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| toothless man seeking job |
| well not reaaly toothless check what we look like at www.rotostatic.fr
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| Posted by AAA ROTOSTATIC on Sunday, November 02, 2008 at 15:02
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| Tender Instruction Needed. (Cannes, Antibes) |
| Anyone that would like to earn an extra 100 Euro (plus fuel used) for a couple hours of your time, instructing an individual on how to operate a Tender. Please Contact @ 33+ 06.87.39.45.83 or email - joelbartanders@gmail.com
Thanks,
Joel Anders
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| Posted by Joel Anders on Tuesday, October 07, 2008 at 15:55
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| Paradise found in san blas |
 If you want to take your yacht’s owner and guests to somewhere completely different, with exceptional fishing and diving grounds, the San Blas Islands offer a truly special cruising experience. Captain Mike Hein led his intrepid crew of Mea Culpa through the Panama Canal and on to these stunning islands still very much untouched by modern civilisation.
Panama is normally seen as the gateway to the South Pacific. However, for a yacht built in New Zealand and that’s cruised to Tasmania, through the South Pacific to Hawaii and Alaska, we saw Panama this year as the gateway to the Caribbean. We have heard many stories of the fantastic Marlin, Tuna and Dorado fishing that abounds the Gulf of Panama, and I am happy to report that the fishery is alive and well.
Located just off the southern coast of Northern Panama not far from the Costa Rican border is the stunning Isla de Coiba, a former penal colony renowned for the fact that no cells were necessary to confine the convicts. This is a special part of the world, largely because no one cruises here. There are completely tranquil, fantastic anchorages along the mainland coast between Costa Rica and the entrance to the Gulf of Panama. A few such anchorages are Bahia Honda, Ensenada Santa Cruz, Isla Santa Catalina, as well as two airstrips on Isla Cebaco and Isla de Coiba. This permits charter planes to land easily and/or helicopter service. At the South end of Coiba is Isla Jicaron and Isla Jicarita, two shelters for anchoring and only a short distance to epic fishing and diving.
January brought us to Piñas Bay and the Tropic Star Lodge. This is a world-renowned spot for gamefishing, boasting over 250 world records (of which 40 are still current). To maximise the fishing time in Piñas, we chartered a Twin-Otter through Mapiex from Tocumen Intl Airport and landed at the old US Army airstrip right in the bay. Our guests were welcomed by the Tropic Star and shuttled to their ponga via a tractor with a 30’ wagon to carry luggage and guests. The lodge specialises in light tackle fishing for billfish and one can only reach the lodge by boat or plane. While many guests come to Tropic Star only for Marlin fishing, we had two dorado fishing days that topped our day on the Hannibal Bank. Later in the week we tagged and released a 450-lb Black Marlin.
Our downtime between trips was spent at Flamenco Marina, which is still under construction. The marina did a great job for us during our stay and provided excellent shore power, fuel facilities, day workers, shopping and berthage. The crew enjoyed themselves with the many nightclubs and entertainment in Panama City and numerous duty free shops. Hotel construction is a boom in Panama and two new marinas are being built. The other construction news is that the Panama Canal is being widened with new locks in both directions.
February saw a trip to Perlas Islands, where we visited a number of different beautiful islands. Isla Contadora has an active airstrip for the Panamanians and a few nice lodges. A great day anchorage is Isla Mogo Mogo, where the guests can go ashore and collect some beautiful pink sea shells. However, the most enjoyable place was Isla San Jose, where the beautiful Hacienda Del Mar greeted us graciously. We met some friendly Toucans that wanted the maraschino cherries from the drinks. One can fly here from Tocumen or arrive by boat as we did. The lodge features a huge private white sand beach and individual beachfront cabanas that face west and provide exceptional sunset views.
 
 
In March, we transited the Panama Canal. Delfino Maritime had everything arranged for us for a smooth transit. There are three locks up the 85’ (26 m) from the Pacific to Gatun Lake. Initially, the double lock Miraflores, then to the single Pedro Miguel to Gatun Lake and then triple Gatun locks back down to the Atlantic. The largest vessels to transit the canal are called PanaMax ships, they’re 106’ wide (32 m) by 965’ long (294 m) with max 39’ draft (12 m). Each lock requires 26 million gallons of water to fill from lower to upper level and it takes the same amount of fresh water to move a PanaMax ship through the canal as it does to move your yacht through.
In the Atlantic, there is a minimal tidal range; however in the Pacific the tide can be as much as 28’ from max high to minimum low tide. Therefore, the first Miraflores lock is quite an engineering feat. The gates range from 47’ to 82’ high depending on where they’re located and they weigh up to 660 tons each. The water fills through huge tunnels with a big ball valve to stop when they’re full after only eight minutes.
