2001: A Sea Odyssey

Homeward Bound

[Received Dec. 31, 2001]

Luperon to Key West

Thursday November 22.  Thanksgiving Day.  Spent much of this holiday checking and double-checking to insure that the Sirius II is ready for a long voyage.  If there is favorable weather, I want to be prepared for a nonstop trip to Key West, especially so since I have no dollars which I would need if I stop in Cuba.  American law prohibits Americans from spending money in Cuba, anyway.  (See the article from the Seattle Post Intelligencer.)  But, I have many contingency plans. 

Underway from Luperon Harbor by 1715. Champlain Express had been anchored in the outer harbor and had a 15-minute head start and had become concerned that I might have encountered trouble or had changed my mind about leaving. I had encountered a problem:  As a result of being in the same place for the last several days the Sirius II anchor chain was encased in mud and was desperately in need of a wash-down as it was brought in.  My wash-down process is a matter of dropping a bucket into the sea and splashing it on the anchor chain as I bring it in, either by hand or by the slow, mechanical windlass.  It was this process that made me late for our departure time.

Winds from the north at 10 knots, swells from NE 4-7 feet.  Motor sailed initially until caught up with Champlain Express.  Sailing conditions moderately ok but elected to keep a double reef in the main sail during the night.  Thus, had to motor from time to time to keep up with Champlain Express.  Come daylight swells got bigger and winds got stronger, although becoming more easterly.  Champlain Express wants to stay as far away as possible from Haiti, having heard from other boaters about Haitian pirates, and sets a course almost directly north toward Grand Inagua Island, in the Bahamas, into very bad seas.  We spend the rest of that afternoon and all the second night paying for this mistake, now having to go south in order to move west around the island.  We have a favorable east wind but there is an uncomfortable swell right off the beam.  Champlain Express is able to sail in these seas, with a man at the helm.  Likewise, I station myself at the helm.  After several hours I tire and elect to set the autopilot for a WSW direction.  This meant:

l.       I had to use the engine to maintain steerage,

2.         Champlain Express and Sirius II got farther and farther apart until finally we lost sight of each other. I kept my course, as I did not want to pay the price of getting back off course again.  Actually, it boils down to a choice of being a true sailor, not using your engine, or a more comfortable sail while using the autopilot and engine for steerage.  The other factor is rather or not you have enough crew to man the helm.  On Champlain Express, while Jerry was resting, Louise did a yeoman-man like job keeping their boat on course through very rough sea conditions, up to 12’ seas.

Thursday November 24.  We Arrive in Baracoa, Cuba about mid afternoon.  The officials direct us to anchor close to the commercial dock amongst the fishing fleet.  The medic, agriculture officer and the guarda soon come out by launch to inspect our papers and “cargo.”  All went well on the Sirius II until the guarda during his "inspection" comes across a dollar bill that a former friend, Ming Ming, had left in a drawer for good luck, one of my last American dollars.  After fondling it for several minutes, I finally give it to him.  My sad plea that I have no other American dollars (a small lie) has no impact on him.  When he discovers the small bottles of Dominican rum that I have for just this purpose, I just let him fondle. No more bribes!  Finally, he gets the message and puts it back.

I sleep most of the afternoon, only to be awakened at dusk by someone pounding on my boat.  "Amigo, Amigo!"  One of the local steel fishing boats has returned.  It is now secured to its usual mooring, almost underneath the Sirius II.  When the tide changes, the two boats were destined to collide, which was ready to happen as I came up out of the cabin.  Two ugly grappling hook anchors were dangerously close to my stern, which had already been ravaged by the catamaran in Samana!  One of the local fishermen came out to help me reset the anchor, on the other side of Champlain Express.  He later came back to ask for a some nylon fishing line because fishing "es mi vida."  I have a spool of 20# line, which is just what he wants, and gladly give it to him.

The following day Jerry and Louise toasted me from their boat for my anniversary--something about this Sunday being a day set aside for singles in Canada?  It's an honor being single?  I don't think so.  Weather too miserable to leave, so we stay put for another night.

Monday November 26.  Underway from Baracoa about 0930.  Winds NE about 15 knots with 4-6 ft swell also out of NE.  This made for an easy sail initially, but as usual the seas worsened throughout the day.  However, the seas never approached the 12-foot swells of the previous leg.  Winds did, however, with one gust up to 40 knots.  All in all, a good sail, although I had to motor once for a couple of hours as I let myself get too close to shore behind a headland:  adverse current and winds until I rounded the point, at which time it was almost smooth--for a while.

Tuesday November 27.  We arrive in Bahia Vita just after daybreak.  Champlain Express sails the entire distance as her transmission is now almost inoperable.  The Sirius II also has developed a noise in the transmission/reverse gearbox. I should write a book on boat problems.

I am greeted with a rose from Ernestina and a whole squadron of officials and officials-in-training.  Later, a bottle of rum is gifted to me.  I am now considered a regular customer:  my third time here if you count my first stop at nearby Bahia Naranjo, which no longer is a port-of-entry.

Wednesday November 28.  We take a taxi to Guardalvaca, an international shopping and tourist area.  We shop and visit a bank.  Again, I was able to access my Charge Card account for US dollars.  (Back in Key West, I receive a call from the USAA Fraud Division to verify this withdrawal.  Once it was determined that I did use my Charge Card for this purpose, I was asked to please not use this card in Cuba again.  They did not want to get in trouble with the US Government.) That night Jerry arranged a lobster and fish dinner with a private family he had met the previous time he was here, almost a year and a half ago.  The cost was $8 per person.  We brought our drinks with us.  Cheap by US standards, but not so cheap by Cuban standards.  But very tasty.

