTRA, a local lobster sailboat was returning from being two weeks out at sea. We buzzed over to greet them and were soon rafted up to them since it was our lobstermen friends we had met a few months before in Long Caye. They were loaded down with lobsters and fish, and offered us great prices — and even threw in extra snappers. We told Joe how lucky he was to have lobster and fish fresh from the boat for his welcome dinner. The next day was a full-day adventure of riding rental bikes and beach bar hopping in Placencia. Our plans included sailing onto various cayes to soak in more of the beauty of Belize. Joe was only onboard ULTRA for eight days, so every day had to be packed full of fun. The next day’s plan was to go sailing, so we were off the hook with just enough time to get to Hideaway Caye. About an hour into our trip, Mother Nature had an unpredicted set of squalls that rolled in. Driving rain, winds, and rough seas ensued. Joe was a great sport and chilled out on the sofa to experience the thrashing action of the sea. The bad weather slowed us down, so we only had time to get into Lagoon Caye. Luckily, as we were approaching the caye the weather let up and we dropped the hook. JoAnne and Joe jumped into the kayak to explore the magnificent mangroves to see the variety of birds and fish — and fortunately had no saltwater crocodile encounters.
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Lost Souls, Wicked Weather, and Heaps of Fun
After exploring, it was time for Happy Hour and a yummy dinner of hog snapper, compliments of the lobstermen. Joe has a passion for fishing just as we do, so we put out the fishing poles. Within the next 20 minutes, ten snappers were on deck. It was very exciting, indeed! We only kept the two largest ones. The following morning, we sailed into Hideaway Caye and safely navigated our way through the shallows. There we met the wonderful family that owns the island: Dustin, Kim and their 7-year-old daughter, Ama. Dustin and Ama were on the dock to welcome us to their island. Ama was very eager to give JoAnne a tour of their mangrove island and the incredible playhouse her father built for her. It was filled to the gills with everything under the sun — from Barbies to board games to art supplies, to an old vhf radio the two of them played with — and surrounded by a large team of ducks. Meanwhile, Dustin showed Bill and Joe the bar-restaurant to order cocktails. After the tour and enjoying refreshing rum punches, a dinner order was placed for two plates of Kim’s famous conch fritters. While we were at the caye, a catamaran had shown up and picked up a mooring ball. Since the Hideaway Caye area is a marine park, it is requested for boats to only anchor if there are no mooring balls available. Soon we returned via dinghy and enjoyed great rum punches and yummy conch fritters. The Argentinian family of six on the catamaran was there and ordered several bottles of wine and platters of conch and lobster. While there, we had brought several gifts for Ama and her family, like
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Crocs shoes, art supplies, coloring books, handmade jewelry, homemade cake, and more. We were delighted to see them smile and to give us big thank you hugs! We had planned fantastic adventures to fit into the eight days Joe was onboard, so the time came to keep moving. After a beautiful morning snorkel at Hideaway Caye reef, complete with rays, nurse sharks, and countless fish, we set sail for Placencia. We had a great sail and only a minor squall passed over us. We dropped the hook and headed into town for a few drinks and to listen to some great local bands. The following day we took a tour with Barefoot Services to experience the ATM adventure. Meg’s amazing husband, Ian, was our guide and picked the three of us up in his van at O’dark thirty for a 2.5 hour road trip to San Ignacio. We arrived at an extraordinary site consisting of a spectacular cave system filled with countless ancient Mayan artifacts. Through the cave system we went, snaking through tight passes and scampering up and over walls, swimming across rivers, and hiking through thick jungle. After an amazing day, we arrived back at the boat at 10 p.m. Actun Tunichil Muknal is a definite gem and a must see if you visit Belize! We spent the next day relaxing on the beach and snorkeling. In the evening we had a few drinks at the local beach bars and then were back to ULTRA in preparation for another early start. The next morning, we dinghied in and tied up to Yoli’s Bar dock before dawn. By 5:00 a.m., we jumped into Ian’s van bound for the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and Jaguar Preserve. We arrived at the w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
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Reserve entrance, and Ian took us first to see the very interesting local Maya Center Mayan Museum. We then drove further through the thick jungle, getting deeper into the reserve. We stopped along the way to view beautiful birds and other wildlife. The day was perfect since the rest of the day we only saw four other tourists. Upon our arrival, we donned long pants, long sleeves and closed-toed Teva river sandals. We hiked through the mud to the mountaintop and back down through the rivers and an even muddier path. Afterwards, we had a refreshing two-hour innertube float in the pristine river. We highly recommend this tour. It was so great, we lost our souls. No, not really, we just lost soles of our Teva shoes in the thick knee deep mud. The next day was the finale of Joe’s adventure, so we spent it snorkeling, bar-hopping, and attending the Annual Rum & Music Festival at the Barefoot Beach Bar. The following day, Joe flew home and said he needed to rest up and recover from his ULTRA vacation. After spending a few weeks more exploring Belize, it was time for us to cruise onto the Bay Islands of Honduras. We looked forward to returning to the beautiful island of Roatán before visiting its sister islands of Guanaja and Utila once again. We took the Hokey Pokey water taxi to check out in Mango Creek, where the officials were very helpful, smiley, and efficient. The cost to us was $50 USD to checkout with the Port Captain and receive a Zarpe Exit Form, and $0 for immigration. We have heard the fees have gone up recently, so it is important to check before you venture to Belize, so you do not have any surprises. We definitely look forward to going back to Belize again in the future. Many parts of Panama are pristine. The Cayman Islands have spectacular scuba diving, many parts of Guatemala are absolutely gorgeous, and we cannot resist saying this to you about Belize, With its diverse beauty, abundance of wildlife, sealife, and friendly people, “Belize is Un-Belize-able!” We hope you enjoyed this article! To see more of our ULTRA adventures, please visit our YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/user/yachtultra1 or Instagram, @yachtultraadventures. w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
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What’s Out There? Cruising Monohull
The sailing characteristics of Bavaria’s new C38 include easy handling and maximum use of the interior space. The V-bow and chines at the stern guarantee a safe and fast sail, and you have plenty of space below deck. The forward owner’s cabin is quite spacious for a boat this size. The foredeck and side decks offer a lot of room for a sailing yacht of this size. You can select from individual cabin layouts — ranging from the luxurious 2-cabin version with a spacious bathroom, to the comfortable 3-cabin version with two bathrooms (shown here). You can comfortably fit eight people for dinner between the U-shaped seating area starboard side and the lounge bench portside. And, thanks to the L-shaped pantry portside, you can hold enough provisions to feed them! The design of the rigging and sail plan focuses on two aspects in particular: easy handling and
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good performance. The sail area for the mainsail and genoa provide extra power from the wind. While sailing with the wind abeam or running before the wind, a Code 0 sail and a gennaker ensure maximum speed, and the self-tacking jib means the easiest of handling when tacking. In order to be able to trim the two-spreader mast on all courses, a backstay and backstay tensioner are also included in the C38’s basic equipment. The V-shaped bow not only gives the C38 more space below deck, it also provides unusually good sailing performance. The chines ensure more stability and a longer waterline, and therefore a better performance and more direct feeling when steering. If you’re looking for a mid-sized cruiser easily handled by a couple, this could be the boat you’re looking for!
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Bavaria C38
GET ALL THE FACTS: www.BavariaYachts.com.com
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39’ 33.9’ 5’5” /6’9” 13’1” 20,547 lbs 21.3-hp diesel 46 USG 46 USG 4,861 lbs
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What’s Out There? Cruising Catamaran
With 50 years of customer feedback, Leopard Catamarans has pooled their expertise with builders Robertson and Caine and Naval Architects Simonis Voogd to design today’s Leopard range. You’ll find the new line to be spacious, robust, and performance-driven blue-water cruising catamarans. Leopard catamarans are the only catamaran brand certified both in Europe and the Americas. Over 2,500+ Leopard cats have now been delivered all over the globe. The Leopard 42 is the new generation of Leopard yachts. They have created a design made for cruising. The exterior has the modern appearance of the Leopard 50, which features continuous hull side windows, a continuous hardtop and an upper-lounge area. The interior styling was originally developed for the Leopard 53 Powercat. All bunks are island berths that allow
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access from both sides. With windows everywhere space permitted, the natural light is amplified. All cabins include their own private en-suite heads. All heads include their own designated shower area; a feature not currently found on catamarans in this size range. In the saloon, you’ll find a generous skylight, as well as an additional window in the aft starboard corner facing the helm seat. The forward-facing L-shaped galley is a very nice touch. The Leopard 42 has plenty of new technology and building techniques used to make it a true ocean-going yacht combining space, comfort, and performance only previously found in significantly larger models. So, if you are looking at a catamaran as your choice for a cruising vessel, this new designed 42 could be what you are looking for. More info? Go to www.LeopardCatamarans.com.
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Leopard 42
GET ALL THE FACTS: www.LeopardCatamarans.com
Leopard 42 LOA LWL Draft (shoal / deep) Beam Displacement Power Fuel Fresh Water Holding Tank w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
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41’7” 40’10” 4’7” 23’1” 27,485 lbs two 45hp Yanmars 158 USG 1,742 USG 44 USG
Latitudes & Attitudes 81
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What’s Out There? Power Cruiser
The SILENT 55 won the “Best of Boats Award” in the category “Best for Travel”. Generally, she can easily be handled by two people, making the SILENT 55 ideal for families cruising with or without additional crew. Welcome to the world of solar powered noiseless cruising! Two electric motors allow you to seamlessly glide towards the horizon, providing high levels of comfort and making this option suitable for long-term economic cruising. Furthermore, the solar-electric drivetrain features unprecedented levels of reliability and security with almost zero maintenance work needed. There is an 8-year warranty for the battery banks and a 25-year warranty for the solar panels. Also included is a lifetime warranty for the electric motors.
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This cruising designed vessel is 100% solar powered with an unlimited cruising range using noiseless and fumeless propulsion. This system is considered one of the safest marine propulsion systems available. This futuristic vessel is tried and tested over many sea miles, and is a look at the very possible future of power-cruising catamarans. The spacious interior and the silent running make this boat something that cruisers might want to consider. The folks at Silent Yachts have been working on this technology for years, and they seem to have found the right setup. If you’d like more info, you can find it at www.Silent-Yachts.com.
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Silent 55
GET ALL THE FACTS: www.Silent-Yachts.com
Silent 55 Designer LOA LWL Draft (shoal / deep) Beam Displacement Power Fuel Fresh Water w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
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Michael Kohler 54’8” 54’2” 3’9” 27’7” 19 ton two 30 KW 286 USG 132 USG
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Latitudes & Attitudes 85 1/25/21 12:57 PM 1/27/21 10:03 PM
86 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 86-97 Underway - MKC.indd 2
W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
1/25/21 11:45 AM
Underway! Ever wondered why people love the boating lifestyle? Well, here in the Underway section, folks from all over the world show us what it’s really like out there. If you have a photo you think tells a good tale, why not send it to us? We prefer you send a digital pic in the highest resolution possible. Tell us who took the pic and where it was taken. We will probably throw it into our “digital pile” and pull it out someday. We won’t send you any money, but you will be famous worldwide! Email to: Underway@LatsAtts.com.