All yachts over 125’ transit at night using four mules and share the lock with a “small” ship, meaning not PanaMax, thus transits for yachts are usually without much delay. Yachts have softlines to put through the cables – remember never to let the softlines get tight as the mules can damage your yacht. The mules control the ship movements, but yachts still control their own movement. We had a Senior Pilot Francisco Tejada, who was most enjoyable and did a great job for us. We had 10 line handlers on board – local Panamanians – and they embark and disembark on their respective sides of the canal. After a good night sleep in Anchorage F, we then headed to San Blas, only 90 miles, yet a world away.
Like many of you, I’d been through Panama numerous times, yet never stopped in San Blas. One of our guests mentioned how “primal” the area was and that he didn’t know this still existed. The Kuna Indians living in their own world – less than 100 miles away from one of the world’s most impressive engineering feats. These islands have no power, no wells, no sewage treatment, no television, no Internet, but they do have excellent cell phone coverage!
The ladies spend their days making Molas (which form part of the traditional costume of a Kuna woman) and jewellery, and sell them to the visiting yachties with their children. We were visited by one of the most famous Master Mola Makers, Venancio Restrepo, from Isla Maquina, only she is a he and the Molas are noticeably more intricate.
Male visitors are not encouraged to mingle with the Kuna women. The main reason is that once they do, they will be expected to move to and maintain the Kuna lifestyle. This means the man will go fishing and provide food for the family. The families co-exist on their islands without much outside influence, which begs one to consider, what exactly is paradise?
Two exceptional places to visit are the Eastern Holandéses Cays, where we anchored between the islands of Banedup and Tiadup. The chief came to visit us and after charging an anchorage fee and granting permission to anchor for a week, he filled his 14 water barrels on his canoe then asked for a couple bags of ice. We thoroughly enjoyed his part of the world, despite the challenge to get into the anchorage. At the Western Holandéses Cays, the anchorage is easily attainable at night and quite sheltered.
The other exceptional San Blas anchorage is the island group known as Coco Bandero and it’s featured on the cover of “The Panama Cruising Guide,” (ISBN: 9962001307) a tool that I highly recommend. Our crew enjoyed beachcombing, snorkelling, shipwrecks and diving in Coco Bandero. The anchorage between Tiadup and Oiosiculdup was one of the most tranquil I’ve ever been to!
I photographed one of the finest canoes in the “fleet” and was happy to be invited as guest helmsman on Nestor’s sailing canoe. I note, any vessels headed this way, the men here could use your old Laser or Catamaran sails! Our crew was invited to Isla Nalunega to visit the Village and see the town hall, church, school, outhouses, homes of the family as well as meet Nestor’s children. I gave one of the little girls my children’s Etch-a-Sketch and was pleasantly surprised the next day to see all the little girls sharing this toy and having a great time.
The Wahoo fishing was excellent. We landed at least one every day and did some successful bottom fishing. We caught Yellowtail Snapper and Grouper from 715’ water, thanks to the new Zero-Speed Quantum stabilisers. The 70-lb Grouper was given to the chief of one of the areas for a meal for the families living there.
The San Blas Islands were fantastic, but keep a keen eye to look out for the many uncharted rocks. It is better to travel by day and to be anchored prior to the fantastic sunsets. Civilisation is only a short flight away. There are two commercial airlines Aero Perlas and Air Panama that fly into Aeropuerto El Porvenir daily from Panama City. We enjoyed this island and anchored right in front the commercial wharf for one night.
Next time you’re heading to or from the Panama Canal, take some time and stop in San Blas. Customs and Immigration are easily taken care of on El Porvenir and owners or guests can fly the two-hour direct flight from Miami or Houston to Panama daily then transfer to the local airport for the 25-minute Otter flight to San Blas. Alternatively, Mapiex can offer a charter plane to pick up the guests from Private aircraft at Tocumen. SKYMAXX, part of the MAPIEX group, operates an air-conditioned Seneca II twin engine, for 5 pax + pilot. Shortly, the fleet will include the following air-conditioned aircraft: EC 130B4 Eurocopter, brand new with capacity for 6 pax + pilot; Bell 206 Jet Ranger, for 4 pax + pilot; and Robinson R44, for 3 pax + pilot. For your specific quotation needs, contact email:
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| Posted by The Crew Report on Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 00:00
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| Discover tahiti and her islands... |
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Overwhelmingly, when we ask crew what is their ideal cruising destination, the response is ‘Anywhere, as long as it’s in the Pacific.’ And no wonder, as this region holds some of the most spectacular cruising, and more specifically diving grounds, of anywhere in the world. Follow us on this magical, breathtaking voyage.
