Sailing to Oz 2012: London, England

Well, after I jumped ship in Pago Pago and flew back to London, the owner flew out from Oz intending to complete the final leg to Fremantle - about 4000 miles - in one go….. easy right?

I had an email from the Captain 10 days later saying that they had diverted to the Islands of Vanuatu. After just a few days at sea the owner couldn’t stand the motion of the boat either! I don’t feel quite so much of a wimp now!

Apparently he (the owner) booked straight into a hotel on docking at Port Vila on the island of Afife. His bank card wouldn’t work in the ATM’s, a problem we also encountered in some places … we got over this by using a credit card - at great expense I might add – to withdraw cash.

So, the owner flew back to Oz and two crew members were recruited and flew in and they set off on the 13^th August. They reached Darwin after another eventful trip, I must add, they pulled in here against the wishes of the owners!

The gas solenoid gave up the ghost as it got corroded with all the sea water washing over the decks and getting into the gas locker.  No gas to cook with.

A jubilee clip on the water pipes gave way so all the fresh water in the tanks flowed silently into the bilges …. No water to make that vital cuppa…..

The generator began playing up again……. No electricity….

How the owners could even suggest that the captain and crew continued on without stopping for repairs, gas and water is just beyond belief! But hey, having endured 5 months of the same, I’m not really surprised!

The auto pilot went off at one point and they nearly ended up on a reef! There are lots of those in that area around the north passage!

When they docked at Darwin the Customs officials went over the boat with a fine tooth comb and then the Quarantine people took away most of their food supplies.

So they set sail on 8^th September on the last leg round the top of Oz to Fremantle. They should arrive in the next week or so.

…..And I was hoping that I had taken the ‘Hex’ with me when I got off the boat!!!  I wouldn’t have missed the experience for the world, met some wonderful people and visited some amazing places, but I am so pleased to be back on dry land…. 

London, England

Well, I decided to jump ship and flew home from Pago Pago. After all the problems with the boat and the screwy motion of the sea making my stomach turn over, I’m sorry to say that I could not face another 6 weeks or so of it. Along with all the stress, I was having nightmares about what would happen next, so I’m back home in London.

It took two days to fly back via Honolulu and JFK – lots of waiting around in the airports between flights.  It’s been quite difficult adjusting to the change in time zones. It took 5 months to go through 10 zones and 48 hours to come back!

I’m ploughing through the masses of correspondence, both paper and email, which has accumulated over the 5 months while I was away.

The owner flew out to join the Captain on the boat and they are now under way on the final leg of the journey to Oz, some 4000 miles. Will let you know the outcome of the trip as it unfolds.

Update:

I’ve been researching those silvery things which were attached to the dolphins we saw and find that they are called Remoras, also known as Shark Suckers. They attach themselves with suckers and must be irritating to the poor hosts, and, I understand, can leave lesions when they finally let go.  

Pago Pago, US Samoa

We arrived in American Samoa on 13^th July after setting out from Nuku Hiva on Friday 29^th June and are on anchor in the harbour of Pago Pago.



The anchorage at Pago Pago



The winds were very strong at times, up to force 6, and there were 4-5 metre cross swells coming from three directions so it was most uncomfortable being tossed from side to side with that screwy motion again. I have never suffered from seasickness but the Pacific is something else!

For the last few days we only had about a quarter of the genoa out and half the mizzen and we were still being tossed around at speeds of 7-8 knots in a force 5-6. The water and fuel tanks are above the water line so that doesn’t help at all.

There was a lot of rain too. It seems there is a belt of nasty weather which runs from the south east to the north west of the Pacific at this time of year. On a particularly stormy night a huge wave came over with such force that one of the radar reflectors, which is quite high up the stays, ended up facing the wrong way.

Seven days out the generator packed up again and, after changing all the usual filters, oil, fuel, air etc, we discovered that the impeller was shattered and the fuel pump also gave up the ghost. As we need to run it every day to provide power for the autopilot and house batteries, the Captain rigged up a way of feeding fuel to it by a gravity feed system.

