tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90272681523313609312024-03-18T21:44:47.121-07:00Voyage Of SymbiosisAdventures aboard a Tayana 37 as Noi, Scott and Shanghai'd crewmates explore the Caribbean.Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-27416903728950242022017-06-29T10:45:00.001-07:002017-06-29T13:15:59.512-07:00The Summing Up<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiidoRQq3zYePkJ64h0f_KnoBDpEDQz98u1U4hxmkNMiqJgH_5qF28WKouhismXmIKic6deeHBndNtnu8SBee3T0Ic2Ia7dkPmdjssxB8ueS1KI0Npveu-EB2JBZuw6fIyDwsYn_rSTX0/s1600/19396838_1861280004138032_8547076839488607964_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="476" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiidoRQq3zYePkJ64h0f_KnoBDpEDQz98u1U4hxmkNMiqJgH_5qF28WKouhismXmIKic6deeHBndNtnu8SBee3T0Ic2Ia7dkPmdjssxB8ueS1KI0Npveu-EB2JBZuw6fIyDwsYn_rSTX0/s400/19396838_1861280004138032_8547076839488607964_n.jpg" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the dock with our belonging at Old Port Cove Marina in North Palm, Fl. </td></tr>
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I won't bury the lead. Our 21-month sailing adventure is finished and we've sold <i>Symbiosis. </i>It was good while it lasted; however, it's time to move on to the next phase of our lives. And that, for better or worse, involves planting our roots on <i>terra firma.</i><br />
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But let me back up a bit. The last entry in this blog had us in Caymans. We have already detailed most of our stay there, so I won't say much more, but that after a week or so at gorgeous Little Cayman, <i>Tropical Blend</i> and <i>Symbiosis</i> moved back through the narrow cut and headed to Grand Cayman 90 miles away, We remained a number of days there before pointing our bows for Isla Mujeres, Mexico. It was a relatively uneventful passage, quite smooth with the usual combination of sailing and motor-sailing. A bit sloppy as we neared the Yucatan coast, but otherwise OK.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Symbiosis anchored at Little Cayman</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our favorite photo of Symbiosis under sail. Thanks to Debbie Daigle of AfterMath.</td></tr>
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We had a great time in Isla Mujeres. After the <i>tres cher</i> Caymans, it was a relief to find that re-provisioning and entertainment weren't going to break the already stretched-to-breaking cruising kitty. Check-in was relatively smooth, or at least would have been if it hadn't taken three hours of what certainly seemed unnecessary waiting to get the port captain to sign off.<br />
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After Isla Mujeres, we made passage for Key West. Lots of squalls on that passage made it a bit unpleasant, compensated by a healthy boost we received from the Yucatan Current. For the first few hours, we were doing 7-8 knots at the starting line of the Gulf Stream.<br />
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Key West was fabulous. It was a nice re-entry back to our own home country, which has changed for the worse in so many ways since we sailed away in October 2015. At KW, we enjoyed the row of bars along the marina drag and explored the area, including the historic home of Ernest Hemingway, complete with the descendents of his famous mutant six-toed cats.<br />
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A few weeks previous, however, we had quietly listed <i>Symbiosis</i> for sale. It's possible you even saw our painfully honest ad on Facebook. Rather than haggle over every small detail, we decided to be perfectly up front about what the boat needed before being turned around and headed back to sea. We had long intended to sell her once we returned to the Chesapeake, but didn't know how long that might take. One thought we had was that if someone was interested in purchasing her along our planned route north, we might be able to incorporate a delivery into the deal. That's precisely what happened. We started communicating online with a gentleman in Florida who was interested. One thing led to another. He came to visit in North Palm and a deal was done on the same day.<br />
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So, now we are boatless. And homeless. And back on the Magothy River.<br />
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Did we "enjoy every minute" of our cruising? Hardly. But, we did enjoy nearly every other minute -- and frankly, that's not bad for us. It's a dirty little secret, but there's a lot of hard work involved in getting to paradise aboard a small boat. And, ever more rewarding for the effort.<br />
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We met lots of wonderful people along the way, most notably Debbie and Larry on <i>Tropical Blend</i>, our "buddy boat" for well over a year (and who bailed us out more times than we can count!). And Frank and Diane on <i>Utopia</i>, who we traveled with for a good many months prior to that. Nor will we forget Mary and Peter on <i>Neko</i>, who towed us into Luperon, Dominican Republic. There's also the fine crews of <i>AfterMath, Gratitude</i>, <i>The Norm</i>, <i>Yarika</i>, <i>Aqua Vida</i>, <i>Sailicious</i>, <i>Nightengale Tune</i>, <i>Ad Astra, Amekaya</i> and <i>Magus</i> to name a few -- and there are way too many to mention! As of this writing, several of those boats are changing hands and the people aboard them, like us, returning to more conventional lives. Others are still going. Some of them will, no doubt, never cease their waterborne meanderings. It's in their blood. We are already jealous that they get to continue this journey. It feels a bit like we are leaving the party way too early; it's not that it ends, but just the opposite. It all goes on without us, leaving only a longing feeling that we are missing some of the best moments!<br />
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Even so, I am sure that many of these friendships will endure. In mid-life, rarely does one develop such close connections with other adults. Cruising changes everything. There's a shared sense of the pleasures and the dangers of being on open water that the day-to-day soil-bound existence can't possibly fathom.<br />
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And, we can't even begin to express our thanks to the people of this wonderful region of the world who have shown us hospitality throughout our journey.<br />
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Finally, there is <i>Symbiosis</i> herself.<br />
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Of all the marinas in all the towns in all the world, she sailed into mine. That was a decade ago. Long before the <i>Voyage of Symbiosis</i>, she was my home and then a home for Noi and I. But we know we will never feel as strongly about a <i>mere house.</i> On this adventure and others before it, <i>Symbiosis</i> kept us safe and took us to some far corners that no airplane or giant cruise ship could ever manage. In total, we visited 15 countries, many of them twice, and that does not include the U.S. territories of the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. While we have yet to scrutinize our log book for an exact accounting, a rough (and conservative) estimate is that we put 5,000 nautical miles under the keel in the voyages chronicled here. <i>Symbiosis</i>, already a circumnavigator (as <i>Argonauta</i>, with previous owners), now has a circuit of the Caribbean to add to her pedigree. With her new owner, Andrew Falkenthal, it looks like she may cross oceans once again in a few years. Of the many floating hunks of fiberglass and canvas that dot this Earth, most are permanently leashed to the dock. But <i>Symbiosis</i> has lived up to the true meaning of what it is to be a bluewater sailor!<br />
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So, this is our final entry<i>.</i> I don't know how long it will live here, unattended in the ether, but it's our hope that others who might want to follow in our wake will discover something of value in this small estuary of the Internet.<br />
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From the crew of <i>S/V Symbiosis</i>, to you we say fair winds and following seas!<br />
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-- Scott and Noi, June 2017<br />
scott_neuman@hotmail.com<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Somewhere in paradise. Does it really matter where?</td></tr>
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<br />Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-15069861285443402622017-05-16T06:15:00.004-07:002017-05-16T07:43:13.729-07:00Coconuts!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have to admit that certain plants have always fascinated me. Coconut palms (<i>cocos nucifera</i>) are at the top of my list, followed closely by bamboo.<br />
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It seems to me that the coconut palm has to be one of the most successful plants on Earth. Wherever the plant first evolved, it has since spread to all points of the tropics. The way it must have accomplised that -- by drifting across large expanses of ocean, is equally intriguing (at least to me). Come to think of it, coconuts are master voyagers. Maybe that's part of their appeal for me.<br />
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While I should have been doing something more productive, I started to google the origin of the coconut and found some interesting things I'd like to share.<br />
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First, the coconut is no nut. It is something scientists call a "drupe." Here's an explanation from <a href="http://coconut-info.net/">Coconut-info.net</a>:<br />
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"A drupe consists of three layers: the exocarp, mesocarp (which represents the husk of the fruit), and endocarp. The mesocarp contains coir - a seed fiber ... [used] for example, to produce brushes, ropes, fishnets etc. The shell contains one single seed."</blockquote>
When the coconut flesh is dried, it is known as copra.<br />
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"Spanish explorers named the cocos -- meaning 'grinning face,' because of the three little eyes on the base which they thought resembled a monkey," <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/ingredient-focus-coconut-milk">according to the BBC.</a><br />
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There are two different distinct forms of "nut" known by their Samoan names -- <i>niu kafa</i> and <i>niu vai. Niu kafa </i>is triangular in shape, oblong and has a large fibrous husk, according to <a href="https://source.wustl.edu/2011/06/deep-history-of-coconuts-decoded/" target="_blank">evolutionary plant biologist Kenneth Olsen</a> of Washington University in St. Louis. <i>Niu vai </i>is more rounded and contains sweet coconut water before it ripens. A third variety of dwarf coconuts accounts for only about 5 percent of the plants and appears to be the result of human domestication.<br />
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The <i>nui vai</i> variety are brightly colored and either green, yellow or reddish gold. The trees themselves are categorized by their relative size. Smaller palms produce most of the coconuts for immediate consumption.<br />
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Where did the plant originate? No one knows for sure. There are two main hypotheses -- that it originated in peninsular Southeast Asia and the other that it came from northwestern South America.<br />
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As <a href="http://florida-coconuts.com/">Florida-coconuts.com</a> notes, in Hawaii, "the coconut is not considered a native fruit, because it was originally brought to the islands long ago by Polynesian travelers from the South Pacific." Discounting the largely <a href="http://www.history.com/news/thor-heyerdahls-kon-tiki-voyage">discredited Thor Heyerdahl theory</a> of an east-to-west settlement of the Pacific, it would seem to me that this fact alone favors the Southeast Asia hypothesis.<br />
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In fact, <a href="https://source.wustl.edu/2011/06/deep-history-of-coconuts-decoded/" target="_blank">DNA analysis</a> conducted by Olsen concluded that there are "two clearly differentiated populations of coconuts, a finding that strongly suggests the coconut was brought under cultivation in two separate locations, one in the Pacific basin and the other in the Indian Ocean basin." No mention of South America.<br />
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There's a lot written about the health benefits of coconuts, but a lot of it is on poorly sourced and "alternative" websites that are not verified. What does seem certain is this: coconuts are rich in fiber and contain vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6 as well as minerals including iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. And coconut milk is, of course, lactose free. It's also a natural laxative, so drinking too much might not be wise.<br />
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Oh, and something I've wondered about for years: an estimated 150 people a year are thought to die from falling coconuts!<br />
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<br />Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-76885408116043580422017-05-15T07:14:00.001-07:002017-05-16T05:37:30.250-07:00Hangin' In The Caymans<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scott's Anchorage, Cayman Brac.</td></tr>
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The first thing we noticed upon arriving in Cayman Brac a week or so ago was the water. As we approached a (mandatory) mooring at Scott's Anchorage on the southeast side of the island, we could easily see the flora and fauna at the bottom in 50-feet! No place, not even anything we've seen in the Bahamas, rivals it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">South Hole at Little Cayman.</td></tr>
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Apparently the clarity of the water (or the "viz," as divers say) is due to the limestone islands, which hold very little in the way of nutrients. The result is ... wow!<br />
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That initial impression was followed by another very favorable one: the customs and immigration officials at "the Brac" were the most pleasant, efficient and helpful we've ever encountered. They were chatty as we processed our paperwork and gave us a thorough run-down of what the island has to offer once all the forms had been signed and stamped. Essentially, they doubled as tour guides.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, our pleasant experience at Cayman Brac wasn't to last much longer. We soon found the anchorage untenably rolly. The biggest problem with the Caymans, one we knew to expect, is that they are laid out east to west and there is hardly any outcrops or bays to get protection from bad swells and wind. After a sleepless night on the mooring at Scott's (and expecting the wind and swell to get worse), Maris and Linda on <i>Amekaya</i> (whom we met in Jamaica), <i>Tropical Blend</i> and us were weighing our very limited options. Staying on the moorings there would have been safe enough, but the rolling was just horrible. Definitely a "2 Spilled Gin & Tonics" anchorage! I had really wanted to go over and see the wreck of the <i>Teignmouth Electron</i>, Donald Crowhurst's boat, which ended up here sometime after <a href="http://panexplore.com/teignmouthelectron/">the famous disappearance of the deceptive single-hander in the 1968 Golden Globe Race.</a> I was thinking a little essay and photos would make a nice story for one of the sailing magazines -- especially because a movie about the tragedy (starring Colin Firth as Crowhurst) is about to come out. The timing would have been perfect. Too bad I really didn't have time to do it.<br />
<br />
There was one vague possibility on the other side of Brac (Sessinger's Bay), but the cruising guides were not very clear about the mooring situation there and, as the customs officials had warned us, anchoring around the pristine coral carries a hefty fine.<br />
<br />
One other option, though it looked almost equally bad, was South Hole Bay on the south side of Little Cayman, about 12 nautical miles away. The charts showed very thin water there. Not much more than 4.5 feet and all three boats draw more than that (<i>Symbiosis</i> the most, at nearly six feet). But cruising guides reported a bit more than that. Turns out that Maris on <i>Amekaya </i>had a friend who had lived at Little Cayman and still owned a mooring there. After talking it over, <i>Amekaya</i> agreed to head over, scout out the anchorage, and report back to us on the VHF.<br />
<br />
In a couple of hours, Maris reported just enough water and a bay that he described as a "mill pond." Perfect! <i>Tropical Blend</i> and <i>Symbiosis</i> motored over and entered the narrow channel entrance, just a slit between the coral reef. We saw about 12 feet through the cut, all good. Once inside, we made a sharp right and headed in, with Noi on the bow and my eyes on the depth sounder. We touched the sandy bottom once, then again, then dropped the anchor in something between 6 and 7 feet -- our shallowest anchorage ever, with barely inches below the keel. We were almost at low tide, so luckily didn't have much more to lose. Even so, every day we were there, we bounced a bit off the bottom at low tide. Not ideal, but so much better than where we had been!<br />
<br />
Spent the next few days enjoying Little Cayman and the beautiful anchorage. Maris, who went on a couple of dives there, reported that we were the talk of the island because so few cruisers ever attempt this bay. It's just too shallow.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exploring Little Cayman.</td></tr>
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<i>Prism</i>, a Hans Christian 33 with John, Shannon and Yet aboard, appeared over the horizon from Cayman Brac the next day. We'd seen them in the mooring field at Brac earlier, but had not gotten a chance to meet them. John is a videographer and is one of the few people I know of who seems to make money at the YouTube/social media thing. Good for him.<br />