IA ORA NA E MAEVA I TAHITI (1)
 Although we have been living in this country for eight years, it is always magical to travel and discover new islands out of the 118 scattered on a territory as large as Western Europe. Not surprisingly, a boat is the ideal way to travel around Tahiti and her islands. French Polynesia is a fabulous place for nature lovers both on land and under the water. Providing our services as live aboard dive guides on megayachts, here is one of our stories…
The cruise was scheduled in September for a couple of weeks aboard M/V Bullish with Captain Gordon Scott, travelling through the Society Islands and some of the Tuamotu atolls, North East. The charter guests were both interested in diving and visiting unspoiled areas.
Our first stop was Moorea, Tahiti’s sister island, only 10 miles from Tahiti. Arriving in Moorea is very special. Opunohu Bay has been protected from any building construction and offers the greatest scenic view with high sharp mountains and lush green rainforest. Going through the pass to anchor in the middle of the bay brings you back to 1769 when Captain Cook arrived there aboard the Endeavour after having sailed the oceans for months. You can imagine the traditional outriggers approaching the ship laden with singing tanned Tahitians paddling and greeting white men for the first time in their history, after having been totally isolated for centuries.
We got ready for our first shark dive in the ocean with the guests to see the 3- to 4-metre-long lemon sharks swimming on the bottom outside of the pass. The dive spots are usually between 50 and 100 feet deep, and when in the ocean, always very close to the reef. Tahiti is so isolated from any mainland that fish aggregate around the islands like an oasis in the desert. The dive guide, Rodolphe, explained that sharks were protected and that we were likely to see up to 10 different species of sharks throughout the trip. It was very thrilling and yet we didn’t know just what was about to happen…
 Getting back to the tender, Rodolphe spotted a humpback with her calf in the distance. We couldn’t believe it and got really excited. As a licenced operator, he gave the pilot very strict instructions on how to approach the whales carefully and explained that if they were resting, we could consider snorkelling with them. We waited a few hundred feet away, while listening to Rodolphe telling us that this was our chance to live a once in a lifetime experience. We put on our snorkelling gear and slowly went in the water. The most magnificent scene was before our eyes. The calf was cuddling his mother, resting. Then he slowly started rising to the surface to breathe and came so close to each of us, definitely watching us, that we were all breathless with emotion. The show went on for a while and we were all speechless going back to the tender!
Well, this was quite the start of a cruise with Bullish! Our next stop was Bora Bora, where we sailed overnight passing the islands of Huahine and Raiatea and Tahaa. We did a couple of great dives encountering black tip and grey sharks and eagle ray along with many other fish. At dusk, we went to a very special spot in the lagoon – at the dock of Hotel Bora Bora, where manta rays come to feed thanks to the lights in the water, which by chance attract plankton. We stayed still in the water, mask and snorkel on, enjoying the beautiful ballet of these amazing fish for over an hour. To most people in our group, this was the first time they had seen these animals so close. A wonderful barbecue dinner had been prepared for us on a private motu (2) with a colourful traditional dance show. It felt a bit like we were having a special party with Christian Fletcher and the crew of the Bounty.
 After a 17-hour sail to Rangiroa, in the Tuamotu archipelago, we were greeted by huge bottle-nose dolphins swimming alongside Bullish in Tiputa pass. We anchored close to the pass in the lagoon. Nicknamed the diving mecca by dive aficionados, Rangiroa is the second largest atoll in the world. During our dive, not only were we lucky enough to dive with sharks (we also saw a great hammerhead in the distance), but we were also surrounded by a dozen dolphins all around us while drifting through the pass. The dolphins are year-round residents and like to come and greet the divers. The visibility is always excellent in French Polynesia. A pass can be rough with the various currents and it made the guests realise how important it was to dive with an experienced guide. We spent our last day at the blue lagoon (a small lagoon within the lagoon) enjoying a Tahitian picnic on a coral white sand beach shaded by coconut trees and aito (3) with a light blowing tropical sea breeze. Meanwhile, the Chef was getting some more provisioning thanks to one of the daily flights from Papeete. Indeed, the atolls are definitely a fairly bad place for shopping addicts!