By Ray Muzyka, of a stormy night at sea W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
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Latitudes & Attitudes 87 1/25/21 11:45 AM
By B. Chandler, sailing Canada’s east coast
By Scott Meekhof, on Lake Michigan near Muskegon, MI; sailing his 1977 O’Day 25 Lil’ Hog
By Alex Duff, of s/v Silmaril, a Hans Christian 41
Of Dan, Marla, Karen and Jack from s/v Long Windid, proud members of Musket Cove Yacht Club, on Malolo Lailai Island, Fiji
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1/25/21 11:45 AM
By Peter Isern, onboard Soberana in the bay of Barcelona, Venezuela
By Michael Cotton, s/v M’aisling in a St. Lucie sunset
By Mark Gonsalves, in Abacos
By Mike Stinson Matacumbe Bight, Florida Keys‌ names withheld, drinks shared.
By Michael Harlow W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
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Latitudes & Attitudes 89 1/25/21 11:45 AM
By Allie Young, of Johnny Rook
Sara and James
By Randy Clarke By Ken Wolfell
By Robin Stout
By Bill, conch blowing lessons on s/v Wendy Michelle in Put-in-Bay, Ohio
Of Jim & Erin on s/v Dawn Trader in La Paz, MX
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By George Johnson, of Jessica off Brooklyn, NY
W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
1/25/21 11:45 AM
By Larry Harrison, of s/v Sparrow out for a sail on Georgian Bay
By Brent Johnston, of s/v Daze Dream, a 41’ Islander Freeport sailing out of Long Beach
It’s a tough life! Adam Ellis and friends out for a fun sail on Lake Michigan
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Latitudes & Attitudes 91 1/25/21 11:45 AM
By Don Hoddr, of low-odor plumbing in Newfoundland
By Gary, of sailing through the Philippines
By Dennis Gill, of Ushuaia, Argentina A goal without a plan is just a wish. - Larry Elder
From s/v JB Moates, Moates, of Father’s Day at Houston Yacht Club. Granddaddy Gary, Charlie, Alex, and dad, Cameron. Great-grandaddy in sprit.
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1/25/21 11:45 AM
By Hans Otto Johansen, of “Walmart” in Kavieng
From Jeff & Marie Inshaw, of Kaylee rushing off Bimini, Bahamas
By Chris Stokes, of Ryan and Emily Shelstad, an Sharon and Brian Hastings posing on the bow in the USVI By Jim, of a red sky in the early evening at a slip in Selby Bay
Joyce Meggison at the helm for the first time on Lake Lanier, Buford, GA, with Windsong Sailing Academy. I think she is hooked
Of Kevin & Andrea Clark in the BVI
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Latitudes & Attitudes 93 1/25/21 11:45 AM
Of a very cold Russell Talisman in Portsmouth, RI
By Holly Rich of Kim and Brian Davidson post-sundowners and moon-uppers aboard m/v Buster Nubbs anchored off Shell Island, FL
By David Miller, off the coast of Belize
Heather Shine of Owl Island By Scott Purdy, of Little Palm Island
By Ross Herbert, of motor trawler Viator anchored in front of Ft. Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas National Park
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W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
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By Jessica, crewing in Maine
By Jim Walsh, of a young owl that needed a 30-minute rest 20 miles off the coast of Marco Island
By Gary Peterson, Mexico
By Wolfe Smythe, of the Lake Winnipeg Raft Up W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
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By Richard, in the Bahamas
Latitudes & Attitudes 95 1/25/21 11:45 AM
By John Simpson, of a spotted a Hurley 22 in Scotland
I’m almost always doing something, and when I’m not, I should be!
Of Scott’s dog, Sandy, in New Smyrna Beach, FL
By Francesco Pochiro & Jennifer Abrusia, of sailing Prima Barcavela By Larry Robertson, taken while singlehanding from Marina del Rey to Honolulu on s/v Island Time, a Seawind 1000 catamaran
Remy sailing aboard Las Lunas in San Francisco Bay
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By Ric & Sherry Bischoff of s/v Sheric, from Grenada and the Grenadines By Kelly Jordan, of Nicole and a new friend on the island By Paul Wright, of a Columbia glacier in Emerald bay at 2 am
By Robert Scott, of sushi time aboard s/v Honeymoon Forever after reeling in this 72-pound Yellow Fin Tuna off the coast of Long Island, Bahamas
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Latitudes & Attitudes 97 1/25/21 11:45 AM
After the Storm By Cheryl Serra
Last August, boaters in Southport, North Carolina, thought they were preparing for a tropical storm with potential to morph into a Category 1 hurricane. What they got was Category 1 Hurricane Isaias, a tornado, and an epic high tide. Access to the Southport Marina, one of three in the area, was quickly closed after the storm while marina staff assessed what one area boatyard worker called “the Southport mess.” Worried slipholders wondered what awaited them. Drone shots, many from Southport residents and boatowners David and Jennifer Crumpler, showed that marina pilings were sheared off like toothpicks. Docks were pushed to the west, taking boats and other docks with it. There was a tangle of boats, dock boxes, and debris. The fuel dock and marina store were relocated. The Crumplers found Liberte’, their 44-foot Fountaine Pajot, about a quarter-mile away, in a marsh; many boats were pushed there. They’d spent months in St. Thomas in
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2019 and were slated to return there when the storm hit. They’d put a substantial amount of money in upgrades over a two-year period. Tow Boat Captain Evan Schollaert ferried boaters to learn the fate of their boats days later. He said on the way to board their boats for the first time, many were very quiet. In the ensuing months in one of the most active storm seasons on record in the U.S., boatowners are still learning that understanding your insurance policy can be as important as how you secure your boat before a hurricane. Boaters share information “Literally there’s nothing I could have done differently,” David says of how he prepped his boat. It was secured so well, in fact, that the dock was still attached when it was pushed away. He and others who weathered Isaias have some after-the-fact insights that may help boaters when storms are in the forecast. For instance, know what type of pilings
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your marina has; it may affect the storm impact. Making alliances with other boaters can help ease the process after a storm. Many of the boaters at the marina were members of the Southport Yacht Club, which helped facilitate activities such as members helping members move their boats, sharing information about available slips at marinas, and training on insurance. If you don’t have a boating club, contact
other boaters to share information and resources. Boatowners Bob and Lynn Menches had suffered boat damage in the past. This time, they had a haul out policy and they had their boat hauled. They urge others to do the same. Their insurance covers half the membership and half the haul out cost if they’re hauled. Jared Cass, service manager for the nearby Wilmington Marine Center, said he has about six boats on the
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Latitudes & Attitudes 99 1/26/21 3:29 PM
hard with another 40 or 50 waiting to be worked on. He, too, recommends getting hauled or moving the boat far from the storm. In Southport’s case, there are limited resources to accommodate the many damaged boats. In addition, he says the pandemic is causing major supply chain issues. “I know there will be boats that were damaged in the storm that this time next year will not be fixed,” he predicts. Insurance: The second wave of the storm Here are a few things you should consider and ask about (keep in mind insurance policies vary, so talk to your insurance provider and get answers in writing): • You will likely have a higher deductible on your insurance if you have been damaged during a named storm. The Crumplers’ deductible increases from 1% to 10% in named storms. Garrett Heck, an insurance agent with Kevin E. Severance Insurance Agency in the Clear Lake, TX area, cautions competitive insurance quotes may exclude insuring during a named storm. Beware. • If you’ve upgraded your boat, be sure to see if you can up your insured hull value so you’ll get reimbursed accordingly if your boat is deemed a total loss. Keep in mind that the items on your boat will often be depreciated by the insurance company. The Crumplers advise it’s worth the minimal cost to have your boat revalued and increase your insurance limits. They know. Their boat was written off. • Find out if there’s a ‘sweet spot,’ or a percentage of the insured hull value your insurance company is willing to pay for repairs on your boat, versus totaling it. Insurers will often look at comparable value and will see how much they can get for salvage on your boat when making the determination to repair or total. Garret says a rule of thumb is often 65-70%.
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He adds he’s seen catastrophic hurricanes and lots of times the insurance company wants to ‘clear the books’ so they’ll declare the boat a total loss rather than going back and forth negotiating for repairs. • Find out how your insurance company will pay for the repairs, which can take a long time after a storm. While your boat’s in the boatyard or on the hard, you still have to make boat and insurance payments. If you have to pay the boatyard and then get reimbursed for the cost, you may need to do some financial juggling. • Photograph and document everything on your boat. • If you don’t live near your boat or if you’re not there when a storm hits, make sure you have a plan to move the boat. Due to the size of the task at hand at Southport Marina, boatowners were given 24 hours’ notice to board their boat. • Boatyards may be reluctant to work on a boat after their estimate is provided to the insurance company because they fear once they start working, they’ll uncover other problems. They worry they’ll be on the hook for the additional costs. It’s imperative that the boatowner, boatyard, and insurance company have well documented discussions about these things. • Determine, what, exactly, are considered personal effects when your boat is written off as a loss. • If you question the estimate you receive from the insurance company, hire an independent surveyor. The money you spend can be a fraction of the money you “save” by getting the proper repairs done. Jared at Wilmington Marine Centers sums it up nicely. “If a named storm is coming, if you treat it like a Cat 5 every time, that’s the only way you’ll know you’ve done everything possible.”