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In a few days, <i>Tropical Blend</i> and <i>Symbiosis</i> decided to push ahead for Grand Cayman, which is 90 miles away. Since we would need to re-enter international waters, customs required that we clear out and then back in at Grand Cayman -- something that proved a major inconvenience, costing us many hours and miles, There is no longer a customs official at Little Cayman, so we had to go back to the Brac to check out. Add 24 miles (about 5 hours) to our journey.<br />
<br />
We timed our arrival at the tricky entrance to North Sound at Grand Cayman for 0830, when customs opens (and coincidentally at high tide, when it would have been easier to get into the shallow bay). We hoped officials would grant us a (reportedly) occasional indulgence and allow us to check in at our marina rather than having to go all the way around a large peninsula to Georgetown. Ironically, Barcadere Marina is only about 2 miles across a neck of land from Georgetown, but a good 10 miles (2 hours) by water. The answer came back on the VHF from Georgetown: You must come around.<br />
<br />
So, we motored against the wind and waves down to Georgetown. <i>Tropical Blend</i> was first and pulled into the customs dock. Larry reported back that the concrete dock was very surgy and had no fenders and almost no room to maneuver with a huge rock right there. The customs officials took two pieces of paper and had them off in a few minutes. Next, it was our turn. We somehow made it in and out without a problem. Credit where it's due: the customs officials were very polite and helpful.<br />
<br />
As we headed back, we got a call from Grand Cayman Security explaining that customs had not collected the correct forms from us and could we please come back (by land, thankfully!) the following Tuesday to clear things up.<br />
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By the time we got back to the entrance to North Sound (five hours later), it was low tide. So, the shallow entrance, slicing between reefs and shallow water, was even more difficult. Thanks to Noi's eagle-eye, we managed to avoid hitting a huge rectangular mooring block that appeared to be just a few feet from the surface.<br />
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Once inside, it was still quite shallow, but manageable. Within a few minutes, <i>Symbiosis</i>' engine started loping and then abruptly quit. I have been trying to solve this issue for weeks. The engine will run fine for many hours and then suddenly lose its siphon from the tank and die of fuel starvation. I ran down, confirmed it was the same issue (no fuel in the first filter is the smoking gun) and restarted the siphon by sucking on the line and getting the flow to return. Within a minute or two we had the engine restarted and I crossed my fingers that it wouldn't shut down again.<br />
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Finally made it to the channel at Barcadere Marina, which is apparently new enough not to appear on any of the charts. The channel is just a trench that goes from about 12' to 5' instantly. Somehow we managed to edge out and promptly ran aground in mud and grass. Ignoble. <i>Tropical Blend</i>, ahead, could really do nothing, so after a perfunctory attempt to pass us a line, we encouraged them to go ahead and get their slip. Called the marina and they arranged to get a boat out to help us. I got the distinct impression this was not their first such rescue. After 20 minutes or so, the boat arrived and managed to pull us off. We could easily see clear water from where we were aground -- just two feet or so away.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Symbiosis aground outside Barcadere Marina.</td></tr>
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Now we are in Barcadere Marina, resting and relaxing. Another strange passage behind us.<br />
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<br />Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-34550820367454731682017-04-29T06:49:00.000-07:002017-04-29T11:29:07.175-07:00Packing Heat Aboard: Guns On Boats<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ernest Hemingway aboard <i>Pilar</i> in 1935.</td></tr>
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One thing is for sure, there are as many different cruising styles as there are cruisers. And there are few subjects as polarizing (and differentiating) as whether or not you carry a gun aboard.<br />
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Let me say something that's probably obvious to anyone who follows us or knows us personally: we DO NOT have a gun aboard, nor have we ever seriously considered it. I will also say that I do have a military background (in the Army National Guard) and enjoyed using firearms during my military tenure. Twenty-five years ago, I was a pretty good shot, qualifying "expert" with a .45 pistol and a respectable "sharpshooter" with the M-16.<br />
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My observation is that when the subject of carrying a gun aboard comes up among cruisers (and it rarely does), the lines are drawn two ways: First, it is almost exclusively an American thing. French, British, Canadians -- none of them seem ever to have given the subject much thought. The second line is politics, which like it or not, follows us out to sea. If you were pro-gun at home, you are more likely to carry a weapon aboard, although many people that fit that description still don't.<br />
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For us, nothing that's happened in the past 19 months of cruising could change our minds on this subject. We practice avoidance. There are a few dodgy spots in the Caribbean. We avoid them. And, we've never had the slightest problem. I might add that we have that in common with the <i>vast</i> majority of cruisers, at least as far as I can tell. If you carry a firearm aboard, I'm willing to bet you are in a relatively small minority. Not a scientific survey, but one gets a pretty good sense.<br />
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Aren't you scared of pirates, you ask? Pose the question among Caribbean cruisers and it will elicit a chuckle or maybe a belly laugh (depending on the number of Gin & Tonics involved). <i>Those silly landlubbers.</i> Again, would I be concerned if I were traveling between Trinidad and Venezuela? Yes, but that's just one of the reasons we didn't sail that route.<br />
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<a href="http://svsymbiosis.blogspot.com/2016/08/we-was-robbed.html">Didn't you get robbed, you ask?</a> As for our robbery in Grenada, it occurred (as these things typically do) while we were away from the boat. Let's be straight: that's not piracy, it's burglary. Even if we had been aboard, I cannot imagine using a weapon to stop a burglary that resulted in the loss of a few hundred U.S. dollars.<br />
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You're going to point to that attack <a href="http://www.noonsite.com/General/Piracy/piracy-reports-2013/st-vincent-the-grenadines-union-island-violent-attempted-robbery-cruisers-seriously-injured-october-2013">a few years ago in St. Vincent when a cruising couple was assaulted by a machete-wielding youth.</a> Or, the <a href="http://www.noonsite.com/Countries/Grenada/grenada-hog-island-assault-and-kidnap-july-2016">assault in Grenada</a> at the same time we were there last year. But here's the thing: the first attack was repelled (non-lethally) with another knife and the second started with a gun pointed at a cruiser <i>on a beach.</i><br />
<br />
Unless you intend on violating local law (and the consequences can be quite harsh), you will not have your peacemaker at your side while ashore. In fact, on most islands your shipboard weapon will either be held by customs officials until you depart (requiring you to check it in at each port), or <i>sealed</i> aboard your vessel.<br />
<br />
That significantly narrows the possibilities for using a firearm as self defence. Cross off using it ashore and put a dotted line through the option of using it aboard, either at anchor or in a marina. That leaves only <i>offshore and underway. </i>I'd invite you to check the stats on how often that scenario presents itself. I can spare you the trouble -- hardly ever.<br />
<br />
Here's <a href="http://www.thecoastalpassage.com/guns_aboard.html">a good (though perhaps slightly dated) breakdown</a> of the laws in the Caribbean and elsewhere as regard firearms and boats.<br />
<br />
I am but one data point in this never-ending discussion. What I can say is that when it comes to personal safety, cruising is pretty much what I thought it would be when we untied the dock lines on the Magothy River, i.e., something to be concerned about but not obsessed over.<br />
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Is it just a coincidence that our initial perceptions have panned out? I sort of doubt it. We are out here to enjoy new places and new cultures. For us, carrying a gun aboard does not square with that.<br />
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Here's a few other perspectives from:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.sailingtotem.com/2017/01/guns-and-cruising.html">Sailing <i>Totem</i></a><br />
<a href="https://www.cygnus3.com/guns-on-boats/"><i>Cygnus III</i></a><br />
<i><a href="http://www.yachtingworld.com/blogs/elaine-bunting/guns-on-board-for-or-against-10118">Yachting World</a></i><br />
<i><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/craig-agranoff/firearms-on-the-boat-the-_b_5148704.html">Huffington Post</a></i><br />
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<br />Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-52825114697766412802017-04-21T19:07:00.000-07:002017-04-23T12:57:44.134-07:00Haiti's Gem: Ile a Vache<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prepare for boarders: Ile a Vache's Welcome Wagon.</td></tr>
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As we nosed into Baie a Feret (under tow, no less – more on that below), we were greeted by a scene that could have come out of Mutiny on
the Bounty. Except this was not Tahiti; it was a small island on Haiti’s
southwest side known as Ile a Vache ("Cow Island"). <i>Symbiosis</i> and friends
<i>Tropical Blend</i> were instantly thronged by small dugout boats – some with no more than a
broken-off palm frond as a paddle – containing mostly 20-something men racing
each other in an effort to land employment with the new arrivals from across the sea. They clung to the gunwales and popped their heads up over the side deck: "Hello, Captain, do you have some job for me?" All this was happening as we were performing a rather delicate anchoring
procedure – <i>Tropical Blend</i> needed to drop us from tow so that we would lose momentum
before running aground. And that is while finding their own spot in an
exceedingly tight anchorage that already contained several boats. <o:p></o:p></div>
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What's that about (another) tow? A few miles out, <i>Symbiosis</i> suddenly lost her engine again. The throttle, which had been "wavering," slowly tailed off and the engine simply died. This occurred in an area with a veritable mine field of poorly marked fish nets. The
only sign of them on the water is a couple of plastic soda bottles that are
very difficult to see from the deck of a small cruising boat. Running over one
of the nets would likely mean getting them wrapped in the prop and losing power
– something to definitely be avoided. So, when Larry and Debbie on <i>Tropical
Blend</i> agreed to take us in tow, they still needed to maneuver around them, but
with <i>Symbiosis</i> as an added burden. Between Debbie’s lookout on the foredeck and
Larry’s expert helmsmanship, we made it in OK. The problem turned out to be dirty
fuel. (Ironically, <i>Neko</i>, who towed us into Luperon on the other side of Hispaniola
almost exactly a year ago -- also because of bad fuel -- had buddy boated with
<i>Tropical Blend</i> for some months before we met either one of the crews. It's a small world in the cruising clique).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Debbie preparing to take us in tow.</td></tr>
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In any case, Ile a Vache proved to be every cliché we’d ever
imagined about Haiti – dirt poor (US$5 is considered a good daily wage) and
more than slightly desperate. But the people are warm and there
are none of the security concerns for which the rest of Haiti is infamous. The moment we dropped anchor, Debbie
began tossing out <i>Tropical Blend </i>t-shirts like swag at a rock concert. The shirts proved popular and we kept seeing them dotting the anchorage for several days after Larry and Debbie moved on
to Jamaica. All sorts of small gifts came
out of our hold, too, as they did from <i>Tropical Blend</i>. A few of our own <i>Symbiosis</i> t-shirts and polos (well
received), baseball caps, old shoes, an unused fishing pole. It was a bit like Christmas shopping. We spotted something on the boat we'd been meaning to rid ourselves of, and one of us would say "that looks like such-and-such could use that" and then we'd see such-and-such and give it to him. One of the things I really like about (and let us just borrow the old pejorative "Third World" with no malice intended) is the resourcefulness of the people. Items that would be discarded without a second thought in America get used, reused and repurposed in a place like this. So, our slightly broken things are diamonds in the rough here. Even our mucky diesel, which we were wondering how to dispose of in an environmentally conscious way, was taken by a Haitian boy for use in fuel lamps at his home.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Debbie handing out the ever-popular Tropical Blend tee.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Within a few hours of our arrival, both boats had discharged cargo of
used sails, fishing gear, snorkel gear, school supplies, clothes,
etc. that we had agreed to carry for Good Samaritan Foundation of Haiti, the NGO run part-time by Michael "Beans" Gardener, the troubadour we'd met in Jost Van Dyke weeks before.</div>
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Nothing more for us to do but enjoy the tranquil and beautiful bay. And getting that engine sorted.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnKG0qVSgFRAofMrdktAYpTCQ6iILg0oSkbIIjvpIqF4Skpmu2Bfu1WJzO8eaASCGG3sErUvVckj1gv9JbUSiZWDQiwfT3261ytwx3JBuTsRhgIUbVwa2rj_bT5WPC-BCCPXEvZzPcW8/s1600/IMG_2099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnKG0qVSgFRAofMrdktAYpTCQ6iILg0oSkbIIjvpIqF4Skpmu2Bfu1WJzO8eaASCGG3sErUvVckj1gv9JbUSiZWDQiwfT3261ytwx3JBuTsRhgIUbVwa2rj_bT5WPC-BCCPXEvZzPcW8/s400/IMG_2099.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unloading aid supplies for Good Samaritan Foundation of Haiti.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Soon we met Ernst and Mark, young cousins who were both trying to
earn some cash. We found a few make-work jobs for them, such as cleaning the
decks and we sent our laundry off to Ernst’s mother. We fed them lunch and dinner -- several times, in fact. We also met Davey and
Kiki. Kiki, around 30 with a friendly smile and a very good command of English, works with Good
Samaritan Foundation and also tends bar in a hotel ashore. But it's not enough for him. We arrived during "high season," for foreign visitors to Ile a Vache, but Haiti isn't exactly a major tourist destination and a busy day at the bar for Kiki means serving perhaps
25 customers. He told us of his hope to go to Chile to work, because “Haiti
will never change.” Unlike many others, who offered up only vague talk about forging a better life (several wanted to become a mechanic, for example), Kiki's plans seemed concrete despite his obvious frustration. He is trying to scratch together enough cash to get a visa
and a ticket. We wish him well. We also met Beethoven, a young Haitian who clearly had little