On the way to Fakarava, we stopped on the unspoiled atoll of Toau. Excellent dives and in the evening, Rodolphe took us to a secret place where we set traps with fresh coconuts cut open to attract the shy but incredible coconut crabs (they can weigh up to 20 pounds). Having no predators, some birds had nested on the ground and the chicks were looking at us out of curiosity. After dinner, we went back ashore, in the bush with torches and saw lots of small hermit crabs and huge blue coconut crabs. They live on land and feed on coconut flesh only. We felt like castaways on a tiny piece of land in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Being an endangered species, naturally we released all of them.
 Our last destination was Fakarava. Captain Gordon anchored close to the small airport near the North pass. Fakarava and the surrounding atolls are a UNESCO classified biosphere. Diving the pass in the incoming current was tremendous. We passed close to grey sharks, schools of barracudas, then went down to Ali Baba’s canyon, which was sheltered from the current, and enjoyed watching the fish swim by above us.
However, our best time in the water was in the South Pass (depending on the boat’s draught, it is possible to cruise down the lagoon from the North.) The place is completely cut off from the rest of the world, with only a handful of inhabitants. The pass is narrow and shelters hundreds of grey sharks. We found all kinds of beautiful tropical fish when snorkelling in the lagoon, including huge friendly Napoleon wrasses and cute turtles feeding on small sponges stuck on coral pieces. Some of the guests also went surfing as the swell was good, while the others went to a pearl farm to discover the art of grafting the mother of pearl oysters, which make such exquisite black pearls. On our last day, we took a tender ride to nearby islets offering fabulous light pink beaches due to the colour of the seashells.
This was already the end of a marvellous trip for both crew and guests. On the way to the airport, the guests watched for a last time the unreal crystal-clear water of the lagoon before boarding their airplane. They promised to be back soon to explore further untouched and uninhabited islands. Mauruuru (4) Tahiti! Mauruuru Bullish!
fact file
Tahiti and her islands are officially called “French Polynesia”, which has been a French territory since 1842 and the inhabitants hold a French passport. It is a safe country to sail to. French and Tahitian are the official languages but English is understood and spoken in many places.
French Polynesia regards conservation as a priority. Sharks are protected and the country has become a sanctuary for marine mammals in 2002. Although dolphins can be encountered at any time of the year, humpback whales migrate to French Polynesia between July and November, the peak time being September and October. Whale watching in Tahiti requires a fully licenced operator.
Tahiti, the main island, is well developed and is definitely the place for re-fuelling and provisioning. Basically, any food request is possible with great quality products. While in Tahiti, a couple of places to stay with the yachts are the Marina Taina only a few miles from downtown Papeete (the capital city) or the main dock in Papeete. Tahiti Ocean is the most important agent locally and can assist in sorting out customs / immigration (French regulations apply), provisioning, spare parts, etc. The only international airport is Faa’a on the island of Tahiti.
glossary
(1) Hello and Welcome to Tahiti in the Tahitian dialect.
(2) Islet in Tahitian – always located in the lagoon and usually close to the reef.
(3) Local pine tree.
(4) Thank you.
useful websites
Contact: Christelle Holler
Contact: Laurent Cornu
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| Posted by The Crew Report on Friday, April 11, 2008 at 00:00
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| The land of the midnight sun |
LAKE SAIMAA – FINLAND
When 1st Officer David McMorrow was presented with the opportunity of a job cruising the Scandinavian Lakes aboard the 40 m Seaflower, he jumped at the chance. Although not without its complications, the trip to Lake Saimaa in Finland proved to be a delightful combination of saunas, serene scenery and sonatas.
When Captain Carl Westerlund offered me the job on Seaflower with a summer planned in Scandinavia, I almost chewed his arm off. I had always yearned to visit Scandinavia, and to visit in the best possible circumstances, cruising aboard a yacht, was a dream come true. Little did I know that we were planning a trip to Lake Saimaa, the last lake wilderness in Europe. My first reaction was, where?! The plan was simple, leave Monaco and cruise to Helsinki. We would then put together a plan to enter Russian waters and pass through the eight locks of the Saimaa Canal. We would then be 100 metres above sea level and in one of the last few remaining cruising grounds undiscovered by a luxury yacht. We had heard that perhaps another yacht had been there several years back and we were delighted to hear that we could pass through the Canal and gain an entry permit to the archipelago.
Work first begun on the Saimaa Canal linking the Baltic Sea and the lakes as early as the 16th Century, but the Canal was finally inaugurated in 1856. The Canal is 43 km long; 23 km Finnish and 20 km Russian. There have been various reconstructions and modernisations over the years and the Canal as we know it today, which allows for small cargo ships up to 80 metres long and 12 metres beam, was finally completed in 1968. Since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, foreign boats have been allowed to sail through the territorial waters of Russia via the Canal to Lake Saimaa in Finland.
