11 Oct 2009 Captain’s Log
Discouraging day yesterday. Spent the early hours getting ready to put the port prop shaft back into the coupling. Checked and prepped the bilge pumps and made sure they had no issues. Had several dry runs with Scubaeon and Donaldo (another Guatemateca). Had all the pieces prepped and ready, tools laid out. Aeon and I set up our scuba gear and entered the water about 1000 hrs. First I installed our towel and Crisco coffer dam and had Scubaeon hold it in place. Then I exited the water and went to the engine room to direct Donaldo in the removal of the patch covering the inboard end of the shaft log. Small amount of leaking but nothing the main bilge pump couldn’t stay ahead of. Back into the water and the shaft wouldn’t budge. I could not turn it nor push it in a mm. Out of the water to check on the water intrusion and brief Donaldo on the problem. Grabbed a 5 # sledge hammer and reengaged with the prop shaft. (The getting in and out was a pain, because I needed 30# of lead -15 on the tank and 15 on me to be solidly on the bottom).
I struck the end of the shaft for 10 minutes and succeeded in moving the shaft forward maybe 2 mm and I could now rotate it 5 to 7 degrees. But the end result was failure as I could not move the shaft far enough forward to free it from the rudder.
Assesment: When the CG drug us over the reef the shaft was pulled back and inboard of the rudder blade. So instead of the shaft being centered on the rudder blade it is wedged on the inboard side of the blade aft to the hub of the propeller (both nuts are inboard of the rudder blade). I called a break for lunch and to discuss the issue with the crew.
During lunch a squall line moved in with winds to 50 Kts. This brought a “real” rain and waves which increased the turbidity of the water and a loss of visibility. That coupled with the motion of Second Star meant that I had to abort the afternoon attempt. We spent an hour discussing the problem and decided to try running a double looped hawser from the stem to just forward of the shaft strut. Put a bridle on the propeller at the hub and use the main engine chain hoist to see if we can draw the shaft forward. I am hoping that I can control the stretch of the hawser with multiple loops and generate the necessary pressure to move the shaft. I am loathe to try and connect the chain hoist directly to the aft prop shaft support struts for fear of stressing the hull to strut joint. Any suggestions would be welcome!
Failure in the pulling attempt will lead to the disassembly of the prop shaft connector and try to draw the forward section into the flange and at least allow for the installation of the shaft seal. Hopefully that will relieve some of the side thrust off the aft section which should allow it to slide forward clear of the propeller and back into line.
The rest of the afternoon was spent securing the starboard engine bay from the fuel system repair. Cleaning and putting away tools, cleaning the bilges, separating the diesel from the bilge water and pouring all the liquids in jugs for disposal. At this time I believe the fuel system to functional, although our fuel transfer pump is down due to a failure of the pump. It does not affect the use or transfer of fuel under way only at dock. Will start and run the mains in the morning to verify.
The little Honda 2500 watt 110V generator is pretty amazing. It is old, beat up, rusted, the muffler has rusted to a mere shell of the original and rattles, there is no air cleaner element, missing pieces, bailing wire and duct tape; yet it puts out a little more than 2500 watts hour after hour sitting on the foredeck. 3 to 4 hrs in the morning and 3 to 4 in the evening has kept the batteries charged and the refrigeration functioning. 5 gallons of gas = 16 hrs of runtime. I think I am going to buy one of these little wonders (3.5 to 4 kW, 110/220v), pickle it and store it for emergencies. Plug in couple of large pool/sump pumps and it would do double duty as a crash pump.
Hoping that tomorrow brings success with the running gear.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
October 10, 2009
10 Oct 2009 Captains Update
The 9th saw the fuel filter/prime system issues finally resolved. That was the good news; the bad news is that the generator head died again. The same symptoms as the previous two failures (voltage drop by 50%+, wildly fluctuating voltage swings and different readings on both legs) which leads me to believe that it has again consumed its capacitor and diodes. At this point it is not worth trying to have it repaired, especially here where things are hyper expensive. I.e. a single 1” by ½” brass reducer $40, drinking water is $0.40 a gallon, diesel $3.75, 5 loads of laundry $114: not Belize dollars, USD! The plus side is that we are not being charged for the dock spaced or the use of the resort facilities.
I have borrowed a small 2500 watt Honda generator from Osmin Rodriquez and we are barely keeping ahead of the basic refrigeration load and some battery charging.
Today we are going to attempt to the prop shaft reinstall underwater without sinking Second Star. This should prove an interesting task. I have decided to make a coffer dam out of a towel by spreading one side with large amounts of vegetable shortening, rolling it up like a jelly roll and wrapping it around the prop shaft on the outside of the hull and then holding it tightly against the prop shaft log. I am going to have Scubaeon hold it in place while I push the propeller and shaft forward into the prop shaft flange on the rear of the transmission. Once it is in place and aligned we will tighten the drip less shaft seal in place and voila!! Now, if it only proves that easy I will be very relieved and happy.
Once that is done we can assess the damage, if any to the propellers, prop shafts and struts. If all is satisfactory, tomorrow we will do limited sea trials to assure the integrity of the power train and the running gear.
We do appreciate everyone thinking very positive thoughts for our success and while you are at it a four day weather window of soft breezes and calm seas would be very nice.
As an aside, the Coconut Telegraph has it that Second Star ran aground on the reef off Ambergris Caye, the BZE CG had to pull us off, aeon and I were arrested. After a night in jail we were released facing fines and possibly more jail time. This may become as famous as the Bongo Girls of Eselan.
The 9th saw the fuel filter/prime system issues finally resolved. That was the good news; the bad news is that the generator head died again. The same symptoms as the previous two failures (voltage drop by 50%+, wildly fluctuating voltage swings and different readings on both legs) which leads me to believe that it has again consumed its capacitor and diodes. At this point it is not worth trying to have it repaired, especially here where things are hyper expensive. I.e. a single 1” by ½” brass reducer $40, drinking water is $0.40 a gallon, diesel $3.75, 5 loads of laundry $114: not Belize dollars, USD! The plus side is that we are not being charged for the dock spaced or the use of the resort facilities.
I have borrowed a small 2500 watt Honda generator from Osmin Rodriquez and we are barely keeping ahead of the basic refrigeration load and some battery charging.
Today we are going to attempt to the prop shaft reinstall underwater without sinking Second Star. This should prove an interesting task. I have decided to make a coffer dam out of a towel by spreading one side with large amounts of vegetable shortening, rolling it up like a jelly roll and wrapping it around the prop shaft on the outside of the hull and then holding it tightly against the prop shaft log. I am going to have Scubaeon hold it in place while I push the propeller and shaft forward into the prop shaft flange on the rear of the transmission. Once it is in place and aligned we will tighten the drip less shaft seal in place and voila!! Now, if it only proves that easy I will be very relieved and happy.
Once that is done we can assess the damage, if any to the propellers, prop shafts and struts. If all is satisfactory, tomorrow we will do limited sea trials to assure the integrity of the power train and the running gear.
We do appreciate everyone thinking very positive thoughts for our success and while you are at it a four day weather window of soft breezes and calm seas would be very nice.
As an aside, the Coconut Telegraph has it that Second Star ran aground on the reef off Ambergris Caye, the BZE CG had to pull us off, aeon and I were arrested. After a night in jail we were released facing fines and possibly more jail time. This may become as famous as the Bongo Girls of Eselan.
October 9, 2009
Buenos Dias,
My apologies for being incommunicado for the last couple of days, but life got a little hectic. Our cell phone is HYPER expensive here so calling is at a minimum and I haven’t had anytime for internet access until right now. As you have garnered from aeon’s brief updates we didn’t make the USA as planned.
All was well and Second Star was making good progress in less than perfect condition. The predicted wind was E to SE at 10 to 15 knots with seas 2 to 4 feet from the SE. The reality was 25 to 30 knots from the N NNE and a solid 4 to 6 beam sea from the east. We were able to hold 7 to 7.5 knots without too much discomfort.
At 0830 aeon woke me to say that she was having difficulty priming the fuel system from the aft main tank. By the time I got to the engine room I barely had enough time to shutdown the Port main engine before the system ran dry and the Starboard engine died. Without way, we were soon laying abeam to the seas and rolling quite heavily, especially when the larger sets came through. Over the next 15 minutes I succeeded in changing both filters out and get sea sick. Both aeon and I were feeling the effects of the motion. Even with new filters the system would not prime. I spent the next hours working for a few minutes on the system, getting nauseated and having to lay down for 15 minutes or so and repeat. I have always considered myself a get it done man no matter what just do it. I had to land my airplane once violently nauseated from a food poisoning, but I discovered Monday that one cannot will against nausea extremis. Even the super meds Phil Waterman had prescribed did not allow me to wrestle the filter assembly off the bulkhead and down to be disassembled for inspection.
During this period I had aeon monitor our drift. We were making Westing at 1.2 knots to the coast of Mexico at Xcalac. I deployed our sea anchor which reduced the set to 1.1 knots. We were at that time 7.3 nautical miles east of the shore. Finally at 1300 hrs I issued a Pan-Pan-Pan to Xcalac Port Authority. It was a hit or miss communication because their equipment is marginal at beat. Most of the their transmissions were so garbled as to be unreadable. Finally I was able to ascertain that they could (would) not respond to the request for assistance, but that they had contacted the Belize Coast Guard who had agreed to come assess the situation.
Just before 1600 hrs the BZE CG showed up in a 25 foot panga with twin Yamaha 150hp. For the next 45 minutes there was multiple communication with Mexico, Belize and us. I declared an emergency due to the nature of our situation and requested a tow to Xcalac. Mexico would accept us, but if the Belizean towed us in they believed they would be arrested. Belize CG Command denied our request for a tow because we were in International waters. The crew on station with us were in a quandary. The vessel commander CPL Edward Laurence knew that if he left us we would end up on the reef off Mexico after dark in surging seas. I offered to buy the fuel for the tow back to San Pedro, Ambergris Cay Belize. To his credit Eddy disobeyed his Commander and decided to take us under tow. Which was very good for us, because my next option was to launch of Hook (a difficult proposition in an iffy situation) and attempt the tow to Xcalac. It was the direction of the wind and sea but it would not have been without significant risk.
At 1630 hrs, the BZE CG took us under tow for San Pedro. Other than rock and roll it was an uneventful 3 hours. In the dark they searched along the reef off Ambergris for the cut to get inside. They had contacted a local pilot to come out and guide them in. For some reason I do not understand they choose the middle cut with is narrow and difficult at best. The passage requires an approach with a dog leg from Port to Starboard to round a long arm of the reef. Right as they made the turn to pull us around the arm their steering failed leaving us adrift. I have to tell you with all honesty that my heart stopped with every scrape and crunch as Second Star drifted onto the reef. During the eternity (3 to 5 minutes) that it took for the CG to get the steering issues under control we drug and scraped along one reef across the channel and onto another reef. Once they had us pulled off I went below to assess damage.
Opening the main bilge we had water coming in! I dropped inside and couldn’t see any holes and could asses the water coming in from the aft. I switched the bilge pumps to manual on and went aft to the engine room. Upon entering the starboard side seemed okay, closing the door and looking to port revealed the issue. The port prop shaft had been pulled aft from the coupling and the shaft seal had been dislodged. This makes for a very large hole and lots of water squirting in. I grabbed a towel and wrapped the shaft and opening and slowed down the flow to a manageable level.
Aeon came in to say that CG had dropped the tow and wanted us to deploy our anchor (with in scope distance of the reef!). I ordered her to not deploy the anchor and to inform the CG that we were taking on water. When aeon went on deck to communicate that information the pilot boat picked up our tow and started to move us away from the reef. The CG boarded a man (William) who aeon brought to engine room to assist me. Between he and I and lots of rigging tape (thanks ShureTape) and several plastic bags were able to staunch the flow to a few drops per minute. A recheck of the bilges, rudders posts, shaft strut support pads assured me we were not going to sink. Now to get the anchor down.
Returning to the foredeck the CG boat was idling beside us saying drop the anchor here and they would be back at 0815 in the morning and if we had any problems they monitored VHF 16- 24/7. And they left. I tried to call them back to help us “set” the anchor but no response. So much for 24-7 radio contact. I had concerns that the anchor would not properly set without some pull, but had no way to execute the maneuver. Those thoughts proved prophetic.
Aeon and I went to bed with anchor/bilge watches set every 30 minutes or so. Water intrusion was under control and we didn’t seem to be dragging much. Not much sleep that night. I dreaded the damage that dawn would reveal.