knowledge of his namesake. He seemed to take in stride my occasional remarks about his fabulous symphonies.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnNc-AzEia15QxmkbigRyhgFPruprMFbNtK30OzmRUNAQGnKlhWghfMFvdqlG0SbTJZFQVSwCLBZCuqjShnYn3DQM7fS_DFCk_jh4cAZjI6gFby6iUKUvzn5-ZupTV_4U-EOI1ButYVMU/s1600/IMG_2076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnNc-AzEia15QxmkbigRyhgFPruprMFbNtK30OzmRUNAQGnKlhWghfMFvdqlG0SbTJZFQVSwCLBZCuqjShnYn3DQM7fS_DFCk_jh4cAZjI6gFby6iUKUvzn5-ZupTV_4U-EOI1ButYVMU/s400/IMG_2076.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsmeFHj0-Qwct8VX6tWJBmYqlcwofGdrnWryS0cvwsKV1Iz9ISOWvuyKRUm2-EmEXpNVStMlRvnlUKGyTSyRvG8olsY4hvtSOsP5QFbcpNSqpfDe42gnXbrx6VNGBUA97PoMLT7Yjo-rI/s1600/IMG_2075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsmeFHj0-Qwct8VX6tWJBmYqlcwofGdrnWryS0cvwsKV1Iz9ISOWvuyKRUm2-EmEXpNVStMlRvnlUKGyTSyRvG8olsY4hvtSOsP5QFbcpNSqpfDe42gnXbrx6VNGBUA97PoMLT7Yjo-rI/s400/IMG_2075.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kiki</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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One thing we had on our manifest was a 150-percent genoa that we'd blown out just a week or so earlier. Old sails are much coveted in Ile a Vache, as the fishing boats are all sail. The locals cut the bad parts out and refit them for their own small craft, stitching everything by hand.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPLQ3OivFYMQ9DOVemrmZd_NxX6UBbowJZ9VgaVIfJQplg1Pn2LOS32prtrecT-tGuU_kNjmzWHhSJrEnBenuh_GPPLbGU-eb0cuXoAJp87t_o-O6sKUMxQMrRbyjuQqQv9ZNyTMAXo8/s1600/IMG_2041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPLQ3OivFYMQ9DOVemrmZd_NxX6UBbowJZ9VgaVIfJQplg1Pn2LOS32prtrecT-tGuU_kNjmzWHhSJrEnBenuh_GPPLbGU-eb0cuXoAJp87t_o-O6sKUMxQMrRbyjuQqQv9ZNyTMAXo8/s400/IMG_2041.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivY7crC2ljXiIvElWzZe-v4dzJ9a8gxR6sIw5Omaw6AF8pTiiLoDOddWbjUXeHrLZWu1lT0iW51LpZvvbvIiVYmF3vzeMxHoONNZUa4AjnDT9E5xp1h8pG9zlJ28SmzNSPl8Bu0JCMig4/s1600/IMG_2051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivY7crC2ljXiIvElWzZe-v4dzJ9a8gxR6sIw5Omaw6AF8pTiiLoDOddWbjUXeHrLZWu1lT0iW51LpZvvbvIiVYmF3vzeMxHoONNZUa4AjnDT9E5xp1h8pG9zlJ28SmzNSPl8Bu0JCMig4/s400/IMG_2051.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyScei9iSTpM5biM-PnE5kEQllFfxd4Lsi5Uwn5m1f0rLMDy_KgDhS-8F40q6LROy_R1oe9uBAhJVjddmlcg3CV5MtHF4kj1FY5l62FHDBpAh_E_kmgqrvGURhFYmN5nggStYlRr8qUGw/s1600/IMG_2053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyScei9iSTpM5biM-PnE5kEQllFfxd4Lsi5Uwn5m1f0rLMDy_KgDhS-8F40q6LROy_R1oe9uBAhJVjddmlcg3CV5MtHF4kj1FY5l62FHDBpAh_E_kmgqrvGURhFYmN5nggStYlRr8qUGw/s400/IMG_2053.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tattered and patched together sails are the norm, but these guys are experts with their boats.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Ready for America's Cup? Hardly, but they do the job well enough. We decided that the genoa, an old sail that I'd only hoped would make it to Mexico, was not worth saving. So, it became yet another donation. Wildo was very happy to get it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-UTistdQLf1ijbzuFgxXwNerbt1l_V6BXJFjH_Chd-XMsd1GEeD_4JirzzYa8xnh-EpPOU-SXUFFoGaWUOnFZz34rZKnGy8Yzfegb9r8WKocPoEXDOnMMKbeyLc6wipwlxVFalbr1suU/s1600/17903728_1829918437274189_1337440828160275587_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-UTistdQLf1ijbzuFgxXwNerbt1l_V6BXJFjH_Chd-XMsd1GEeD_4JirzzYa8xnh-EpPOU-SXUFFoGaWUOnFZz34rZKnGy8Yzfegb9r8WKocPoEXDOnMMKbeyLc6wipwlxVFalbr1suU/s400/17903728_1829918437274189_1337440828160275587_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wildo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I first tackled the engine problem myself. I found no fuel flow and some "gunk" in the line; cleared it; bled the engine, and it started. Easy, problem solved (or so I thought!). I ran the engine for about 10 minutes and the same thing happened. Loss of power. I decided to call in the local mechanic, a very tall, handsome and soft-spoken gentlemen named Son Son. He bled the injection pump and started the engine. It seemed good. We ran the engine for about 15 minutes and it sounded fine. We got ready the next day to sail out of Ile a Vache, and the same damn problem happened again. We told <i>Tropical Blend</i> to move on without us. They had a plane to catch and we didn't want to hold them up any longer. They graciously left us with some cash (no ATMs in Ile a Vache!). I called Son Son again. He found, like I did, inadequate fuel flow from the tank to the first filter. He cleared the line and we started the engine again. Again, everything seemed fine. Next morning, we set out from the anchorage. About 0630, just as we were ready to clear the entrance, the engine died again. We flung out the foresail and sailed back into the bay. But the direction of the wind was such that we couldn't come up onto a spot to anchor again. We made a split decision to drop the hook before we were in real trouble, but ended up very close to friends John and Danny on <i>Joda </i>and in barely enough water to clear our keel. Knowing that Sequoia on <i>Tandemeer</i> (of International Rescue Group) and Joanna on <i>Bamba Maru </i>were early risers, we decided to try to call them on the VHF. Sure enough, Sequoia, answered immediately and within minutes, he and Joanna were there in their dinghies to help guide us back to a safe spot. The kindness of fellow cruisers!</div>
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Back to work on the engine. I couldn't believe it was bad fuel. Earlier, I had taken a sample from the bottom of the tank where crud is likely to precipitate. It was clean. Since our incident last year of picking up bad fuel in Mayaguana, Bahamas, we have been very careful about this clean and water-free fuel protocol -- going only to marinas with a lot of turnover at the pump, always careful to seal the deck-fill (with a film of Vaseline), and otherwise taking the necessary precautions. But Sequoia convinced me to take another sample. This time I pulled up a nasty, slimy "diesel booger" as I inelegantly call them. It's a bacterial infestation that thrives in the tropics. With 60 gallons in the tank, the only solution was to hand pump all the fuel out, clean the tank, filter the fuel and put it back in. So, we borrowed several jerry cans and I proceeded to the messy task, which took about 2.5 hours. There was indeed a lot of gunk at the bottom and I stuck my arm through several inspection hatches to get it all cleaned out, using copious amounts of paper towels. Joanna on <i>Bamba Maru</i> let us use some of her biocide fuel treatment, so hopefully the problem could be held at bay.</div>
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Finally, we discovered a small air leak in the fuel line that was probably introduced by our fiddling around with the tanks. It took another day to locate and fix that. By then, we were sure (pretty sure, anyway) that everything was good. We started and ran the engine several times to make sure.</div>
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After listening to Chris Parker's forecast and getting a quick glimpse of the GRIB files (thanks to Sequoia's cell phone data access), we decided Wednesday the 19th, didn't look too bad. Boy, we we wrong. (Btw, Chris' forecast didn't specifically cover our area, but his estimation of the sea state we encountered was more accurate than the GRIBs).</div>
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After an initial 12 hours in which we were able to sail downwind with the Aries windvane doing the steering, from there, things went south, so to speak, even as we were traveling west. The already 8-foot swell -- fine on our quarter, made it difficult to steer on our transom. We ended up hand steering for hours, jibing back and forth to try to stay on a broad reach -- going forward on a rolling, wet deck to switch the preventer with each jibe. Somewhere off the Jamaican coast, it started to rain. Then lightening -- luckily though, not too close. The wind backed nearly 360 degrees in the middle of the night, forcing several sail changes in the dark. The next morning, I spent about a half hour in heavy swells bringing in a Skipjack Tuna. Noi immediately threw the line back in and almost instantly, we got another strike. More effort to bring in a fish that was clearly not going to give up -- all while standing in a torrential downpour. I would reel in some on the wave crests, then be forced to let it back out for fear of breaking the pole. A very big fish. Finally, I decided to leave the pole in its holder and let the fish wear itself out. He (or she) nearly ripped the pole out of its socket and I jumped up to save it, and resume the fight. About that time, I could feel the tension ease considerably -- a sure sign that the line was broken. A great "one that got away" story. </div>
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Seconds after I got back in the cockpit from the rather exposed fishing station, a strong squall (we estimate 45 knots) caught us by surprise. We had a full main up, as we had been sailing in the 15- to 20-knot breeze. It was way too much sail for this squall, and we struggled to keep control of the helm. After it subsided, we noticed that something -- we presume an errant genoa sheet -- had ripped a dorade vent box clean off the deck. The dorade box was still there sitting on the cabin top. More repairs for our next port!</div>
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Then the wind died and we started the motor to make Port Antonio. At some point in the passage, I realized that there was a leak on the engine and we were losing oil at a rather alarming rate. So, all the while, I was adding oil to the engine while it was running, trying to guess how much it was losing. </div>
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At Port Antonio's Errol Flynn Marina, we were greeted by Debbie and Larry who waved us into our slip. We were soaked and tired, not having slept at all for the 30-plus hour crossing. It was nice to have the worst passage of our Caribbean sojourn behind us.</div>
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On<i> Symbiosis</i>, we have a motto: Even when it's not fun, it's still an adventure!</div>
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Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-40712898849463677492017-03-11T08:39:00.001-08:002017-03-11T08:54:37.087-08:00The Long And Winding Road<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtBedbEI5BJWnlgIPqTRysLYND73XiFi5K5jEhUGfB4nww9Ti5nEq5qAcmLnSpw3GHrbAnxoS-Yjpupo2hrogcc-hcv3mRwA8ND1kVKVfU02vX-47Qz4Gi6-w7dBeSnQDE0U0PWUgUjtg/s1600/17191213_1809035019362531_7256419448720499933_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtBedbEI5BJWnlgIPqTRysLYND73XiFi5K5jEhUGfB4nww9Ti5nEq5qAcmLnSpw3GHrbAnxoS-Yjpupo2hrogcc-hcv3mRwA8ND1kVKVfU02vX-47Qz4Gi6-w7dBeSnQDE0U0PWUgUjtg/s400/17191213_1809035019362531_7256419448720499933_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patillas, PR</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Honestly, I don't even know where to begin with this post. Our laptop has been broken and we just got a new one here in Puerto Rico -- a real bare-bones model that we hope will get us back to the states.<br />
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Left St. Maarten, sailed to British Virgin Islands. There we met Michael Beans, a local celebrity who is well known for his pirate musical act and ferro-cement ketch. Michael has a history with Haiti and as Larry on <i>Tropical Blend</i> began chatting with him, Michael wondered if both boats could take some supplies to a small, isolated island there known as Ile a Vache. It's definitely a "no phones, no lights, no motor cars" kind of place where the fishermen still use sailing craft. Last year, it was hit hard by Hurricane Matthew. Although due to the hospitality of the people on the island, it had been one of the few places cruisers would regularly call in a country that otherwise enjoys (if that's the term) a fairly poor reputation, post-hurricane, few are going there. We agreed to Michael's request and loaded up with used sails (to be re-cut for fishing boats), snorkel gear (for spear-fishing), clothes, etc. In addition, we went online and raised $700 for school supplies and various other items for a newly constructed sail. (Thanks to everyone who helped us!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH2LPtPMrk1LZem2UtpHdChJaLnZIt6vhENur8qbY0vsevqu72bDDkoZ8qtrc7tM3qLjvnovbR2DYlJFrxQrgk53ympxkchxP3LCWMYLxfXpmlkKNfZwKsfa5mCSzCX50ZszJWhO8LUmY/s1600/17101847_1366628330047250_1127282546_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH2LPtPMrk1LZem2UtpHdChJaLnZIt6vhENur8qbY0vsevqu72bDDkoZ8qtrc7tM3qLjvnovbR2DYlJFrxQrgk53ympxkchxP3LCWMYLxfXpmlkKNfZwKsfa5mCSzCX50ZszJWhO8LUmY/s400/17101847_1366628330047250_1127282546_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4rruS-G59daJtC4Jf-YFS4ISmIpQEikZKsEGkkptSMchIsHcxh5HMo8XMqytzxwjOM16QOjD0x4O3tX9JjtLhye0HiDKaJ0iYC4qsOVTfQxGFhUWBvwIcQeeLjy3jKhsaPWG6zKhGm8/s1600/17105492_1366630720047011_1348962457_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4rruS-G59daJtC4Jf-YFS4ISmIpQEikZKsEGkkptSMchIsHcxh5HMo8XMqytzxwjOM16QOjD0x4O3tX9JjtLhye0HiDKaJ0iYC4qsOVTfQxGFhUWBvwIcQeeLjy3jKhsaPWG6zKhGm8/s400/17105492_1366630720047011_1348962457_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzSYsaF4Cs6kIJkilfBKKh5D0p8KsyXsZtz-f_rrn7MMj8aTfoT6l0elnTyzn1sCzKnW7l0cR6NaCYXkTWRG958j8Z1TnjDrT9HYOyeDyEAvq7NLS9i-ZR-cY-vfKiUN2rpO4Becnd3Q/s1600/17125046_1366628423380574_630663436_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzSYsaF4Cs6kIJkilfBKKh5D0p8KsyXsZtz-f_rrn7MMj8aTfoT6l0elnTyzn1sCzKnW7l0cR6NaCYXkTWRG958j8Z1TnjDrT9HYOyeDyEAvq7NLS9i-ZR-cY-vfKiUN2rpO4Becnd3Q/s400/17125046_1366628423380574_630663436_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buying supplies for Haiti.</td></tr>
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From there, we sailed to the Spanish Virgins (Puerto Rico) for a visit to Culebrita. Then Fajardo (east coast of PR) and now find ourselves in the sleepy little anchorage of Patillas on PR's southeast coast.<br />
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Along the way, we discovered a major problem with our engine. I had suspected a serious issue for months, but mechanics I met along the way seemed all-too-eager to disabuse me of the worst-case scenario. After losing power completely en route to Fajardo, we tried again for a mechanic, but were unable to get anyone there to even look. Strange thing about Fajardo -- tons of boats, no mechanics. While searching online to find some answers, I virtually bumped into Michael Kneeland, a mechanic and jack-of-all trades whose own boat is anchored in Patillas. After much back-and-forth, Michael convinced me that he would do the job (whatever it was) if we could get down to him.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Engine stuff.</td></tr>
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We managed to get the engine started and kept it going at low rpm while we sailed down the coast, first no wind at all in the shadow of Vieques, then 30+ knots as we rounded the eastern coast and plowed our way to Patillas. There we met Michael and the next day, he commenced to tearing down the engine. We knew it was at least a head gasket, but once we got into it, we realized there was a lot of water in three of the four cylinders. Pretty much a worst-case scenario -- this would require a total rebuild.<br />
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So, we are looking at thousands of dollars in parts, shipping and labor and we don't even know yet how long the machine shop will take in refurbishing the block and cylinder head.<br />
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That's where we are now: a big hole where the engine used to be and us waiting on parts, which should be here on Monday. Meanwhile, <i>Tropical Blend</i> is still in Fajardo waiting on weather; they are expected here tomorrow. We are surely looking at another week, probably more, before we can get under way.<br />
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Two bits of optimism amid the doom and gloom: we will have a practically brand new engine, which means the problems we've been dealing with for months should be behind us. Second, when we list the boat for sale, we should get some or all of our investment back out, as a new engine should be a strong selling point.<br />
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Keeping our fingers crossed the engine won't take too long!Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-40224470932816449792017-02-08T12:35:00.000-08:002017-02-08T12:35:44.016-08:00Waiting For Weather; Boat ProjectsI look at my last post and can't believe how long it's been since I was writing here. I have been getting a lot of boat projects done, but not much writing.<div>
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We ended up spending five weeks in Antigua then hopped up the chain to St. Maarten (Dutch side) and have been here for more than two weeks getting boat projects done and relaxing. I am far behind both on this blog and on my freelance assignments -- I have three in the pipeline and should be pitching two more.</div>
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What about those boat projects? Well, here's a sample:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brightwork. The cockpit.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elbow in the exhaust line (not "exhaust elbow," however). The tiny hole was spurting water around the engine room.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working on the outboard.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making new mooring lines.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just to prove it hasn't been all work. A close-encounter with dolphins en route from Nevis to St. Maarten.</td></tr>
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Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-68761787994935102562016-12-23T12:43:00.000-08:002017-04-23T13:26:57.148-07:00Christmas In Antigua<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last Christmas, I was sitting in a hospital in Freeport, Bahamas, waiting to have the end of my left pinky stitched up. This year, we are hoping for a somewhat different holiday -- in Antigua, but definitely not in an Antiguan hospital!<br />
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Today, we are Med-moored (i.e., without a finger pier) in Jolly Harbour Marina, next to cruising buddies <i>Tropical Blend</i> and <i>AfterMath</i>. John and Debbie on <i>AfterMath</i> have just flown back to U.S. to be with family, leaving Kirby -- their Wheaton Terrier -- at a local kennel. Larry and Debbie on <i>Tropical Blend</i> are remaining here in Antigua, their soon-to-be home, as they are in the process of closing on a house here.<br />
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So, the four of us will celebrate, which will probably involve the beach and some lobsters!<br />
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<b>Martinique</b><br />
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I should probably back up a bit, as I haven't posted since Martinique. We spent a bit of time on that particular French island enjoying our favorite anchorage and town, St. Anne. That was where we had a small adventure getting Quincy, <i>Tropical Blend's </i>nearly 22-year-old cat, to the veternarian. The first problem was finding a vet and then finding out if the clinic was open. Of our little group, I am the only one that knows any French -- and when I say "any" I am saying <i>pas beaucoup</i>. I tried to listen to a telephone recording, but between the usual garble and the French that I didn't know, I was unable to pick up much of anything. Larry and I set off in the dinghy from the anchorage toward town, where a very nice gentlemen who runs "Bou Bou Snackette" had been very helpful when we first checkedin, despite his limited English. En route, I spotted a Canadian-flagged sailboat with a Montreal hailing port and it occurred to me that she probably had bilingual crew. We motored up, introduced ourselves in English and, sure enough, the couple aboard was able to help us. We still had time to get Quincy -- who was suffering from a tumor-like growth -- into the vet's office. All is well and Quincy is still alive and kicking on an (almost) daily diet of KFC.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Debbie and Quincy en route to the vet in Martinique.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owners of the Bou Bou Snackette in St. Anne. As you can see, they are Breaking Bad fans!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scott doing brightwork in Grand Anse D'Arlet, Mart.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sea turtle in Grand Anse D'Arlet.</td></tr>