This entails a fuel can with hoses to and from the generator. This can needs filling with diesel every day - not an easy task in the turbulent seas we had. There was a bit of spillage as the boat would suddenly lurch at an inopportune moment during the process. More diesel fumes to endure!

      * These photos were taken while on the hook, you can see that the procedure would be very tricky whilst underway!!

At one point the auto pilot switched itself off …. Don’t know why. There didn’t seem to be any reason for it as it worked fine when it was switched back on. Then a few days later the Foruno chart plotter had a fit and decided that we were travelling at 212 knots and then righted itself. The Gremlins are back!!!

One evening, as dusk approached, we were visited by a lot of booby birds all trying to hitch a ride. One managed to land on the top of the forward mast. Even blasts with the fog-horn wouldn’t deter him from his perch. Of course there are navigation instruments on the top of the mast and we were concerned that he might damage them. Luckily all was well and he flew off at dawn.

We saw some a huge pod of dolphins on the way - they were really having fun!  The filming is a bit wobbley as there were so many I didn't know where to point the camera !!

The island is very beautiful and surrounded by reefs over which the surf breaks with that lovely turquoise colour in the waves. The local buses are similar to those you find in India; personalised, lights all over and underpowered. The Samoans are big people, we were in one the other day and a load of people got on and the driver had to tell some to get off as the suspension was going.



The harbour entrance to Pago Pago from the shore




The Rain Maker Mountain



This is an example of the local style of building



There is a fish canning factory on one side of the bay – we heard that the big fishing boats which catch the tuna hadn’t been out to sea for over a week because the sea was too rough!

The Canning factory and huge fishing boats which service it

I’ve been having serious nightmares about it all and so have decided to jump ship and fly home. Initially the plan was to get the boat to Oz in three months – had all gone smoothly we should have been there at the end of May.  But, as you know, there seems to have been one thing after another going wrong. It’s been a great experience but I am in need of some calm and de-stressing after five months of it.

Oh, and a long soak in the bath would be wonderful too!

The journey to Nuku Hiva

We left the anchorage at Las Brisas, Panama on 17^th May and arrived at the island of Nuku Hiva on 23^rd June after 35 days at sea. It’s almost 4000 miles from Panama. There was a lot of floating debris in the waters off Panama, some of them as big as trees! I spotted a row of 4 pelicans sitting on a log!

We had hardly any wind at first and got becalmed off the north coast of the Galapagos islands. The sails had been slatting and the foresail seam came undone so we had to change sails and repair the ripped one. However, when we opened up the sail bag we found that the small, 70%, genoa had been attacked by mice or moths and had holes in it, so we had to patch them with tape. Doesn’t look too bad as they are all in a row!

We have seen some dramatic sunsets and sunrises.


An amazing cloud formation at sunset



A beautiful sunrise

Just off the Galapagos there were some very strange ripples on the water we guessed it was where strong currents met. The water almost looked as if it was boiling!



The Asymetric up



We put up the Asymetric sail when the winds were light. Though when they strengthen it is the devil to get down! Had to put some sail tape on this one too as the seams were coming apart. When there was wind it wasn’t too strong, about a force 4-5, but if it came from a different direction to the swell, it caused huge cross swells which resulted in a sort of screwy, really uncomfortable motion. Sometimes from three different directions! It really makes me feel queasy. The last couple of days we motored as the sea was actually quite calm round the islands.  

 

At one point the engine died as the fuel tank was low and so Jim had to pump some fuel across from the other tank and bleed the engine plugs to get it started again.  We had a leak in the hydraulic steering system so had to top up the levels – not an easy task when the boat is pitching and rolling!

The boom support crashed onto the deck as the holding pin had become dislodged so we had to put a new split pin in it.

A Booby bird decided that the mizzen masthead was a good place to perch one night and left us presents on deck when he flew off the next morning. 

Another larger bird, a bit like an albatross, landed on the pilot house roof one evening and stayed until he was booted unceremoniously off at a sail change! Had to scrub the decks to clean the mess he left too!

We saw pilot whales, which are black and about 12 ft long, a whole group of them lollopped slowly past the bow. Totally disinterested in the boat and us!