Known as Finland’s Lake District, Lake Saimaa is the country’s largest inland body of water (roughly the size of Belgium) whose countless headlands, bays and forested ridges come into their own each summer. After the cold and sleepy winter, the ice melts and the area begins to attract a unique blend of wildlife in a tranquil natural setting. The shores burst into life with a host of cultural events, summer festivals and the Finns taking their holidays in their beloved lakeside summer cottages. The breathtaking beauty comprises over 76,000 islands and is one of the world’s most fascinating archipelagos. Saimaa’s amazing labyrinth of islands, fresh waters and forests stretch right across south-eastern Finland to the Russian border. As the fourth largest lake in Europe, the cruising potential was enormous and we had our work cut out to research and plan a trip for our guests.
The area is largely a protected national park free from human habitation with rare wildlife sightings, from the majestic bird of prey, the Osprey, to the Saimaa Ringed Seal (Phoca hispida saimensis). The latter is a subspecies of the ringed seal and exists only in the Saimaa lake system. It is an endangered mammal, under WWF protection, with only 270 individuals remaining in the wild. However, resolute conservation work over the past few years is beginning to pay off at last and the seal population has actually grown slightly.
It is a credit to the Finnish Maritime Association cruising within the lakes. As an area covered by ice in the winter, the charts and navigational aids were amongst the best we had used anywhere. The area is largely navigable by narrow channels between the islands, often no more than a metre clearance on each side and very much constricted by your vessel’s draught. Seaflower draws 2.75 m and we were assured that we could navigate through most of the charted channels. This opened up most of the archipelago and the leading marks, buoyage and detail on the local charts were second to none. Luckily, Carl – our captain – is Finnish, which made the whole adventure considerably easier. The Finns from the forests and lakes don’t speak as much English as they do in the cities, so had it not been for Carl’s command of the language, the whole endeavour would certainly not have run as smoothly as it did.
We found a small airport at the town of Savonlinna, right at the centre of the lakes, where the guests could land their jet. This coincided perfectly with the Savonlinna Opera Festival held each summer. As our guests were huge fans of opera, the festival provided the perfect detour from the lazy days spent anchoring within the serenity of the archipelago. Savonlinna was built around Olavinlinna Castle, founded in the 17th Century. The operas are performed on a stage within the walls of the castle, providing the ideal backdrop, and each year around 60,000 people flock from all over the world to witness the spectacle.
There is little you can say about Finland without the inevitable mention of the sauna. Lake Saimaa is dotted with the most beautiful holiday cottages, nestled in the forest amongst the bluegreen trees. No Finnish cottage is complete without a traditional sauna. The closest outhouse to the shore of the lake is almost always the sauna. The unclad Finns were as surprised to see a 40-metre yacht cruising past their private beach as we were to see them emerging in a haze of steam. It made a refreshing change of scenery from the scantily clad bathers at Pampelonne Beach in Saint-Tropez. Many of the cottages were situated on their own island accessible only by boat.
The Saimaa Lake District boasts numerous wonderful attractions and offers a unique backdrop for a memorable holiday. The fishing, canoeing or hiking could be a dream come true for a nature lover. The crew were always eager to get off and enjoy walking around the islands, some of which have nothing more than an axe, chopped wood, a small wooden jetty to land and in most cases a sauna.
There really is nothing quite like a wood-fired lakeside sauna followed by a dip in the mirror-like water – a must for any visitor.
Accessibility
Any vessel over 25 metres in length entering these waters is required to carry a pilot on board: firstly upon entering the Vysotsk area of Russia; secondly a changeover at the first of the eight locks to a Finnish Canal Pilot; and finally, upon exiting the Canal a third changeover to a Lake Pilot. Having a pilot on board normally does not pose a problem, but in the Nordic countries you are generally obliged to order ahead, and pick up at a pilot station or port in the area. As we were cruising far off the beaten track, we sometimes had to wait for up to seven hours to receive a pilot; not ideal for yachting as you generally wish to weigh anchor and move around freely. As there is also a shortage of manning between the pilots, it would have been almost impossible to obtain one to stay onboard for the duration of the cruise.
Largely thanks to the hard work and help of our agent, Roland Forssell of C&C Port Agency Finland, we were able – after talks with the Pilots, Vessel Traffic Service (VTS), Finnish Maritime Association and various other authorities – to obtain a permit to cruise the lakes without a pilot as long as we stayed out of the main shipping lanes where pilotage is compulsory. This of course meant we would only navigate the tighter stretches of water, where the use of pilot would have actually been helpfull! One of the reasons for obtaining the permit was of course that the Captain was able to communicate with the VTS in Finnish and held a Finnish Master Mariner ticket. Finally, we were more or less free to cruise as we wished and quite literally explore to our heart’s content, which, of course, we did.