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From St. Anne, we decided to move up to Grand Anse d'Arlet for <a href="https://svsymbiosis.blogspot.com/2016/11/thanksgiving-in-martinique.html">Thanksgiving</a>. That's where we, at anchor, we experienced the worst of our sailing experience. Ironically, it all happened on the very same day that I wrote the previous post about anchoring in which I joked about tempting the gods! The wind suddenly went west, strongly (30-40 knots), which means we swung around 180 degrees on our anchors and were backed up to a lee shore. For landlubbers, this means that our anchor (and everyone else's) was "set" in one direction, i.e., against the prevailing easterly winds. So, the fluke, or hook of the anchor was dug into the sandy bottom so that it is secure from that direction. When the wind goes the opposite way however, things get interesting. Pulling in the opposite direction of the set is a very good way to pull the anchor out. Worse, spun around in that direction, if the anchor loses its hold on the bottom, we go on the beach instead of (safely) out to sea.<br />
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It was much drama for a few hours, but our anchor held and no one dragged down on us. <i>AfterMath</i> did have some trouble and called on the radio for help. Larry, who already had <i>Tropical Blend's</i> dinghy in the water, shuttled over to <i>Symbiosis</i> and picked me (Scott) up, so we could go help. At this point, a several foot swell was coming into the anchorage, and Larry's maneuvering to get himself, and then me, aboard the dinghy was impressive. By the time we got over to <i>AfterMath</i>, the problem (entanglement with another boat) had been resolved. Although <i>AfterMath</i> did sustain some damage, it wasn't, luckily, more than cosmetic.<br />
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A few days after the anchorage excitement, we went up the west coast to St. Pierre, a passage that brought us around Diamond Rock in a 30-knot squall. It wasn't the most pleasant sail, especially given the rain.<br />
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St. Pierre is a small but interesting town that we had visited on our way south. And, a very tricky anchorage. In front of the town, there is only a narrow near-shore shelf where the water is shallow enough to set the hook. On the way south last summer, we opted to anchor at a beach adjacent to the town, where there is more room. But this time we had a strong swell coming in from the west that would have set us onto the beach. After <i>Symbiosis</i> reconned the spot, we made an executive decision not to use it.<br />
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The main goal in stopping at St. Pierre was to shave a bit off our next passage to Dominica and to check out (clear) immigration and customs. In the true spirit of the French islands, however, the customs office was closed, despite posted hours that suggested that should not be the case. Stay another day to clear customs/immigration or just leave for Dominica and hope the officials there are understanding? The latter option was the one we chose, and it worked out fine. We got the distinct impression that the customs officers in Dominica had heard this story of their errant French colleagues before.<br />
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<b>Dominica</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prince Rupert Bay, Portsmouth, Dominica.</td></tr>
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We arrived back at Prince Rupert Bay, Portsmouth, for another stay of several days. This was one of our favorite spots on the way south. Unlike some other places, the boat boys are well-organized in this particular harbour. "Daniel" helped organize a tour of the south end of the island for the four of us on <i>Symbiosis</i> and <i>Tropical Blend</i>. We had seen the north end on the way down, so we wanted to see the rest of the island. Another great day at the sulfur hot springs near Soufriere.<br />
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<b>Guadeloupe</b><br />
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We finally got to see Les Saintes, a set of islands just south of Guadeloupe that we had skipped on the way down. However, Debbie and Larry, had stopped there for a few days at that time and had (along with everyone else we spoke to) great reviews on the place. It is indeed a lovely little spot and is now on our short list of favorites. The town, Terre de Haut, is nearly the perfect French Caribbean town. Not too big, not too small. Lots of little shops to browse. And the rest of the main island is stunning.<br />
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Lastly, a word about the sail from Guadeloupe to Antigua. Symbiosis had a bone in her teeth and kicked butt in 20 knots of wind and 6-foot beam seas. The windvane steered all the way with just a bit of tweaking. With two reefs in the main, the staysail flying and a one-third rolled Yankee, we blistered along to make a 6.4-knot average, our best "non-surfing" performance! Video below!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fsvsymbiosis%2Fvideos%2F1773517219580978%2F&show_text=0&width=560" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="560"></iframe>Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-25445806357758658122016-11-28T10:57:00.000-08:002017-05-01T12:34:29.883-07:00The Science And Religion Of Anchoring<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuY-XIniWDbyIEPTI8GL6vtHkXKYUlbwxC8uL2RlWAP_pn9jt381P8iOXFEYrCFmjqQt_XoxSOuIbImJj1Pwz2IOGwQ_t7MGI8b7AA6jwAZJOkfIC6NMOrOFsRD0G7DSdgtbcRXiB7wfM/s1600/noi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuY-XIniWDbyIEPTI8GL6vtHkXKYUlbwxC8uL2RlWAP_pn9jt381P8iOXFEYrCFmjqQt_XoxSOuIbImJj1Pwz2IOGwQ_t7MGI8b7AA6jwAZJOkfIC6NMOrOFsRD0G7DSdgtbcRXiB7wfM/s400/noi.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Noi scanning for a good spot at Deshais, Guadeloupe</td></tr>
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"We must respect the other fellow's religion, but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart." -- H.L. Menchen.</div>
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(See also: <a href="http://svsymbiosis.blogspot.com/2016/06/musings-on-anchoring.html">Musings On Anchoring.</a>)</div>
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You've heard it all before: new-fangled super-anchor, all-chain rode, plenty of scope, snubber. Check your set. Yep. That's anchoring in a nutshell. At least the science part of it.</div>
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Putting theory into practise, however, isn't always a fully quantifiable exercise. I will try not to sound smug or arrogant, lest we tempt the gods. We are not experts! However, after dropping the hook perhaps one-hundred times in the past year or so, we have not dragged once, either in fair weather or foul. That counts for something, I suppose. Pride before the fall?</div>
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First, if you're planning long-term cruising, take a deep breath. Now, double the line item in your budget for anchor and ground tackle. Put a pencil line through the satellite phone entry if necessary. You will miss a good anchoring kit that works 100 percent of the time a whole lot more than that sat phone that is only 30 percent reliable. Trust me on this one.</div>
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Anchors fall into the purgatory between science and religion. We love our primary anchor -- a Spade. Why do we love it? Because it has never let us down. Does that mean that it never will? We have no way of knowing that. But we have faith.</div>
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We did our research before buying the Spade. The numbers looked good in the (few) unbiased reports we could find. But, we could just as easily have gone with a Rocna, and most certainly would have if only it had fit our bow roller. The two hooks are roughly equal in performance. The only real difference is that the Spade is more expensive.</div>
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When we bought <i>Symbiosis</i>, she came with an oversized CQR and a large Bruce. When we purchased the Spade, we got rid of the CQR, but kept the Bruce. The reasoning was that the CQR and Spade were similar "plow-type" anchors, so they were basically duplicates (although we were quite sure the Spade was far superior). The Bruce is perhaps better than the Spade in a few types of bottoms, so it seemed the better choice to keep. Having said that, the Bruce has never come off the bow roller. We haven't found -- at least in the Chesapeake, down the ICW, the Bahamas and the Eastern Caribbean -- any reason not to use our Spade every time. And it's held nicely -- every time.</div>
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I passed up a good deal on a used Fortress I found at Bacon in Annapolis just before we cast off. I have been kicking myself ever since. It would be, in my mind, the ideal complement to the Spade and Bruce. It is an excellent anchor for kedging or for holding against strong wind in a single direction (its main drawback being that it does not reset as well as the others). In addition, it is very lightweight for its holding power, which makes it easy to handle, and it disassembles for easy storage.</div>
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A word about weight: I agree with the conventional wisdom to go big. Our Spade is a size heavier than recommended. Why not "supersize" me when it comes to anchors and go two or three sizes bigger? It sounds great in principle, but there's a limiting factor. We do not own an electric windlass and neither do you. For us, that's a literal statement (ours is an old manual Simpson-Lawrence Sea Tiger 555), for you, it might be theoretical. You might have a kick-ass electric windlass, but unless you can get the anchor up with two (or four) hands, the anchor is too big. Electric windlasses are one of those items that (along with refrigerators, water-makers and autopilots) keep marine repair folks in business throughout the Caribbean. Our buddy boat, <i>Tropical Blend</i>, recently experienced a jammed gypsy that resulted in a burned out motor. It took four of us to retrieve their 110-pound Bruce. The advantages of buddy boating!</div>
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Stainless vs. galvanized? I honestly cannot see any advantage to stainless except aesthetics. They do look nice and shiny. But at nearly twice the price for the stainless-steel versions, I can use the mirror in the head to brush my teeth. </div>
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The next link in the chain, so to speak, is the connection between the anchor and rode. A high-quality swivel, such as made by Italy-based Kong, is a good investment. When the anchor comes up, it is almost invariably twisted the wrong way. The swivel will get it turned around easily.</div>
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And the rode. We met a couple in Florida who had been cruising for quite some time in the Bahamas on their home-built motorsailor. They claimed to be anchoring gurus and even had a self-published book on the subject. This couple were strong advocates of chain and nylon line instead of all-chain. They insisted that the elasticity of the nylon rode made for more secure foul-weather anchoring and that the extra weight of all-chain wasn't all that valuable. They have more experience than I do, but by contrast, nearly everyone who is a serious cruiser in the Eastern Caribbean uses all-chain rode. For us, it is the combination of the Spade and the chain rode that we believe (because, remember, it is religion we're talking about here) has kept us safe up to now.</div>
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To complete the kit, there's the snubber. The winter before we set off on our big adventure, I did a bit of research on snubbers and bridles. I can't say the research was exhaustive, but for some reason I concluded that I wanted a Y bridle rather than a single-line snubber (which is what most monohull sailboats use). I looked at the one Mantus sold and decided that it would be easier (and cheaper!) just to copy it. Using 3/4" three-strand nylon, a stainless eye thimble, a chain hook and some chaffing gear, I set about recreating that bridle. It doesn't look nearly as good as the fancy Mantus bridle in the magazine ad, but it has proven excellent gear. It is, however, a bit of a struggle getting it around all the bowsprit stays on <i>Symbiosis</i>. One major advantage, in my mind, is that with the bridle (as opposed to the one-line snubber), you artificially increase scope by hooking the chain at or near the waterline, which reduces the angle of pull to the anchor. Those few feet from the bow roller to the waterline can make a lot of difference.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgqpEK1KZmsw3xxj6FVG2J6x5piTzHfP-IFNPMgSVjWKq-xaxzMgZJ0ezeoKDShCCFgqaY3Jaqh45JUqO3z1xcLkW1GhYfNxetpfY4E7GCeF7qvJejHCFonaUidpLrK4KnqfLuxNN-ss/s1600/IMG_1184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgqpEK1KZmsw3xxj6FVG2J6x5piTzHfP-IFNPMgSVjWKq-xaxzMgZJ0ezeoKDShCCFgqaY3Jaqh45JUqO3z1xcLkW1GhYfNxetpfY4E7GCeF7qvJejHCFonaUidpLrK4KnqfLuxNN-ss/s400/IMG_1184.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The home-brew bridle/snubber.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvrv8zulnhN58tAJyta6_cKNVrYSarKDc7Z-v3HrXCQr5bs-jqcdL9j_HK6spWcNyOE4VwOT3sPE8ue7tLtbSoyW1urvQFM69EMpnkO2AKTgrVfIIOvnoFZPTLETAnnaUk-NgWEv7oIw/s1600/G0144037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvrv8zulnhN58tAJyta6_cKNVrYSarKDc7Z-v3HrXCQr5bs-jqcdL9j_HK6spWcNyOE4VwOT3sPE8ue7tLtbSoyW1urvQFM69EMpnkO2AKTgrVfIIOvnoFZPTLETAnnaUk-NgWEv7oIw/s320/G0144037.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Middle: Our Spade well dug-in in Bahamas. Bottom: A Rocna(?) in Martinique.</td></tr>
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How to pick an anchoring spot? We tend to only go for "approved" anchorages (i.e., those places marked as anchorages on the chart). On occasion we go off the beaten path, but seldom. We are conservative when it comes to anchoring and other sailing things and centrist or liberal on pretty much everything else. In a crowded anchorage, it's obviously important to have plenty of room to swing and to stay away from your neighbors. All well and good, but sometimes you have to make compromises. More than a few times we've found ourselves a bit too close for comfort with our neighbors -- either because we anchored closer than we should have or our nice and open spot looked good to everyone else who followed us. It is amazing how quickly the perfect anchoring spot can become downtown central.<br />
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On the rare occasions when we really feel uncomfortable with an usurper, we move. For those times we feel uneasy as the potentially offending party, we dinghy over and ask the neighbors how they feel. Almost invariably, this defuses the situation. Granted that it's human nature to avoid conflict and the smiles we typically get might be masking gritting teeth. But, if nothing else, it lets them know that we are keeping a close eye on the situation and are prepared to move if necessary. The truth is that we never hit anyone swinging at anchor and no one ever hit us. Sure, strictly speaking, there's some math I could pull out of my sail bag to explain scope and swinging room. If that's your thing, have at it. But, for us it's more a feeling. Not very scientific.</div>
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When we anchor, Noi is on the foredeck and I am at the helm. While we are still on approach to the anchorage, Noi is using the binoculars to scout out potential spots. A short discussion (or sometimes argument) ensues and we head for the spot we've picked (or the one I've picked). Thick mud is ideal, but we haven't seen that since the ICW. In the Bahamas and Caribbean, we are looking for lily-white sand on the bottom. And, if the sun angle is right and the water is relatively calm, we might be able to spot it visually. Looking at the chart plotter, I am careful to avoid areas marked "sand and coral." Sometimes that means "sand over coral," which is not good. Additionally, sometimes what looks like sand turns out to be broken shell or coral -- also unsuitable. But it's difficult to know that until you've actually dropped the hook. </div>
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So, what about scope? Our standard is about 7-to-1, regardless of the conditions. Too many times we have seen squalls roll in unexpectedly, with wind quickly ramping up from nil to 30 knots or more. You don't want to be fooling with the anchor then. Here's an example of how I figure scope: if the depth finder says 15 feet, I add five feet for the distance from the waterline to the roller on the bowsprit. 20 x 7 = 140, so I round up to 150 (which, in any case, is an increment marked on the chain rode). If I am feeling a bit nervous about the weather, I spill out a bit more for good measure.<br />
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If the water is clear enough (which isn't always the case), we do like snorkeling on the anchor to see how well it is set. If you own a <a href="http://www.boatus.com/cruising/TomNeale/pastarticle_full.asp?bid=2838">"look bucket"</a> that works too. On at least one occasion, Noi went out to check things and reported that the Spade was over on its side and only partially dug in. We decided to yank it up and do it over.<br />
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After all that, it was just a matter of getting comfortable with the routine and what to expect from it. </div>
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Sure, I still get a little nervous when 40 knots comes through our anchorage, but I don't panic. I am pretty confident that we are doing the right thing. The science (and our experience) is what gives me confidence, though. Others might prefer the power of prayer.</div>
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Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-16204758565773115712016-11-25T07:18:00.002-08:002016-11-26T06:43:40.301-08:00Thanksgiving In MartiniqueAfter many years of living abroad on and off, I know how difficult it can be to keep going with traditions associated with the home country. Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday -- a family get-together without the gift-giving associated with Christmas. Much more relaxed.<br />