At almost first light Ernesto was back with his snorkel gear and offered a quick assessment. With great trepidation in my heart I accepted. When he came back to say that they props appeared to be fine, the starboard rudder was okay and the port rudder had a very small nick. The port propeller was jammed against the rudder. Lots of nicks, scrapes and gouged but to his eye it all appeared to be superficial.
The Coast Guard returned mid morning and took me into San Pedro to deal with Customs and Immigrations. Of course, we arrived right at lunch time so had to wait an hour for the offices to reopen. It was four hours before I was returned to Second Star in the Police launch with 5 officials to “inspect” the boat and issue our 30 day courtesy clearance.
Spend the early evening getting the fuel filter system removed from the engine room bulkhead and ready to move to the aft deck. I was looking forward to a good night sleep. Just after 2300 hrs I felt Second Star lurch and bump. I went to deck and we had drug anchor and we sitting on the sand, rolling slightly with the small wavelets about 200 yds off the Costa Maya Resort beach. The rest of the night was spent calling the BZE CG for assistance with no response (remember the 24/7 call if you need anything?) and checking to make sure we weren’t drifting deeper onto the beach.
Again, at near first light Ernesto was back with Estephan in Estephan launch to assist. They attempted a pull but Estephan launch was not up to the task. By that time the Costa Maya manager sent out their big twin 200hp launch but while the boat was up to the task the operator didn’t understand the physics of the situation and while they did move us about 5 feet I could not communicate with them effectively as to technique. At this time Estephan went south along the beach to where a barge and push boat (tug) were sitting. He acquired their assist and within 30 minutes we were free. During this time the manager of the Costa Maya Resort offered us his service dock which I gladly and gratefully accepted. A few more minutes and we were secure at the dock.
The next hour or so was spent setting side anchors fore and aft to take pressure of the dock. A very nice gringa women named Diana came to the dock to make sure we were okay and told us that the tug belong to her husband who had said to assist us in anyway possible at no charge. Next to actually introduce himself on the dock was our gracious host Don Rodrigo, the manager of Costa Maya, who welcomed us warmly and offered the use of the amenities and services of the resort. (I haven’t had time yet to take a swim in the pool, but I am going to this evening after work.)Rodrigo also made several phone calls and arranged for his mechanic to come and look at the fuel system the following morning. The afternoon was spent with Estephan in his launch getting 10 gallons of diesel to have to prime and rinse the system, go to boat yard which I had conflicting reports about whether they could haul us, and check on the other possibilities to get Second Star out of the water for the underwater repairs. There is no joy at this point on getting Second Star out of the water to repair the propshaft. As of now it is going to be an underwater job. I hope I can accomplish this without sinking Second Star in the attempt.
Back to Second Star to meet with the mechanic at 1500 hrs (he actually showed at 1630hrs-time in Belize has a different set of values). Osmin showed up with a couple of helpers. He and I had a lengthy discussion about how to proceed and setup for the following morning to begin the job of transferring fuel from the offending fuel tank (aft main) to the forward main tank.
Yesterday was spent on the fuel system. The aft main tank was found to be polluted and agitation of the seaway had stirred up the sludge which then clogged our fuel system. I know had a culprit and a solution. We carefully pumped the clean diesel off the top of the aft main tank and transferred using a clear hose to forward main. I estimate we were able to recover 290 of the 315 gallons. Once the tank was emptied of the clear fuel I added 64 oz of StarTron tank cleaner and will let it agitate all the way back to Ft. Myers and pump out dregs and rinse with clean diesel. The generator ran almost 4 hours last evening to charge the batteries then failed. I believe the generator head has toasted the capacitor and the diodes again. I had hoped to make it last back to the states for replacement but that is not to be.
Today, Osmin will be here in about 90 minutes and we will disassemble the fuel filter system and find the problem with the fuel valving. I suspect it to be fouled with sludge from the tank. I have been thinking about how to prefilter the fuel before the main filters to extract the larger potentially obstructive debris in a manner that is easy to clean while underway.
After lunch I am going to address the issue of the propshaft and underwater damage. I am hopeful that I can accomplish this in one afternoon.
So now you are up to date on this little Second Star adventure. I have to get going and remove the fuel filter assembly from the engine room bulkhead and get it up on the aftdeck so it can be diagnosed and repaired. I am hoping that this is the end of the fuel issues aboard Second Star (hahaha, somewhat hysterical laughter). This incident has made me aware of several changes that I can make to assure that this type of fuel problem has a redundant backup which requires no pumps.
I will update you in the next day or so with progress. Right now I am hoping to have repairs done for sea trials by Sunday and leave for Ft. Myers on Monday, weather pending. I am going to wait for some calm seas before I subject aeon to that crossing. We do have 28 more days on our visas so at this moment time is not a factor.
My apologies for being incommunicado for the last couple of days, but life got a little hectic. Our cell phone is HYPER expensive here so calling is at a minimum and I haven’t had anytime for internet access until right now. As you have garnered from aeon’s brief updates we didn’t make the USA as planned.
All was well and Second Star was making good progress in less than perfect condition. The predicted wind was E to SE at 10 to 15 knots with seas 2 to 4 feet from the SE. The reality was 25 to 30 knots from the N NNE and a solid 4 to 6 beam sea from the east. We were able to hold 7 to 7.5 knots without too much discomfort.
At 0830 aeon woke me to say that she was having difficulty priming the fuel system from the aft main tank. By the time I got to the engine room I barely had enough time to shutdown the Port main engine before the system ran dry and the Starboard engine died. Without way, we were soon laying abeam to the seas and rolling quite heavily, especially when the larger sets came through. Over the next 15 minutes I succeeded in changing both filters out and get sea sick. Both aeon and I were feeling the effects of the motion. Even with new filters the system would not prime. I spent the next hours working for a few minutes on the system, getting nauseated and having to lay down for 15 minutes or so and repeat. I have always considered myself a get it done man no matter what just do it. I had to land my airplane once violently nauseated from a food poisoning, but I discovered Monday that one cannot will against nausea extremis. Even the super meds Phil Waterman had prescribed did not allow me to wrestle the filter assembly off the bulkhead and down to be disassembled for inspection.
During this period I had aeon monitor our drift. We were making Westing at 1.2 knots to the coast of Mexico at Xcalac. I deployed our sea anchor which reduced the set to 1.1 knots. We were at that time 7.3 nautical miles east of the shore. Finally at 1300 hrs I issued a Pan-Pan-Pan to Xcalac Port Authority. It was a hit or miss communication because their equipment is marginal at beat. Most of the their transmissions were so garbled as to be unreadable. Finally I was able to ascertain that they could (would) not respond to the request for assistance, but that they had contacted the Belize Coast Guard who had agreed to come assess the situation.
Just before 1600 hrs the BZE CG showed up in a 25 foot panga with twin Yamaha 150hp. For the next 45 minutes there was multiple communication with Mexico, Belize and us. I declared an emergency due to the nature of our situation and requested a tow to Xcalac. Mexico would accept us, but if the Belizean towed us in they believed they would be arrested. Belize CG Command denied our request for a tow because we were in International waters. The crew on station with us were in a quandary. The vessel commander CPL Edward Laurence knew that if he left us we would end up on the reef off Mexico after dark in surging seas. I offered to buy the fuel for the tow back to San Pedro, Ambergris Cay Belize. To his credit Eddy disobeyed his Commander and decided to take us under tow. Which was very good for us, because my next option was to launch of Hook (a difficult proposition in an iffy situation) and attempt the tow to Xcalac. It was the direction of the wind and sea but it would not have been without significant risk.
At 1630 hrs, the BZE CG took us under tow for San Pedro. Other than rock and roll it was an uneventful 3 hours. In the dark they searched along the reef off Ambergris for the cut to get inside. They had contacted a local pilot to come out and guide them in. For some reason I do not understand they choose the middle cut with is narrow and difficult at best. The passage requires an approach with a dog leg from Port to Starboard to round a long arm of the reef. Right as they made the turn to pull us around the arm their steering failed leaving us adrift. I have to tell you with all honesty that my heart stopped with every scrape and crunch as Second Star drifted onto the reef. During the eternity (3 to 5 minutes) that it took for the CG to get the steering issues under control we drug and scraped along one reef across the channel and onto another reef. Once they had us pulled off I went below to assess damage.
Opening the main bilge we had water coming in! I dropped inside and couldn’t see any holes and could asses the water coming in from the aft. I switched the bilge pumps to manual on and went aft to the engine room. Upon entering the starboard side seemed okay, closing the door and looking to port revealed the issue. The port prop shaft had been pulled aft from the coupling and the shaft seal had been dislodged. This makes for a very large hole and lots of water squirting in. I grabbed a towel and wrapped the shaft and opening and slowed down the flow to a manageable level.
Aeon came in to say that CG had dropped the tow and wanted us to deploy our anchor (with in scope distance of the reef!). I ordered her to not deploy the anchor and to inform the CG that we were taking on water. When aeon went on deck to communicate that information the pilot boat picked up our tow and started to move us away from the reef. The CG boarded a man (William) who aeon brought to engine room to assist me. Between he and I and lots of rigging tape (thanks ShureTape) and several plastic bags were able to staunch the flow to a few drops per minute. A recheck of the bilges, rudders posts, shaft strut support pads assured me we were not going to sink. Now to get the anchor down.
Returning to the foredeck the CG boat was idling beside us saying drop the anchor here and they would be back at 0815 in the morning and if we had any problems they monitored VHF 16- 24/7. And they left. I tried to call them back to help us “set” the anchor but no response. So much for 24-7 radio contact. I had concerns that the anchor would not properly set without some pull, but had no way to execute the maneuver. Those thoughts proved prophetic.
Aeon and I went to bed with anchor/bilge watches set every 30 minutes or so. Water intrusion was under control and we didn’t seem to be dragging much. Not much sleep that night. I dreaded the damage that dawn would reveal.
At almost first light Ernesto was back with his snorkel gear and offered a quick assessment. With great trepidation in my heart I accepted. When he came back to say that they props appeared to be fine, the starboard rudder was okay and the port rudder had a very small nick. The port propeller was jammed against the rudder. Lots of nicks, scrapes and gouged but to his eye it all appeared to be superficial.
The Coast Guard returned mid morning and took me into San Pedro to deal with Customs and Immigrations. Of course, we arrived right at lunch time so had to wait an hour for the offices to reopen. It was four hours before I was returned to Second Star in the Police launch with 5 officials to “inspect” the boat and issue our 30 day courtesy clearance.
Spend the early evening getting the fuel filter system removed from the engine room bulkhead and ready to move to the aft deck. I was looking forward to a good night sleep. Just after 2300 hrs I felt Second Star lurch and bump. I went to deck and we had drug anchor and we sitting on the sand, rolling slightly with the small wavelets about 200 yds off the Costa Maya Resort beach. The rest of the night was spent calling the BZE CG for assistance with no response (remember the 24/7 call if you need anything?) and checking to make sure we weren’t drifting deeper onto the beach.
Again, at near first light Ernesto was back with Estephan in Estephan launch to assist. They attempted a pull but Estephan launch was not up to the task. By that time the Costa Maya manager sent out their big twin 200hp launch but while the boat was up to the task the operator didn’t understand the physics of the situation and while they did move us about 5 feet I could not communicate with them effectively as to technique. At this time Estephan went south along the beach to where a barge and push boat (tug) were sitting. He acquired their assist and within 30 minutes we were free. During this time the manager of the Costa Maya Resort offered us his service dock which I gladly and gratefully accepted. A few more minutes and we were secure at the dock.
The next hour or so was spent setting side anchors fore and aft to take pressure of the dock. A very nice gringa women named Diana came to the dock to make sure we were okay and told us that the tug belong to her husband who had said to assist us in anyway possible at no charge. Next to actually introduce himself on the dock was our gracious host Don Rodrigo, the manager of Costa Maya, who welcomed us warmly and offered the use of the amenities and services of the resort. (I haven’t had time yet to take a swim in the pool, but I am going to this evening after work.)Rodrigo also made several phone calls and arranged for his mechanic to come and look at the fuel system the following morning. The afternoon was spent with Estephan in his launch getting 10 gallons of diesel to have to prime and rinse the system, go to boat yard which I had conflicting reports about whether they could haul us, and check on the other possibilities to get Second Star out of the water for the underwater repairs. There is no joy at this point on getting Second Star out of the water to repair the propshaft. As of now it is going to be an underwater job. I hope I can accomplish this without sinking Second Star in the attempt.