Our first encounter with dolphins was amazing – and very sad too!  There was a huge pod of them leaping and diving, smacking the water really hard. As we got closer we saw why!  There was some sort of large, silvery parasites on most of them which obviously irritated them and they were trying to break them free by their frenetic jumping and leaping.

A very pretty fish, about 2 feet long, stayed with us one day. We think it might have been a barracuda. It’s back was vivid blue and the fin tips and tail were yellowish.

We also saw the blow-spout of a whale about a mile or so off and then just by it, quite suddenly, a dolphin flew up into the air. Whether it was thrown or leapt we can’t be sure. Maybe the whale was chasing it or was playing with it before it killed it.  It was some distance away. 

Just as we approached the point at which were about to cross the equator we came across several groups of fishermen in small, colourful boats with fishing lines strung out across our bow. They came charging up to warn us and had huge swordfish on board.

We did get a line caught round the keel and they just cut the line. Not at all as worried as we were! They seemed very pleased to have helped and wanted us to buy some of the fish….. yukk. So we tossed some beers across. Another fishing boat saw that something was going on and quickly motored over and so we gave them a pack of cigarettes and they were well pleased!

We’ve been trying to conserve water and have been washing-up in sea water and even cooking with it in small amounts. But…. there is a natural rain-catcher on board. The mainsail is on an in-boom reefing system and the rain-water pours out of it where it meets the mast. A bucket tied under this fills up in no time! 



Goose necked barnacles on the waterline caption



When we arrived here we found that there were ‘goose-necked barnacles’ growing all around the water line. Jim had cleaned the hull before we left Panama, to avoid drag, so they must have attached themselves en route. It was hard work scraping them off but he’s done a great job.



 

There are sharks in the harbour too!

Can you see the shark's fin?

Not big ones but definitely sharks. One of the boats we met in Shelter Bay is here and invited us over for drinks and nibbles the other evening and on the way I saw a shark about 5ft long leap out of the water right by one of the boats at anchor! Scarey… see the fin!!

The dinghy dock here requires a real leap of faith! It’s a solid concrete wall with four or five rungs screwed in it, depending on the height of the tide, going vertically with nothing to hold on to at the top! 

                                                  Elle Bo on the hook at Nuku Hiva

Jellyfish at Las Brisas Panama

Jelly fish floating by the boat at anchorage.

Sloths at La Playita, Panama

Sloths at La Playita, Panama..... see the baby on mum's tummy???

Wildlife at Las Brisas, Panama

May 2012 Las Brisas Anchorage, Panama

The Egret

Las Brisas Anchorage, Panama Bay, Panam

2nd May 2012 I found a tyre from the canal transit hanging at the front of the boat which the boys forgot to take with them to return to the agent

and also noticed that they had nicely ‘cheesed’ (coiled) our ropes on the foredeck!

The pelicans are still diving for fish but there are also a few egrets, which are actually wading birds, who like to rest on the stern bathing platform. It’s far too deep, about 30ft, for them to do their feeding so I’m not sure what it is that drives them away from the shore line where they normally feed. We spotted a jellyfish passing by the boat this morning. Not sure what kind it was But it was about 8-10 inches across. It has been very calm for the last couple of days so we’ve been able to leave the boat on the anchorage and go into town for provisions. We left the dinghy at the marina dock as the anchorage dock is what one might call ‘precipitous’ and not at all suitable for transferring anything but oneself! If you can imagine a floating concrete pontoon, about 4 metres from the shore, to which you tie the dinghy up and scramble off it onto the aged and cracking concrete. Then at one end is a tiny little plastic boat, bit like a large washing up bowl, usually with some water in it, attached to a skinny, fraying line by which you pull yourself from the pontoon to the shore.

Where you land depends on the state of the tide! There are some steep concrete steps to step out onto if you’re lucky, or large slippery rocks over which you have to clamber to the steps if you’re not! It made me very nervous the first time I negotiated it!

The Boat folk had a Pizza night every Tuesday at one of the local restaurants.



Some of the boat folk - we seem to be centre stage!!!