w w w . L at s a t t s . c o m 1/26/21 3:29 PM
A Recipe for a Bad Ocean Bar Crossing By Greg Larson
The shallow bar at Lisianski strait was the last obstacle between us and the Gulf of Alaska. As we approached the bar, I could see the ocean swell combined with the outgoing current and the onshore breeze was causing breaking waves on the bar. Our timing of the bar crossing was not going to be ideal. I started to worry whether or not we were prepared to punch through the surf, to get out into the gulf waters of southeast Alaska. We would find out really soon if we and Nordic Sun II, our Hylas 44 sailboat, were ready for this bar crossing. We started our morning tied to the dock in Pelican, a small cannery town. Today our plan was to head out into the Gulf of Alaska via the Lisianski Strait, and then sail south down the coast toward Sitka. Prior to leaving I sat at the chart table, sipping the last of my morning coffee, reviewing the chart, and listening to the morning weather forecast. I had the VHF radio tuned to one of the southeast Alaska NOAA weather stations. I was looking for the wind and swell forecast between Cape Edgecombe and Cape Fairweather. The forecast for today was for winds up to 15 knots from the southwest, with 4- to 6-foot swell. But the two days following today called for 25 knot winds, and much bigger seas. We either went today or got stuck here waiting for the next weather window. I badly wanted to get out of Pelican and down the coast toward Sitka before those 25 knot winds came blasting in. “We better go now, or be stuck here for another few days,” I told Heather, my wife. We backed out of our Pelican dock slip at around 1100 and headed for the Gulf of
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Latitudes & Attitudes 101 1/27/21 1:20 PM
Alaska via the Lasianski Strait. We were looking forward to exploring the remote and isolated anchorages on Pacific Ocean side of Chichagof Island. Nordic Sun II ready to leave Pelican, Alaska As we motorsailed toward the gulf, I remembered what a long-term Pelican resident told me about crossing the bar. He said, “Make sure you time the bar crossing at slack tide.” By the time we started down Lasianski Strait heading for the bar, I could tell we were going to miss that stack tide. We were already getting a 1-knot push toward the Gulf of Alaska. This meant we would be crossing the bar with an outgoing current and incoming swell — not exactly the advice provided by the local. As we approached the bar, I could see the rollers breaking on the bar. Everything I hadn’t done to prepare Nordic Sun II for going out to sea was running through my mind. The dinghy was trailing behind the boat with the big motor on the back. The anchor was not tied down. Additionally, I forgot to put the jacklines on the boat. Were all the hatches and portholes closed? I told myself the breakers didn’t seem that bad, so we forged ahead toward the breaking surf. Nordic Sun’s bow rose up on the first breaker and then dove down into the trough on the back side. The bow went under the water with enough force to cause the unsecured anchor to jump around on the bow roller. It was time to tell Heather of my concerns. I said, “Heather, I’m hoping these breaking waves don’t cause the unsecured anchor to fall overboard.” She snapped back with, “Just turn around, head back in, and lash it down.” That was good advice. I turned Nordic Sun II around and headed back into the Lisianski Strait. Once inside the strait, the incoming swell stopped breaking. I slowed the throttle and handed the wheel to Heather, as she handed me my inflatable harness. I put on the harness, found a short piece of rope and then headed up to the bow. I felt better once I got the anchor lashed down. After returning to the cockpit I took the wheel back from Heather, turned the
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boat toward the breaking seas, and increased the throttle to normal cruising speed. The breakers got bigger as we approached the bar. As the first breaking wave rolled towards us, I realized that the strait is very narrow. There were rocks on the starboard side that we had to pass. Then further out there were more rocks on the port side. The big swells rolling in from the gulf were breaking on these rocks. Each wave that pummeled the rocks sent spray way up into the air. It was an awesome and terrifying water show. What if the motor died? What if the dinghy broke loose? I now realized I should have put an extra painter line on the dinghy. Oh well, it was too late now. We forged on into the first of the breaking waves. Not bad. I didn’t hear the anchor bounce off the bow roller this time around. The waves got bigger as we approached shallowest part of the bar, which was 18 feet deep. That shallow spot of the bar is smack dab in the middle of the channel. I was tempted to go into the deeper water on either side of the shallow spot, hoping for smaller breakers. But doing that would take us dangerously close the rocks, which were getting hammered by the incoming surf. Those rocks looked like they could chew a boat up in no time, not to mention what they could do to life and limb. We were just going to have to thread the needle between the rocks on the port and starboard. Threading the Needle We bashed into one breaker after another as we headed out into the gulf. The bow dove under with every breaking wave except the really small ones. The boat rocked back and forth and rolled from side to side as we slammed into the confused seas. We were slowly moving into the gulf. The ominous rocks, pounded by the surf, seemed dangerously close. I could see it was going to be awhile before we got through the worst of the breaking seas. That is when I saw a really big wave approaching. There was no way to avoid it in the narrow channel. It seemed to be approaching in w w w . L at s a t t s . c o m 1/26/21 3:29 PM
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slow motion. When we slammed into this big wave, a wall of water rushed down the foredeck, up the cabin top, all the way back the dodger. Eventually the green seawater was strained through the toe rail as it spilled back into the surf riddled sea. I looked at our knot meter. It read “0.0.” That wave stopped us cold. The knot meter speed slowly increased as the boat started to make forward progress again. It took a really long time to get back up to over 5 knots of boat speed. Heather asked, “When is this pounding going to stop?” I replied, “Not until we get out past all these breaking seas.” Crashing Through the Breaking Waves I revved up the motor to increase our RPMs, hoping that the increased power would help us punch through the breakers without completely stopping the boat. The extra horsepower helped keep the boat from stalling out as the breaking waves slammed into the bow. We pounded through the waves for another ten minutes before we left the breaking surf in our wake. We were finally in the Gulf of Alaska. Once outside the bar it wasn’t too bad a ride down the coast. After a few hours we reached Imperial Passage. No nasty bar on this passage. We eventually dropped the hook in Didrickson Bay, our anchorage for the evening. We could finally relax and reflect on our first ocean bar crossing. That evening I documented some thoughts on what we learned from crossing the Lisianski Strait bar. • Outgoing current with incoming swell and wind causes breaking seas • Need to pay attentions to local knowledge • Best time to cross a bar is at slack water, or when the current and swell are the going same direction • Put dinghy on deck • Install jacklines • Batten down everything, including the anchor Safely Anchored in Didrickson Bay No gear was broken or lost and no one was hurt in this bar crossing. But we did learn a valuable lesson. Crossing an ocean bar on an outgoing current and incoming swell is a recipe for a bad ocean bar crossing. w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m pg 99-113 Lifestyles - MKC.indd 7
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Latitudes & Attitudes 103 1/26/21 3:29 PM
The Jewel of Lake Michigan: South Manitou Island By Adam Claypool
“Shoot… look at the time. We’re going to be late!” As two working parents with full-time jobs, finding time for just the two of us to take a sailing vacation isn’t easy. Because we wanted to pick up where we left off after our first trip (see Cruising Outpost Winter 2018 for the first leg), we had to have a friend shuttle the boat up to Pentwater, then sail it back to St. Joseph from wherever we ended up. Because of challenging work schedules, we were only able to get away for less than a week — and our delay to Pentwater meant less time on the water because we didn’t want to come into port at night. “OK, change of plan… we’re not going to Manistee, we’re heading to Luddington,” I said after a lengthy conversation on the topic during the drive up to Pentwater. This 10-mile trek shouldn’t take long, giving us plenty of daylight when we arrived. It also meant the trip would be more relaxing, with us getting a chance to enjoy the wind in our sails vs. stressing out about a nighttime arrival. Even though we had a few sprinkles, we made port in less than two
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hours thanks to a nice 10-knot breeze pushing us from behind. We had dinner and brews at Jamesport Brewing Company, then relaxed onboard for a bit before turning in for the night. The downside of our short trip on the first day, though, meant a longer trip on day 2. I had been trying to keep our ports of call about 25–30 nautical miles, which meant 6–7 hours on the water. But today’s trip from Luddington to Frankfort would be 42 nautical miles — Carla’s longest sail and my second longest sail to date. As we were leaving, we glimpsed one of the humongous car ferries that operates between the states of Wisconsin and Michigan. This 400-foot monster, the SS Badger, can carry up to 600 passengers and 180 vehicles between Manitowoc and Luddington. We had some fantastic sailing for the first 12 miles or so. With a westerly breeze blowing at about 10 knots, we sailed at 6 knots on a beam reach – passing the famous Big Sable Point Lighthouse, which provided quite the sight. Unfortunately, once we passed the w w w . L at s a t t s . c o m 1/26/21 3:29 PM
point, the wind died down and backed out of the south. Since we don’t have a spinnaker onboard, we turned on the engine because we were making little progress. It was a beautiful day, but unfortunately, while the waves weren’t large, they were coming from multiple directions, giving the boat a weird rhythm. As such, Carla spent a good part of the day’s sail battling sea sickness… and learned quickly that even a minute or two down below was a bad idea. In the end, we made it to Frankfort and discovered one of our favorite towns on the Michigan coast. There was live music by the marina pool, and after a delicious dinner and trip to the beach, we called it a day. Crazy wind and waves meant a day in port during the following day’s small craft advisory, but we discovered Frankfort was a great place to be stuck for the day. We rented bicycles and biked around the bay to Elberta, then back again to take in the gorgeous Victorian-style homes that could be found in abundance in downtown Frankfort. We capped off our ride up a steep incline to the top of the bluffs and were rewarded with some breathtaking views of Lake Michigan’s angry state — and some kite surfer crazy enough to brave her wrath. The next day was one I’d been looking forward to for a very long time: our trip to South Manitou Island. Located about five miles off Michigan’s western coast, the only way to get to this place is by private boat or a ferry from Leland. We didn’t have great wind, so we motorsailed from Frankfort, making the trip in about five w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m pg 99-113 Lifestyles - MKC.indd 9
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Latitudes & Attitudes 105 10/29/12 4:47 PM 1/26/21 3:29 PM
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enjoyed great views of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore along the way. On approach to the island, which is technically part of Sleeping Bear Dunes, we spotted the wreck of the Francisco Morazan, which crashed into the rocks of South Manitou more than 60 years ago. The history of this ship is quite interesting. She was seized by the allies in WWII and was actually bound from Chicago to Rotterdam when she ran aground in low visibility due to a snowstorm. We got as close as we could to safely see the wreck up close, then made our way to the anchorage. Here, we were treated to a view of a large schooner out and about — what an amazing sight framed with the lighthouse! I was a bit nervous, as this would be our first time setting the anchor and sleeping on the hook. And this spot, in particular, could be challenging because it goes from shallow to deep very quickly. But we had nothing to worry about; we got the anchor down and secured well, not too far away from the five neighbors we had in the anchorage. I donned the wetsuit for a very cold swim, while Carla got the grill fired up to make steak, potato, and zucchini kabobs. The steak had been marinating since before our trip began, and wow — what an amazing meal! We were just about to inflate the dingy when I realized I had the wrong power dongle for the air compressor. Bummer! We made a vow to come back to this island one day and explore it on foot… maybe even camp out on shore. As we read books before sunset, we noticed one of our neighbors had dragged anchor and was in the water w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
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working to get his boat off the beach. Due to our lack of dinghy, we weren’t able to offer any assistance, but he was eventually able to get his boat back to deeper water. After the sun went down, we were treated to one of the most breathtaking sights I’ve ever had the privilege of seeing. The cloudless sky showcased a million tiny diamonds above, including the swirl of the Milky Way. Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, I had never seen a night sky quite like this one before. We slept very peacefully, and even though we had winds of 10 to 15 knots, the anchor didn’t drag at all. We did a bit more reading before setting sail due west for Leland. And the conditions were absolutely perfect for sailing. So perfect in fact, that we tacked back and forth for an hour or so before actually leaving. We made it to Leland in about three hours with 12 knots of wind at about 150 degrees. This quaint little fishing village offered up plenty of pretty pictures. We even saw an amphibious car driving on land, straight into the water, and motoring around for a sunset cruise before driving off. Even though this was a short five-day trip, it felt like we got a month’s worth of experiences in those five days. And we sure are looking forward to continuing our trip up beautiful Western Michigan next year, with Grand Traverse Bay, Charlevoix, and Petoskey on the itinerary. It now seems like time is of the essence. The water is at near record-levels, and we saw the very real consequences of erosion, with docks nearly underwater at some of our ports of call. All the more reason to get out there and enjoy it as soon as possible, because you never know what next year might bring. w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
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The Summer Masquerade By Marshall Lystra
I had a sinking feeling back in June of 2020. I thought the warm months that define the space between spring and fall were only going to masquerade as summer that year. Here in West Michigan my family and I watched the snow melt and the leaves bud mostly from our living room, isolated from a world that was struggling to understand what a coronavirus was. When I did go out, I walked around like a masked bandit; as if I was about to heist a crate of toilet paper from the local grocery store. I had a job, but I couldn’t go there. I had a favorite restaurant, but it wasn’t open. My son had a school, but the busses weren’t running. For what felt like the first time in life, everything had stopped and there was a real sense that no one knew what was going to happen next. In the midst of the pandemic, life itself had paused for a moment in time, without precedent, without a scheduled end, and without mercy for those of us who’ve become accustomed to the cadence of daily life. I spent many of my days at the boatyard, chipping away at the list of endless maintenance that comes with boat ownership. Hours on end, day after day; just trying to keep myself busy. Often stopping to stare off towards the lake, wondering if operations at the yard would ever get going, or if the marina would even open up this summer.