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One memorable Thanksgiving (in the mid-90s) was spent with Swedish journalists Ulf and Maud Linholm in India, who of course had themselves never had an "American" Thanksgiving. Not all the ingredients were available, of course, but we managed a pretty decent feast nonetheless.<br />
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The dinner we had yesterday in Martinique with buddy-boating friends John and Debbie aboard AfterMath and Larry and Debbie aboard Tropical Blend was equally memorable. AfterMath Debbie took the lead on the project and we managed to have turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, and green beans. What a pleasant afternoon!<br />
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<br />Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-74765454564638386912016-11-14T04:25:00.000-08:002016-11-14T05:56:47.799-08:00Moving On. But Where?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tobago Cays, St. Vincent and the Grenadines</td></tr>
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We are in Rodney Bay Marina in St. Lucia getting a few boat projects done while we try, with limited success, to shut out the rest of the world.<br />
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The big question is where do we go from here? When we left the U.S. a year ago October, we only committed to the Caribbean, although we (or at least I) definitely had a circumnavigation in the back of our minds. Of course, even to suggest such a possibility to others was a mistake. No matter the caveats, friends and family think you're going to "sail around the world."<br />
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I still love that idea, however. Alas, our budget does not. It's not really possible to start off heading west and then decide along the way. The Panama Canal is an expensive and involved proposition. Once through it, the options narrow. The only "logical" move is to do the Pacific crossing -- the Marquesas, Tahiti, etc., to Asia. Not out of the question, but then the boat is stuck half-way around the world and the only "logical" way to get it back home is to keep going, through the Indian Ocean and across the Atlantic. The whole project is a years-long proposition and nothing to take lightly. Are we up to it financially or psychologically? Financially, we might just make it, though I am doubtful even of that. Otherwise, I think I am ready for the challenge. Noi is much less enthusiastic.<br />
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Short of that, what? Returning to the U.S., as of Nov. 8, has suddenly become a lot less appealing. Besides, we have no real job prospects there. A few weeks ago we were thinking of heading west to Jamaica, Caymans and Isla Mujeres in Mexico before heading back, but now we might want to take longer. An Atlantic crossing to Europe has some appeal, but the cost of hanging out for any length of time in the continent (weather would necessitate it) would probably be prohibitive, too.<br />
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In the midst of all this, I have suddenly developed a chronic back issue that I can't figure out. It feels muscular (lower left) and comes and goes in intensity of pain. It's been going on for about two weeks now and is really bothering me. I have been taking Ibuprofin and gin. Both seem to help, but quite obviously neither is a long-term solution -- it's probably not a good idea to take that much Ibuprofin and eventually the gin will run out. I could go to a doctor here in St. Lucia, but somehow I feel like that might be fruitless, too.<br />
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So, that's sort of where we are right now. Just thinking, but trying not to think too much.<br />
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Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-76134992345356965462016-10-19T15:41:00.006-07:002017-05-16T07:39:42.943-07:00The Year Of Living Sailorly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"You will go on, and when you have prevailed</div>
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You can say: at this point many a one has failed." -- T.S. Eliot, <i>Portrait of a Lady</i></div>
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It was a year ago tomorrow that we and <i>Symbiosis</i> set sail from a cozy slip on the Chesapeake, bound for the adventure of our lifetimes. We knew there would be many trials and triumphs along the way.</div>
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At the risk of sounding cliche, I think we can say that it has been worth the effort. The wonderful places we've seen and the fascinating people we've met have changed us in no small way. We aren't the same Scott and Noi who hoisted the mainsail with trepidation and let the wind and current carry us to the mouth of the Magothy River on Oct. 20, 2015.</div>
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Although we plan to turn north again for a probable springtime return to the Chesapeake -- and a doubtless less-than-seamless reintegration into society -- we are looking forward to all the new things we will experience on our homeward-bound meanderings.<br />
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I write as we sway gently to anchor in Prickly Bay on Grenada's south coast. </div>
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Our log book and journals tell in short-hand the story of our journey so far: We have visited ten separate countries, plus Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. </div>
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We have been escorted by dolphins and sailed nervously close to humpback whales. We've watched sharks, rays and sea turtles with a mixture of excitement and bemusement. </div>
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We snorkeled the exquisite waters of the Exumas and felt the pure white sand of a deserted island squish between our toes. We made friends with countless locals and countless more cruisers from all corners of the planet. We caught tuna and <i>mahi mahi</i>, barracuda and a sailfish worthy of Ernest Hemingway. </div>
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Dodged waterspouts. Crossed the Gulf Stream. Had engine trouble ... and then more engine trouble. Yelled at each other. Kissed each other. Ripped sails. Almost ran over a floating refrigerator, an oil barrel and a buoy. Sailed past an active undersea volcano. Went swimming under waterfalls. Swam with pigs. Got seasick. Got robbed. Went to the hospital. Won a poker tournament. Witnessed enough spectacular sunsets to last a lifetime.<br />
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In short, we are accomplishing what we set out to do. To do our own thing in our own time and by our own hand. We could have been more cautious, more concerned about money, possessions, careers and retirement. Every fiber of society tugs in the opposite direction from the one we have taken. We will no doubt be made to pay dearly for our transgression against "normalcy." But the risk of doing something unconventional seems so small compared to the risk of regret over never breaking the rules. </div>
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We took the road less traveled ... and that has made all the difference. </div>
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Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-61681240355011904742016-10-04T13:32:00.002-07:002016-10-04T19:19:38.331-07:00Matthew On A Rampage<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wind speed probabilities for Matthew. National Hurricane Center graphic.</td></tr>
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Matthew has passed us. We knew him as a toddler with a mild tantrum. By now, however, he's turned into a ranging teenager. Unfortunately, he is going to make lots of trouble for our friends in Dominican Republic, Florida, and especially the Bahamas.<br />
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One couple from Brazil that we met at Magothy Marina a few years ago got a very late start from Florida and are in Georgetown, Bahamas, as I write. They have taken shelter at Emerald Bay Marina, but we are worried for their safely. Matthew will likely remain a Category 4 storm when it reaches them starting this evening. The force of such a storm is almost apocalyptic and the storm surge could be 10 to 15 feet in the Exumas.<br />
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When we sailed through the Bahamas in the spring, we stopped briefly at Rum Cay, an island that had been torn apart the previous year by Joaquin, a Category 3 when it hit. Matthew could prove even more destructive across a larger expanse of the Bahamas, which are barely above sea level.<br />
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And of course our hearts go out to the people of Haiti.<br />
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Another friend is in Biscayne Bay, just south of Miami. Matthew's track looked earlier like it might skirt Florida and present it with its back side -- a better outcome than the other side, due to the vagaries of cyclonic winds. Now it looks like it might be nudging west closer to the Florida coast. Not good.<br />
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For us, things are back to normal. We dodged a bullet, preparing for the worst and hoping for the best. Matthew was just getting started when it moved over us. We saw no more than 35 knots of wind -- and that in gusts. By comparison, the storm is now packing 100-knot sustained winds, with gusts as high as 130 knots. There is simply no comparison.<br />
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<br />Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-64606774354318799972016-09-21T09:24:00.003-07:002016-09-21T09:24:34.308-07:00Boat ChoresJust a quick update here to say that life goes on pretty much as normal.<br />
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We are having fun in Grenada and getting some work done on the boat.<br />
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The latest chore is repainting the cabin top and deck. The non-skid was wearing through on the cabin top, which is potentially a safety issue. So, that needed to be repainted for sure, but the white trim was also looking shabby. No sense in doing one without the other.<br />
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We are also wanting to do the brightwork (i.e., varnish) -- a monumental undertaking on a Tayana 37, for sure. But we've seen a few boats here with their brightwork newly done and it is mesmerizingly beautiful. I decided on both the painting and the varnishing to do it "by the book" this time, so I have spent a few hours reading up and watching YouTube videos to get ideas on the best approach.<br />
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Doug, where are you?!Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-31392348683831307162016-08-30T10:11:00.000-07:002016-10-25T12:51:49.952-07:00Grenada: How The U.S. Invasion Hit The Reset Button<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you've been following our adventures from a distance, chances are you knew nothing about the island of Grenada, up to and including exactly where to find it on a map, when we announced our arrival here last month.<br />
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You can take a moment to google it now. No, farther south. All the way down there, sort of close to Venezuela. Yeah, that's it.<br />
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If you do know anything, it's probably this: sometime in the 1980s (1983 to be exact) the U.S. rolled over this small Caribbean island in the first such deployment of American forces since the end of the Vietnam War. In one of the Pentagon's initial efforts at melding a code-name with a public-relations ploy worthy of a sixth-grader, the venture was dubbed Operation Urgent Fury.<br />
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More than 30 years later, you'd think everything would be forgotten. But you'd be wrong.<br />
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Few, if any bitter memories of Yankee imperialism. Instead, Grenadians are more likely to stop an American on the street and thank him or her for "saving" the country. That hasn't happened to me personally, but I have spoken to more than one cruiser from the states who's experienced it. There's even freshly renewed murals that appear on some street corners with American flags, or 82nd Airborne logos, thanking the United States.<br />
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This got me thinking. I do remember the invasion, but it is close to the periphery of my political consciousness. I was only 17 at the time. So, this post is sort of a study exercise in the history -- mostly for my own edification, but perhaps for you, too:<br />
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First, the backdrop. Reagan had been elected president three years before. The U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut had just been <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2013/06/13/world/meast/beirut-marine-barracks-bombing-fast-facts/">blown up by a suicide bomber</a>, killing 241 marines. Some critics saw the move on Grenada, coming just days after the Beirut attack, as a "wag the dog" distraction (years before that term entered the popular lexicon). The evidence doesn't support that claim. However, Reagan -- always eager to reassert the <a href="http://www.history.com/topics/monroe-doctrine" target="_blank">Monroe Doctrine</a> of U.S. hegemony in the Western Hemisphere -- had been eyeing the situation in Grenada for some time. An influx of money and contractors from Cuba, and some from the Soviet Union, had alarmed him. The focus of their concern was a new international airport being built on the island's south side with help from international donors, including former sovereign Britain, but most worrying to Reagan's people, also Cuba. Ostensibly a commercial entrepot, the Reagan administration saw the 9,000-foot runway, able to accommodate large (Soviet) military transports, as a threat.<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/reagan-grenada/" target="_blank">PBS writes</a> that for Reagan, Grenada had been "something of a pet project ... since his visit to Barbados in 1982." Regional leaders had bent his ear about the socialist country, that it "could become a Communist beachhead in the Caribbean."<br />
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There is some historical evidence that Grenada's governor-general at the time, i.e., the British Commonwealth's representative on the island, had requested the U.S. intervention. Assistance had also been solicited by the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, thus giving the Reagan administration diplomatic cover.<br />
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Grenada, the smallest sovereign country in the Caribbean, had won independence from Britain in 1974. Less than a decade later, the political situation was turmoil.<br />
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The events of October 1983 would have been hard for anyone inside or outside of Grenada to follow:<br />
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The country's prime minister, Maurice Bishop -- a socialist who had forged development deals with Cuba and the Soviet Union (thus alarming Washington) -- had toppled Grenada's first premier, Eric Gairy, in a bloodless coup four years previous. On October 13, Bishop himself was deposed and placed under house arrest by his ambitious deputy prime minister, Bernhard Coard. Within days of the putsch, mass demonstrations occurred in support of the popular Bishop. The crowds snatched him from his captors and paraded him through the streets. On the same day, military chief Gen. Hudson Austin seized the government, deposing Coard and recapturing Bishop, who was executed along with several of his close associates on the same day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maurice Bishop</td></tr>
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Enter the U.S. The chaos offered an opportunity to make a few points in the Cold War containment game and to get rid of the (military trained) Cuban contractors. Gen. Austin had issued a shoot-on-sight order to enforce a dawn-to-dusk curfew on the island. One main justification for the intervention was the "rescue" of some 800 students, many from the U.S., who were attending the St. George's University School of Medicine. Otherwise, they might get shot.<br />
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Six days after Gen. Austin's counter-coup, on Oct. 25, U.S. forces, including Marines, Navy SEALs and Army special forces, landed on Grenada -- deployed at several points near St. George's Bay on the southwestern and southern side of the main island (including the cruisers' anchorage of True Blue and the resort island Calivigny), as well as on the windward side near Grenville.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: Wikipedia Commons</td></tr>
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It was supposed to be a cakewalk. While no one doubted that vastly superior U.S. numbers would score a quick victory against the tiny, poorly trained Grenadian forces and the better trained, but small contingent of Cuban contractors/soldiers, it didn't go exactly as planned for the Pentagon.<br />
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Famously, U.S. forces lacked proper military-style contour maps of the island and had to rely on the same ones handed out to tourists. As a result, they had a difficult time finding the medical students they had ostensibly been sent to rescue (many of whom, when located, had no idea that an invasion was even underway). The Army and the Navy couldn't talk to one another because their radios worked on different frequencies, which contributed to a <a href="http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/doctrine/history/urgfury.pdf" target="_blank">friendly fire incident</a> that caused U.S. Navy A-7 Corsairs to mistakenly bomb a brigade headquarters of the 82nd Airborne, wounding 17 army soldiers, three of them seriously. Navy A-7s also mistakenly bombed a mental hospital instead of the actual target, the Grenadian command post at Fort Frederick. Eighteen civilians were killed in that mishap. In that same raid on Fort Frederick, three Marine helicopters were shot down. As <a href="http://www.military.com/Resources/HistorySubmittedFileView?file=history_grenada.htm" target="_blank">Military.com notes</a>, "The Grenadian Army and its Cuban allies also