 The other side of the causeway is the entrance to the Canal and we can see all the huge container ships making their way up and down the channel. It is a very busy waterway and we hear that the fees for transit are about to double! it’s a money maker for the country’s economy. They are constructing/digging out a new channel for a second set of locks at Gatun Lake down to the Atlantic side of the canal in order to increase the flow of traffic so I guess the extra fees are funding that project.

A dressed Brigantine on it’s way up the channel to Miraflores Locks.
 We were treated to a spectacular lightening display the other night a few miles to the south east over by Las Perlas islands. Apparently it was accompanied by gusts of wind up to 70 knots and boats dragged their anchors. We have had some thunder and lightening here but without the wind thank goodness! I guess they would be tropical storms as we are in the tropics! Well, this morning clouds of smoke came from the exhaust when the generator was turned on to charge up the batteries! More problems methinks……watch this space……

The Canal Transit and Panama Harbour, Panama

25th April 2012
We arrived here at the Las Brisas anchorage in Panama Bay on Monday at about 4pm after transiting through the canal. We were more than pleased to leave the confines of Swelter Bay Marina and are here with a pleasant breeze so it is cooler which is great!
The lines and tyres were delivered on Saturday morning and the four local line handlers came aboard at 12 on Sunday.

A last look at Swelter Bay!

We left Swelter bay at about 1pm local time and headed out to anchor on the ‘Flats’, just by the channel to the locks. The advisor came aboard about 4pm and we pulled up the anchor. YUK! The chain was covered in slimy clay and wouldn’t move until it was washed. The boys were very helpful and brushed it off and kept a chain of buckets of water to clean it with but still a lot of mud had gone into the anchor locker.
When we got near the lock gate we were centre boat of three in the raft, a catamaran on one side and a small fibre glass yacht on the other. Being centre meant that we were the driving force of the ‘raft’ and that our Advisor was in overall charge of operations. Because the little yacht was so small, our line handlers, had to take the port lines from high up the wall at Gatun Locks - the first set of locks. We were in the lock behind a big ship. The boys did the line catching and heaving of ropes to the port side whilst the folks on the cat did the starboard side and the Captain did all the steering. The locks raised us up 27 metres above sea level.

    
Heading for the lock.

Rafting up.
     

Entering the Lock

  The lock gates closing behind us
    

Going Up !      Up to the top of the lock!

Overnight we moored up in the freshwater lake and the Panamanian lads jumped in for a swim and had great fun diving off the mooring buoy before their well earned supper.
The next morning a new advisor came aboard and we then travelled down the channel the 27 miles to the Pedro Miguel Lock. 
There are many small islands in the lake and with the jungle over the hills, it was a very pleasant ride. Didn’t see any crocodiles or alligators but lots of pretty birds and butterflies. 

The dredging of the waterway is a continuous task to enable the huge number of large ships to pass through the canal.

The heavens opened as we reached the Pedro Miguel lock gates and everyone on deck got thoroughly soaked.

Clouds forming as we approached Pedro Miguel locks

Down comes the deluge!!!

Miraflores Lock
The last set of locks at Miraflores, brought us back down to sea level and then the rafted boats let go all the lines which had joined them together.

Leaving the final lock at Miraflores

The Advisor got picked up by a pilot boat after having congratulated the Captain for his skills at the helm and we motored under the Bridge de Americas and round the headland to reach the anchorage.
   

The Bridge of the Americas.

The new museum under construction on the causeway, designed by a famous Spanish architect.

We are hoping that having put the anchor down again it will wash off the excess mud and clay. The Captain then took the lads ashore along with the tyres and lines, which took 3 trips. The dinghy was well loaded up each time!
There are masses of pelicans here which dive bomb so close to the boats that they almost knock themselves out! They certainly hit the side of the boats. I guess they are after the small fish which always congregate in the hull’s shadows. It is a very funny sight, not at all elegant!
We have been inundated with flying insects which the Captain thinks might be termites as they seem to lose their wings. This could mean that they intend  boring into the decks and woodwork to lay their eggs!

The Dredger in the Gatun Channel

The Anchorage at Las Brisas. Through at last!!!