Back to Second Star to meet with the mechanic at 1500 hrs (he actually showed at 1630hrs-time in Belize has a different set of values). Osmin showed up with a couple of helpers. He and I had a lengthy discussion about how to proceed and setup for the following morning to begin the job of transferring fuel from the offending fuel tank (aft main) to the forward main tank.
Yesterday was spent on the fuel system. The aft main tank was found to be polluted and agitation of the seaway had stirred up the sludge which then clogged our fuel system. I know had a culprit and a solution. We carefully pumped the clean diesel off the top of the aft main tank and transferred using a clear hose to forward main. I estimate we were able to recover 290 of the 315 gallons. Once the tank was emptied of the clear fuel I added 64 oz of StarTron tank cleaner and will let it agitate all the way back to Ft. Myers and pump out dregs and rinse with clean diesel. The generator ran almost 4 hours last evening to charge the batteries then failed. I believe the generator head has toasted the capacitor and the diodes again. I had hoped to make it last back to the states for replacement but that is not to be.
Today, Osmin will be here in about 90 minutes and we will disassemble the fuel filter system and find the problem with the fuel valving. I suspect it to be fouled with sludge from the tank. I have been thinking about how to prefilter the fuel before the main filters to extract the larger potentially obstructive debris in a manner that is easy to clean while underway.
After lunch I am going to address the issue of the propshaft and underwater damage. I am hopeful that I can accomplish this in one afternoon.
So now you are up to date on this little Second Star adventure. I have to get going and remove the fuel filter assembly from the engine room bulkhead and get it up on the aftdeck so it can be diagnosed and repaired. I am hoping that this is the end of the fuel issues aboard Second Star (hahaha, somewhat hysterical laughter). This incident has made me aware of several changes that I can make to assure that this type of fuel problem has a redundant backup which requires no pumps.
I will update you in the next day or so with progress. Right now I am hoping to have repairs done for sea trials by Sunday and leave for Ft. Myers on Monday, weather pending. I am going to wait for some calm seas before I subject aeon to that crossing. We do have 28 more days on our visas so at this moment time is not a factor.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Back from Guatemala 09-03-2009
***UPDATE October 6, 2009 ***
Second Star is having some mechanical issues and Johne and Susie are anchored off the coast of Belize while they sort through them. Spot Checks are suspended until they get under way again. Other than the mechanical issues, both Johne and Susie are doing well and they are safe.
Hey all,
This is Jen, Johne's daughter. After having recently returned from a two week trip to visit Johne and Susie, I thought I would share with you our perspective on the place Second Star is currently calling home.
Our trip was wonderful and exhausting. There were so many things to see and do and we enjoyed each and every one. Our trip began with an interesting shopping adventure in Guatemala City. Of all the places I have ever been in the US, there is not a city that compares with the chaos of GC. The traffic alone is crazy. Not to mention that following traffic laws is optional. I am sure that there must be affluent places within the city, but you certainly do not see them. It is very impoverished and was a great eye opener for the kids. The slums are heartbreaking. Once we completed our grocery shopping, we began the journey back to the Rio. Again, driving in Guatemala is not something for the feint of heart. The roads are not great, their idea of speed control is the randomly placed (without warning) speed bump, and driving defensively is a major understatement. However, we made it back to the boat in one piece and very quickly all fell into bed.
For the next several days we crammed in as much of the country as we could. We began with a fun tour of the Castille de San Fillipe. A very cool, old fort that is very close to Second Star. There is nothing about the place that is imposing and Susie and I couldn't understand how it could have been good for much in the way of defense. It is very well preserved though and has a colorful past and it is something I am very glad we took the time to visit. Carson kept saying how it was just like something out of Pirates of the Caribbean.
Next on our list of to do's was a trip out to the Sapodilla Cayes. Soon after arriving on the Rio, we had a good weather window to get the boat out of the river and make a run for the Caribbean. It was the first time that we had been out on Second Star. It seems that each time we have visited Florida, the tide didn't want to cooperate, so we were never able to take her out. I have to say I am so impressed with how solid she is. I am also very proud of all of the work my dad and Susie have put into making her not only beautiful, but safe. Everything ran wonderfully well. The trip up the river was breathtaking. The cliffs that run along the sides of the river are very impressive. I kept feeling like I was on the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland. It was a great way to spend 3 hours.
That first night we decided to anchor off a town called Livingston. After we made anchor, we took the dinghy to town for dinner and a look around. Livingston has a large Garafuna population, and was pretty colorful. More of the Afro-Carib vibe and not much Mayan influence. I would have liked to have spent a little more time there exploring in the daylight. Maybe on another trip.
The next morning we broke anchor and headed for the Rio Sarstoon. A large river that runs between Guatemala and Belize. Again, this was another beautiful trip. The little fishing villages that dotted the shore were cool and all the children were darling. When they would see the boat coming they would run out to the shore, and then along it, smiling and waving. Once we made our way inland, we very quickly became disconnected from the outside world. There were no villages and with the exception of an occasional fisherman paddling by in his Cayuga (which is probably spelled wrong, and is the Mayan version of a kayak), you would have thought we were the only people on the planet. You couldn't hear or see any signs of humanity. It was almost eery after coming from the US where there is always some sort of background noise. That night there was torrential, rain forest, downpour that made the monsoons in AZ and the thunderstorms in FL look like light rain. Mother nature is pretty impressive! Once the sun went down, the jungle came to life. You could hear all sort of animals and birds calling out. I felt like I was on safari.
The next day we headed back out of the river to make our run for the Cayes. It was a long day on the water. Although the seas were pretty calm, Carson is just not one for that rocking motion. He spend a lot of the day quite sick. Even he would tell you though that once we made it out to the Cayes, it was well worth it. Once we hit that beautiful turquoise water I felt like I was getting closer to right where I am meant to be. I feel so at home in the aqua waters of the Caribbean. There were a couple of small reefs that were little "islands" and a palm tree or two would be growing. It was fun to see. The kids each called for one to be their own private island...at least until the next big storm comes through and puts them back under water. Once we reached the Cayes, there was a vacant mooring ball which made anchoring a breeze. We were able to get set up for the night quickly and then we all had a quick snorkel around the island. There was not much to see besides giant starfish, but it was so fun to be in the water. Have I said how much I love the ocean?!! This was the first time our kids had officially been snorkeling and they did a great job. It was a lot of fun and something that I hope we get to enjoy lots of time doing as a family.
After we returned to the boat, our "neighbors" on the boat next to us came over to let us know that the ranger from the island had spotted a couple of Man O' War jellies. That is certainly nothing any of us wanted to mess with. So, our snorkeling off the Caye was finished for the day. We spend the the rest of the evening just hanging out. The next morning we took the boat out to try some deep sea fishing. Justin must have had bad juju because we made a thousand passes and didn't catch anything! We did get a wonderful snorkel in though, just off one of the kid's private islands. There were quite a few fish and some coral. As much as I love each time I get to snorkel, it always leaves me feeling a little sad. Our oceans are such a mess, humanity has really left it's mark. The reefs have so much bleaching and the amount of trash (plastic) floating in the ocean infuriates me. We are stewards of this planet, and on the large scale, we are failing miserably. Anyway, off my soapbox...it was a wonderful way to spend a day! On a side note, that snorkel was also cut short because Justin came up to get his bearings, and about 15 feet away was another Man O' War.
That night we anchored in the same spot and enjoyed a nice meal. We were all pretty tired, so it was early to bed. We woke the next morning and pulled anchor pretty early so that we could make it back to the Rio before dark. There was more fishing on the way back, this time, with a little more luck. Carson caught a Barracuda and Taylor caught a Wahoo. Justin did snag a huge Grouper, but all the boys had left me with the fishing gear when it was hooked. I had no idea what to do so I set the reel....right then Justin came around the corner and hollered at me...so I did the next logical thing...I released it. We then had a lovely birds nest to untangle. :) We did see several more Man O' War on our way back. That was a little perplexing. They are not common in the waters in the area...something must be changing.
Our trip back was uneventful and we made it back a little after dark. We ate a great dinner at a beautiful open air restaurant just up river from where dad and Susie live. For how impoverished the entire area is, it amazes me there are these wonderful, upscale, restaurants.
The next day was spent catching up on laundry and cleaning the boat after returning from the ocean.
Next on our list was a road trip to see more of the country. We set off for Tikal to check out the Mayan ruins. The drive was beautiful. The Guatemalan countryside is stunning. The roads were decent, and with exception to the speed bumps, which are more like a steep curbs, the day was uneventful. The ruins did not disappoint. It is mind boggling to think that a civilization that lived thousands of years ago could have been so advanced. The engineering is fantastic and very complex. We had a lot of fun walking around and exploring. I couldn't keep up with Justin, Susie and the kids, so dad and I walked at a more leisurely pace and I took lots of photos. The wildlife was wonderful and the flora and fauna, beautiful! To top it off, the ruins themselves were fun to photograph. We took a detour off the path to try to locate some howler monkeys we could hear. Trekking through the jungle, I couldn't help but think what tough people the Mayans were...the jungle is very unforgiving and making your way through it on trade routes would have been a very difficult job. We did end up making it through to the trees where the monkeys were. We caught a couple of glimpses, but all were too short to allow me to photograph any of them. Johne does a great howler monkey call though...so you should ask him to demonstrate sometime!
After a full afternoon of hiking and taking pics, we headed to the town of Flores to spend the night. Flores is built on a little island. It is heavily influenced by European style. We had a hard time finding someplace to stay and ended up in a hostel that all of the 20 year old European backpackers must have found too. It was quite a noisy night. All of us were a little tired when we got up the next day. We spent the morning wandering through town which was fun, and the the shopping was great!
From Flores, we headed up into the mountains to Coban. Again, the drive was very nice. Coban is a decent size city and has a lot of German influence. The architecture was very Bavarian looking. We found a hotel for the night and had a wonderful dinner. Again, the fact there are so many nice restaurants, with wonderful food surprises me. We did not do a lot of site seeing in Coban. We were all tired.
The next morning we got up and went to find breakfast. Everything was closed. There was a celebration going on and there was absolutely nothing open. So, needless to say we got an early start heading to Antigua. This part of the drive was a little more interesting. There were hundreds of the speed bumps...that were so tall that every time we would go over one, the undercarriage of the van would drag. At one point, the road just ran out. We had to pay a fee to have a "ferry" take us across the river so we could get back on the highway. Once we crossed the river, we found a place for lunch and ordered pizza. It was interesting. It was a giant, flat biscuit with about 4 pounds of cheese on it. Guatemalan pizza is an experience!! On our way out of that little town, there was some road construction. At one point the flagger was a scarecrow. It was hilarious and I so wish I had gotten a picture. Have I mentioned driving in Guatemala is an adventure?!
We made decent time getting to Antigua. We made it there by mid afternoon. Antigua is a very cool, eclectic place. I would say it had the feel of someplace like Taos, NM. It was a very artsy town. The architecture has a strong European influence. The buildings are brightly colored and the roads are cobbled. There are window planters on most of the buildings. There were several old churches and a very old cathedral. I was in photography heaven. In the center of town was a square that had a park, a fountain and lots of little shops and restaurants. It was beautiful. It was the one place during the trip that I wish we would have had more time. The market had so many vendors and all of the local craft work was beautiful. The fresh produce and coffee was wonderful. I would love to fly back to Guatemala for a long weekend and spend it in Antigua. There was not nearly enough time to explore.
That brings us to the end of our trip. Our time went very quickly. Our adventure in Central America was fantastic! It was a wonderful cultural experience and a great eye opener for our kids. I am so glad that we had the opportunity to go and that dad and Susie picked such a cool place to hang out and work on Second Star.
** I will be publishing pictures from our trip soon. Check back for updates. **
Second Star is having some mechanical issues and Johne and Susie are anchored off the coast of Belize while they sort through them. Spot Checks are suspended until they get under way again. Other than the mechanical issues, both Johne and Susie are doing well and they are safe.
Hey all,
This is Jen, Johne's daughter. After having recently returned from a two week trip to visit Johne and Susie, I thought I would share with you our perspective on the place Second Star is currently calling home.