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As March turned into April and April turned into May, the toll of the pandemic began to make itself known. But its price wasn’t paid in sickness, it was paid in madness. When this started I remember there was a feeling that we as a country — and even a planet — were all in this together. I saw it in the way businesses put aside finances to help displaced workers. I saw it in the way people shared resources to help other families and friends. I saw it in the nod of solidarity that masked faces would give each other when trying to stay six feet apart as they passed on the sidewalk. But by the end of March things had only gotten worse. I was healthy, my family was healthy. At that point in time I only knew one person who had contracted the disease; he was healthy now too. But the collective “we” were no longer healthy. The toll did not come from a virus that affects the lungs, but rather from a virus that affects the brain. Months of confinement and forced segregation from friends and family were having their way. The closure of businesses began to alienate both employees and patrons alike. Schools without children, hospital patients without visitors. The economic stressors were burdening the country and civil unrest began to grip the collective attention through the w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
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flood of anecdotal “news” that was being fed to the masses through social media. The summer of 2020 was a perfect storm of social dissonance. The year started with a controversial impeachment followed almost immediately by a pandemic that escalated the fear and panic; it spiked with civil unrest and social turmoil that seemed to drive a wedge between everyone. It was polarizing, on the verge of paralyzing. But if you shut off your phone for a while and just looked around, summer still looked the same as it always has. By the end of May I needed an escape. Back to the boatyard I would go. Because it seemed like it was the only place to go. I thought I was a lucky one because I had an outlet in sailing, a way to get away. But as launch dates came and went — without the hustle and bustle of yard activity — the prep work I was doing began to feel more like a placeholder for something that might never get here. I remember becoming increasingly agitated by the popular phrase of early 2020, “new normal,” as if uttering it out loud would somehow solidify the current state of affairs and render me helpless to the pandemic. If summer is not to be, then what am I waiting for? By June the pandemic restrictions loosened. The yard operations began, and my boat finally touched lake water. Unfurling the headsail as I passed the break wall for the first time in 2020 was liberating. Lake Michigan is where I found my freedom from the pandemic in 2020. On shore things were different, but in a world still navigating a pandemic, miles offshore I found a nature that didn’t care to understand what a coronavirus was. The open air and w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m pg 99-113 Lifestyles - MKC.indd 13
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natural wonder of a world surrounded by water doesn’t bow to a virus that passes from people to people when there are no people for miles around. Uncertainty is a feeling that sailors have known for years, accepting that things may change in a moment and that the word normal, on a boat, can’t ever be new; because it’s never been new. That uncertainty is a feeling that drives me to the boat in the first place. It’s the feeling that drives me offshore to destinations I haven’t seen, under a schedule that has yet to become clear. Sailing is a journey through space and time in which all of those uncertainties are accepted for what they are, which is merely a detail in the grander journey of that moment. Sailors have sailed for thousands of years, and if uncertainty is normal in our offshore world, why should it be different onshore? People were born this summer. People found new love this summer. None of that is any different than any other summer I can remember. The summer masquerade of 2020 wasn’t the demise of summer as we needed it to be, it was only a challenge to things we wanted it to be. Summer pressed on in the face of uncertainty in the same way that we sail on when darkness falls over a blue horizon. It, and we, just keep going. The sight of a sailboat with a masked crew a year earlier would have made you believe you were seeing some ironic commentary about modern pirates. This year it was such a common sight around the buoys that by the end of June most of us didn’t give it a second thought. Summer itself didn’t change. We did. Summer doesn’t know what a pandemic is. The spindrift that showered our crew forty miles off the coast didn’t care what was trending online. And in the moment, neither did we. Because in the moment, my crew and the thirty feet of fiberglass we were living on
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was the only world that mattered. Sailors with different political beliefs still race together, and rely on each other, because sailing requires the same teamwork that society requires. And in the middle of the lake there’s no getting around it; you either work together and trust each other, or you quite possibly die. Sailors understand nature, whether it’s the invisible gust of wind, or an invisible virus, or an invisible ideology; sailors understand that nature cannot be fought. Nature can only be endured. It’s winter now. The boats are out of the water. Again. The virus cases are ramping up. Again. There’s talk of a vaccine in the news, but there’s more talk of how long it will take to release it. Whatever comes next is surely uncertain; but I remind myself, that’s normal. It’s hard to tell what history will record after this is over. What ideology will prevail? Will human decency prevail? Will our political system prevail? I don’t know the answer to any of that, but one thing is certain; summer itself will prevail. Nature will prevail. And those of us lucky enough to be able to experience nature from a vantage point surrounded by open water will again be able to do so. I’m looking forward to next summer, even though I have no idea what it will bring. I hope our society can look at each other as equals. I hope that we can put aside our political nonsense and accept each other for who we are. I hope that we can heal from these viruses, both physically and emotionally. But even more than this, I hope we can all agree that focusing our attention on our differences isn’t going to solidify the lost sense of normalcy most of us are searching for. Let’s instead focus on the real source of division in this country. Those damn motorboaters! It’s probably all their fault anyway.
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䈀漀挀愀猀 䐀攀氀 吀漀爀漀Ⰰ 倀愀渀愀洀愀
䘀甀氀氀 匀攀爀瘀椀挀攀 䴀愀爀椀渀愀 泰 䌀愀氀礀瀀猀漀 䌀愀渀琀椀渀愀 眀眀眀⸀戀漀挀愀猀洀愀爀椀渀愀⸀挀漀洀 戀漀挀愀猀礀愀挀栀琀挀氀甀戀䀀礀愀栀漀漀⸀挀漀洀 䠀愀甀氀 伀甀琀 夀愀爀搀 泰 㘀 ⴀ吀漀渀 吀爀愀瘀攀氀椀昀琀 眀眀眀⸀戀漀挀愀猀戀漀愀琀礀愀爀搀⸀挀漀洀 戀漀挀愀猀礀愀挀栀琀猀攀爀瘀椀挀攀猀䀀礀愀栀漀漀⸀挀漀洀
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Sailing With Crimson By Rashid Hunter
My girlfriend and I wanted to get into the liveaboard lifestyle. So we sold our home and a lot of our things, putting the rest into storage. We knew it wouldn’t be easy, but it was something we had thought about and researched quite a bit. We found a boat and drove from Washington, North Carolina, to Warwick, Rhode Island, where we met the man selling the boat and got a two-hour crash course in sailing the boat. We knew we couldn’t sail the boat back together because somebody had to drive the car home since we didn’t have the money to have the car shipped back, and everything we had was tied up in the boat and the car. So, I took off on the boat, a 32-foot Irwin sailboat, while my girlfriend took off in the car. During the trip we only had our phones to navigate and keep in touch with each other. We even found a program that would help
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us keep track of where the other person was so we could help them if they got into trouble. It wasn’t easy on our relationship, and we weren’t sure if we would make it. Sailing back to Washington, North Carolina, is a very long journey for someone who has no sailing experience, as well as no instruments and no dingy on board. During this trip, we ran aground, were towed by the Coast Guard, and drifted off anchor. But none of that stopped us from continuing our travels. We have seen many marinas that were nice and helpful, and others were not so much. We met a lot of good people along the way, some of whom we will always call friends. We have learned on this journey to becoming a liveaboard cruiser that we all need to help our fellow boaters out there, to help them learn from our mistakes, and to keep paying it forward. That this is a life and freedom to enjoy.
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And to keep our waterways clean because that is the cruiser’s backyard. We live on a small budget and worked very hard to make it to this point. And we’re still working hard. Family and friends have helped us out along the way. We started a YouTube channel and Instagram to try and make money. It’s no surprise we’re having a hard time making it with everything that is going on, but we’re still trying to make our dreams come true with the liveaboard lifestyle. We had so many people telling us we couldn’t do it, which made us only want to prove them all wrong. Things broke on the boat along the way, but we still found a reason to keep going. I don’t know if I would call us stubborn or dedicated to the lifestyle. Whatever the reason, I am proud of us. How many of us could drive a boat singlehandedly in all kinds of weather with no experience, and no navigation equipment besides your cell phone? How many could handle batteries dying or the anchor coming loose? No heater onboard, no dinghy, no solar, no hot water heater? Barely any food, with only one pan to cook with? A small propane tank to heat and cook? The toilet breaking? These are minor things that could happen, but difficult things when you’re in the boat alone while your girlfriend follows you in the car. She can only hear and try to visualize what you go through. That has to be hard to deal with. But we have pulled it off and done what we set off to do for the first part of the liveaboard lifestyle. This is just a small glimpse of our journey.
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Jumping the Hurdles By Kia Koropp
There is nothing positive about the global pandemic caused by COVID-19. It is truly a savage beast, tearing apart lives and shutting down nations. There hasn’t been a country or individual around the globe who hasn’t been affected by it. For those of us in the cruising world, we have the added complication of being far from home and separated from our families. Given major decisions such as where to travel, when to go, and concerns whether you will get locked in or concerns whether you will get locked out, many cruisers have abandoned their cruising plans for the year to wait for a time of more certainty and clarity. 114 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 114-119 Jumping the Hurdles - MKC.indd 2
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S/v Atea and her crew have been cruising for almost a decade now, so this isn’t the first time we’ve been faced with calamity. Our first major crisis happened in 2013, when we had just wrapped up an extended stay in Sydney Harbour and were heading up the coast to spend the season travelling through Indonesia. Unexpectedly, I discovered I was pregnant, and an ultrasound in Cairns revealed complications. The following 24 weeks would be filled with ultrasounds to monitor the growth and health of my child. What should we do? Return to New Zealand where we had a home, support, and a first-class medical team ready to support me? Carry on and find a way to get tests along the way in locations that may or may not have the facilities? On top of the deep emotional sadness that my child was struggling, it was not an easy decision to make. I did some research and found a doctor in Malaysia who was willing to assist me along the way and the decision was made: We would press on. Our second major crisis happened in 2015, just as we’d just completed major work on Atea in a Thai boatyard, filled her with a year’s supply of food stores, and cleared out of the country, ready to explore the Indian Ocean. Our son had been increasingly sick, and doctors in Malaysia and Thailand came up with a series of prognosis. However, none of them had been able to identify the issue. As we readied W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
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ourselves for a long passage to Sri Lanka, I knew things weren’t right: My son was not fit for travel. When we were on the verge of departure, a doctor finally made the correct diagnosis: My son had acute ketoacidosis due to Type-1 diabetes. After four days in intensive care and a month being stabilised in hospital, we were medically repatriated to New Zealand where we were given a month-long crash course in diabetes care and treatment. After receiving a thumbs up by the medical team, we were on our own. We needed to decide whether to return to our home in Auckland so we could remain under the support of the medical team, or return to our boat that had been abandoned in Asia. What should we do? After a trial of our capabilities as medically competent diab support by way of a camper van tour around the South Island, we decided we would return to our cruising life. It was a big decision, as I couldn’t find anyone who had taken a newly diagnosed child away from medical support so soon after diagnosis, and I couldn’t find anyone who was travelling with a T1. Sailing into the Indian Ocean out of season would mean we would have to be truly independent and capable of handling a medical emergency if it came up. Our third major crisis has just unfolded on the world stage: the COVID-19 pandemic. We had just flown back
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to our boat in Cape Town from Auckland two weeks prior to South Africa’s national lockdown. Our pre-pandemic plan had been to break our journey up at the sand dunes of Namibia, the quirky isolation of Saint Helena, the remote secrecy of Ascension, and the mystery of the Cape Verde islands. However, these destinations closed their borders one by one as countries around the globe responded to the pandemic. We considered our options: We could give up on cruising this season and repatriate home to New Zealand. We could stay in our current location and spend a cold winter stuck onboard our boat in South Africa, or we could keep to our original plan and head for Europe in the hopes that we would be able to reclaim some of the cruising year. If we left, we would depart a country we hadn’t finished exploring to sail past countries we would be leaving unexplored — not ideal for a woman who suffers an extreme case of FOMO (fear of missing out). Not only would we lose out on seeing these notable destinations, we’d also have a long-haul from South Africa to the Azores. Rather than a soft launch to a bigger journey via these neighbouring countries, we would depart South Africa for a 6,000-mile direct transit to Europe. Not only is this significant in mileage, it means we would tackle
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our longest passage after the boat had been ashore and untested for over a year. We were getting an indication that things in Europe were starting to settle with a decrease in infection rates, which we hoped would lead to an easing of restrictions. We calculated a two-month transit would get us there when borders were beginning to open, but it was a big risk given our destination in the Azores was not allowing entry at the time we were making our decision. Gambling on countries with ever-changing COVID-19 regulations meant that making a choice of available options is a risky decision. The right choice one week may have become the wrong choice the following week. For us, our decision was based on an eight-week window, with no idea what our reception would be at the other end. What should we do? We decided that we wouldn’t continue to wait for the borders to open; we would cut our losses and move on. In a high-stakes game of international travel during a pandemic, our gamble paid off. As we sailed into the Azores, we were accepted into a country that had a clear and efficient process in place. An hour after our arrival, we were greeted by two men in PPE suits, with a bag of hamburgers in one hand and a bag of fresh vegetables in the other. We were told to stay onboard for the night but invited ashore in the morning
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for a free COVID-19 test with a 24-hour turn around on the result. By the morning of our second day we were officially welcomed into the country and given permission to freely travel throughout the islands. We had placed our bet on the Azores and reaped in the sweet reward. Like many families around the world in many different situations, our plans have been interrupted by the pandemic. When we made plans for the cruising season, we had a rough idea of how we expected the year to unfold for us. Due to the delays brought on by the global crisis, we have had to wipe our whiteboard clean. We have been faced with tough decisions before ,and this year has been no exception. As in 2013 with my pregnancy, and in 2015 with my son’s diagnosis, 2020 has been a difficult year. Through the past decade, however, we have managed to continue spinning our cruising dream around us with most of our big life moments — the good, the bad, and the ugly — happening to us
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through our travels. No one person can decide what is the right course of action for another, and it is only on reflection that we can look back at the decisions we have made and know they were the right ones for us. This year we join the rest of the cruising community in an attempt to determine the best options for the year — should we cancel, do we stay, should we continue? Once again, John and I were presented with a difficult choice and we decided to jump the hurdles in front of us. Looking towards 2021, we are confronted with a second wave of national lockdowns, as countries around the world begin to close down their borders against a rise in coronavirus infection rates and we must decide if we are going to maintain our seats at the 2021 poker table. Do we fold and head home? Do we hold and remain in place through uncertainty? Do we place our bets and head for the Caribbean, hoping we hold the winning hand? No one can guarantee the outcome, and we can only hope that our luck holds as we sail into the uncharted territory of this COVID-19-influenced world. You can follow more from these folks on their blog at www.svAtea.com.