offered greater resistance than the Americans expected."<br />
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The whole David and Goliath confrontation ended up taking weeks instead of days and the mop up wasn't finished until mid-December. A provisional government was installed that served a year until things had returned more or less to normal and elections could be set.<br />
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For the U.S. military, it was a hard lesson. It was also a training ground for future leaders, such as Norman Schwarzkopf and Colin Powell, who both played major non-combat roles as major generals (two-star) at the time. Schwarzkopf was the Army's liaison to Vice Admiral Joseph Metcalf III. In hindsight, Powell -- who at the time of Urgent Fury was an Army liaison officer to Secretary of Defense Casper Weinberger -- deemed the operation "a sloppy success."<br />
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Today, Grenadians seem to understand that the outcome of the U.S. invasion can be separated from Washington's rationale for it. A taxi driver, who goes by the name of Cutty, who says he personally knew Bishop and other top government leaders, said he thought the United States had "done the right thing for the wrong reasons."<br />
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The threat of communism in the Caribbean, especially given the collapse of the Soviet Union a few years later and the slow withering of Cuba that it triggere, was overblown. Serious Soviet military adventurism in the Caribbean arguably ended with the Cuban missile crisis and despite some support for civil wars in Central and South America, was never again a serious regional challenge to the U.S.<br />
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For Grenada, however, U.S. military forces helped push a reset button on the island's politics. Since 1983, there have not been any more coups. Democratic governments have come and gone, with peaceful transitions.<br />
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And that airport that caused so much concern? That would be Maurice Bishop International.<br />
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<br />Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-53024690927470003352016-08-23T14:15:00.000-07:002016-08-23T14:15:05.100-07:00Eric's VisitOur son Eric arrived at Grenada's Maurice Bishop International Airport nearly ten months after our tearful parting on the main dock at Magothy Marina, as we prepared to cast off the dock lines for the last time and set off on the ventured in these pages.<br />
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On a plane-load of heavily laden medical students from the U.S. preparing for the start of classes -- and seemingly bringing complete dorm rooms with them, Eric, toting just two carry-on bags, looked a little out of place.<br />
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To be sure, Eric always looks a little out of place. It's a hereditary trait.<br />
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The day after he arrived, we had planned to go snorkeling, but pushed it back a day due to overcast conditions and rain that would have reduced "viz." The next day, however, we went out in a glass-bottomed boat to visit a set of sunken statues at Grand Mal Bay, just north of St. George's Harbour. The story here is that about 15 years ago an artist got permission to drop his sculptures in this small bay as a work of art -- something like an undersea Christo project, I suppose. I believe he's the same artist responsible for similar pieces in Mexico and the Bahamas.<br />
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Our next big adventure was an all-day island tour. Noi and I had been saving this trip (and the snorkeling) until Eric showed up. We were accompanied by our friends on M/V <i>Tropical Blend</i>, Debbie and Larry.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water wheel the still turns the sugar-cane press at Rivers Rum Distillery.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eric makes the leap at Annandale Falls.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raw cocoa.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nutmeg. The red part is mace. The outer shell is used in cosmetics.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nutmeg drying out at the processing facility.<br />
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Later in the week, we also hiked up to Mt. Carmel Falls, which was even more stunning than Annandale.<br />
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And, of course, there was the unfortunate incident of a boat burglary, which you can read about <a href="http://svsymbiosis.blogspot.com/2016/08/we-was-robbed.html">here</a>.</div>
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It was sad to see Eric leaving again on the 22nd, jetting off for his school, his jobs, his life. </div>
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We wish he could stay!</div>
Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-54055859525338237402016-08-21T07:11:00.000-07:002017-04-29T05:28:11.470-07:00We Was Robbed!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3vwnuJTLip4skxECPQLQuJCwPMZ5g1t079IRrPRO8KHaJqFbh6unvMhmcFMNS0RZVe84VlmFzmdu3lUFJGxvt_tHWWtIwNnFPvsOQcXXhyphenhyphenqIv5sumQEZUUj-2QOLKvPyBRxjSpCcLUBs/s1600/eric.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3vwnuJTLip4skxECPQLQuJCwPMZ5g1t079IRrPRO8KHaJqFbh6unvMhmcFMNS0RZVe84VlmFzmdu3lUFJGxvt_tHWWtIwNnFPvsOQcXXhyphenhyphenqIv5sumQEZUUj-2QOLKvPyBRxjSpCcLUBs/s400/eric.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eric with his returned passport on S-dock at Port Louis. You can see how easily accessible this area of the marina is to St. George's harbour entrance in the background. </td></tr>
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Firstly, I promise there's a feel-good post to follow this that will detail our week with Eric in Grenada.<br />
<br />
However, there is one unpleasant incident to report:<br />
<br />
Friday evening, a young woman, whose name we later learned was Sinatra (yes, like Old Blue Eyes) approached Noi at the Port Louis Marina pool. We'd been staying at the marina since the 7th, in anticipation of Carnival and later, for Eric's arrival. It was first a matter of convenience and secondly -- especially for Carnival -- one of security. The latter turned out not to be the case.<br />
<br />
Sinatra said she had discovered Noi's identification and debit card in a bag on the street near her home in a town not too far from the marina. She said she'd assumed Noi was a foreigner, and therefore might be at the marina. Armed with Noi's photograph, she asked at the marina and found us at the pool. Sinatra promised to return with the items and did not ask for a reward.<br />
<br />
Noi was not even aware that her wallet was missing. The last she remembered it was in a backpack in the boat and hadn't been touched in several days. When we returned to the boat, we discovered that the pack with the wallet was indeed missing (it contained the equivalent of a few hundred US dollars) and, worse, another pack was also missing -- one that Eric had brought with him that had contained his passport! This happened late on a Friday and Eric was due to fly out very early the following Monday.<br />
<br />
While we were waiting for Sinatra's return, we cancelled the missing debit card and started looking into pushing Eric's flight back to give us time to get a temporary passport. Noi went to report the incident to the marina security.<br />
<br />
The bags in the boat had been sitting in a corner of the saloon since Eric arrived. Neither of them had moved. We began to realize that a curious incident several days earlier had probably been a sign of the break-in that we hadn't recognized at the time. A padlock that we use to secure the Lexan companionway slats was acting strangely. It is a combination lock that had become hard to open and had actually slipped a digit. The original combination no longer worked. Padlocks going bad is a common occurrence in the salt air, so it was not a surprising development. Afraid of getting locked out, we got a new lock the next day and threw the old one out.<br />
<br />
Later, on closer examination, I noticed the latch was slightly bent to one side, as if someone was throttling it as they tried to prise open the lock.<br />
<br />
We are therefore quite sure that the lock was broken, the boat entered and bags stolen. It was odd that nothing else seemed to be disturbed, not even a laptop or iPads that would have been in plain view once someone entered the boat. The only thing we can imagine is that they wanted quick cash and either realized one of the bags had a wallet or just assumed they both might. In any case, we know for a fact that the bags had not left the boat in the previous week, so they had to have been taken from there.<br />
<br />
I have a hypothesis about exactly how it must have gone down, which I will detail below.<br />
<br />
When Sinatra returned with the items, she had two other young women, Angel and Cassandra with her. She explained that one of them was a Grenadian friend and the other a friend visiting from Trinidad. Noi gave Sinatra a few dollars for her trouble and asked if she had any idea about the passport, promising dinner for the three women if they could help find it.<br />
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Obviously, there were natural red flags here when it came to enlisting help from the women. But, the authorities seemed likely to simply take a statement and satisfy their bureaucrats (some things are the same the world over!). The chances that the passport would be returned seemed remote, at best.<br />
<br />
Sinatra said she thought she knew who might have done the robbery ("drug people" in her neighborhood) and that she could make some phone calls to see if she could get the passport back. After about an hour of calling (while I talked to security personnel at marina), Sinatra said she had heard that a police officer had seen the passport on the street, picked it up and returned it to the station. Apparently someone in her town had seen this happen, or else the police officer had asked around if anyone knew about the passport. Not sure which.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxdJdmZyRT9_tuFEKAJ8jbwZX4XF2nH8M_j02mJfrl-vUQhGMlEYv37bYTwH-3OaDEjddbU51bNvEHJ-R0R_chu1Q5uppEml6dKqf7RoFt-mtNxDeu_XsDBMJuRaLid-KGhrgDNk4rSE/s1600/14102769_10207183795574648_7123876026778815811_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxdJdmZyRT9_tuFEKAJ8jbwZX4XF2nH8M_j02mJfrl-vUQhGMlEYv37bYTwH-3OaDEjddbU51bNvEHJ-R0R_chu1Q5uppEml6dKqf7RoFt-mtNxDeu_XsDBMJuRaLid-KGhrgDNk4rSE/s400/14102769_10207183795574648_7123876026778815811_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eric with Sinatra, left, Angel and Cassandra (or Cassandra, Angel)</td></tr>
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<br />
<br />
The marina security requested the the three young women answer a few questions in the office and they did so without reservation. The police were called and two detectives from the Criminal Investigation Division showed up about 15 minutes later and also took a statement from me, Noi and the three women, including Sinatra.<br />
<br />
When asked if the police had found a passport, the detective said "yes." Presciently, Eric's mom had photographed the faceplate of his passport before he left the U.S. and I had it on my phone. I scrolled back to it and showed it to the officer. He immediately recognized the passport! Whew! What a relief. The women gave each other a high-five.<br />
<br />
So, because it was a weekend, we had a bit of a hassle getting the passport back in our possession, but eventually did. We treated the women to a dinner at the marina and they seemed quite nice and friendly. I tried inquiring about some of the odd details of the incident, and their knowledge of it, but with the thick Creole accent, I didn't get very far.<br />
<br />
So, here's what I think happened:<br />
<br />
First, let me say that when we were given our slip assignment on the 7th, we were placed as far out in the marina as it is possible to be, closest to the water approach. The dock (S-dock) is normally reserved for megayachts, but it wasn't filled, so they put us and a few other decidedly un-megayachts out there. At the time, I was a bit nervous about security in that spot, especially the ease with which someone could dinghy in from the harbour and land at the dock. But, at the time I dismissed it as paranoia.<br />
<br />
Subsequently, I did see a few dinghies land there full of people who were obviously not from the marina, but I didn't think too much about it, having already satisfied myself that we were safe. On one occasion, I did see them chased off by marina security; however, on another, they landed and entered the marina. I probably should have reported that incident, but did not. It occurred during Carnival, and the people in the dinghy appeared to be revelers. I figured they meant no real harm.<br />
<br />
So, my hypothesis is that sometime in the week, while we were off on an island bus tour or out snorkeling, someone pulled up in a dinghy, quickly jimmied the lock, possibly with a crow-bar, grabbed a couple of items and were off before security noticed anything amiss. Why they put the slats back in or re-locked, I don't know. Perhaps in hopes that we wouldn't immediately recognize what happened (and we didn't!).<br />
<br />
I have a few thoughts about Sinatra and the other two women. Sinatra said she was just trying to be a Good Samaritan, and I would like to believe that's true. I am not sure what her motive could have been to return Noi's identification. If she and/or the others were directly involved in the burglary, it seems to me the reward that she received (and had no guarantee of receiving) was too small to risk getting caught. And, the promise of a dinner to help get the passport back does not seem a great enough incentive either. Also, it had been several days since the actual robbery. If the thinking was to return the identification in hopes of a reward, why wait so long? She had no reason to believe it would have taken us so long to discover the missing items and also no reason to think we might still be in the marina.<br />
<br />
A few things, however, leave me with questions:<br />
<br />
How did she know to look at the marina? There is a large medical college on the island with lots of foreign students. Noi could have been one of them. Sinatra's town, however, is closer to the marina. So, it might have been a logical place to look. Now, obviously Sinatra did know a few ins and outs of the way these crimes go down. She might also have known that foreign yachts are a target.<br />
<br />
She said she found the identification the same day she tracked down Noi. Why was the identification in a plastic bag? We don't know, but it apparently saved most of the items from getting wet in several rain showers that had occurred during the week. The photograph of Noi that Sinatra says she used to track her down did have some water damage, which seems to bolster the young woman's story. Otherwise, if she was the thief and meant to try to return the identification for a reward, it would have been in her possession since the robbery and therefore, presumably, dry. The passport also had no water damage, but it could have been picked up by the officer the same day as the robbery. The police did say it had been in their custody for a "few days."<br />
<br />
We probably won't ever know anything else. I will say that Port Louis Marina security -- after an initial defensiveness -- was ultimately quite helpful. I don't really blame them for what happened; I think it happened quickly and it was probably unavoidable. I would recommend some way to better monitor the outer dock, or to keep intruders from the water away. I don't know how that could be accomplished, but I am no expert in security matters, either.<br />
<br />
I would also add that I don't think the three women were directly involved, but they almost certainly knew people who were. And, maybe they simply didn't feel like "ratting" anyone out. It might have even been dangerous for them to do so. Under the circumstances, I can understand that. If they had simply kept the items in their possession in hopes of a reward, they would have tried to return them earlier. Further, the fact that the picture of Noi was water-damaged lends credence, in my mind, to Sinatra's story of finding it on the ground.<br />
<br />
Today, we are off to buy a better padlock!<br />
<br />
NOTE: An earlier version of this post referred to the lock being "jimmied," however on further reflection that is not the right term for what we think happened. Jimmied implied that it was picked, which as a combination lock without any keyway, would have been impossible. We think it most likely that it was leveraged apart, perhaps with a crowbar. This might also explain the bent latch.Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-91604316101392377992016-08-05T05:55:00.001-07:002016-08-05T14:02:20.932-07:00Home, Sweet Home. For A While At Least<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1z-A4jKC186jtyvTQnnA2MSQcAOvQTgC5jjO6TeLkdw-_L_5rgAe5Y3EERYWXahAaFC8aKCo4uskslFPNQqHGClRgqUkNOs92BzXAMhMuIvosEP9FlkMw0u-YS7tGPQH_BaaD-cKqXqU/s1600/noitoothbrush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1z-A4jKC186jtyvTQnnA2MSQcAOvQTgC5jjO6TeLkdw-_L_5rgAe5Y3EERYWXahAaFC8aKCo4uskslFPNQqHGClRgqUkNOs92BzXAMhMuIvosEP9FlkMw0u-YS7tGPQH_BaaD-cKqXqU/s400/noitoothbrush.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Noi's morning dip in Prickly Bay.</td></tr>
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We are finally getting settled into a sort of routine here in Grenada, our new temporary home.<br />
<br />
Yes, we still watch the weather, but not with quite the same urgency as we did a few weeks back, when we were always searching for the next little window to set off for our next landfall. That's perhaps the biggest difference in our lifestyle now, that we have sort of lost our sense of urgency. Not necessarily a bad thing.<br />
<br />