Our trip was wonderful and exhausting. There were so many things to see and do and we enjoyed each and every one. Our trip began with an interesting shopping adventure in Guatemala City. Of all the places I have ever been in the US, there is not a city that compares with the chaos of GC. The traffic alone is crazy. Not to mention that following traffic laws is optional. I am sure that there must be affluent places within the city, but you certainly do not see them. It is very impoverished and was a great eye opener for the kids. The slums are heartbreaking. Once we completed our grocery shopping, we began the journey back to the Rio. Again, driving in Guatemala is not something for the feint of heart. The roads are not great, their idea of speed control is the randomly placed (without warning) speed bump, and driving defensively is a major understatement. However, we made it back to the boat in one piece and very quickly all fell into bed.
For the next several days we crammed in as much of the country as we could. We began with a fun tour of the Castille de San Fillipe. A very cool, old fort that is very close to Second Star. There is nothing about the place that is imposing and Susie and I couldn't understand how it could have been good for much in the way of defense. It is very well preserved though and has a colorful past and it is something I am very glad we took the time to visit. Carson kept saying how it was just like something out of Pirates of the Caribbean.
Next on our list of to do's was a trip out to the Sapodilla Cayes. Soon after arriving on the Rio, we had a good weather window to get the boat out of the river and make a run for the Caribbean. It was the first time that we had been out on Second Star. It seems that each time we have visited Florida, the tide didn't want to cooperate, so we were never able to take her out. I have to say I am so impressed with how solid she is. I am also very proud of all of the work my dad and Susie have put into making her not only beautiful, but safe. Everything ran wonderfully well. The trip up the river was breathtaking. The cliffs that run along the sides of the river are very impressive. I kept feeling like I was on the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland. It was a great way to spend 3 hours.
That first night we decided to anchor off a town called Livingston. After we made anchor, we took the dinghy to town for dinner and a look around. Livingston has a large Garafuna population, and was pretty colorful. More of the Afro-Carib vibe and not much Mayan influence. I would have liked to have spent a little more time there exploring in the daylight. Maybe on another trip.
The next morning we broke anchor and headed for the Rio Sarstoon. A large river that runs between Guatemala and Belize. Again, this was another beautiful trip. The little fishing villages that dotted the shore were cool and all the children were darling. When they would see the boat coming they would run out to the shore, and then along it, smiling and waving. Once we made our way inland, we very quickly became disconnected from the outside world. There were no villages and with the exception of an occasional fisherman paddling by in his Cayuga (which is probably spelled wrong, and is the Mayan version of a kayak), you would have thought we were the only people on the planet. You couldn't hear or see any signs of humanity. It was almost eery after coming from the US where there is always some sort of background noise. That night there was torrential, rain forest, downpour that made the monsoons in AZ and the thunderstorms in FL look like light rain. Mother nature is pretty impressive! Once the sun went down, the jungle came to life. You could hear all sort of animals and birds calling out. I felt like I was on safari.
The next day we headed back out of the river to make our run for the Cayes. It was a long day on the water. Although the seas were pretty calm, Carson is just not one for that rocking motion. He spend a lot of the day quite sick. Even he would tell you though that once we made it out to the Cayes, it was well worth it. Once we hit that beautiful turquoise water I felt like I was getting closer to right where I am meant to be. I feel so at home in the aqua waters of the Caribbean. There were a couple of small reefs that were little "islands" and a palm tree or two would be growing. It was fun to see. The kids each called for one to be their own private island...at least until the next big storm comes through and puts them back under water. Once we reached the Cayes, there was a vacant mooring ball which made anchoring a breeze. We were able to get set up for the night quickly and then we all had a quick snorkel around the island. There was not much to see besides giant starfish, but it was so fun to be in the water. Have I said how much I love the ocean?!! This was the first time our kids had officially been snorkeling and they did a great job. It was a lot of fun and something that I hope we get to enjoy lots of time doing as a family.
After we returned to the boat, our "neighbors" on the boat next to us came over to let us know that the ranger from the island had spotted a couple of Man O' War jellies. That is certainly nothing any of us wanted to mess with. So, our snorkeling off the Caye was finished for the day. We spend the the rest of the evening just hanging out. The next morning we took the boat out to try some deep sea fishing. Justin must have had bad juju because we made a thousand passes and didn't catch anything! We did get a wonderful snorkel in though, just off one of the kid's private islands. There were quite a few fish and some coral. As much as I love each time I get to snorkel, it always leaves me feeling a little sad. Our oceans are such a mess, humanity has really left it's mark. The reefs have so much bleaching and the amount of trash (plastic) floating in the ocean infuriates me. We are stewards of this planet, and on the large scale, we are failing miserably. Anyway, off my soapbox...it was a wonderful way to spend a day! On a side note, that snorkel was also cut short because Justin came up to get his bearings, and about 15 feet away was another Man O' War.
That night we anchored in the same spot and enjoyed a nice meal. We were all pretty tired, so it was early to bed. We woke the next morning and pulled anchor pretty early so that we could make it back to the Rio before dark. There was more fishing on the way back, this time, with a little more luck. Carson caught a Barracuda and Taylor caught a Wahoo. Justin did snag a huge Grouper, but all the boys had left me with the fishing gear when it was hooked. I had no idea what to do so I set the reel....right then Justin came around the corner and hollered at me...so I did the next logical thing...I released it. We then had a lovely birds nest to untangle. :) We did see several more Man O' War on our way back. That was a little perplexing. They are not common in the waters in the area...something must be changing.
Our trip back was uneventful and we made it back a little after dark. We ate a great dinner at a beautiful open air restaurant just up river from where dad and Susie live. For how impoverished the entire area is, it amazes me there are these wonderful, upscale, restaurants.
The next day was spent catching up on laundry and cleaning the boat after returning from the ocean.
Next on our list was a road trip to see more of the country. We set off for Tikal to check out the Mayan ruins. The drive was beautiful. The Guatemalan countryside is stunning. The roads were decent, and with exception to the speed bumps, which are more like a steep curbs, the day was uneventful. The ruins did not disappoint. It is mind boggling to think that a civilization that lived thousands of years ago could have been so advanced. The engineering is fantastic and very complex. We had a lot of fun walking around and exploring. I couldn't keep up with Justin, Susie and the kids, so dad and I walked at a more leisurely pace and I took lots of photos. The wildlife was wonderful and the flora and fauna, beautiful! To top it off, the ruins themselves were fun to photograph. We took a detour off the path to try to locate some howler monkeys we could hear. Trekking through the jungle, I couldn't help but think what tough people the Mayans were...the jungle is very unforgiving and making your way through it on trade routes would have been a very difficult job. We did end up making it through to the trees where the monkeys were. We caught a couple of glimpses, but all were too short to allow me to photograph any of them. Johne does a great howler monkey call though...so you should ask him to demonstrate sometime!
After a full afternoon of hiking and taking pics, we headed to the town of Flores to spend the night. Flores is built on a little island. It is heavily influenced by European style. We had a hard time finding someplace to stay and ended up in a hostel that all of the 20 year old European backpackers must have found too. It was quite a noisy night. All of us were a little tired when we got up the next day. We spent the morning wandering through town which was fun, and the the shopping was great!
From Flores, we headed up into the mountains to Coban. Again, the drive was very nice. Coban is a decent size city and has a lot of German influence. The architecture was very Bavarian looking. We found a hotel for the night and had a wonderful dinner. Again, the fact there are so many nice restaurants, with wonderful food surprises me. We did not do a lot of site seeing in Coban. We were all tired.
The next morning we got up and went to find breakfast. Everything was closed. There was a celebration going on and there was absolutely nothing open. So, needless to say we got an early start heading to Antigua. This part of the drive was a little more interesting. There were hundreds of the speed bumps...that were so tall that every time we would go over one, the undercarriage of the van would drag. At one point, the road just ran out. We had to pay a fee to have a "ferry" take us across the river so we could get back on the highway. Once we crossed the river, we found a place for lunch and ordered pizza. It was interesting. It was a giant, flat biscuit with about 4 pounds of cheese on it. Guatemalan pizza is an experience!! On our way out of that little town, there was some road construction. At one point the flagger was a scarecrow. It was hilarious and I so wish I had gotten a picture. Have I mentioned driving in Guatemala is an adventure?!
We made decent time getting to Antigua. We made it there by mid afternoon. Antigua is a very cool, eclectic place. I would say it had the feel of someplace like Taos, NM. It was a very artsy town. The architecture has a strong European influence. The buildings are brightly colored and the roads are cobbled. There are window planters on most of the buildings. There were several old churches and a very old cathedral. I was in photography heaven. In the center of town was a square that had a park, a fountain and lots of little shops and restaurants. It was beautiful. It was the one place during the trip that I wish we would have had more time. The market had so many vendors and all of the local craft work was beautiful. The fresh produce and coffee was wonderful. I would love to fly back to Guatemala for a long weekend and spend it in Antigua. There was not nearly enough time to explore.
That brings us to the end of our trip. Our time went very quickly. Our adventure in Central America was fantastic! It was a wonderful cultural experience and a great eye opener for our kids. I am so glad that we had the opportunity to go and that dad and Susie picked such a cool place to hang out and work on Second Star.
** I will be publishing pictures from our trip soon. Check back for updates. **
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
March 22, 2009
22 Mar 2009 0115 hrs GMT 2015 hrs local
Lat 15º 35.65' N Long 89º 00.03' W
At anchor Rio Dulce, Guatemala
Wind 6.9 knots E by ENE
Sea State – dead calm - Beaufort 1
Air Temp 82.4ºF Barometer 29.98
Scattered clouds
This morning was occupied with getting ready to sail from Livingston to Rio Dulce. A trip into town to see the Port Captain and send out some emails at an internet café. Once that was accomplished we headed back to Second Star.
Aeon prepared the bridge while I did the pre start checklist i9n the engine room. Harry got the windlass ready to retrieve the anchor. We had main engines started at 1040 hrs and underway at 1104 hrs.
The trip upriver was stunning. First you pass the headlands and then enter a gorge with vertical walls several hundred feet in height cover in dense jungle. There are birds everywhere. The river twists and turns so there is always some new little alcove or local hose to see.
At one point we had several small swallows trying to enter the trumpets of our horns. It was very entertaining. The trip took about 5 hours to traverse the river into Lago de Izabal. Once we were in the lake we passed under the Rio Dulce bridge and on up to Abel’s boat yard. No one answered the radio so I called another marina owner I had met in Livingston and asked about a slip in his marina. Alas we draught to much but he did recommend that we go back under the bridge and anchor off Bruno’s. He said it was Sunday and Steve the owner would be cooking at the BBQ and to introduce ourselves.
The anchorage was a little tight but we manage a nice position amongst several sail boats, launched Tink and motored to the dinghy dock. As predicted Steve was at the grill, cooking chicken, pork and sausage. We chatted for a bit and received a wealth of local information.
After a walk around the market we ended back at Bruno’s for dinner.
A brief ride in Tink back to Second Start for showers, a run of the watermaker and catching up on the logs.
Lat 15º 35.65' N Long 89º 00.03' W
At anchor Rio Dulce, Guatemala
Wind 6.9 knots E by ENE
Sea State – dead calm - Beaufort 1
Air Temp 82.4ºF Barometer 29.98
Scattered clouds
This morning was occupied with getting ready to sail from Livingston to Rio Dulce. A trip into town to see the Port Captain and send out some emails at an internet café. Once that was accomplished we headed back to Second Star.
Aeon prepared the bridge while I did the pre start checklist i9n the engine room. Harry got the windlass ready to retrieve the anchor. We had main engines started at 1040 hrs and underway at 1104 hrs.
The trip upriver was stunning. First you pass the headlands and then enter a gorge with vertical walls several hundred feet in height cover in dense jungle. There are birds everywhere. The river twists and turns so there is always some new little alcove or local hose to see.
At one point we had several small swallows trying to enter the trumpets of our horns. It was very entertaining. The trip took about 5 hours to traverse the river into Lago de Izabal. Once we were in the lake we passed under the Rio Dulce bridge and on up to Abel’s boat yard. No one answered the radio so I called another marina owner I had met in Livingston and asked about a slip in his marina. Alas we draught to much but he did recommend that we go back under the bridge and anchor off Bruno’s. He said it was Sunday and Steve the owner would be cooking at the BBQ and to introduce ourselves.
The anchorage was a little tight but we manage a nice position amongst several sail boats, launched Tink and motored to the dinghy dock. As predicted Steve was at the grill, cooking chicken, pork and sausage. We chatted for a bit and received a wealth of local information.