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The Payoff By Jessica Lloyd-Mostyn
Once the initial questions about storm avoidance and pirate dodging have come to an end, we quite often find ourselves in conversations about how we can afford to sail the world. There are countless useful articles and several helpful books that lay out various methods of funding all kinds of wistful landlubbers’ cruising ambitions. Many of these give detailed examples of how to manage businesses from abroad or perhaps work remotely. Or you can make a number of months’ seasonal or contract work in your home country refill the sailing kitty for a good year or two.
But the financial cost of cruising, so well documented elsewhere, is not my go-to response when probed as to how we meet the expense of liveaboard life. Because, what is far more fascinating, is how the very concepts of “worth,” “value,” and “cost” can transform so dramatically thanks to time at sea. The modern sailor, freshly casting off the dock lines, quickly develops an appreciation for small and simple pleasures. The first humble meal made in a boat galley; a cold beer with an unpronounceable local name in a hot country; a visit from bottlenose dolphins leaping and playing at your bow; the sweet taste of a bizarre, alienlooking fruit that resembles something from a Dr. Seuss children’s book, found at a local market; or perhaps the thrumming, syncopated tempo of exotic music that floats through the streets and spills out into the anchorage. The price of each of these prized moments is very low in monetary terms, yet the value to a boater’s sense of wellbeing far outweighs the expense. Our ideas of luxury become removed from the currency of city life as our appetites and desires change.
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The Payoff Being the only boat to drop the hook at a calm anchorage in only three metres of water on a white sand bottom climbs higher up the wish list than purchasing new clothes or objects. The thought of hot running water becomes more of a lavish treat to be saved up for the next marina stop than an everyday normality. And yet the driving force, the winds that push and carry us on from place to place, country after country, are so fundamental to our way of life but cost nothing financially that you begin to equate free with freedom. Then of course there is the pleasure of time. The wild extravagance of having the choice to linger and explore, to pause your cruising plans and read a book, to dawdle lazily up and down a particular coastline seeking out hidden bays to anchor in, all hint at a wealth of time that few can indulge in. Slinging up a hammock to doze in on deck has, I suppose, its urban equivalent in the weekend lie-in; while taking the time to chat and swap stories with native fishermen who paddle out to your yacht in their canoes is comparable to conversations with the folks in your local pub back home. The difference here is the sheer volume and frequency of these moments and interactions that you can only give in to when you have a real abundance of time. But, of course, there is a payoff that also demonstrates itself in ways that are not purely fiscal. Our three young children, all born en route, are growing fast. The distance between us and our extended family is most acutely felt during these first years when the little ones change and grow so quickly and it’s a hardship that isn’t lost on us. After nine years of full-time cruising, our absence from birthdays and Christmases has become a familiar ache. However, the other side of that coin is that when we get visitors flying out to us for a few weeks at a time, we get the rare treat of quality time with
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“What, particularly, is annoying you, Captain?” I queried. Sometimes Bubba’s sensitivities touch upon social inequities which often adhere to modern life like dog ticks, sucking the happiness out in micro-small quantities, and my experience with Bubba’s alwayswaving antennae have led me to stay alert to what they BUBBA DISPARAGES APPARENT might indicate. “No matter who I call,” Bubba began, “whether it be CORPORATE INDIFFERENCE in New York City or Lemhi, Idaho, the damn machines that I get on the phone always come back with nearly the same By Morgan Stinemetz message. ‘Thank you for calling the XYZ Company. Listen closely as our menu options have changed.’ In this case, In the Blue Moon bar one evening, Bubba and I were I was calling a company that sold main halyard shackles, talking about small inventions whose original purpose was not some damn restaurant.” to smooth out our lives and make them more carefree Bubba pronounced the operative word as rest-auand efficient. However, the intrinsic worth of one very rant, three syllables. After the rest-au-rant comment, commonplace item, the corporate telephone answering I thought that suggesting to Captain Whartz that the scheme, received Bubba’s downright disapproval. Capt. opening of his peeve might be more correctly phrased Whartz, owner and skipper of the ferro-cement sloop Right as “no matter whom I call” might fuel his present angst Guard, said that it is an anathema, pure and simple. unnecessarily. I demurred. However, he didn’t put it quite that way. “Companies “Would you say, then, Bubba, that the universally bland that use those things have no soul,” he said. “On their best sameness of recorded greeting messages, their boring day ever, those systems and the organizations that use ubiquity, if you will, that emanate from business ventures them have all the charisma of a cold sore.” realistically stifle a viable tendril of communication?” I Upon completing that sally, Bubba signaled Doobie asked the sailor. that he’d like some more suds as he subtly indicated “No, I wouldn’t say that,” Bubba replied. “I would to Doobie, the bartenderette, to never say that.” He took a slug of put his latest beer on my tab. his beer and continued. “Check “No matter who I call,” Bubba this out. The newspaper here Speaking of Doobie, on this dusky close to the day she was began, “whether it be in New York in Sarasota uses its heartless wearing thigh-high leather boots answering machine system to City or Lemhi, Idaho, the damn and an enticingly short skirt. She shield the people who work for it machines that I get on the phone from human contact. Last week, did things like that and, in so doing, she made entering the Blue always come back with nearly I wanted to talk with one of the Moon bar akin to buying a Florida paper’s executives, so I called the same message. ‘Thank you for the paper’s number. The system Lottery ticket. One knew they’d never hit it big, but it was pleasant calling the XYZ Company. Listen couldn’t put me through to him to contemplate the infinitesimally directly as an operator could. That closely as our menu options wasn’t in the cards. If I wanted to thin chance that lightning could have changed.’ In this case, I was talk to him, I had to spell his name strike. Men are like that; in their dreams, they think of attaining on the phone. I did that as his last calling a company that sold the unattainable. name only has five letters. Pity main halyard shackles, not some Personally, I barely noticed the caller who is trying to reach the glistening attractiveness a person with a last name like damn restaurant.” of Doobie’s lips as she licked Vladisarabich. When I spelled his them with her dart-like tongue name into my push-button phone, to keep them moist. I was unaware of the voluptuous the guy’s phone rang three times and was answered by the roundness of her backside, traced in willowy lines similar system. The system said the executive wasn’t available. to the ones found in the foothills of Western Nebraska Then the system told me if I wanted to leave a message as the landscape undulates lithesomely upward toward to wait for the tone. I waited. The system rewarded my Cheyenne, Wyoming. Neither did I pay attention to the persistence and my patience by giving me a recorded tautness of the sweaters Doobie wore. I didn’t see what message saying the executive’s mailbox was full. No live looked to be crow’s feet of tension radiating backward as contact. No message. I was shut out. My efforts had been her firm breasts pushed eagerly against the fabric of her in vain. No one knew I had even tried to call him. To add sweaters when she bent over to extract a cold drink from insult to injury, I tried to reach the same executive over a the chilling frostiness of the beer cooler. Pokies? That kind week and always got the same message. The mailbox was of stuff, childish in its anticipation, appealed to other men. full. Mind you, this happened with a local newspaper that’s I was far too adult to bother with such jejune diversions. supposed to be in the communications and news business.
Bubba Whartz
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“To give you another example, the system’s voice—it sounds like a high school girl—informs you that if you want to reach the newsroom or obituaries or Reader Advocate to push 3. I did. (Incidentally, the Reader Advocate feature allowed presumably disgruntled readers to gain access to someone at the paper who would listen to what they had to say. The executives didn’t want to hear it.) The voice surfaced again. If I wanted obits, I should press 1. For Reader Advocate, press 2. I pressed 2. The phone rang one time. A different voice answered. It thanked me for calling the Reader Advocate. Then it went on to say the Reader Advocate feature didn’t exist anymore. It had been adios-ed for reasons unknown. I’d wasted time. I could have been here, at the Blue Moon, drinking beer. “I never talked to a live human being on the phone at that newspaper,” Bubba concluded. “Is that it?” I asked. “There’s more,” said Bubba. “I suspect these damn answering systems will get around to asking invasive questions to see if the person calling qualifies to talk to someone within a company’s hierarchy. “There’s no limit to the questions which might be asked,” Bubba continued. “Think of answering something like, ‘Have you ever been exposed to crab lice, taken Diazepam for the hell of it, had herpes, wet your pants in school after leaving kindergarten, or eaten a salad containing marshmallows?’ How can a person answer crap like that?” Frankly, I knew in my heart that a person shouldn’t. Especially the part about eating a salad with marshmallows in it. There are limits, you know.