The following day, with Louise and Jerry, took taxi to Holguin to visit Cari and family.  They are such nice people.  El Padre took me to visit the Mariane’s family and found that she did indeed immigrate to the US, to Louisville, Kentucky.  Esther was there and shared this information and Mariane's address and telephone number (without area code) with me. 

Friday November 30.  After weighing conflicting weather information about hurricane/tropical storm Olga, etc., mainly from information gathered by Jerry, which is becoming more and more unreliable, I elect to depart Bahia Vita as soon as possible this morning.  Had both sails up immediately upon leaving the channel.  Winds NNE about 15 knots with moderate swell.  Sailing direction is NW, which makes a close haul. This kept me at the helm for much of the afternoon.  After taking out the double reef in the main sail, able to average 5 knots.  At about 15 nautical miles distance, I lost contact with Champlain Express

Weather conditions deteriorated throughout the day and night, until wind gusts reached 30 knots and seas about 8' during the squalls, of which there were many.  Except during the squalls, the bright full moon made it possible to work the deck the entire night.  These squalls reduced my average speed to less than four knots.  In order to avoid a nighttime arrival at Cayo Coco, I elected to make an early stop at about 1200 at Cayo Confites.  This anchorage provides good protection form Northerlies and the trade winds, but is not a good holding ground.  Had to reset once; then found some sand.  Made lunch and dozed off and on for most of the p.m.  About nightfall, a local fishing boat secured herself to a buoy right behind my vessel.  Not this again!  It seems like it would be so simple for the fishing boat to let out about another 30 feet of anchor rode to allow some space between our vessels!

Sunday December 2.  After a very pleasant night, minimal rolling, no bugs, mosquitoes, no-see-ums, etc., underway before 0500.  Was a little worried about the crew on the fishing boat.  One skipper in Vita had reported a robbery or attempted robbery while at anchor here.  Winds east through the reef, thereafter out of the north.  Winds about 10 knots early, later increasing to 15 - 20 with gusts up to 30.  Decreasing again toward evening.

Nearly was run over before daylight by a freighter that was inland from the main shipping channel.  It was so close to me that all I could see was the red navigation light and two white lights of equal height, making it difficult to get a fix on its direction.  I figured it out when the freighter was close enough for me to physically see it, with the help of the moonlit night.  That's too close.  The ship’s crew gave no indication that they ever saw me.

By nightfall arrive at the spot where I wanted to be yesterday, Cayo Coco.  Someone's calculations are not very reliable.

Monday December 3.  First radio broadcast heard from Coast Guard Group Key West.  Also heard bits and pieces from Miami NOA Radio.  Still 151 miles away from KW, about 30 hours.  As usual, it was uncomfortable, and slow, crossing the Gulf Stream.  Motor-sailed more than I wanted in order to keep up my average speed.  It seems like the Gulf Stream gets wider with every crossing.  All in all, this crossing of the Straits of Florida is pretty uneventful.

Tuesday December 4.  While approaching the Main Shipping Channel to Key West, I overhear a radio conversation between a boater and a Coast Guard vessel.  The Coast Guardsman was berating the boater for violating Security Regulations by approaching within 100 yards of a Cruise Liner docked at the Navy Mole in Key West.  This apparently is a post September 11 regulation imposed by the Coast Guard, or some higher authority, as a safeguard against possible terrorist activity. 

This causes me to wonder how I was suppose to respond to the Cruise Liner that was about to overtake me in the narrow channel.  I conclude that since I was the one being overtaken, and I was under sail, it was the Cruise Boat's responsibility to maintain the required distance from me.  How silly of me!  As the Cruise Boat is overtaking me, a Coast Guard launch appears almost out of nowhere and proceeds to place herself in a position between the Sirius II and the Cruise Boat.  The crew glowers at me as if I had just committed a heinous crime.  A sailboat as a carrier for a terrorist bomb?  I think not.  At any rate we now have three vessels in a channel that has only space for one.  I bear to the right, out of the Channel, and allow the other two vessels to proceed.  Upon arrival in Key West, I again elect to deviate out of the marked channel to keep as much distance as possible between me and the Cruise Boats.  Later I learn that I was to radio the Coast Guard for permission to proceed past the Cruise Boats. 

Arrive in Key West about midmorning.  Anchored down and holding off Fleming Key.  By mid afternoon I have the dinghy in the water and prepare to go ashore to check in with Customs, Immigration and the Department of Agriculture.  At the Federal Building I encounter the usual check point, although this time "manned" by an additional guard in camouflage uniform and carrying an automatic rifle, and by a stern, no-nonsense lady who unequivocally asserts that I must leave my backpack with her as there is a camera in it.  A camera as a weapon?  The only consolation to this for me is that the Customs Agent didn't over-emphasize his department’s position that I had broken the law by stopping in Cuba.  Twice.

On my way back to the dinghy dock I observe an inordinately number of law enforcement vehicles, including Border Patrol units, which I don't ever remember seeing in Key West before.  Later this week I will experience military and police units in abundance in Miami International Airport.  All of this is my introduction to the post 9/11 United States.  I have never been comfortable around people, especially ruddy-faced youngsters, carrying weapons.  I am not sure I like this restriction to my Civil Liberties.  But neither do I want to see more terrorist’s activity like the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Maybe this is our official welcome to the 21st Century.

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