After a walk around the market we ended back at Bruno’s for dinner.
A brief ride in Tink back to Second Start for showers, a run of the watermaker and catching up on the logs.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
March 21, 2009
21 Mar 2009 0140 hrs GMT 2040 hrs local
Lat 15º 49.34' N Long 88º 44.89' W
At anchor Livingston Harbor, Guatemala
Wind 2.6 knots NW
Sea State – 0’ to 1' - Beaufort 1
Air Temp 81.7ºF Barometer 30.05
Clear
This morning at 0900 hrs we set anchor off the municipal pier in Livingston Guatemala. Courtesy and “Q” flag had been set. After a 63 hour passage it was a tired but happy crew that enjoyed the silence of no engines. Especially Eve who is getting better, but still only tolerates the noise and vibration of the main engines. By the end of this passage she was out of her hiding place (soft cat carrier behind the fireplace) and moving about some. Still butt low, but adapting.
An hour later a launch appeared along side asking for permission to come aboard and inspect the vessel. The party included the Port Captain, Lt. Ronnie Morales, Customs agent Raul Veliz and officials from sanitation, immigration and customs. After a very courteous and cordial inspection we were welcomed to Guatemala. They offered us ride to the wharf in their launch which I declined. We were tired and wanted to rest and clean up before going ashore.
Just before noon we called a water taxi over from the pier and rode into Livingston. A short walk to Raul Veliz’s office where he awaited us with all our documents prepared. A couple of signatures and we were cleared. Raul arranged for a quick ride to the Port Captain’s office where Lt. Morales had the ship’s papers ready for my stamp and signature. Then with passports and papers in hand (or in the back pack) we went to find some lunch. We choose a small cantina near the wharf and in our broken Spanish ordered some shrimp (a huge serving), with salad and the ever present rice and beans and fresh tortillas. A cold beer and we were a happy crew.
After lunch we walked through the market just to have a stroll. Livingston is a typical Central American village of about 1500 souls. I saw a substantial community of Garifuna blacks who live mostly across the border in Belize. They are descended from an African tribe who ever though slaved never lost there identity and still carry many traditions through to this day.
Back aboard we had a rest then a light meal of salad and fresh fruit. We were still feeling the huge servings from lunch. There was some local entertainment as the village was having a cotillion or beauty contest or something in a restaurant on the water. The sounds of the preaching MC could be clearly heard.
After dinner we watched Shrek 2, although we all dozed alittle. Went to sleep with the sounds of Latin music carrying over the water.
Welcome to Central America
Lat 15º 49.34' N Long 88º 44.89' W
At anchor Livingston Harbor, Guatemala
Wind 2.6 knots NW
Sea State – 0’ to 1' - Beaufort 1
Air Temp 81.7ºF Barometer 30.05
Clear
This morning at 0900 hrs we set anchor off the municipal pier in Livingston Guatemala. Courtesy and “Q” flag had been set. After a 63 hour passage it was a tired but happy crew that enjoyed the silence of no engines. Especially Eve who is getting better, but still only tolerates the noise and vibration of the main engines. By the end of this passage she was out of her hiding place (soft cat carrier behind the fireplace) and moving about some. Still butt low, but adapting.
An hour later a launch appeared along side asking for permission to come aboard and inspect the vessel. The party included the Port Captain, Lt. Ronnie Morales, Customs agent Raul Veliz and officials from sanitation, immigration and customs. After a very courteous and cordial inspection we were welcomed to Guatemala. They offered us ride to the wharf in their launch which I declined. We were tired and wanted to rest and clean up before going ashore.
Just before noon we called a water taxi over from the pier and rode into Livingston. A short walk to Raul Veliz’s office where he awaited us with all our documents prepared. A couple of signatures and we were cleared. Raul arranged for a quick ride to the Port Captain’s office where Lt. Morales had the ship’s papers ready for my stamp and signature. Then with passports and papers in hand (or in the back pack) we went to find some lunch. We choose a small cantina near the wharf and in our broken Spanish ordered some shrimp (a huge serving), with salad and the ever present rice and beans and fresh tortillas. A cold beer and we were a happy crew.
After lunch we walked through the market just to have a stroll. Livingston is a typical Central American village of about 1500 souls. I saw a substantial community of Garifuna blacks who live mostly across the border in Belize. They are descended from an African tribe who ever though slaved never lost there identity and still carry many traditions through to this day.
Back aboard we had a rest then a light meal of salad and fresh fruit. We were still feeling the huge servings from lunch. There was some local entertainment as the village was having a cotillion or beauty contest or something in a restaurant on the water. The sounds of the preaching MC could be clearly heard.
After dinner we watched Shrek 2, although we all dozed alittle. Went to sleep with the sounds of Latin music carrying over the water.
Welcome to Central America
March 18-20, 2009
20 Mar 2009 0151 hrs GMT 2051 hrs local
Lying a hull 2 miles to the south of Queens Cays Belize
Wind 2.9 knots E
Sea State – calm to 1' - Beaufort 2
Air Temp 81.3ºF Barometer 29.97
Partly cloudy
The last 51 hrs have been spent underway. The decision was made to leave Isla Mujeres on the afternoon of the 18th based on our need to be in Guatemala and on a very favorable weather report. The afternoon was spent cleaning and organizing for sea. We hoisted anchor just before 1700 hrs and moved to the fuel docks to take on 360 gallons of diesel. Interesting aside, unlike the pink and blue fuel of the USA the diesel in Mexico is clear. Must be because of the taxes. We cast off lines and started for Guatemala just before 1800 hrs local.
We steamed out of Isla Mujeres anchorage by the small western channel and started to make way down the Mexican coast. Each of us commented on how reluctant we were to leave Isla Mujeres. Aeon and I will be back there after Second Star is painted to spend so time just getting to know the area.
Cancun passed at sunset and looks like a cross between Las Vegas and Miami. The beach front high rises go on mile after mile.
Tulum passed in the pre dawn darkness and sunrise brought mile after mile of white sand beaches with the Mexican scrub pressing hard against the dunes. All along the way there were small fishing villages interspersed with larger towns. Harry kept cell phone contact intermittently for most of the day.
The night was smooth and calm; unlike our previous passages this one seemed almost surreal it was so benign. The weather and the sea state continued with us as we slipped further South. Hour after hour the engines hummed and the coast line spooled by like a rolled up back drop. Sometimes our speed exactly match the small following swells and if you didn’t look at the shore you had the sense of standing still.
As darkness fell we were approaching the Northern border of Belize. Second Star was averaging 7.9 knots on less than 2 gallons per hour. All systems are functioning and we are living on the high seas.
With the addition of our fourth crew member I was able to adjust our deck watches from 1 hr on, 1 hr off , 1 hr on standby to 2 hours on 4 hours off. We are much more rested crew. With the calm sea state I was able to bring the auto pilot online, hence the fourth crew member. Watch is now much improved with the freedom to leave the helm and attend to other duties from time to time.
Sunrise on the 20th found us just North of English Cay Belize. The sea was so calm that I decided to stay outside the reef and pass between it and Turneffe Island. I didn’t call for relief as the crew was tired and I was fully awake. Over the next hour or so Harry then aeon showed up on the bridge. We all commented on how calm the sea was. The day was full of turtles, dolphins, miles of reef and numerous small fishing boats plying the inside of the reef.
After lunch Harry and I did some fishing. I left Harry to attend to some matter when Harry hooked up a very nice yellow fin tuna. Mother ocean just provided us with dinner.
We were making such good progress that when I recalculated our arrival time in Guatemala it was to early in the morning. We hove to mid afternoon to do some snorkeling and some more fishing. Aeon snorkeled all around the boat as we drifted along parallel to the reef and Harry tried to catch grouper. After a couple of hours I moved us on towards the Queen Cays where I hoped to be able to penetrate the reef and anchor for dinner. By the time we arrived at the destination the sun had slipped behind some clouds and I lackerd the visibility to make a safe entrance so we steamed 2 miles offshore and hove to.
The yellow fin was lightly seared in sesame oil, topped with a coconut milk and panang curry sauce, served over rice with a coulisse of papaya, onion, banana, tomato, marinated cucumber and avocado. It was our first fish dinner, fresh caught while underway. Very tasty fare.
Harry and aeon went to bed after dinner and I am catching up on the logs. In about 40 minutes I am rousing aeon, starting the mains and getting underway for Livingston, Guatemala. If I have planned correctly we will arrive around 0800 hrs tomorrow, clear customs and head up the Rio Dulce for Abel’s ship yard.
Aeon has the first watch, followed by myself then Harry. That rotation puts me back when we enter the harbor.
Lying a hull 2 miles to the south of Queens Cays Belize
Wind 2.9 knots E
Sea State – calm to 1' - Beaufort 2
Air Temp 81.3ºF Barometer 29.97
Partly cloudy
The last 51 hrs have been spent underway. The decision was made to leave Isla Mujeres on the afternoon of the 18th based on our need to be in Guatemala and on a very favorable weather report. The afternoon was spent cleaning and organizing for sea. We hoisted anchor just before 1700 hrs and moved to the fuel docks to take on 360 gallons of diesel. Interesting aside, unlike the pink and blue fuel of the USA the diesel in Mexico is clear. Must be because of the taxes. We cast off lines and started for Guatemala just before 1800 hrs local.
We steamed out of Isla Mujeres anchorage by the small western channel and started to make way down the Mexican coast. Each of us commented on how reluctant we were to leave Isla Mujeres. Aeon and I will be back there after Second Star is painted to spend so time just getting to know the area.
Cancun passed at sunset and looks like a cross between Las Vegas and Miami. The beach front high rises go on mile after mile.
Tulum passed in the pre dawn darkness and sunrise brought mile after mile of white sand beaches with the Mexican scrub pressing hard against the dunes. All along the way there were small fishing villages interspersed with larger towns. Harry kept cell phone contact intermittently for most of the day.
The night was smooth and calm; unlike our previous passages this one seemed almost surreal it was so benign. The weather and the sea state continued with us as we slipped further South. Hour after hour the engines hummed and the coast line spooled by like a rolled up back drop. Sometimes our speed exactly match the small following swells and if you didn’t look at the shore you had the sense of standing still.
As darkness fell we were approaching the Northern border of Belize. Second Star was averaging 7.9 knots on less than 2 gallons per hour. All systems are functioning and we are living on the high seas.
With the addition of our fourth crew member I was able to adjust our deck watches from 1 hr on, 1 hr off , 1 hr on standby to 2 hours on 4 hours off. We are much more rested crew. With the calm sea state I was able to bring the auto pilot online, hence the fourth crew member. Watch is now much improved with the freedom to leave the helm and attend to other duties from time to time.
Sunrise on the 20th found us just North of English Cay Belize. The sea was so calm that I decided to stay outside the reef and pass between it and Turneffe Island. I didn’t call for relief as the crew was tired and I was fully awake. Over the next hour or so Harry then aeon showed up on the bridge. We all commented on how calm the sea was. The day was full of turtles, dolphins, miles of reef and numerous small fishing boats plying the inside of the reef.
After lunch Harry and I did some fishing. I left Harry to attend to some matter when Harry hooked up a very nice yellow fin tuna. Mother ocean just provided us with dinner.
We were making such good progress that when I recalculated our arrival time in Guatemala it was to early in the morning. We hove to mid afternoon to do some snorkeling and some more fishing. Aeon snorkeled all around the boat as we drifted along parallel to the reef and Harry tried to catch grouper. After a couple of hours I moved us on towards the Queen Cays where I hoped to be able to penetrate the reef and anchor for dinner. By the time we arrived at the destination the sun had slipped behind some clouds and I lackerd the visibility to make a safe entrance so we steamed 2 miles offshore and hove to.
The yellow fin was lightly seared in sesame oil, topped with a coconut milk and panang curry sauce, served over rice with a coulisse of papaya, onion, banana, tomato, marinated cucumber and avocado. It was our first fish dinner, fresh caught while underway. Very tasty fare.
Harry and aeon went to bed after dinner and I am catching up on the logs. In about 40 minutes I am rousing aeon, starting the mains and getting underway for Livingston, Guatemala. If I have planned correctly we will arrive around 0800 hrs tomorrow, clear customs and head up the Rio Dulce for Abel’s ship yard.
Aeon has the first watch, followed by myself then Harry. That rotation puts me back when we enter the harbor.