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Latitudes & Attitudes 125 1/26/21 1:46 PM
Book Review By Capt. Jim Cash
TWO CAN SAIL The “5 Step Plan” To Buy a Boat to Go Cruising! By Captains Jeff Grossman and Jean Levine This book is written by a well-experienced cruising couple that are sharing their knowledge to help others fulfill their own cruising dreams — without some of the drama and problems many of us have experienced, and also to discover if in fact that the cruising dream is right for you. Step 1 is “Sample the Lifestyle,” and here the authors discuss the importance of taking lessons, going on sailing charters, sampling the cruising life — learning the ropes so to speak. It is not always the romantic adventure portrayed in advertisements and certainly not for everyone. They also bring out the male/female perspective of cruising, like “his” dreams of reeling in tuna from the aft deck, while “she” sees nothing but an endless list of chores and questions such as how to get laundry handled. Each Step offers helpful real life examples from their “Two Can Sail” teaching charter business. The main point is to learn respect: respect for the sea, for the wind and weather, yourself and your partner, and especially respect for your limitations. They suggest at least 100 hours on the water, in training, on charters, and sailing with others before considering buying a boat. (I am also a yacht broker and sailing instructor, and I like to tell my sailing students and clients that I have been sailing for 60+ years and am still learning.) They end each step with a summary and a list of resources available to help you accomplish the step. Step 2, is “Get Time On the Water” and an extension of Step 1, with emphasis on practice, practice, practice. Gain the experience, sail as crew, join a boat club where boats are shared, join a Yacht Club. Most all of boat owners are looking for help to share the fun but also the labor and the cost. In this Step they again discuss chartering, but this time “bareboat” chartering, where one is renting a boat
126 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 126-127 Book Review 34 - MKC 2
for a day or a week but you are entirely on your own, with full responsibility for the safety of your crew and the boat. The authors make fun of the charter industry, but I am not sure they have their tongues far enough in cheek, when they say all you need to charter a boat in the Caribbean is “a pulse and a credit card.” Needless to say, some outfits are better than others in qualifying their charter customers, but the point is, when you are ready to take the step to bareboat charter, you need to have the confidence to be on your own. (The first time I chartered a “bareboat” I also hired a licensed captain that knew the waters in that area.) Also in this step, it is suggested it may be the time to invest in a small boat to practice on your local waters. Start small, gain your confidence, and again emphasis on practice. It is in Step 3 Buy the Right Boat, that my eyes were most alert. Here, the vast majority of the step was dedicated to budget, and what one can get at various levels of expenditure such as price vs. quality, older vs. newer, advantages and disadvantages. However, I have concern with what is referenced as the “dirty little secret in the industry.” I found it overgeneralized what a buyer can learn on the “Sea Trial” portion of the buying process. It states that you as a buyer may not even get an opportunity to sail the boat. My comment is that after more than 20 years full-time helping people purchase boats, there has never been a time when the boat was not “sailed,” and all the systems demonstrated, if the buyer wished to do so. So, I take exception with the implication that this is an industry “secret.” It is not. There are occasions, depending on the circumstance of the buyer, where a purchase can be made without a sailing demonstration, and I recall once where a Canadian couple knew they wanted a certain kind w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
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of boat and had been looking for months, I found them one and they paid for it sight unseen. When they finally saw it waiting for them, they were elated. They did not sail it prior to purchase, but that was their call, not the general practices in the industry. Further in this “buying” step there is a good discussion of monohull versus multihull, and the purposes each style offers the cruiser. Offshore passage making boats vs. those designed for near-coastal and the overlaps. The tradeoffs, and for example, of those very popular pedestal style queen bed staterooms seen on modern cruising monohulls, because they are useless when passage making and the boat is on a 15 degree heel for weeks at a time. Without a fashioned “lee cloth,” only one person can sleep in it. Though an experienced broker can successfully represent both the buyer and seller, it naturally brings up the opportunity for conflict of interest. The job of a broker is to make both the seller and buyer as satisfied with the resulting outcome as is possible. The book recommends using a buyer’s broker, and I would agree, especially if we are talking about a purchase of sizable value. This step finishes with a discussion of the buying process, which states there has to be a reason to walk away from a purchase after the survey process starts or potentially lose the deposit. This description could be somewhat confusing and potentially misleading. Typically there does not have to be a reason to reject a vessel, however if done so after signing the “acceptance of the vessel” form, there may be some financial obligations on the part of the potential buyer. In general, this section is a good description of the process which is designed to protect both the buyer and the seller. Step 4, “Learn Your Boat,” is basically a lot of common sense. They discuss the details of knowing (and being able to access) all the boat’s “thru-hulls,” and offer an example of a diagram to draw and keep on board. The point being, know your boat and its idiosyncrasies like the back of your hand before untying those lines and pointing the bow over the horizon. There is no TowBoat US or Sea Tow halfway to Hawaii. Some good points here will be discussions of “prop walk,” the need for paper charts in this age of electronic charts, the use of VHF, understanding the autopilot, and finding the “cold spots” in the refrigerator, to name a few. I personally have not found an outboard motor I could make work right (especially when I needed it most), and the authors write about dinghy motors meant just for me. I also found the “System Knowledge Checklist” to be very valuable. Finally, Step 5, “Getting Advanced Training.” In this section we learn about navigation, and again encouraged to use and understand paper charts, even if you have the latest and greatest of electronic equipment. This step further delves into the use of radar, SSB (single sideband communication via radio), EPIRB, barometers, and weather services, with many examples from personal experience and interviews with other cruisers. We end with short summaries of the 5 Steps. This comprehensive “how to” book is easy reading and a great start to getting out there to live that cruising dream. w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
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The Call of the Sea Meet The Newest American Tallship: The Brigantine Matthew Turner By Bob Bitchin, Photos by Woody Skoriak & Call of the Sea
Captain Alan Olson is responsible for the magazine you are reading right now. About 40 years ago, he’d built the tall ship, Stone Witch. She was a 74-foot Brigantine that was the flagship for Greenpeace back in the early days. It is also the boat I learned how to sail on 44 years ago, as well as the boat that led Captain Alan Olson to become the CEO of the Educational Tallship Foundation, where Lats & Atts has donated the proceeds from the raffles at our Cruiser Parties from all over the world for many years.
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The Call of the Sea An Idea Becomes Reality
Call of the Sea was founded in 1984 by Alan Olson and a group of local sailors to provide Bay Area youth an opportunity to sail traditionally rigged vessels and to learn about the marine environment as well as maritime history — while inspiring them to be stewards of the sea and earth. In 2004, Call of the Sea was re-founded with Ken Neal, along with a new group of committed sailors who came together to purchase the schooner Seaward. Subsequently over the past 14 years, Seaward has served over 50,000 students and now sails with an average of 5,000+ students per year. In 2012, a new nonprofit, Educational Tall Ship was created to construct a historic and sustainable wooden 132-foot wooden, hybrid propulsion system tall ship called Matthew Turner in Sausalito. This ship would serve as a floating classroom for students, extending their capacity to serve the Northern California community and beyond. In 2016, Educational Tall Ship and Call of the Sea were merged under the name Call of the Sea. The inspiration for the tall ship design comes from Matthew Turner, who immigrated to the Bay Area from his home on the shores of Lake Erie in 1850. He came to California to try his luck in the gold fields and, finding success, he traveled back to the East Coast to purchase a ship, for he saw more potential in the shipping business than in the gold trade. He pulled together what he had learned from his father about ship design and building on Lake Erie, and his experience with contemporary vessels in the Pacific, to build his first ship, the Nautilus, in 1868. The Nautilus outperformed all other ships of the time, raising the bar in sailing ship design. On the West Coast, long distances, lack of coal, and the industrial capacity to produce large steam engines gave sailing vessels the edge until the turn of the century. The Nautilus launched Turner’s career, and he is considered the most prolific builder in history, with 228 vessels built by the end of his career in 1907. His ships moved between San Francisco and Hawaii at record speeds, making 13 round trips in one year, including loading and unloading. Only the largest and fastest modern sailing yachts can hope to beat the 8 days and six hours trip from San Francisco to Hawaii by the Lurline or the 9-day trip from Honolulu to
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Stone Witch, circa 1980s
L&A Publisher Bob (L) with Alan Olson (center) and crew of the Stone Witch in 1980
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The Brigantine Matthew Turner
The new Matthew Turner
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San Francisco by the W.G. Irwin. Matthew Turner was more than just the most prolific builder of sailing ships in history, he was also responsible for one of the greatest innovations in commercial sailing vessel hull design. By moving the displacement of the ship aft, Turner was able to narrow the bow of the ship. This made for a sleeker entry through the water which gave his vessels more speed and stability. Matthew Turner’s design features helped propel his vessels to out-perform all other sailing ships of the era.
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The Call of the Sea
Building the Boat
Brigantine Matthew Turner was designed by Tri Coastal Marine and inspired by shipbuilder Matthew Turner’s Galilee, which he completed in 1891. The Galilee held the San Francisco to Tahiti passage record of 19 days for many years. Matthew Turner’s keel was set in October 2013, and the total cost of construction was $6 million dollars. This cost covered the construction of the vessel and the development of educational programs. All the materials and methods used are of the highest sustainable and recyclable standards available. All wood used in construction is certified green forest stewardship certified (FSC). The majority of the lumber used to construct Matthew Turner was Douglas fir. The Conservation Fund, a large international conservation organization, donated this lumber from their California forests. The hardwood was Oregon white oak, also FSC. The construction techniques were both traditional and modern. The three-inch thick planking was steamed and bent to the shape the hull and fastened with ⅝ x 8 inch bronze lags. Over a mile of Douglas fir planking was used. The keel, frames, shear clamp, deck, and all spars were laminated, which increased their strength and allowed full length structural members to secure the deck to the hull and the full length laminated keel to the frames. Bronze plating was shaped and welded to attach the frames to the keel. Bronze was used throughout the ship for its structural value and very long life. There is a 44-foot lead keel weighing 44 tons that’s bolted through the wooden keel to the bronze fitting holding frames together. The Matthew Turner was built to last a hundred years when maintained. The building of the ship brought together an amazing group of people who donated their time, funds, or talents. This community is active and growing and has come together to support our mission for generations to come. Join us!
Matthew Turner
Using renewable resources to build
State-of-the-Art Hybrid Propulsion
Traditional methods were used to build the ship, honoring the knowledge, skills, and master craftsmanship historically used in nineteenth century San Francisco shipyards. The ship can produce her own energy needs through a state-of-the-art hybrid system using wind power to generate electrical power while sailing. When the ship is sailing, the
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Positioning the lead ballast to start the project
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The Brigantine Matthew Turner
Forming the rudder planks
Painstaking work brings beautiful results. The boat taking shape. Heading for the launch ramp
energy of the passing water causes the propellers to rotate, which in turn causes the electric motors to become generators that recharge the batteries onboard. New advances in propellers, electric propulsion/ regeneration motors, battery technologies, and electronic controllers have made this possible. Matthew Turner can potentially operate on a carbon-neutral basis by using LED lighting, induction cooking, and lowenergy navigation and appliances. The two six-cylinder Cummins generators fueled with biofuel create 265 KW each, which is stored in the lithium battery banks. The ship carries two electric propulsion motors, each of which produces 200 KW of electric power, creating 265 horsepower. The electric motors receive their energy directly from the two lithium battery banks located in steel cabinets, each have a holding capacity of 45 KWH. Port and starboard propulsion systems operate independently, so each side alone can power the ship if necessary. Electric traction motors and batteries allow for silent and emission free cruising. Combining technologies from the 19th and 21st centuries—skipping over the petroleum era—Matthew Turner is a unique teaching tool that can inspire appreciation for past boat building designs while utilizing innovative technology solutions for a truly green sailing ship.