Instead, we get up each morning, put on some coffee, listen to the morning cruisers' radio net, take a quick salt-water dip/freshwater rinse and start planning our day. There are always cruiser friends who are showing up or the ones already here who have some activity planned that we might tag along on. Also, I am working on a few freelance pieces, one for the Annapolis free magazine <i>SpinSheet</i>, which has been a great outlet, actually. The other is for <i>Cruising World</i>. I can do that work aboard, but it's nice to get out of the boat -- so, that often means a lazy afternoon at our favorite Internet cafe at Prickly Bay Marina. The place has strong wifi (unusual on the cruising circuit) and power points at each booth. Plus a bar, of course. There are a dozen other similar options here, too. The place is packed with cruisers and the locals have definitely figured out that there's money to be made on us. Good for them.<br />
<br />
In a few days, we will go back to Port Louis Marina. Carnival -- the annual bacchanal celebrated in the Caribbean in various forms, according to the island -- starts on Sunday, and we want to be in a secure location and closer to the action by then. Theft from boats has been an on again, off again, problem here, and especially so when everyone is ashore for the big Carnival events. We had already planned to go into the marina for the arrival of our son, Eric, the following week, so thought it made sense just to extend it a few days to get the marina's security staff keeping an eye on <i>Symbiosis</i>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVOW41TAW1YWMA6huMmzLVWMXN1m3Fez3NIsFvir8GVxPzIi0CAFJpnwSALwI2mnFmzoW-ajsQsievPQ6MdiDXygRkqHwnJ7wTvssYzRNvI94I8MSa1rrNdfvoCmw0DGLMKmy88VxqnRU/s1600/westindies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVOW41TAW1YWMA6huMmzLVWMXN1m3Fez3NIsFvir8GVxPzIi0CAFJpnwSALwI2mnFmzoW-ajsQsievPQ6MdiDXygRkqHwnJ7wTvssYzRNvI94I8MSa1rrNdfvoCmw0DGLMKmy88VxqnRU/s400/westindies.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visiting West Indies Beer Co. with Debbie and Larry Gaddy from Tropical Blend.</td></tr>
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Speaking of security, I should mention that there was one very unpleasant incident in the past week in an adjacent bay to ours (we are in Prickly for the moment). A cruiser walking his dog was approached by two armed men (it's not clear if they were Grenadians or off islanders) on the beach and forced back to his boat, where his wife was aboard. The men, apparently on the lam from the authorities, demanded they be taken on the boat to Puerto Rico. Coincidentally, the boat's engine was not working, but the men demanded the boat be sailed there -- easily a three to four day passage. I won't go into much more detail except to they are alive and to add preemptively that no, having a gun aboard (I assume they did not) would not likely have helped them. In fact, they'd probably be dead now. You can read a detailed report <a href="https://www.safetyandsecuritynet.com/recent_incidents/">here</a> under the Grenada item dated July 30, 2016. In any case, these things must be kept in perspective. Yes, it was an unfortunate incident but seems to have been a one-off. Crime occurs all over the world. Just because we are in "paradise" doesn't mean we couldn't be a victim. But, it could just as easily (perhaps more easily) happen in the U.S.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxv27lTA2GPp4VsaCf-7lFq7458qMy_D4rTxHbFHVaQ2IJLdBYi6gAVjv8abGEF4FjImuVJoLeqWbHHi_qsQWcpZ31B4Vve4dxHOeSGLALM0FwJmsfNSBTqaPPxxptwWdOAWZTME1A6w/s1600/nutmeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxv27lTA2GPp4VsaCf-7lFq7458qMy_D4rTxHbFHVaQ2IJLdBYi6gAVjv8abGEF4FjImuVJoLeqWbHHi_qsQWcpZ31B4Vve4dxHOeSGLALM0FwJmsfNSBTqaPPxxptwWdOAWZTME1A6w/s400/nutmeg.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nutmeg. The outer red shell is mace. Grenada is the nutmeg capital of the world.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHUVrMhMeYUXgQvW_utAm6LZnGn47aSoGGswRci5CcmWOrAXAa4P_qLN4vtxABSTbnLsWWYHYzK0USMVLM0M2UnNca2s74XaOauw22nhpstqTFRwYpX8HXglfNiCgQFlRbHx6LMsBhmnM/s1600/mango.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHUVrMhMeYUXgQvW_utAm6LZnGn47aSoGGswRci5CcmWOrAXAa4P_qLN4vtxABSTbnLsWWYHYzK0USMVLM0M2UnNca2s74XaOauw22nhpstqTFRwYpX8HXglfNiCgQFlRbHx6LMsBhmnM/s400/mango.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mangoes. Another favorite in the islands.</td></tr>
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Anyway, we are very excited about Eric's arrival. We haven't seen him in 10 months and we have lots of things planned that we hope he will enjoy: tours, waterfalls, river rafting, snorkeling. We will post an update soon on Carnival and Eric's big adventure!<br />
<br />Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-13207954943275349432016-07-14T14:05:00.002-07:002016-10-25T08:17:21.580-07:00Stuff That Didn't WorkHere's our shit list of useless gadgets. Check back for updates!<br />
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<b>"Eco-friendly" jerry can nozzles:</b> The only thing I can conclude is that an engineering intern was given an overnight deadline to design the "environmentally friendly" nozzle on these cans. Hopped up on Mountain Dew, he or she sketched it out sometime between 3:30 and 3:45 a.m., while simultaneously playing online video games. The nozzles are pretty much guaranteed to self-destruct on the very first use. I have lost springs and other small pieces into the fuel tank as I watched these nozzles disintegrate before my eyes. Bad enough, but they are about as environmentally friendly as the <i>Exxon Valdez</i>. They leak fuel all over the place, creating a far bigger mess than the old-style (non-environmentally friendly) nozzles. Worse, there's no alternative. Try finding the old nozzles anywhere in the Americas. They're all gone. And no, this isn't the EPA's fault. Nothing wrong with mandating spill-proof nozzles. It's the manufacturer's fault for a truly crappy design. This isn't rocket science, folks. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmT2Md8zmmE">Here's a video</a> (not mine) showing the gas can fail.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgseNkSKsuT0jTzXRwfLHiY5SQOve_AkFBl71fQ2jaEV0qNQ8kfZrbYTCOtnMkIq1Bin6jMpCBkQW4oJoY4i30BTYelpgMN394y-l6IF47GHe28YUDMHgn31Cn_b7KKxuJouJnHiS6_gy0/s1600/nozzles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgseNkSKsuT0jTzXRwfLHiY5SQOve_AkFBl71fQ2jaEV0qNQ8kfZrbYTCOtnMkIq1Bin6jMpCBkQW4oJoY4i30BTYelpgMN394y-l6IF47GHe28YUDMHgn31Cn_b7KKxuJouJnHiS6_gy0/s320/nozzles.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those freakin' nozzles!</td></tr>
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<b>Dyneema:</b> I was persuaded that this high-tech synthetic stuff was just the thing to replace my aging stainless-steel lifelines. It's been nothing but problems for us. It might be good for other applications, but for lifelines, there's way too much stretch in Dyneema (which goes by other brand names, too). Expensive stainless fittings spun out and dropped overboard. I wish I had stuck with stainless. I was told by others that the Dyneema would reach an equilibrium and stop stretching. But, we haven't found that point yet -- a year after installation, it still stretches (a lot!) each time I give it a tug. Then, all the lifeline fittings must be readjusted. It's worth noting too that it cuts much more easily than the manufacturers' claims. I have heard it stated that it's impossible to cut a fully stranded length with a knife. Nonsense! A sharp knife cuts Dyneema almost as easily as any other rope. And a heat gun cuts through it like butter. All in all, I find the claims for this synthetic wonder-stuff to be highly overrated. Again, it's probably fine for some applications, but if you need something that won't stretch, this is definitely not the right material. As for strength, I would be cautious on that score as well.<br />
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<b>Iridium satellite phone:</b> Yes, technically it worked. When it got a fix, an event that could not be counted on. We used Ocens for the service, and text messages (supposed to be cheaper) never worked properly. Only the texting number would display, nothing else. Our shore-side contact ended up racking up a fortune in additional charges, which we weren't expecting. Communication was so iffy, we just gave up on the phone. Not worth the cost ($700) of the service package or the $700 phone (used), in our opinion. If we had it to do again, we would have spent the money on an upgraded SSB system and a <a href="http://www.inreachdelorme.com/" target="_blank">Delrome Inreach</a>, a more sophisticated version of our Spot Messenger. The Delrome allows inexpensive satellite texting that seems to be quite reliable. And really, that's all we would have needed.<br />
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<b>Uniden Atlantis 200 hand-held VHF:</b> Thought I got a good deal on this unit, which has the option for standard AAA batteries. Also, it is submersible. Except, it never worked right from the start. One push-to-talk, even at low power, and new batteries (or fully charged rechargeables) were nearly down to zero. A few months later of non-use and the unit just crapped out altogether. No display, no nothing. Uniden customer support was unhelpful.<br />
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<b>Maglite flashlights:</b> We bought one of those expensive police-style Maglites, thinking we were getting something for our money. Nothing could be further from the truth. The light lasted a few weeks and even then was always dim, even with new batteries. It proved pretty much useless. I have talked to several other cruisers who had the same experience with Maglites. We changed it for an LED flashlight (Defiant is the brand) that's proved bright and reliable.<br />
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<b>Marina wifi:</b> It doesn't much matter where, it just didn't work well. Often the signal was not strong enough to reach our slip or anchorage, regardless of how it was advertised. Even if it did reach, the bandwidth was typically very narrow and not infrequently, completely useless.<br />
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<br />Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-39580360516098568542016-07-14T05:33:00.000-07:002016-08-26T10:29:38.389-07:00Holy Hand Grenada! We Finally Made It<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been nine months and nearly 3,000 nautical miles under the keel, but we finally made it to Grenada, the southernmost terminus of our planned travels in the Caribbean.<br />
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On Tuesday, we crossed a 35-mile stretch (appx. 7 hours) from Bequia, St. Vincent, to Tyrell Bay, Carriacou, Grenada, along with Larry and Debbie on buddy boat <i>Tropical Blend</i>. Although Carriacou is still about 30 miles from our final anchorage, we are officially in the country.<br />
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First let me back up: I see our last post was filed from Martinique. From there, we crossed the Martinique Channel to Rodney Bay, St. Lucia.<br />
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Thanks (or, no thanks) to a few recent attacks on cruisers in St. Lucia, we opted for staying in the local marina, where there's security. Probably nothing to worry about, but it wasn't too expensive, so why not? From there, we rented a car with Larry and Debbie and explored the island, including the famous dual peaks known as the Pitons.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Active volcano at St. Lucia</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Lucia</td></tr>
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Sailing south just 10 miles, we arrived in Marigot Bay. Wonderful spot. Nice protected bay and a resort open to anyone renting a mooring there. Snug as a bug.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marigot Bay</td></tr>
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Next day we set off for Bequia in St. Vincent & the Grenadines. If anything, St. Vincent enjoys (is that the right word?) a worse reputation than St. Lucia for crime. However, Bequia, a small island to the south of the main island, is considered quite safe.<br />
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Admiralty Bay there proved a tricky anchorage. The holding is good once you find the right spot. But finding a patch of good sand to drop the hook in is the hard part. After we anchored, Noi set out with snorkel and mask and checked to make sure we were properly set. No dice. She reported that the anchor was laying on its side in soft shell. So, we pulled up everything and tried again. The second time it set well.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Noi diving on our anchor at Bequia.</td></tr>
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Wind-wise, the bay is not very well protected. We got gusts up to 35 knots blowing through the anchorage. Not a problem given the good anchoring.<br />
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The island is one of the few places still allowed by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to harvest cetaceans. The quota is four whales a year, but it's not clear how many are actually being taken -- it could be less or more. The locals sell scrimshaw made from whale bone as souvenirs (we didn't buy any). Looks like mostly pilot whales, but again, there's no way for us to know.<br />
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From Bequia, it was on to Carriacou. Seven hours. Conditions were better than we expected. The sprinkling of islands known as the Grenadines that dots the route offered us a little protection from the swell and waves, which weren't too bad, in any case.<br />
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So, here we are at Carriacou. Another lovely little anchorage. Small town, but lots to do and a very nice introduction to Grenada.<br />
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I know that's not a very elegant post, but the wifi here, as usual, is iffy. Just wanted to get this on the record.<br />
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<br />Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-9642518597176572702016-06-24T10:10:00.000-07:002016-08-19T04:56:13.192-07:00Musings On Anchoring<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Le Marin, Martinique. The largest stand of deciduous aluminum we've seen so far.</td></tr>
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Over the years, we've gotten used to being vigilant of having enough water under the keel as we approach a new anchorage. In the Caribbean, we are learning that anchorages can also be too deep.<br />
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<i>Symbiosis</i> carries 200' of 3/8" chain to go with our Spade anchor. But we've been encountering anchorages that are 30 to 40 feet at the shallowest accessible points. That means a 7-to-1 scope is not even possible in some cases.</div>
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Fifty more feet of chain would make a difference, but when we purchased the rode last year, the extra weight in the bow and the added expense of additional chain didn't seem worth it. Now, we wish we had more.</div>
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A few weeks ago, we anchored on the edge of a mooring field in Guadeloupe. When we dropped the hook, we had plenty of room with the prevailing easterlies. A squall came through about two hours later and all was well. But when the wind abated, the boats went all whopperjawed (as my father used to say) and we ended up uncomfortably close to a French catamaran. The owner and I kept eyeing each other. We'd have moved if there had been a place to go, but where? Anything closer to shore was chock-a-block already and anything farther offshore dropped off precipitously. The wind soon shifted and there was no issue, after all.</div>
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Before a squall moved in, we witnessed a 50' pilothouse cutter that began dragging with no one aboard. We watched for a while hoping to see the owner dinghy out to rescue his wayward vessel. As the boat drifted farther and farther out, I got a knot in my stomach and called a "securite" on the VHF hoping the owner, who was obviously ashore, might have a handheld with him/her. Nothing. I called several times. I thought about trying to get out there and do something -- but that's a dicey proposition. Some people would not react kindly, even if it was obvious we were trying to save their boat. For the record, I'd rather have my boat than my pride, but that's just me.<br />
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Now we are in Le Marin, where we have seen the largest concentration of sailboats anywhere, and that includes George Town, Bahamas! We've heard there are 700 charter boats (mostly catamarans) alone, let alone all the privately owned boats. The lagoon is full of shoals and packed with moorings that are all taken up by the locals, leaving room to anchor only on the margins. Based on our initial attempts to lay down our Spade, we were not encouraged. The Spade almost always catches on the first try, but twice we didn't get a good set. Finally, as we were powering back to set the anchor the second time, it caught. Since then (a few days ago), we've had no issues.<br />
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(Adding this in circa Aug. 2016. Here's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4qO_dIegaM">a great video discussing some of the issues associated with deeper-water anchoring</a>)<br />
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<a href="https://activecaptain.com/">ActiveCaptain</a> reviewers generally rate the holding here as "excellent" to "good," but I think there's a bit of anchoring inflation going on.</div>
Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-77243116423817016522016-06-23T15:23:00.003-07:002016-07-30T14:53:33.708-07:00Dominica And Quelques Iles Françaises<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The famed Diamond Rock in the background. Southern Martinique.</td></tr>
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We left Frank and Diane at Antigua as they were busy decommissioning <i>Utopia</i> for a summer and autumn on the hard. They are flying back to New York, where they will rest up and spend some time with family. We really enjoyed cruising with those two and will miss them. We did a lot of exploring and crossed some potentially nasty stretches of water together. Hope we can catch up when their season resumes circa December.<br />