Monday, March 16, 2009
March 14-15, 2009
14 and 15 Mar 2009 2012 hrs GMT 102 hrs local
Lat 21º 14.78' N Long 86º 44.70' W
At anchor Isla Mujeres Harbor Mexico
Wind 11.0 knots E by ESE
Sea State – less than 1' - Beaufort 1
Air Temp 80.3ºF Barometer 30.10
Clear
We left Cuba at 1205 hrs local on the 14th. The German sailboat Hedwig had left about an hour and 15 minutes ahead of us. We set up our lines and made a most seamanlike departure.
The day was beautiful and sea close in was flat and calm. We all enjoyed the ride from the flying bridge. Even after we had cleared the sea buoy and started to cross the Yucatan Channel it was a very pleasant ride: seas 2 to 3 with a following wind. The Yucatan Channel is a very busy shipping lane so we keep a constant radar vigil on the numerous target which surrounded us. When ever I thought it was prudent I would hail Hedwig on the VHF and give him updates on speed and bearing regarding targets that might pass close to him.
As the afternoon passed into evening the Gulf Stream again pressed her weight upon on course and we found ourselves slogging through 4 to 6 foot rollers on the port stern quarter and a current set that at times during the crossing knocked us down to 2 knots over speed over the ground. The Gulf Stream is one of the oceans mighty rivers.
Towards sunset the port engine began to stumble a little every half hour or so. Nothing critical, a hundred RPM’s or so then come back up and run like clock. It brought back all the feelings I had when I had my airplane and the engine would hick up. The pucker factor was ratcheting up. I don’t mind a problem that I can understand the cause and effect, but this one had no apparent cause.
Harry, aeon and I brainstormed the whole fuel system, reviewed each fuel transfer: nothing. Everything is the same as it has been for the last four years. I had changed the fuel filters in Cuba and the vacuum gauge showed to obstructions. We must have a gremlin aboard.
As evening wore into night and darkness fell, as it can only fall on a moonlit night sea, the stumbling increased in frequency and rpms.
Then the port engine stumbled and failed. Harry and went to engine room while aeon took over the helm. I present the highest praise for my crew. Aeon helmsman ship in those conditions with only one engine was superb high enough and Harry stood sweating and nauseated with me in the engine as we bleed and revived the port engine.
Once we had power again Harry and I tried to solve this mystery. We went back down and rigged a cool air duct to blow directly on the fuel injection pump because the symptoms were very much like vapor lock. That didn’t work. We lost the port engine again. Another bleed and restart. This was turning into a long night. After discussion I decided to use both lift pumps in series to see if increased flow would solve the problem.
Both engines came up and purred like contented cats before a fire. We reorganized the night watch and I went to bed for an hours sleep. Silence and Harry saying “Captain we have lost both engines”. Instant awake and into the engine room while Second Star rolled in the swells. Both fuel filter cans where empty. A check of the day tank sight glass showed plenty of fuel, the valves on the fuel manifolds where in their proper position. No fuel leaks evident in the builges. WHAT THE HELL!
Again another reprime: boost pump the filter cans full, bleed and restart each engine. The only good thing out of this so far is that Harry and I can reprime and restart both engines now in 5 minutes.
I set a 15 minute engine room watch. This reveals that we are draining the fuel filter cans at an extraordinary rate. We start to refill the cans underway every hour and both engines purr on through the wee hours fighting to wrest ground from the Gulf Stream. We are winning but at times it seems like a slug fest. Again I make decisions based on SOG vs. heading. Two hours later we lose both engines again. The filters are draining faster now. Another restart. If this was Olympic event The crew of Second Star would be medalists. By a vigilant regimen of the filters we are able to keep the engines running as the sun rises are we begin thje final approach towards Isla Mujeres.
All of this has gone on while we are tracking upwards of 12 large ships at a time passing around us and Hedwig. We plotted a passing for Hedwig that was within a ¼ mile of a oil tanker and one for Second Star that required a course change to avoid collision.
Second Star is running well with constant attention. Frigate birds are appearing in ever growing numbers as well as dolphins. Mexico lies just over the horizon. Final land is sighted.
We took the northern approach, rounding the headland and out of the grip of the Gulf Stream and her waves. There is a whole fleet of sport fisherman heading out for the day as we steam towards the harbor.
Anchor goes down, we choose to shut off the engines and we have arrived.
The Mexican courtesy and Q flags are set. I order showers and a nap for all.
Hedwig arrives after we are rested and anchors aft of us on our port side. Brief exchange and the Germans disappear for some sleep. I think they had a rough crossing.
After catching up on our logs, we launch the dinghy and go into town for a stroll and dinner. After a very pleasant meal topped off with a gelato cone we return to Second Star. It is a serene evening and the frustrations of the previous night are just a memory as we call it a day and go to bed.
Lat 21º 14.78' N Long 86º 44.70' W
At anchor Isla Mujeres Harbor Mexico
Wind 11.0 knots E by ESE
Sea State – less than 1' - Beaufort 1
Air Temp 80.3ºF Barometer 30.10
Clear
We left Cuba at 1205 hrs local on the 14th. The German sailboat Hedwig had left about an hour and 15 minutes ahead of us. We set up our lines and made a most seamanlike departure.
The day was beautiful and sea close in was flat and calm. We all enjoyed the ride from the flying bridge. Even after we had cleared the sea buoy and started to cross the Yucatan Channel it was a very pleasant ride: seas 2 to 3 with a following wind. The Yucatan Channel is a very busy shipping lane so we keep a constant radar vigil on the numerous target which surrounded us. When ever I thought it was prudent I would hail Hedwig on the VHF and give him updates on speed and bearing regarding targets that might pass close to him.
As the afternoon passed into evening the Gulf Stream again pressed her weight upon on course and we found ourselves slogging through 4 to 6 foot rollers on the port stern quarter and a current set that at times during the crossing knocked us down to 2 knots over speed over the ground. The Gulf Stream is one of the oceans mighty rivers.
Towards sunset the port engine began to stumble a little every half hour or so. Nothing critical, a hundred RPM’s or so then come back up and run like clock. It brought back all the feelings I had when I had my airplane and the engine would hick up. The pucker factor was ratcheting up. I don’t mind a problem that I can understand the cause and effect, but this one had no apparent cause.
Harry, aeon and I brainstormed the whole fuel system, reviewed each fuel transfer: nothing. Everything is the same as it has been for the last four years. I had changed the fuel filters in Cuba and the vacuum gauge showed to obstructions. We must have a gremlin aboard.
As evening wore into night and darkness fell, as it can only fall on a moonlit night sea, the stumbling increased in frequency and rpms.
Then the port engine stumbled and failed. Harry and went to engine room while aeon took over the helm. I present the highest praise for my crew. Aeon helmsman ship in those conditions with only one engine was superb high enough and Harry stood sweating and nauseated with me in the engine as we bleed and revived the port engine.
Once we had power again Harry and I tried to solve this mystery. We went back down and rigged a cool air duct to blow directly on the fuel injection pump because the symptoms were very much like vapor lock. That didn’t work. We lost the port engine again. Another bleed and restart. This was turning into a long night. After discussion I decided to use both lift pumps in series to see if increased flow would solve the problem.
Both engines came up and purred like contented cats before a fire. We reorganized the night watch and I went to bed for an hours sleep. Silence and Harry saying “Captain we have lost both engines”. Instant awake and into the engine room while Second Star rolled in the swells. Both fuel filter cans where empty. A check of the day tank sight glass showed plenty of fuel, the valves on the fuel manifolds where in their proper position. No fuel leaks evident in the builges. WHAT THE HELL!
Again another reprime: boost pump the filter cans full, bleed and restart each engine. The only good thing out of this so far is that Harry and I can reprime and restart both engines now in 5 minutes.
I set a 15 minute engine room watch. This reveals that we are draining the fuel filter cans at an extraordinary rate. We start to refill the cans underway every hour and both engines purr on through the wee hours fighting to wrest ground from the Gulf Stream. We are winning but at times it seems like a slug fest. Again I make decisions based on SOG vs. heading. Two hours later we lose both engines again. The filters are draining faster now. Another restart. If this was Olympic event The crew of Second Star would be medalists. By a vigilant regimen of the filters we are able to keep the engines running as the sun rises are we begin thje final approach towards Isla Mujeres.
All of this has gone on while we are tracking upwards of 12 large ships at a time passing around us and Hedwig. We plotted a passing for Hedwig that was within a ¼ mile of a oil tanker and one for Second Star that required a course change to avoid collision.
Second Star is running well with constant attention. Frigate birds are appearing in ever growing numbers as well as dolphins. Mexico lies just over the horizon. Final land is sighted.
We took the northern approach, rounding the headland and out of the grip of the Gulf Stream and her waves. There is a whole fleet of sport fisherman heading out for the day as we steam towards the harbor.
Anchor goes down, we choose to shut off the engines and we have arrived.
The Mexican courtesy and Q flags are set. I order showers and a nap for all.
Hedwig arrives after we are rested and anchors aft of us on our port side. Brief exchange and the Germans disappear for some sleep. I think they had a rough crossing.
After catching up on our logs, we launch the dinghy and go into town for a stroll and dinner. After a very pleasant meal topped off with a gelato cone we return to Second Star. It is a serene evening and the frustrations of the previous night are just a memory as we call it a day and go to bed.
March 13, 2009
13 Mar 2009 1710 hrs GMT 1410 hrs local
Lat 21º 51.32' N Long 84º 48.87' W
Docked Cabo San Antonio, Cuba
Wind 15.6 knots E
Sea State – 1' to 2' - Beaufort 5
Air Temp 77.8ºF Barometer 30.86
Clear
I made the decision to land at Cabo San Antonio to see ifwe could ascertain the issues with the fuel transfer, before we crossed the Yucatan Channel.
Cuba, at last. We arrived at Cabo San Antonio light just before 0300hrs local time after a very beautiful cruise close to the Cuban coast. In less than 20 meters of water the Gulf Stream lost its grip on us and we sailed along at 7.7 knots with a following sea. The moon was settling into the western horizon and the illumination was serene.
The final approach was a little stressful as all the markers were missing from the sea buoy to the harbor entrance. We very cautiously felt our way along the charted channel hoping that the last few hurricanes that hit Cuba and wiped out the marks hadn’t also barred the channel. All was well when we were hailed by the Guardia de Frontera on the VHF welcoming us to Cuba. As we approached the dock there were two Cubanos there to direct us in and handle our lines. Engine shutdown at 0440hrs local and we all fell into bed for a few hours of well deserved rest.
The Immigration and Customs came aboard at 0900 hrs and we went through a lengthy but cordial inspection. We were now free to come ashore.
We had a breakfast at the restaurant, cooked by the woman/Immigration Officer. This end of Cuba is very low and mostly unpopulated. We saw maybe 15 people, all young men and the one woman .
Harry and I worked on trying to solve the mystery of the fuel transfer to no avail. All seems well. I am puzzled.
Two sailboats arrived during the morning, one from England the other Dutch with 3 children aboard.
We spent the day in a sleep deprived fog getting Second Star ready to wrestle with the Gulf Stream again as we planned to cross the Yucatan Channel on the following day. A 30’ sailboat with two german men aboard asked if they could cross with us. I made certain that they understood that I would be happy to stay in contact as best we could, them radar updates on shipping traffic, etc; but that I would not be responsible for their crossing. They gratefully accepted my terms.
We asked about going to Havana by car or bus but it was a long ride and we all wanted to rest as much as possible. So we spent the day puttering aboard, chatting with Cubans and thee other boaters and resting. Dinner was the fresh grouper Harry had caught in the Dry Tortugas over rice and a nice bottle of chardonnay. It was excellent. Eve gave it her enthusiastic approval but begging for more.
Lat 21º 51.32' N Long 84º 48.87' W
Docked Cabo San Antonio, Cuba
Wind 15.6 knots E
Sea State – 1' to 2' - Beaufort 5
Air Temp 77.8ºF Barometer 30.86
Clear
I made the decision to land at Cabo San Antonio to see ifwe could ascertain the issues with the fuel transfer, before we crossed the Yucatan Channel.
Cuba, at last. We arrived at Cabo San Antonio light just before 0300hrs local time after a very beautiful cruise close to the Cuban coast. In less than 20 meters of water the Gulf Stream lost its grip on us and we sailed along at 7.7 knots with a following sea. The moon was settling into the western horizon and the illumination was serene.