When we entered the lake, we opted to take a pilot for the first leg anyway to obtain a bit of ‘insider’ info on the VTS, cruising grounds, and special arrangements, for example the log-tows – sometimes up to 2 km long… Funnily enough, on our very last day as we were cruising down towards the Canal again, headed for Stockholm and the rest of our Baltic adventure, we were suddenly contacted by the head of the lake section of the Finnish Maritime Authorities. He had just returned from his holidays and was of the opinion that his stand-in did not have the authority to grant us pilotage exemption. Not a problem, we anchored for the evening, in the morning received our pilot and were on our way out towards the Canal within hours, happy that we had been able to have this wonderful cruising experience.
For this reason, sadly, the Saimaa lakes may very well remain as they have thus far. Undiscovered to all those except a few Scandinavians who seemed to know something we didn’t. Who would argue with them? It is a place of stunning beauty and tranquility and I hope it stays that way.
Should anyone feel like venturing to the wonderful cruising grounds that are the Saimaa Lakes, previously mentioned Roland Forssell (C&C Port Agency, +358 400 445159, www.portagency.fi) would be the one to contact regarding info and permits, as we worked closely together and overcame many an obstacle.
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| Posted by The Crew Report on Sunday, March 09, 2008 at 00:00
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| Beyond the roaring forties |
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A trip of a lifetime from Auckland, New Zealand, to Ushuaia, Argentina, via Cape Horn by Sally Oulton
 In the old days, sailors lived by the rule that if you sailed below 40º latitude there was no law, and if you ventured below 50º, well, there was no God. They dubbed these commercial shipping latitudes ‘the Roaring Forties’ and the windier regions further south ‘the Furious Fifties’. It is difficult for modern sailors to imagine how those men felt if they happened to slip down even further into the mysterious 60º zone where there was no law or God – the area that they christened ‘the Screaming Sixties’.
In a time before the Suez and Panama canals had been constructed and nutmeg was worth more than gold, the quickest way that European sailors could claim their riches was to take the route via the Cape of Good Hope and ride the gales below 40ºS easterly to Australia, then turn to port and head north across the Indian Ocean to the Spice Islands (The Maluku Province), where nutmeg was found to be in abundance. After they picked up their loot, some of them bravely continued eastward via the Pacific to the Southern Ocean across to the bottom of South America and around the notorious Cape Horn.
I learnt all about the spice trade while reading Nathaniel’s Nutmeg by Giles Milton. By the time I had finished it, I wanted to discover how it felt to be where there was no law or God... so I joined seven other Australians and Kiwis to sail the 33.5 metre Alloy sailing yacht Imagine, not to the Spice Islands but rather on the sailors’ route home across the longest stretch of sea in the world: the Southern Ocean. We were assigned to take the yacht 5,500 miles from Auckland, NZ, to the globe’s most southerly city, Ushuaia, Argentina, dubbed ‘The bottom of the world’.
Unlike cruising in the Mediterranean, when bad weather closed in there would be no ports close by to escape into. With its wild and unpredictable cold sea, the Southern Ocean isn’t a place many people dare to venture. Cyclonic storms are frequently known to be most intense here because of the vast temperature contrast between ice and open ocean. Despite having to be aware of the weather, as we sailed further south we also had to be on the lookout for any icebergs that had broken away from the Antarctic’s icepack. At least we would be heading the right way with the winds behind us.
Within hours of leaving the skyscrapers of Auckland behind, we were put on a rotating six-hour roster, which involved looking out for other ships, engine checks, keeping course, adjusting sails and recording the log. With only a tri-sail up most of the way going downwind, we didn’t have to worry too much about adjusting the sails, although we did manage to get the gennaker up over two days, but more about that later.
The first two days out were fantastic as we sailed pass the north-east coast of New Zealand. With two knots of running current behind and the wind from the southwest, we had lots of speed to surf down the waves. When the last spot of Kiwi land disappeared, the endless ocean opened up and the seas grew. That sudden feeling of isolation was certainly felt and there was no turning back.
Night watch outside during those first few days was a joy with a mild chill in the air, a sky full of stars to gaze at and the rushing of the water passing by to soothe the soul. One vivid night to remember, while up on deck drinking hot chocolate, was when the sea was lit up with phosphorescence as the boat ploughed through the water disturbing microscopic organisms. Hour after hour, we were entertained by this greenish light display, while the full moon streamed a silky glow across the ocean as we continued on our course south-east.