Certifying & Operating Matthew Turner
The first milestone met... launch day!
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Brigantine Matthew Turner has now transitioned from construction to operation to perform its vital mission of educating young people in the Bay Area and beyond. The United States Coast Guard ensures that any new vessel that carries passengers has the equipment, documentation, and the training to successfully operate the vessel. In early 2019, the Coast Guard first reviewed and certified Matthew Turner’s unique Hybrid Marine propulsion system. The Coast Guard reviewed all construction documentation to ensure all systems are documented accurately and comply with all relevant Coast Guard standards. During the third quarter of 2019, the ship successfully passed its stability test to validate its ability to respond to the demands of an ocean-going environment. In the first quarter of 2020, Matthew Turner’s crew readiness was tested in their ability to respond to a
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The Call of the Sea variety of emergencies including fire, flood, and man overboard. Following this successful test, Matthew Turner was issued its Certificate of Inspection (COI) by the Marine Safety Division of the United States Coast Guard. The vessel began service in the Spring of 2020 and operated throughout the 2020 sailing season.
Captain Alan Olson
The Education Program
The Brigantine Matthew Turner will join the schooner Seaward to provide access and educational programming with a focus on empowerment, stewardship, and community building. Building on these foundations, their lessons in seamanship, science, and history are provided in varying combinations to serve different student groups. In 2020, Call of the Sea developed a seamanship “Aloft” program. The Girls Aloft and Coed Aloft programs are 4 hours long. The initial two-hour lesson is conducted at the dock and teaches students how to safely climb the rig, raise and lower sails, and how to handle lines safely. In the final two hours, participants apply these skills and actively sail the brigantine around San Francisco Bay. Each student takes turns operating the helm, learning about the hybrid propulsion system and supporting the safe navigation of the vessel. The eleven sails of the ship’s brigantine rig offer a perfect opportunity to engage many students in an exciting and meaningful hands-on experience. The students must use team work and communicate effectively to sail the ship safely. Brigantines have square sails on the fore mast for downwind and can sail 60 degrees off the wind. They were the most advanced design and a technologically superior rig in the late 19th century for both ocean passages and coastal sailing. Going aloft into the rig to set and take in the square sails is a right of passage and an experience that is never forgotten.
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The Brigantine Matthew Turner Other programs planned for 2021 include providing community sails, sunset sails, and educational sails for students and community organizations. We are also excited to begin voyaging along the California coast, and expect in the future to follow in wake of Galilee and sail from San Francisco to Tahiti and return. Call of the Sea serves all ages and backgrounds, with a focus on ensuring underrepresented and underserved communities are provided the benefits of this education. Expanded programming will enable Call of the Sea to more than double its capacity to serve students.
Another big day. Stepping the masts.
BAE Marine Application
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The Call of the Sea Connecting the Past with the Future
Forty years ago, I first set foot on a sailboat. That boat, the Stone Witch, was built by Captain Alan Olson. It changed my life, and I know that hundreds, maybe even thousands of lives have been changed by that day as well. Many by sailing with Call Of The Sea, and some maybe by even reading Lats & Atts, but lives have been changed. The vision of the Matthew Turner by Capt. Olson has come to fruition after thousands of man hours, millions of dollars, and the pure determination of a group of avid sailors who thought they could bring the 18th century into the 21st century. They were right. Combining the futuristic power system that runs the new tall ship, Matthew Turner, with the traditional sailing brigantine rig will bring even more people into this lifestyle.
After 10 years, the project is completed! The brigantine Matthew Turner takes her place among the tall ships of the world!
Getting involved
If you’d like to get involved with Call of the Sea, go to www.CalloftheSea.org or email them at info@ callofthesea.org and when the pandemic ends stop by their office at 60C Bridgeway in Sausalito and volunteer and help. You can also help financially or join a community educational sail. Call of the Sea is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and can always benefit from your financial assistance.
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The Brigantine Matthew Turner The aptly named ‘Lost Souls Expedition’ with Bob and friends 40 years ago was life changing for me also. While it was a great adventure with lots of wild stories to tell and unforeseen changes to our plan, Bob always honored our handshake agreements. I learned then Bob was someone I could trust no matter how crazy things got. His byline describes him. I am grateful for our long friendship. Captain Alan Olson
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Length Overall:
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Length on Deck:
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Sail Area: (11 Sails)
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Douglas fir,
Oregon white oak, bronze fastenings
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Power Generation w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
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Two 35 KWH banks
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Latitudes & Attitudes Event & Boat Show Section 138 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 138 ATBS ePropulsion - MKC.indd 1
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The Boat Show ugo™ Slim
Slim, Sleek, and Mighty — oh yeah, and waterproof!
We are in the age of electronics. And one of the things that has kinda revolutionized local sailing is the many apps available for navigation and weather available to boaters—on their phones! The problem, of course, is what to do when it gets wet out. Well, the folks at ugo™ have the answer. The new ugo™ Slim design provides all the protection you could want! This new design is 100% element proof, will float up to three phones, is fully submersible (yes, you can take it swimming!), and is UV, chlorine, and saltwater proof! The new Slim uses a 100% waterproof zipper, created from thermoplastic polyurethane, with RF welded seams and three Hypalon Anchors. This is just the latest in a line of premium products designed to change the way you think about waterproof protection and built to handle any adventure. So go with confidence with your ugo™. Want more info? It’s easy, just got to www.ugowear.com.
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I Found It At
The Boat Show Edson’s Chain Care
Protecting and Lubricating Your Chain and Wire Just Got Easier Sailboat steering systems are one of the main systems on a boat that tend to be neglected in maintenance. You turn the wheel, the boat turns, and life is good — but your chain and wire steering is on a countdown as soon as it hits salt water. To help with maintaining this critical system, Edson now offers an easy way to lubricate and protect your chain and wire! Chain Care+ is a fully synthetic hydrocarbon oil that provides superior corrosion protection by combining a high-penetration ability with high viscosity, while naturally repelling water. Following evaporation of the solvent, it forms an even, thin, and water-insoluble film. This long-term lubrication excels under high-loads, is thermally stable, and actively works to mitigate contamination. Edson’s Chain Care+ is designed to make yearly maintenance easier. No more mess from traditional 30W motor oil! The 360-degree nozzle and additional extended nozzle deliver a range of application options that allow for full chain and wire coverage. Chain Care+ delivers an unrivaled smooth feel and the best in corrosion and wear protection. Chain Care+ is specially formulated to resist the elements and extend the life of your steering chain and wire.For more information about Chain Care+ visit www.EdsonMarine.com.
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Aquafighter
Keeps Diesel Fuel Water-Free From Inside the Tank
Tank contents before...
...and after
Most of the problems in a fuel tank are created and reside in the bottom 10% of the tank, while the top 90% typically remains good fuel. The Aquafighter system is a fabric membrane that contains the Aquafighter powder. It remains in the bottom of the tank and removes water as it enters the tank. The Aquafighter will continue to remove water until it is full. As long as Aquafighter is replaced when it is full and is consistently active in the tank, the tank will remain free of water and bacteria growth in perpetuity. The Aquafighter can also be replaced on schedule depending on the susceptibility of water in the specific tank. This could be on a yearly, every 6 months or any other required schedule. As dirt and grime is often delivered with fuel fillings, the tank will need to be periodically filtered of this material, but no bacteria growth or water accumulation will exist from within the tank. Attached pictures of the Aquafighter show when it is removed from a tank. If you’d like more info on this new system you can go to their website at www.aquafighter.com.
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Latitudes & Attitudes 141
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LIFE ABOARD
Editor Robin Stout
The “No Plan” Plan
After living aboard for seven months, Shawna Smith came to a realization. “Living with an old boat is like living with a gambler, or a drug addict, or the mob. Every now and then you wake up and the boat says, Give me $3,000, and you’re like, Wait, what? Why? Can we have coffee first? And the boat replies, Nope, you can’t afford coffee. Go get my money now. Thankfully she’s pretty, ‘cuz I’m really hatin’ on her this week.” It’s not at all unusual for cruisers to work their way up to a cruising boat — and that was the case for Lance Leonard and Shawna Smith. They were avid scuba divers when they met and had been dating less than a month before they selected their first boat together, a 14.5-foot Zodiac inflatable on a trailer. Living in Northern California at the time, they dove the coast most every weekend. When they moved to Pasadena, they realized they needed a bigger boat so they could reach the epic scuba diving on Catalina Island. They scraped their funds together and bought an old, temperamental Bayliner powerboat, which they rigged for scuba diving by cutting holes in the bait tank to accommodate scuba tanks. It was a troublesome old boat that regularly had standing water in the areas that should be dry. After a night of lobster diving on Catalina, the boat died, leaving them to curse while they bobbed along with the sunrise until the towboat collected them. It was during the long tow back to
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Aboard Mermaid
Long Beach that they decided to become sailors so they’d always have another method of propulsion. One sailboat led to another, and then another. Their happiest times together were on the water; when they were away from their boat, they counted the hours until they could be back on the water again. When Lance was laid off, 12 years ahead of his planned retirement, it was time for a quick change of gear. They started putting their escape plan to sail away in motion. In less than nine months, they sold everything and became nomads. But they had a small problem. They didn’t have the right boat. They wanted a blue-water cruising boat. The first four boats they found were at the four corners of the continental US, so they decided to buy an RV first so they could travel to see them and be fully present throughout the bidding, trials, and inevitable refitting process. But something unexpected happened along the way. They had such a great time in the RV that somehow two years slipped by before they started shopping seriously. When they finally got around to looking at cruising boats, they kicked the tires on all manner of vessels. One day, looking at a catamaran in Brunswick, Georgia, Shawna wandered off and came across an Amel 53. It was love at first sight. “The boat was unbelievable. The name rolls off the tongue. It felt like wine, good cheese, and stunning sunsets,” Shawna recalled. They narrowed their search to Amels and set out to find the right W W W . L AT S A T T S . C O M
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one. The intention was to sail short-handed, so they preferred the simpler, manual nature of the sail plan and other systems of the older, shorter Amels. They found what they were looking for when they saw Minerva, a 1983, 46-foot Amel Maramu on the hard in Oriental, North Carolina. After closing on the purchase of Minerva, they moved aboard and planned to sail away after adding a few new electronics. They purchased a chartplotter, an AIS-enabled VHF, a wifi booster, and some USB charging ports, then loaded up a dock cart and headed down to the slip. Whistling happily, they started to install the new electronics but came to a full stop when they opened a wall to expose the wire run. Whoa! What they found lurking there was loose wire nuts, wires that changed colors and widths randomly, and wires that went to nowhere at all. Forty years of bad wiring decisions were exposed and they were thankful that the boat hadn’t burnt up somewhere along the way. A major rewiring project began, one that removed, repaired, and replaced the existing wiring — all the way to the switch and then beyond to the battery bank. In reflection, Shawna said, “I always knew that the skill of being able to fit my whole hand into a Pringles can would come in handy someday. It’s saved us so much money that Lance knows the technical dos and don’ts of electrical. It took his knowledge, my little hands in impossible nooks of the boat, and contorting into all shapes of boat yoga and puddles of sweat from both of us to get through that project!”. With the rewiring complete, it was time to take Minerva out for a shakedown cruise before heading north out of the hurricane zone. Plans were made for a weekend sail to Cape Lookout. Sailing against the incoming tide on a beam reach in 15 knots of wind, they inched past the channel marker buoys, which were leaning hard against the current and throwing up wakes of their own. It felt a little like those nightmares where you are running as hard as you can and W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
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not going anywhere. Eventually they escaped the incoming tide and sailed alongside the Outer Banks in rather sloppy seas. It felt good to be out in the open ocean for the first time on Minerva, and she handled the slop like a champ. Approaching the anchorage, Shawna fired up the engine as Lance started taking down the sails. When Shawna put the engine in gear, it died. She started it back up again, put it in gear, and it died again, and again a third time. Following a long-standing sailing tradition, a bout of cursing ensued as Shawna watched in horror as the depth meter read 24 feet, 20 feet, 17 feet. With Lance’s head in the engine compartment, Shawna ran up and dropped the anchor. Minerva settled on the anchor. Despite spending the rest of the day investigating, the source of the problem was elusive. As the afternoon became night, the winds increased to a steady 40 knots, blowing Minerva onto a lee shore. With the shelf disturbingly close behind, they spent a long night taking turns on anchor watch. They were too close to the three-foot shoal to try sailing off the anchor, and the forecast had the winds continuing for days, so the decision was made to call for a tow back to the slip. A string of minor repairs that had the transmission purring perfectly at the dock only to fail when they left the slip ensued. This led to the necessity of sailing the new-to-them boat back into her slip several times, a daunting task for such a big girl. The transmission drama continued as spring melted into summer, and they got quite experienced sailing Minerva into the slip during the months that they fought with the transmission. By the time they admitted defeat and replaced the transmission, the weather window for the planned cruise along the north East Coast was closed. Today, Minerva is ready to go and a new cruising plan is being formulated. For now, Lance and Shawna are calling it the “no-plan” plan.