The final approach was a little stressful as all the markers were missing from the sea buoy to the harbor entrance. We very cautiously felt our way along the charted channel hoping that the last few hurricanes that hit Cuba and wiped out the marks hadn’t also barred the channel. All was well when we were hailed by the Guardia de Frontera on the VHF welcoming us to Cuba. As we approached the dock there were two Cubanos there to direct us in and handle our lines. Engine shutdown at 0440hrs local and we all fell into bed for a few hours of well deserved rest.
The Immigration and Customs came aboard at 0900 hrs and we went through a lengthy but cordial inspection. We were now free to come ashore.
We had a breakfast at the restaurant, cooked by the woman/Immigration Officer. This end of Cuba is very low and mostly unpopulated. We saw maybe 15 people, all young men and the one woman .
Harry and I worked on trying to solve the mystery of the fuel transfer to no avail. All seems well. I am puzzled.
Two sailboats arrived during the morning, one from England the other Dutch with 3 children aboard.
We spent the day in a sleep deprived fog getting Second Star ready to wrestle with the Gulf Stream again as we planned to cross the Yucatan Channel on the following day. A 30’ sailboat with two german men aboard asked if they could cross with us. I made certain that they understood that I would be happy to stay in contact as best we could, them radar updates on shipping traffic, etc; but that I would not be responsible for their crossing. They gratefully accepted my terms.
We asked about going to Havana by car or bus but it was a long ride and we all wanted to rest as much as possible. So we spent the day puttering aboard, chatting with Cubans and thee other boaters and resting. Dinner was the fresh grouper Harry had caught in the Dry Tortugas over rice and a nice bottle of chardonnay. It was excellent. Eve gave it her enthusiastic approval but begging for more.
March 12, 2009
12 Mar 2009 1730 hrs GMT 1330 hrs local
Lat 22º 36.732' N Long 84°14.614' W
Underway, making way off the N coast of Cuba
Wind 17.7 knots E
Sea State – 4’ to 6' - Beaufort 6
Air Temp 77.6ºF Barometer 30.29
Scattered clouds
What a longgggg crossing of the Straits. After midnight the seas continued to build to a solid six feet with and occasional 8 to 10 footer thrown in to test our resolve. At no time was Second Star endangered, but her crew was tense and uncomfortable. We couldn’t alter course enough to take the seas fully astern because the strength of the Gulf Stream would knock out speed over the ground (SOG) down to a crawl so we suffered with a aft quartering sea on our port. It was the best compromise between comfort and headway, which as in most compromises it delivers neither very well.
Eve hunkered down under my pillow on our bed and suffered the most of all. I hope she gets used to cruising as much as she has gotten used to loi9ving on board. She seems to really enjoy being at anchor, what with all the new smells and wildlife to keep her attention. And of course the fresh fish scraps and long cat naps in the sun on the aft deck.
The Gulf Stream was affecting our SOG substantially as well as the toll on our progress from the waves. What should have been a 16 hoiur crossing was going to be much longer. At 0330 hrs I decided do a fuel transfer from the forward main tank to the day tank. Harry and I initiated the procedure and immediately lost the prime in the main fuel filters and both engines went down leaving us not under command and wallowing. All hands were called. Aeon went to the helm while15 minutes of hot nausea inducing work by Harry and I brought the starboard main up which gave us steerage. The port followed 15 minutes later. Followed by my dinner. A modification to the procedure and we successfully transferred fuel and went back on ouu three hour watch rotation.
The rest of the night was spent under a full moon watching the vessel traffic on the radar and waiting to sight the coast of Cuba. Finally mid morning the mountains of Cuba could be discerned through the haze.
All day sailed against the Gulf Stream but now we had a following sea which improved the ride dramatically. We were running well albeit slowly against the Stream and proceeded up the coast of Cuba and around the San Justias light. Finally into much calmer waters and with the diminishing effects of the Gulf Stream our SOG came up nicely. this is more like the cruise we were expecting. I ordered extra naps for the crew along with hot showers which refreshed everyone. Dinner was lasagna with a salad and bread. As we entered our second night it was back on our three hour watch schedule making way for Cabo San Antonio.
Lat 22º 36.732' N Long 84°14.614' W
Underway, making way off the N coast of Cuba
Wind 17.7 knots E
Sea State – 4’ to 6' - Beaufort 6
Air Temp 77.6ºF Barometer 30.29
Scattered clouds
What a longgggg crossing of the Straits. After midnight the seas continued to build to a solid six feet with and occasional 8 to 10 footer thrown in to test our resolve. At no time was Second Star endangered, but her crew was tense and uncomfortable. We couldn’t alter course enough to take the seas fully astern because the strength of the Gulf Stream would knock out speed over the ground (SOG) down to a crawl so we suffered with a aft quartering sea on our port. It was the best compromise between comfort and headway, which as in most compromises it delivers neither very well.
Eve hunkered down under my pillow on our bed and suffered the most of all. I hope she gets used to cruising as much as she has gotten used to loi9ving on board. She seems to really enjoy being at anchor, what with all the new smells and wildlife to keep her attention. And of course the fresh fish scraps and long cat naps in the sun on the aft deck.
The Gulf Stream was affecting our SOG substantially as well as the toll on our progress from the waves. What should have been a 16 hoiur crossing was going to be much longer. At 0330 hrs I decided do a fuel transfer from the forward main tank to the day tank. Harry and I initiated the procedure and immediately lost the prime in the main fuel filters and both engines went down leaving us not under command and wallowing. All hands were called. Aeon went to the helm while15 minutes of hot nausea inducing work by Harry and I brought the starboard main up which gave us steerage. The port followed 15 minutes later. Followed by my dinner. A modification to the procedure and we successfully transferred fuel and went back on ouu three hour watch rotation.
The rest of the night was spent under a full moon watching the vessel traffic on the radar and waiting to sight the coast of Cuba. Finally mid morning the mountains of Cuba could be discerned through the haze.
All day sailed against the Gulf Stream but now we had a following sea which improved the ride dramatically. We were running well albeit slowly against the Stream and proceeded up the coast of Cuba and around the San Justias light. Finally into much calmer waters and with the diminishing effects of the Gulf Stream our SOG came up nicely. this is more like the cruise we were expecting. I ordered extra naps for the crew along with hot showers which refreshed everyone. Dinner was lasagna with a salad and bread. As we entered our second night it was back on our three hour watch schedule making way for Cabo San Antonio.
March 11, 2009
12 Mar 2009 1730 hrs GMT 1330 hrs local
Lat 21º 53.16' N Long 84°48.47' W
Docked at Cabo San Antonio Cuba
Wind 17.7 knots E
Sea State – 1' to 2' - Beaufort 6
Air Temp 77.6ºF Barometer 30.29
Scattered clouds
What a longgggg crossing of the Straits. After midnight the seas continued to build to a solid six feet with and occasional 8 to 10 footer thrown in to test our resolve. At no time was Second Star endangered, but her crew was tense and uncomfortable. We couldn’t alter course enough to take the seas fully astern because the strength of the Gulf Stream would knock out speed over the ground (SOG) down to a crawl so we suffered with a aft quartering sea on our port. It was the best compromise between comfort and headway, which as in most compromises it delivers neither very well.
Eve hunkered down under my pillow on our bed and suffered the most of all. I hope she gets used to cruising as much as she has gotten used to living on board. She seems to really enjoy being at anchor, what with all the new smells and wildlife to keep her attention. And of course the fresh fish scraps and long cat naps in the sun on the aft deck.
The Gulf Stream was affecting our SOG substantially as well as the toll on our progress from the waves. What should have been a 16 hour crossing was going to be much longer. At 0330 hrs I decided do a fuel transfer from the forward main tank to the day tank. Harry and I initiated the procedure and immediately lost the prime in the main fuel filters and both engines went down leaving us not under command and wallowing. All hands were called. Aeon went to the helm while15 minutes of hot nausea inducing work by Harry and I brought the starboard main up which gave us steerage. The port followed 15 minutes later. Followed by my dinner. A modification to the procedure and we successfully transferred fuel and went back on ouu three hour watch rotation.
The rest of the night was spent under a full moon watching the vessel traffic on the radar and waiting to sight the coast of Cuba. Finally mid morning the mountains of Cuba could be discerned through the haze.
All day sailed against the Gulf Stream but now we had a following sea which improved the ride dramatically. We were running well albeit slowly against the Stream and proceeded up the coast of Cuba and around the San Justias light. Finally into much calmer waters and with the diminishing effects of the Gulf Stream our SOG came up nicely. this is more like the cruise we were expecting. I ordered extra naps for the crew along with hot showers which refreshed everyone. Dinner was lasagna with a salad and bread. As we entered our second night it was back on our three hour watch schedule making way for Cabo San Antonio.
Lat 21º 53.16' N Long 84°48.47' W
Docked at Cabo San Antonio Cuba
Wind 17.7 knots E
Sea State – 1' to 2' - Beaufort 6
Air Temp 77.6ºF Barometer 30.29
Scattered clouds
What a longgggg crossing of the Straits. After midnight the seas continued to build to a solid six feet with and occasional 8 to 10 footer thrown in to test our resolve. At no time was Second Star endangered, but her crew was tense and uncomfortable. We couldn’t alter course enough to take the seas fully astern because the strength of the Gulf Stream would knock out speed over the ground (SOG) down to a crawl so we suffered with a aft quartering sea on our port. It was the best compromise between comfort and headway, which as in most compromises it delivers neither very well.
Eve hunkered down under my pillow on our bed and suffered the most of all. I hope she gets used to cruising as much as she has gotten used to living on board. She seems to really enjoy being at anchor, what with all the new smells and wildlife to keep her attention. And of course the fresh fish scraps and long cat naps in the sun on the aft deck.
The Gulf Stream was affecting our SOG substantially as well as the toll on our progress from the waves. What should have been a 16 hour crossing was going to be much longer. At 0330 hrs I decided do a fuel transfer from the forward main tank to the day tank. Harry and I initiated the procedure and immediately lost the prime in the main fuel filters and both engines went down leaving us not under command and wallowing. All hands were called. Aeon went to the helm while15 minutes of hot nausea inducing work by Harry and I brought the starboard main up which gave us steerage. The port followed 15 minutes later. Followed by my dinner. A modification to the procedure and we successfully transferred fuel and went back on ouu three hour watch rotation.
The rest of the night was spent under a full moon watching the vessel traffic on the radar and waiting to sight the coast of Cuba. Finally mid morning the mountains of Cuba could be discerned through the haze.
All day sailed against the Gulf Stream but now we had a following sea which improved the ride dramatically. We were running well albeit slowly against the Stream and proceeded up the coast of Cuba and around the San Justias light. Finally into much calmer waters and with the diminishing effects of the Gulf Stream our SOG came up nicely. this is more like the cruise we were expecting. I ordered extra naps for the crew along with hot showers which refreshed everyone. Dinner was lasagna with a salad and bread. As we entered our second night it was back on our three hour watch schedule making way for Cabo San Antonio.
March 10, 2009
10 Mar 2009 1530 hrs GMT (almost sunset) 1130 hrs local
Lat 24º 37.53' N Long 82°52.214' W
At anchor Key West Florida Man O War Harbor
Wind 12.9 knots NE by E
Sea State – 1' to 2' - Beaufort 5
Air Temp 71.8ºF Barometer 30.22
Clear with a few scattered clouds
Up early to have a look at Ft. Jefferson before the tourist ferries arrive. Sent Ralph off to fish, Barbara stayed aboard to read and relax and the Second Star crew took Tink and headed to the Fort. As we came ashore an officer from the Florida Fish and Wildlife approached us with lots of questions about who we were and where we came from and who was aboard. aeon referred to it as an encountered with the “no-fun Police”.. I must say I agree; to have to deal with a fully armed and armored wildlife law enforcement officer who was acting more like homeland security was certainly unpleasant. That aside the Fort was an interesting place. With history as a Fort and a prison. We went back to Second Star when the tourist ferries arrived and unloaded a couple of hundred people.
We called Ralph on the VHF and he returned to pick up Harry so they could go fishing while aeon and I prepared Second Star for a early afternoon departure to cross the Straights of Florida bound for Cabo San Antonio Cuba.
1430 hrs local we called Ralph and Harry back from fishing. Harry brought back a nice Red Grouper in the 8 to 10 pound range. A quick fillet on the aft deck and we had two meals of fresh fish waiting for us in the reefer. While Harry was filleting his catch he saw what he thought was a Nurse Shark lurking under Second Star’s transom. As we watched it it proved to be a Goliath Grouper of about 150 to 200 pounds. We decided he was a resident who cruised the anchorage waiting for fish scraps. Harry feed him the grouper carcass which he inhaled whole.