Soon the days ticked over and life became a routine of watchkeeping, films, sleeping and eating. Swells grew four to five metres and came alongside, causing us to roll like a pig with frequent freak waves crashing over the boat. I felt as if we were all genies in a bottle and not one of us was getting much sleep. We all longed for the swells to turn south-east so we could go surfing again.
Around day ten, the Roaring Forties began to live up to their name, with 47-knots topping our wind gauge and howling for hours on end. As a result, the boat was propelled up to 17 knots – quite a feat for this 140-tonne aluminium yacht. It wasn’t anywhere near as fast as the lightweight carbon fibre Volvo Ocean 60’s, which have been known to reach over 30 knots, but I wasn’t at all envious of those hardcore sailors who spend their days up on deck in wet weather gear being rained on by the sea, with their only luxury being tasteless freeze-dried food from a packet to sustain some energy. Despite the rough weather of the Roaring Forties and being slammed by waves, we had it easy – sitting below nice and dry with good wholesome food cooked up by Shane, the chef.
We celebrated half way at 44º56’S, 139º15’W up on deck with a cheese board and a cocktail. During this little party an updated weather report was downloaded and Captain Richie decided that we had to change course and move as far away from our route as possible to try to avoid a low pressure system heading straight for us. We turned north in the hope of feeling the brunt of just the edge of the low and not the eye.
Several hours later, we were hit with 40 knots and five metre seas. For hours on end we rocked and rolled in an angry sea that retaliated by slamming us and tossing us from side to side as if we were rag dolls. I tried to wedge myself in my bunk, but there was no chance of getting any sleep. Finally, the following day it passed, so we turned back on course to the south-east and, in return for our suffering, we were given the ride of our lives when we began surfing down huge liquid mountains.
Unfortunately as a result of this fun, we tore a hole in the genoa which, in turn, caused us to slow down. When the winds dropped from the 30s to the mid-20s we put the gennaker up, which gave us all much-needed exercise. It also helped us to pick up some speed again, making sailing a little more comfortable, and a few hours later (right on sunset) we took it down for the night.
The endless days continued to roll over and, as we headed into the Furious Fifties, the weather was a complete contrast to what we had expected. The winds died down and for the first time in over a week the sun came out. So perhaps there was a god after all. As we pushed on further south, the chill from the water emanated through the hull and, despite the heating, chilled us to the bones. One afternoon, a navigation warning flashed up on the computer: ‘Two large icebergs adrift at 48º52’S and 108º25’W. Mariners are advised to keep sharp lookout.’
Icebergs today are tracked with a satellite system and these ones were in a 100 mile vicinity and drifting our way. We averted course in the opposite direction to the north again to avoid them, and as a result it was disappointing that we didn’t get a glimpse of them. I am sure they would have been a sight to behold.
Day 21 of the trip was truly a magnificent day. After three weeks of endless rocking ocean, mundane life, black-and-blue bodies and a little cabin fever, we finally sighted land. Off in the distance, the snow capped mountains of Chile towered up towards the sky, glorifying in the sun. With only 208 miles left to our destination, everyone on board was in high spirits.
Cape Horn was soon on the horizon. It is here that the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans collide and frozen polar storms rage without mercy. As a result, over 10,000 sailors have lost their lives trying to round this iconic land mass. Instead of fighting the elements, ironically the wind died for us and the sea became a tranquil place. Without a zephyr of wind, the sails were lowered and the engine was turned on.
I sat up on deck with the warm sun upon my face while the boat glided through a crystal-clear, glassy sea. Suddenly it seemed – after so long without meeting any other life – that we were inundated with it. Playful hourglass dolphins weaved their way through our bow waves while seagulls circled us and penguins – the little ambassadors of Antarctica – spied us, their heads bobbing in and out of the water as we passed them by. It was surreal to think that the world’s largest and most hostile continent was less than 800 miles away.
At one o’clock the following morning, the entire crew came up on deck to witness Cape Horn. The silhouette loomed dark and mysterious and, at that particular time, it was hardly the threatening place its reputation called for. It was a little anti-climatic to be motoring across a smooth, moonlit ocean instead of any form reminiscent of the Furious Fifties. Despite this, we were grateful that we rounded it out of harm’s way. (Although after I had disembarked, the crew went back to Cape Horn with the boss and found out what it really was all about.)
After a wonderful peaceful night’s sleep – the first since leaving New Zealand – I came up on deck to do my early morning watch and was greeted with a cold, cloudy, wet day as we entered the Beagle Channel with Chile to port and Argentina to starboard. This 150-mile channel is located to the south of Tierra del Fuego. Three hours later, Ushuaia came into view and a pilot boat with customs on board came to welcome us and escort us to our final destination. After 22-days at sea, we had finally made it.