Shelter Bay Marina, Colon Harbour, Panama

21st April 2012
　
We are still at Swelter Bay Marina! Boats come and go so it really is a transient population. There are all nationalities and lots of ‘boat’ children. There are two little Finnish girls near us and a little Italian girl, all under 5 years, who sing their hearts out when all is quiet and they think no-one is looking or listening. So sweet!!
Some little Dutch boys saw a barracuda fish swimming around and were trying to catch it, unsuccessfully, with a fishing net.
We’ve had to replace 5 batteries and get them rewired up properly which in this sweltering heat is no joke. The poor man doing the work was absolutely dripping and had to keep coming up for air!
We have seen lots of different birds and butterflies, including a gorgeous blue one which flew across the marina yesterday. It is reputed that there is an alligator living in the jungle and which often swims in the Marina!
We are scheduled to go through the canal on Saturday the 21^st. We have to have tyres hung all round for protection from other boats and the lock walls etc. The locks are quite deep so we also need 125ft lines and 4 locals as line-handlers to help out. The boat will be rafted (tied) up to two other boats and the water rushes in and out of the locks very fast. The transit is over the course of two days so we have to park up in Gatun Lake, between the locks, overnight. We have been watching the progress of other boats on
When we went into town we found some smoke rings, to which you set fire, to repel the mosquitos as they are driving us mad. It is almost the rainy season so they seem to be more active than ever. www.pancanal.com. Some really huge freighters go through at the same time.　

Shelter Bay, Colon, Panama

Shelter Bay Marina, Colon Harbour, Panama
8^th April 2012
We arrived here at Sh(w)elter Bay Marina [it’s like 35 degrees, humid and mosquito infested] on Thursday 5^th April after another tortuous and somewhat eventful journey across the Gulf of Mexico.
We hauled up the anchor in Marigot Bay on the afternoon of 27^th March and headed off to Fort Louis marina to top up our water supply. The channel to the water point was very narrow and the dock we had to tie up at was a very tight fit. It didn’t help that the cockpit steering position had a funny turn….the gear lever were out of sync. Reverse being where neutral usually is!!!
Just into the Anguilla channel we were visited by some porpoises who swam and played in the bow waves before peeling off to find another boat.
Winds were quite light and from the north as we were heading south west. So we were under engine and the autopilot. At the end of the channel a small freighter was heading down toward us so we increased speed and clouds of black smoke came out of the exhaust system …. Bit worrying. However, as the engine hadn’t been used for a few weeks we thought it was just clearing the dirt out the system.
A Butterfly flew into the aft cabin. It came out eventually and flew off after a few hours rest. Then one morning we found nearly twenty flying fish in the gunnels. They were all sizes from about 2 inches long to 8 inches. A whole family!
The gearing on the engine went a bit cranky again and we discovered an oil leak under the engine. The throttle in the pilot house steering position was playing up…. But after having a fiddle with the cockpit gear lever it seemed to be bit better.
I was on watch on the 6^th night out when I noticed on the chart plotter that our course had changed direction and instead of going south west, we were heading almost due north! I woke up the captain and he tried to correct the course by putting the autopilot on standby and turning the wheel in the pilot house but was unable to. We had no steering! Well, it seems that it is under the bunk in the aft cabin with no chance of seeing where you are going!
While we were at St Martins we also discovered that the steering wheels at both positions, in the cockpit and the pilot house, were on backwards…..the poor captain had been rapping his knuckles when turning the wheel in the pilot house and knocking the chart plotter knobs at the cockpit steering position……everything on this boat seems to work backward …….
We rocked and rolled onward toward Colon and when we were in sight of land we noticed a large number of huge ships at anchor outside the harbour wall, all awaiting transit through the canal.

　Sunset at Shelter Bay

　

Land Crabs at the marina

Can you see the monkey???

The perifery of the Marina grounds

So here we are in a tropical paradise….. Palm trees, mangroves, land crabs, howler monkeys and sloths in the jungle on the hill, we’re told, and a wide variety of butterflies and birds. The marina is on the other side of the harbour from the city of Colon, which by all accounts is quite a dangerous place.
The wait to go through the canal locks seems to be a minimum of 8 days and most of the folk here have been waiting a fortnight or more so it looks as if we may be here a little longer than anticipated!