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54’ Hylas 54... 2005... $675,000 arne@sailyard.com 53’ Trumpy 53... 1959... $149,000 arne@sailyard.com 51’ Morgan 51... 1976... $100,000 arne@sailyard.com 50’ Beneteau 50... 1997... $144,900 arne@sailyard.com 50’ Lagoon 500... 2012... $468,000 arne@sailyard.com 49 49’ Taswell Center Cockpit... 1992... $325,000 rich@sailyard.com 46’ CAL 46... 1977... $89,900 cary@sailyard.com 45’ Hanse 455... 2015... $279,900 cary@sailyard.com 45’ Island Trader 45... 1978... $74,900 arne@sailyard.com 45’ Bruce Roberts 45... 1999... $74,900 arne@sailyard.com 44’ Beneteau 44.7... 2005... $135,000 arne@sailyard.com 43’ Endeavour 43... 1979... $58,500 rich@sailyard.com 43 43’ C&C 43 1972... $49,900... arne@sailyard.com 43’ Taswell 43 Center Cockpit... 1988... $179,500 rich@sailyard.com 43’ Formosa 43 Sloop... 1985... $69,500 rich@sailyard.com 43’ C&C 43... 1982... $44,900 arne@sailyard.com 38’ Catalina 380... 2000... $99,500 arne@sailyard.com
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37’ Tartan 37... 1979... $34,000 arne@sailyard.com 37’ Rafiki 37... 1977... $44,900 arne@sailyard.com 36’ Tashiba 36... 1986... $149,900 rich@sailyard.com 33’ Cobra 33... 2019... $123,000 arne@sailyard.com 33’ Cape Dory 33... 1982... $24,900 cary@sailyard.com 30’ Islander Bahamas... 1984... $14,900 cary@sailyard.com 30 30’ Baba 30... 1985... $62,500 rich@sailyard.com 18’ Herreshoff American Eagle... 1978... $19,900 cary@sailyard.com
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1/27/21 1:54 PM
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Easy to install Superior Performance Fiberglass/wood boats Sail or power
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158 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 157-160 Bosun's Bag.indd 2
STEERING THE DREAM
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Wanna Cheat? Here are the answers to this issue’s Maritime Crossword Puzzle. Go ahead, no one will know... except you! On Page 160
Latitudes & Attitudes 159 1/29/21 9:48 AM
Now Sailing Francisco Bay with educational programs for young and old.
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160 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 157-160 Bosun's Bag.indd 4
Down France’s ___ D’Antibes What a surfer does, 3 words Play in the pool Romantic flower Song from the Beach Boys about some adventures with a boat, 3 words 6 Motorboat fuel 8 Many a Keats poem 11 Pirate’s favorite drink 13 Used before a vowel 14 Call for help at sea 17 Money machines, abbr. 21 Pacific island people who used ancient navigational techniques to cross oceans 22 Smart 23 Divers investigate them 1 2 3 4 5
Wanna Cheat? The answer to this are on page 159
Across 1 He beautifully sang “Sailing”, 2 words 7 Jupiter moon 9 Canoe gear 10 Rowed a boat 12 Function 13 Help 15 Foam on waves 16 “Ready or ___ ...” 18 West coast city, abbr. 19 Ship, affectionately 20 Bar seats 24 Crosswise struts on a boat 25 One with a constant wanderlust 27 Fall month, abbr. 28 Slashes 31 Strong wind 32 Broadside 34 Sushi dish often using salmon or tuna 35 Family girl, for short
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FFE EATU RERDE D ATU LATITUDES & ATTITUDES - Advertiser Spotlight
John Peterson YEARS IN LATS & ATTS: Since Inception (23 years!) BUSINESS: Sailboat Manufacture & Sales (Hunter, Elan, Bavaria) LOCATION: United States National Distribution “Since meeting Bob, this shy Midwestern, straight-laced guy at first wondered, is he for real? Always on the outlook to reach different demographics, I took a flyer. Latitudes & Attitudes did reach the audience that wanted ‘fun’ out of their recreation time on the water. Year after year throughout my tenure for 20+ years, we did not miss an issue and even signed on to co-sponsor the Boat Show L&A parties plus some of the TV shows L&A produced. Why? Because that is what a certain segment of sailors really want...fun times. It is that type of magazine which epitomizes the sailing lifestyle many sailing families truly enjoy. It has always helped the boat brand and drive sails (sales)!”
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ADVERTISER INDEX These are the smartest advertisers in the marine industry! Be sure to tell ‘em where you saw ‘em.
Marine Advertisers
AB Inflatables 165 AeroYacht Multihulls 37 ASA (American Sailing Assn.) 30 Annapolis Hybrid Marine 113 Annapolis Sail Yard 156 Artisan Mattress 77 ATN 105 Atomic Tuna Yachts 155 B&G Yacht Maintenance 31 Bacon Sails 125 Banner Bay 125 Bavaria Yachts 7 Beta Marine 41 Blue Water Sailing School 64-65 Bob Bitchin Books 32 Bocas Marina 111 Conch Charters 39 Coppercoat 107 CS Johnson 109 Curtis Stokes Yacht Sales 144-145 Defender 33 designM.D. 29 Eastern Yacht Sales 152 Edson 3-5 El Cid Marinas 36 eMarine Systems 111 eMarine Systems 40 Forespar 103 Froli Sleep Systems 123 106 Great Lakes Scuttlebutt Hamilton Ferris 34 HMC / Handcraft Mattress 101 Hylas 2-3 IMIS / Gowrie 109 Indiantown Marina 103 Kanberra Gel 38 Keenan Filters 26
Kiwi Grip / PYI 101 L&A Jackette 136 L&A Ship Store 99 L&A Ship’s Store 71 Lee Sails 51 Little Yacht Sales 154 Mack Sails 9 Mack Yacht Services 11 Main Sheet / Manson 125 Martek Davits 123 Massey Yacht Sales 150-151 Mystic Knot Work 107 New England Rope 113 Next Gen 125 Nexus Green/Safe Harbor 28 OCENS 105 Offshore Sailing School 15 Pacific NW Boater 127 Passport Yachts 12-13 Passport Yacht Brokerage 146-147 Port Ludlow Marina 119 PYI 117 Pyrate Radio 137 Rainman 18 Royal Cape Catamarans 75 S&J Yachts 148-149 Sailrite 166 Sailtime 24-25 San Juan Sailing 117 Sea Frost 35 Shade Tree Fabric Shelters 119 South Coast Yachts 153 Subscription Ad 84-85 Ultimate Sailing 123 Ultra Marine West 16-17 Wakespeed 106
ADVERTISERS
You can reach the most active segment of the boating market - in print and online! W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
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Boats & Boat Brokers
AB Inflatables 165 AeroYacht Multihulls 37 Annapolis Sail Yard 156 Atomic Tuna Yachts 155 Bavaria Yachts 7 Curtis Stokes Yacht Sales 144-145 Eastern Yacht Sales 152 Hylas 2-3 Little Yacht Sales 154 Massey Yacht Sales 150-151 Passport Yachts 12-13 Passport Yacht Brokerage 146-147 Royal Cape Catamarans 75 S&J Yachts 148-149 South Coast Yachts 153
Bosun’s Bag
Below the Line CruisingConcepts.com Cruise RO Watermakers Forget About It Foss Foam & Rudders Gig Harbor Boat Works Hart Systems
Hydrovane International Marine Inc. Keylime Sailing Club Kiss-Radio Tek M&B Shipcanvas Masthead Enterprises No-Wear Guard OceanMedix OffShore Passage Opportunities Sailmakers Supply SeaWaterPro.com. Snappi (Snap-a-lot) Technautics Zarcor
Non-Marine Advertisers
None! Why would we want that? This is a boating magazine. Ya wanna see fancy watches, pick-up trucks, and high-priced cars, read the other mags!
DON‛T WAIT! Contact Ad Director Lisa O‛Brien aboard Traveler in the San Juan Islands. 510-900-3616 Ext 105 Lisa@LatsAtts.com
Latitudes & Attitudes : Winter - Spring - Summer & Fall Issues Next Issue: Summer 2021 Ad Insertions by 4/12/21 - Art Due 4/16/21 - On Sale 6/1/21 Contact Us Today: Ads@LatsAtts.com 510-900-3616 ext.105
Latitudes & Attitudes 163 1/27/21 8:33 PM
Boat People
Meet some folks who have managed to make a lifestyle out of most people’s dreams. Boat people can be found on oceans and seas, scattered around the globe. They can be spotted easily. They are the ones who have a glazed look in their eyes as they scan the horizons. Here are a few we’ve seen. Have you seen any lately? If so, email a photo and information to: submissions@LatsAtts.com
Chris are Connie are at Dean’s Blue Hole on Long Island, Bahamas. They’ve been subscribers of Lats & Atts since 2000 and first went offshore with us on a Grenada Share The Sail in 2002. They now sail on Sandy Paws, their Lagoon 380.
Bob Anglin is a past commodore of Gulfstream Sailing Club, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Here you see him at the helm of s/v Osprey in Antigua. He flew from Ft. Lauderdale to Antigua to helm Osprey for Antigua race week.
Anchor Erez (yes, that’s his name) has been a liveaboard sailor his whole life! He sails out of Israel with his father, Gan, who has been a Lats & Atts reader for years. Long before Anchor was born, Gan flew to the US to have dinner with Bob.
This is Squirrel. He and our publisher have a lot in common. You see, Squirrel started out as a biker and has recently converted to a sailor, just as Bitchin did so many years ago! There seems to be a common bond between bikes and boats!
Mike seems to have inherited his old man’s love of sailing, especially in the BVI, where he has sailed many a bareboat charters with him. This photo was taken last year in White Bay on Jost Van Dyke, where he heartily imbibed at the Soggy Dollar.
This is not the first time Steve Peterson has been featured in Boat People. Ya see, he’s responsible for the Lats & Atts office being located up in Berry Creek, in the mountains. We decided to put him back in because the offices burnt down, and we are blaming him! LOL!
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