During those three weeks, we saw only one ship and one jet’s vapour trail. We covered 5,500 miles with an average boat speed of 10 knots. The Southern Ocean was everything I had expected it to be in the Roaring Forties but thankfully it wasn’t everything it was supposed to be in the Furious Fifties. Fortunately, we didn’t have to find out what happens in the Screaming Sixties. After sailing almost one quarter of the globe, I was grateful and relieved that we had made it safe and sound. But more importantly, after living in a confined space for so long, it was somewhat surprising that we made it with our sanity intact.
Images by Daniel Forster and Sally Oulton
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| Posted by The Crew Report on Thursday, January 31, 2008 at 00:00
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| Newfoundland |
The beauty of working on board yachts is the possibility of last-minute changes to the itinerary (providing the captain can convince the owner). Fancy the idea of venturing into spectacular cruising grounds that reveal breathtaking scenery of 1,000-feet high cliffs and cascading waterfalls as well as flora and fauna to delight both crew and guests? Kiki Herz tells the story of Kaori’s unscheduled but delightful trip to Newfoundland.
The Kaori Crewmembers
After winning the St. Barth’s Bucket in April, Kaori, a Palmer Johnson-built aluminium schooner, went to Florida for a three month mini-refit. We then sailed to Nova Scotia via Charleston, the Chesapeake Bay and the coast of Maine. En route from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Prince Edward Island we had the most incredible sail and the owner came into the wheelhouse around midnight for a late night look about. We all enjoyed the sail and the Captain casually mentioned that if we continued on the same tack for another 18 hours we would be in Newfoundland. ‘To do what?’ the owner asked. To see 1,000-foot cliffs rise vertically out of 300 feet of water, waterfalls, uninhabited fjords 10 miles long, solitude, no shopping, maybe whales. That’s what did it – ‘Maybe whales’. He was all for it and explained that when his wife came up we should just mention whales – he’ll later explain to her why we haven’t made landfall yet, if she asks. In anticipation of just such a sudden (and fortunate) change of plans, Johan had bought the necessary charts and guide books in Halifax. The crew all participated in studying the guides for Best of Fjordland Coast anchorages.
We arrived in Newfoundland at midnight. For the last hour or so we could barely make out the silhouette of the mountains against a star-filled night sky. As we approached, the darkness of the mountains loomed higher, blotting out the stars on the horizon. Not a single light in sight – no towns, cars, radio towers, nothing. Where else can you go in this world today, in close proximity to a substantial landmass, and experience this sensation of total desolation? We approached the fjord full on with all sails filled in a 25-knot wind. Why do you climb a mountain? Because it is there. The same is true sailing into fjords at midnight. Mind you, the question doesn’t ask whether you are climbing the mountain at night, right?
The entrance to the La Hune Bay fjord is NARROW, but thanks to Radar, GPS and all kinds of luck we made our way safely into the entrance. As if on cue a full moon
rose above a clear horizon to illuminate cliffs that towered above as if to enfold us. We were no more than 400 feet from the cliffs on either side in water more
than 500 feet deep. The cliffs shone in the moonlight, crew were oohing and aahing, and there was a soft breeze blowing – tempered by the sheer rock faces.
Deadman’s Cove – La Hune Bay
We made our way into a bay about two miles up the fjord. Rounding up in the bay we heard the sound of a waterfall cascading from the cliffs high above. After setting two anchors we all joined in the excitement on deck. What a sight! A waterfall no less than 600 feet high was cascading over rocks and overhangs to eventually gently enter our bay. It is kind of spooky and amazing at the same time. It was worth the extra hours – even if we had to contend with whales, dolphins, seagulls and eventually bats en route. Next morning we took pictures of Kaori with the bridal veil waterfall as backdrop – and we all appreciated our digital cameras! No running out of film here.
Aviron Bay
We went to the northern extremity of this stunning fjord and after crossing a ‘shallow’ bar (20 feet under the keel feels shallow after having had hundreds of feet right next to the cliffs!) we were rewarded by the most incredible waterfall. Many pictures later we set off for Little Bay.
Little Bay
After passing the vertical cliffs of Iron Skull Mountain we made a quick stop to launch the tender right next to the impressive cliffs, which rose more than 1,000 feet from depths exceeding 300 feet on the east side of the bay. The deckhands went ashore to collect some ‘memory stones’ from a small beach between the cliffs. At the base of St. Albans Mountain, Captain Johan put Kaori within five fe | | | |