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Today, we are anchored in Le Marin lagoon in southern Martinique. We've been traveling in company with Larry and Debbie on the trawler <i>Tropical Blend </i>since leaving together (coincidentally) from Antigua en route to Guadeloupe. I say coincidentally, but really there's not much serendipity about such things -- everyone is looking at the same weather and when it looks good (on average about one day out of a week), most people scatter to the winds.<br />
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We seem to share some of the same interests and outlook with Debbie and Larry and under normal conditions their Nordhaven 43 and our Tayana 37 seem to make about the same speed whether we are sailing or motoring. So, it's a pretty good match all around.<br />
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On the Antigua to Guadeloupe run we were both struggling a bit against short chop. At one point on the passage, Noi turned around and noticed several of our plastic jerry jugs drifting off into our wake. Somehow they'd worked loose from what I thought was a foolproof tie-down system I had engineered before leaving Antigua. The conditions would have made it difficult and/or dangerous to retrieve them, so all we could do was get on the VHF and warn <i>Tropical Blend -- </i>about a mile behind us --<i> </i>not to run them over. Debbie had already caught sight of them and remarked to Larry about how well marked the fish nets were, as normally they are little more than a couple of plastic water bottles lashed together.<br />
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We arrived in Deshaies and checked in. It was probably the simplest clearing of customs and immigration we have ever had. The whole thing was done on computer in a local souvenir shop amid women's swimwear, hand-made bracelets and various bric-a-brac. The proprietor/customs agent didn't even stamp our passports! Deshaies is a cute little town, "little" being the operative word.<br />
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We didn't get much exploring done in Guadeloupe, but hope to do so on our way back north in the winter. However at the next island, Dominica, we took a few tours and got to see quite a lot. It's simply spectacular -- lush with flora of every variety. In fact, Noi and I agree that it's our favorite spot thus far. We went up the Indian River, which flows into Portsmouth harbour, which was fascinating. Among other things, some of the scenes from one of the <i>Pirates of the Caribbean</i> movies was shot there. We also took a driving tour with Larry and Debbie around the island, including the Atlantic Coast -- a trip which left us awed in the true sense of the word.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-card perfect: the stunning windward coast of Dominica.</td></tr>
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When we arrived in Portsmouth, we got our first taste of the "boat boy" culture. As we approached the harbour, we could see a small yellow wooden skiff loitering at the edge of the bay and we were soon approach by Titus on <i>Lawrence of Arabia</i>.<i> </i>Titus offered to show us a mooring and to help with any arrangements for tours, as well as the daily necessities, such as water, ice, fuel, etc. Later that day as we dinghied back from clearing customs and immigration to our mooring (quite some distance), our tiny outboard quit and could not be restarted. I was fully prepared to row back, but when a man named Bonti in a black boat offered to tow us back, that suited me just fine. We offered him the equivalent of USD$5 for his trouble and inadvertently accepted a guided river tour from him. I suspected this was going to be a problem, and it was. Next we saw Titus, we tried to explain the arrangement, but he was having none of it. That's not protocol and Bonti was an usurper, he insisted. It finally got straightened out, but not without some hard feelings on Bonti's part.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indian River, Dominica.</td></tr>
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A few days after arriving in Portsmouth, I was sitting in the cockpit of <i>Symbiosis </i>when the most derelict-looking small sloop came peeling down the bay, expertly sailed between the moored boats by a scruffy 20-something in a straw hat. The 27' boat -- topsides streaked with black marks -- belonged to single-hander Sean. Sean, we later discovered, had sailed west from San Francisco seven years earlier and was now three-quarters of the way around the world. We had him aboard for dinner one night -- a likable enough guy, but at nearly 30 exhibiting the quirks we've started to recognize in the long-term solo sailor. Let's just say that reintegrating with "the real world" (whatever that is!) would be difficult for him. He doesn't seem to be in any hurry to do it, either.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZk-uaI4OF7kZNX2s5bdnIZVcOF6v4ZtuhbE6Yvxy6XmUXmgj1Ch8W98twQ1yr8-3A65WV_fB-ZyeT1J-Mmh5-Gq2aspT9vRP_CHMBBno2Qpzh9Rc65TSsz6zk8Z0ls72tjR1W-8GGLE/s1600/soursop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZk-uaI4OF7kZNX2s5bdnIZVcOF6v4ZtuhbE6Yvxy6XmUXmgj1Ch8W98twQ1yr8-3A65WV_fB-ZyeT1J-Mmh5-Gq2aspT9vRP_CHMBBno2Qpzh9Rc65TSsz6zk8Z0ls72tjR1W-8GGLE/s400/soursop.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soursop. A peculiar but delicious fruit. Portsmouth, Dominica.</td></tr>
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On the same day, our dinghy worked loose from a perfectly tied clove-hitch and started drifting out of the harbor. Noi spotted it and yelled instinctively "Get it!" Without thinking, I dived in and swam as hard as I could toward it, which for me is not very fast. But with the wind and current heading out, I soon realized it was a lost cause. When I saw a neighboring boat launch its sailing dinghy to recover our hapless dink, I turned back with some relief. Now, however, I was fighting the wind and current on the return. I barely made it back, grabbing a line Noi had thrown for the last few feet.<br />
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Jahn returned our dinghy and we decided to repay the favor with an invitation to sundowners. Jahn has been sailing the Caribbean islands for the past dozen years and turned out to have some valuable insights for us. He also has bought a small parcel of land on Dominica and, along with his wife (who returns to Germany for several months a year) expected to settle there eventually. He took Noi, Sean and myself out to see the land and we helped clear out some wild lemongrass for some new plantings.<br />
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From Portsmouth, we hopped down the coast with <i>Tropical Blend</i> to Roseau (pronounced ROSE-oh), the capital. En route to Roseau, just 15 miles down the west coast, we managed to rip our mainsail again, this time straight across -- a tear that encompassed the old repair and then some. It was my fault (Scott's). I released a cam cleat that holds a reefing line, but didn't notice that it had somehow reset itself while I was raising the main. When I felt resistance, I should have stopped cranking the winch, but I didn't. We've swapped it for our old backup main and are planning to have the repair down in St. Lucia.<br />
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After a few more days, it was off to the French island of Martinique. The best part about that passage from Dominica to Martinique was finally getting our Aries windvane self-steering to work! Sean and Jahn both had experience with windvanes and gave us a few pointers to make the linkage from the vane to the helm work. I (Scott) experimented with it and did some tweaking. After about 20 minutes of fiddling, it worked! It steered the whole way on a close reach. Here's a video of the Aries in action!<br />
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Before we departed Portsmouth, Jahn had insisted that St. Pierre in Martinique was a decent anchorage. But reading the reviews on Active Captain was not too encouraging. There is a very narrow shelf suitable for anchoring very close to shore and then a steep drop off into quite deep water. The reports of holding were only "fair" with caveats about dragging anchor. If the anchor dragged and fell off that steep ledge, it would obviously not re-set itself. Worse yet, it would probably be unrecoverable. But the good ship <i>Tropical Blend</i> was keen on going there -- it would make the trip from Roseau more manageable rather than going all the way to Martinique's capital, Fort de France on the southern tip of the island. So, we decided to try it. There was one report of the nearby beach being a better anchorage and while doing some research in other guidebooks, Larry also stumbled on this alternate spot at Anse Turin. It promised a much wider shelf with sand and mud and good holding. It turned out to be an excellent choice. The beach was not too far from the town and the holding was indeed very good. The only problem we had was on Saturday morning when some local fishermen asked <i>Tropical Blend</i> to move so they could run their enormous net out. Apparently <i>Symbiosis</i> was OK and Larry and Debbie just moved their boat over a few hundred feet.<br />
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St. Pierre is a charming town. It has gradually recovered since a massive and sudden depopulation in 1902, when a volcano (Mt. Pelee) erupted hot gas, killing all but two of the approximately 30,000 residents -- one of them a prisoner whose cell apparently saved him from death. There was little or no lava flow, however, so the volcano had the effect of a neutron bomb, wiping out the people but not the buildings. Now it is again a going concern. A bit sleepy for sure. "Quaint." The Saturday vegetable market is a great place to stock up.<br />
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From St. Pierre, we made another (squally!) jump down the coast to Grand Anse d'Arlet, a beautiful little bay with an abundance of sea turtles. From there, we rented a tiny Renault Clio with Larry and Debbie, and with yours truly at the helm, made our way into Fort de France for some major-league victualing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"A real slog" from Grand Anse d'Arlet to Le Marin, Martinique. Photo courtesy <i>Tropical Blend</i>.</td></tr>
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Then it was on to Le Marin. We expected it to be a short, easy passage down the coast, but it turned out to be a real slog. Steep and confused chop, wind and squalls. But we finally made -- wind on the nose nearly the whole way. We hope to depart from nearby St. Anne on Sunday or Monday for the 25 nautical mile passage to St. Lucia.<br />
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<br />Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-88457343228585300822016-06-11T13:48:00.000-07:002016-08-19T04:59:44.681-07:00Does It Get Better Than This?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Where have you been? Where are you going next? Those are the most common questions you get after being introduced to a fellow cruiser. The query about what you do (or did) for a living might take some getting around to, if indeed it ever comes up at all.<br />
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When we told folks in George Town, Bahamas, that we planned to "keep going south" and do the Eastern Caribbean down to Grenada, we got a lot of raised eyebrows. On more than one occasion, we were told flatly that the Bahamas are the best cruising grounds in the world and it would be sheer folly to go any farther. That was usually followed by a dire warning about the dangers of bucking the trades.</div>
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Don't get me wrong. We loved (almost) everything about the Bahamas. The crystal-clear water. The beaches. Also, the crystal-clear water. And the beaches. </div>
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Did I mention the beaches?</div>
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I know I am courting controversy here, but the problem is this: once you get beyond the unbeatable water and the exquisite beaches, there just isn't a lot more.</div>
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Yes, the Bahamian people are friendly. But really, outside of central Paris and a few war zones, people are basically friendly the world over. We met a dozen friendly people here in Dominica just this morning.</div>
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Beyond the Bahamas' convivial nature, it is very homogeneous, both geographically and culturally. By contrast, the Eastern Caribbean is varied on both counts. </div>
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Instead of low-lying brush, you have verdant mountains and volcanoes. Is the water in the Caribbean as clear as the Bahamas? Probably not. Some places definitely not. But, in others it's not far off.</div>
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Each island in the Caribbean has its own unique culture. In the past few weeks, we've gone from Antigua (British) to Guadeloupe (French) to Dominica (British again). We've also seen proudly independent Dominican Republic. And Puerto Rico. Sure, it's the U.S. but a completely different version of it. Then there's the Virgins. With the exception of the DR, the region is not exactly cheap, but nothing comes close to the sticker-shock we experienced in the Bahamas.</div>
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So, to that fellow cruiser I met on Volleyball Beach in George Town who sarcastically advised me to "go down there, come back and tell me if it gets any better than this." I can now respectfully submit: "Yes. Yes, it does get better."</div>
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Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-34894079029152282582016-06-04T03:49:00.001-07:002016-07-30T14:41:28.727-07:00Buddy Boating -- A Fresh Take<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buddy boat <i>Utopia</i> in the Anegada Passage.</td></tr>
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A few months ago, I wrote something that I'd like to retract. I said that, <a href="http://svsymbiosis.blogspot.com/2016/03/a-tale-of-whales-flying-fish.html" target="_blank">"the concept of 'buddy boating,' which sounds great in theory, almost always falls apart in practice."</a><br />
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Since then, we've had several experiences that have proved my earlier assessment premature, if not plain wrong.<br />
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From Luperon on the Dominican coast to Samana on Hispaniola's eastern side, we traveled as an eight-boat flotilla of varied design and vintage: a Catalina, a Vagabond, a Fast Passage, a Hylas, a Topper Hermanson 44, a Beneteau and two Tayana 37s, including <i>Symbiosis</i>. For the most part, the group was able to stay together during a combination of sailing, motor sailing and motoring, although with that many boats, we tended to break out into two or three discrete squadrons. Even as we spread out, we were able to keep in VHF contact through relays; we were also able to keep in touch via AIS (although, <i>Symbiosis</i> and several other of the vessels had receive-only capability.)<br />
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We also managed to keep it together for the Mona Passage, in which a somewhat smaller flotilla, comprising many of the same boats, made the approximately 30-hour run.<br />
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And, in recent weeks, we've traveled in company with <i>Utopia</i>, a Caliber 40. Typically, Utopia leads and we follow simply because she's a faster boat, particularly under power (which sad to say, has been our mode of travel more often than not).<br />
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If you're committed to the buddy boating thing, it can and does work. The important thing is that it doesn't become a race. That's easier said than done, especially once the sails go up and the engine is shut off. It's then, too, that the relative capabilities of the vessels and the crew come into play and it's natural for one to get out ahead of the other (or others) and "pull a horizon job."<br />
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I think you probably ought to know how serious the other boat is to staying in visual (or at least AIS) range. We've made it clear to Frank and Diane on <i>Utopia</i> that if they get ahead of us or we lose contact, they shouldn't be concerned. We're fine on our own and they are too. In any case, it's not been an issue, as we are pretty good at keeping a tight grouping.<br />
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AIS helps a lot. In our case, as mentioned above, we only receive. It would help a lot if we had a transceiver -- something that when I installed the system a number of years ago seemed like an undue expense.<br />
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It's one of those items that goes on my "if I had it to do over" list.Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027268152331360931.post-9094172537737264892016-05-26T18:02:00.000-07:002016-06-03T12:40:25.293-07:00Made It!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We just finished the 170 nautical miles from Virgin Gorda to Antigua!<br />
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The dreaded Anegada Passage was a bit salty, but not too bad. Nobody got sea sick, either on <i>Symbiosis</i> or on buddy boat <i>Utopia.</i><br />
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Caught our biggest barracuda to date -- we estimate 4.5' -- but were too busy to take a picture. I managed to save our lure (not to mention my fingers) as well as the fish by deftly removing the hook and letting him swim free.<br />
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Sometime Wednesday evening the traveler on our staysail boom chaffed through and crashed to leeward. It scared the hell out of us for a few seconds until we realized what had happened. It turned out to be a relatively easy fix.<br />
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Otherwise, smooth (motor) sailing!Popeye Kahnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324193569805035278noreply@blogger.com4