We loaded Ralph and Barbara and all our trash aboard Ralph’s boat and waved goodbye as they began their run back to Key West. We certainly enjoyed their company and hospitality. They have been very helpful in our preparations in Key West. See you guys in Central America.
We hoisted anchor and while aeon steered us out to the Southwest channel, Harry and I secured the foredeck for sea. 1530 hrs local saw us headed for Cuba.
The first watch was a very pleasant sail over sparkling blue water and 2’ to 4’ seas. Dinner was baked Mac and Cheese consumed underway as the sun went down and seas started to come up. It looked like we might be in for an interesting night. A full moon came up early and lit the Straights beautifully as we settled into our sea watch routine: one hour in bed, one hour snoozing with the helmsman and one hour on the helm.
Lat 24º 37.53' N Long 82°52.214' W
At anchor Key West Florida Man O War Harbor
Wind 12.9 knots NE by E
Sea State – 1' to 2' - Beaufort 5
Air Temp 71.8ºF Barometer 30.22
Clear with a few scattered clouds
Up early to have a look at Ft. Jefferson before the tourist ferries arrive. Sent Ralph off to fish, Barbara stayed aboard to read and relax and the Second Star crew took Tink and headed to the Fort. As we came ashore an officer from the Florida Fish and Wildlife approached us with lots of questions about who we were and where we came from and who was aboard. aeon referred to it as an encountered with the “no-fun Police”.. I must say I agree; to have to deal with a fully armed and armored wildlife law enforcement officer who was acting more like homeland security was certainly unpleasant. That aside the Fort was an interesting place. With history as a Fort and a prison. We went back to Second Star when the tourist ferries arrived and unloaded a couple of hundred people.
We called Ralph on the VHF and he returned to pick up Harry so they could go fishing while aeon and I prepared Second Star for a early afternoon departure to cross the Straights of Florida bound for Cabo San Antonio Cuba.
1430 hrs local we called Ralph and Harry back from fishing. Harry brought back a nice Red Grouper in the 8 to 10 pound range. A quick fillet on the aft deck and we had two meals of fresh fish waiting for us in the reefer. While Harry was filleting his catch he saw what he thought was a Nurse Shark lurking under Second Star’s transom. As we watched it it proved to be a Goliath Grouper of about 150 to 200 pounds. We decided he was a resident who cruised the anchorage waiting for fish scraps. Harry feed him the grouper carcass which he inhaled whole.
We loaded Ralph and Barbara and all our trash aboard Ralph’s boat and waved goodbye as they began their run back to Key West. We certainly enjoyed their company and hospitality. They have been very helpful in our preparations in Key West. See you guys in Central America.
We hoisted anchor and while aeon steered us out to the Southwest channel, Harry and I secured the foredeck for sea. 1530 hrs local saw us headed for Cuba.
The first watch was a very pleasant sail over sparkling blue water and 2’ to 4’ seas. Dinner was baked Mac and Cheese consumed underway as the sun went down and seas started to come up. It looked like we might be in for an interesting night. A full moon came up early and lit the Straights beautifully as we settled into our sea watch routine: one hour in bed, one hour snoozing with the helmsman and one hour on the helm.
March 9, 2009
09 Mar 2009 0335 hrs GMT 2335 hrs local
Lat 24º 37.53' N Long 82º 52.214' W
At anchor Dry Tortugas, FL SSE Ft Jefferson
Wind 11.1 knots E by ESE
Sea State – 1' - Beaufort 5
Air Temp 73.11F Barometer 30.22
Clear
Up at 0530 hrs on our final day linked to the US mainland. Begin final prep for departure, check courses, short haul the anchor chain for a quick release, verify all systems. Main engines star at 0730 hrs. All systems online by 0745 hrs. Looks like a go.
Ralph and Barbara arrived in their boat shortly after sunrise. After transferring them and there gear aboard we secured Ralph’s Cobia behind Second Star and broke the anchor free at 0810 hrs. With the main engines engaged we were now officially “underway, making way”. Almost nine of work was coming to fruition.
While Harry and Ralph secured the anchor I maneuvered Second star out of the anchorage and into the main ship’s channel south past the end of Key West. When aeon joined me on the bridge I handed the helm over to her with course and heading instructions. An emotional moment that would reoccur several more times during the day.
At the northern sea buoy we took up a course or 271º, due W that would take us just N of the Marquesas the a turn slightly S to the Dry Tortugas. The day was beautiful with a following sea and fair winds we rolled along at 7 knots. Along the way were escorted by various pods and solitary dolphins, loggerhead sea turtles lolled on the surface heads raised to watch us pass, even a very large spotted eagle leapt from the surface of the sea at our passing.
As we moved along W I made calls to family to say goodbye, before we reached the limits of cell phone range. A very emotional time for me. It made me reflect on earlier times communication across distance was not so convenient or instantaneous. I tried to imagine what it must have been like when a letter took six months to get from NY to San Francisco. Made being out of touch for 5 or 6 days seem okay.
The Dry Tortugas showed up on radar just after 1700hrs and came into visual range shortly thereafter. The approach to the anchorage is a tortuous one for first timers. It actually winds around 360°. Once inside we worked our way to an clear spot and set the hook. We have arrived with main engine shutdown just after 1930 hrs local.
A beautiful evening with sunset and moonrise. Aeon and Barb made fresh gulf shrimp enchiladas. All in all a very fulfilling and wonderful day that official begins the journey.
Appendum: 10 March 0730 hrs local
The wind picked up over night and anchorage got a little roily. So about 0200 hrs I got up and set the radar watch. About 40 minutes later I got up again because I heard someone on deck. It was Ralph. He was on the aft deck . As joined him he said “my boat is gone” and he was right. It must of just come lose because it was about 50 yards aft and drifting through the anchorage towards the fort. I roused the crew to an emergency launch of the tender. With real efficiency everyone fell to the task and within 15 minutes the tender in the water and Ralph and I were on the way to retrieve the Cobia. I am sure Ralph’s heart was in his throat as we moved towards his anchor light in the dark. We found the Cobia, sitting bow upon the beach waiting for us. We attached a line to the stern and Ralph jump aboard. With a couple a tugs she was free and on her way back to Second Star. A very interesting interruption to sleep.
Lat 24º 37.53' N Long 82º 52.214' W
At anchor Dry Tortugas, FL SSE Ft Jefferson
Wind 11.1 knots E by ESE
Sea State – 1' - Beaufort 5
Air Temp 73.11F Barometer 30.22
Clear
Up at 0530 hrs on our final day linked to the US mainland. Begin final prep for departure, check courses, short haul the anchor chain for a quick release, verify all systems. Main engines star at 0730 hrs. All systems online by 0745 hrs. Looks like a go.
Ralph and Barbara arrived in their boat shortly after sunrise. After transferring them and there gear aboard we secured Ralph’s Cobia behind Second Star and broke the anchor free at 0810 hrs. With the main engines engaged we were now officially “underway, making way”. Almost nine of work was coming to fruition.
While Harry and Ralph secured the anchor I maneuvered Second star out of the anchorage and into the main ship’s channel south past the end of Key West. When aeon joined me on the bridge I handed the helm over to her with course and heading instructions. An emotional moment that would reoccur several more times during the day.
At the northern sea buoy we took up a course or 271º, due W that would take us just N of the Marquesas the a turn slightly S to the Dry Tortugas. The day was beautiful with a following sea and fair winds we rolled along at 7 knots. Along the way were escorted by various pods and solitary dolphins, loggerhead sea turtles lolled on the surface heads raised to watch us pass, even a very large spotted eagle leapt from the surface of the sea at our passing.
As we moved along W I made calls to family to say goodbye, before we reached the limits of cell phone range. A very emotional time for me. It made me reflect on earlier times communication across distance was not so convenient or instantaneous. I tried to imagine what it must have been like when a letter took six months to get from NY to San Francisco. Made being out of touch for 5 or 6 days seem okay.
The Dry Tortugas showed up on radar just after 1700hrs and came into visual range shortly thereafter. The approach to the anchorage is a tortuous one for first timers. It actually winds around 360°. Once inside we worked our way to an clear spot and set the hook. We have arrived with main engine shutdown just after 1930 hrs local.
A beautiful evening with sunset and moonrise. Aeon and Barb made fresh gulf shrimp enchiladas. All in all a very fulfilling and wonderful day that official begins the journey.
Appendum: 10 March 0730 hrs local
The wind picked up over night and anchorage got a little roily. So about 0200 hrs I got up and set the radar watch. About 40 minutes later I got up again because I heard someone on deck. It was Ralph. He was on the aft deck . As joined him he said “my boat is gone” and he was right. It must of just come lose because it was about 50 yards aft and drifting through the anchorage towards the fort. I roused the crew to an emergency launch of the tender. With real efficiency everyone fell to the task and within 15 minutes the tender in the water and Ralph and I were on the way to retrieve the Cobia. I am sure Ralph’s heart was in his throat as we moved towards his anchor light in the dark. We found the Cobia, sitting bow upon the beach waiting for us. We attached a line to the stern and Ralph jump aboard. With a couple a tugs she was free and on her way back to Second Star. A very interesting interruption to sleep.
March 8, 2009
08 Mar 2009 0302 hrs GMT 2302 hrs local
Lat 24º 34.95' N Long 81º 48.21' W
At anchor Key West Florida Man O War Harbor
Wind 11.0 knots E
Sea State – 1' - Beaufort 4 moderate
Air Temp 76.9ºF Barometer 30.17
Mostly clear with a few clouds
Today aeon and Harry will return on the ferry. The weather window is shaping up well for a Tuesday AM departure. The to do list for sea prep is getting smaller.
This morning I straightened up the overall boat, organized our charts, did some course plotting and then went to Key West. Laundry, internet, drop off the annual USCG Documentation report then meet aeon and Harry for lunch when they got off the ferry was the agenda.
After lunch we came back to Second Star where they unpacked. While aeon and Harry had naps I organized and put away the parts and equipment that Harry brought back from Ft. Myers. It is a little unnerving to think about cutting my supply lines. I hope I have thought of everything or at least all the really important items.
I woke the crew up at 1615 hrs local because we had an invite from our friends in Key West to go to 5:00 Sunday Jazz at the Garden Hotel, then go out for dinner. Lots of people came by the Jazz to wish us Bon Voyage. We had a nice Italian dinner following and got back to Second Star just after 2200 hrs local. A hot shower for all and aeon and Harry went to bed. I am up finishing this log and waiting for the batteries to charge.
As I look out the aft salon windows I see billowing smoke rising from central Key West and drifting to the West over the main shipping channel. Stepping onto the aft deck I can hear sirens and air horns. The smoke looks very ethereal light from below by the lights of Key West and from above by the nearly full moon. I assume I will find out in the morning just what burned.
Lat 24º 34.95' N Long 81º 48.21' W
At anchor Key West Florida Man O War Harbor
Wind 11.0 knots E
Sea State – 1' - Beaufort 4 moderate
Air Temp 76.9ºF Barometer 30.17
Mostly clear with a few clouds
Today aeon and Harry will return on the ferry. The weather window is shaping up well for a Tuesday AM departure. The to do list for sea prep is getting smaller.
This morning I straightened up the overall boat, organized our charts, did some course plotting and then went to Key West. Laundry, internet, drop off the annual USCG Documentation report then meet aeon and Harry for lunch when they got off the ferry was the agenda.
After lunch we came back to Second Star where they unpacked. While aeon and Harry had naps I organized and put away the parts and equipment that Harry brought back from Ft. Myers. It is a little unnerving to think about cutting my supply lines. I hope I have thought of everything or at least all the really important items.
I woke the crew up at 1615 hrs local because we had an invite from our friends in Key West to go to 5:00 Sunday Jazz at the Garden Hotel, then go out for dinner. Lots of people came by the Jazz to wish us Bon Voyage. We had a nice Italian dinner following and got back to Second Star just after 2200 hrs local. A hot shower for all and aeon and Harry went to bed. I am up finishing this log and waiting for the batteries to charge.
As I look out the aft salon windows I see billowing smoke rising from central Key West and drifting to the West over the main shipping channel. Stepping onto the aft deck I can hear sirens and air horns. The smoke looks very ethereal light from below by the lights of Key West and from above by the nearly full moon. I assume I will find out in the morning just what burned.
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