06 October 2023 | En Route Madeira Day Two
04 October 2023 | En Route Madeira Day One
14 September 2023 | Queensway Quay Marina, Gibraltar
11 September 2023 | Queensway Quay Marina, Gibraltar
08 September 2023 | Queensway Quay Marina, Gibraltar
05 September 2023 | Queensway Quay Marina, Gibraltar
03 September 2023 | Queensway Quay Marina
31 August 2023 | Abeam Playa del Saladillo
30 August 2023 | Abeam Almerimar
29 August 2023 | Abeam Aguilas
23 August 2023 | Southwest of Formentera
23 August 2023 | East of Minorca
22 August 2023 | West of Sardinia
21 August 2023 | South of Sardinia
19 August 2023 | Northeast of Pantelleria
18 August 2023 | East of Malta
15 August 2023 | Valletta, Malta
14 August 2023 | Valletta, Malta
12 August 2023 | Valletta, Malta
11 August 2023 | Valletta, Malta
Breaking Out
05 February 2025 | En Route Providencia, Colombia
Tuesday 4 February 2025
Wandered around town yesterday buying fruits and veggies with new
friends Greg and Dieu. They're just starting out with a beautiful
Kelly Peterson 46. May go with us to Panama. We otherwise did as
planned, i.e. that favorite deadly sin that isn't gluttony or lust.
Did not even think about blog.
Mama P provided breakfast and we said our goodbyes with promise to text
her when we got to Panama. Now 0945 waiting for lift driver who was to
be here at 0900.
Finally splashed about 1100. No leaks; engine started and ran; rudder
made boat go left, right and round & round; autopilot did all proper
autopilot things; crew relieved. On dock, ready to leave.
Went to The Zaca bar (named for Errol Flynn's schooner) to celebrate
with assorted adult refreshment and wraps. Bulgarian friend, who
speaks almost no English, Greg & Dieu and we enjoyed long overdue
mellowing for a couple of hours. Back in our own bed after almost two
weeks. Ahhhhhhh!
Wednesday
Customs and immigration did not show up as scheduled yesterday
afternoon, so have to wait until today. Wanted to leave early to
ensure Providencia, Colombia, before dark Saturday. Still should be
able with good wind all the way and anyway appears easy arrival after
sunset into well protected harbor.
Very frisky departure at 1100 into anticipated two+ meter sea and
twenty+ knot wind. Sucks to be beat up starting out, but conditions
same for next two weeks. Finally came around enough to sail although
conditions still pretty uncomfortable. Past end of Jamaica turned to
downwind wing and wing. Ride somewhat better with two meter wave
induced roll. Probably be like this for three more days. Could be
worse.
Jack & Jan
Steering Away
03 February 2025 | Port Antonio, Jamaica
Thursday 30 January 2025
Rain today. Delay to rudder fiberglassing until tomorrow. No worries, that may be better... assuming you trust weather forecast.
Friday
Today Cory was in Kingston until late. Delay to rudder fiberglassing until tomorrow.
Saturday
Rudder actually delivered. Not pretty, but appears serviceable. Cory and buddy helped install it in shaft aperture, which would not have been possible had it been half a centimeter longer. Boat tilted bum down on stands and yard surface hard, so couldn't dig a trench. Sometimes things just work out. Barely. Yowzer!
As the thing weighs upward of fifty kilos, aligning and pulling it up via rope and winch to connect top and bottom bearings took rest of day, but she's in and set. Most of steering gear reconnected. More yowzer!
Sunday
All preparation to go back in water completed today, but can't splash until Tuesday as lift operator off until then. Above mentioned small delays can be frustrating, but getting temporary rudder fabricated and installed here in ten days is nearly miraculous. Final yowzer!
Would go to Grand Cayman if mates still there when we could arrive - unlikely to happen. They expect departure same time we leave here. May rendezvous in Isla des San Andres, off Nicaragua, owned by Colombia. Plan thereafter is sail to Bocas del Toro, west side Panama. Better angle than to Colon.
Not only is boat ready to go, but laundry is done. Tomorrow is for groceries and lying about slothing for recovery. Sounds like a new reality show and more fun than last week or so.
This rudder thing has gotten horribly boring. Please feel free, if fortunate enough to have missed last ten days of entries, to not go back.
Jack & Jan
Crowing At Progress
28 January 2025 | Port Antonio, Jamaica
Tuesday 28 January 2025
After being "hung down, brung down, hung up, and all kinds of mean nasty ugly things" (if you haven't heard Arlo Gutherie's Alice's Restaurant Massacree, go listen immediately) attitudinal improvement is manifest.
Rudder framing complete. Fine job by Maxie, who welded it together with galvanized steel. Not appropriate to survive twenty three years like original, but cheaper and stronger for four to five day passage. Cory will begin fiberglassing tomorrow. May be ready for departure next week. Confidence runs stratospherically above original expectation. Anti-fouling to cover new appliance would require trip to Kingston, which may be a bridge too far for value obtained. Bottom still well protected, thanks to Shawn in St. Maarten, and temporary rudder, however fouled, will come out for replacement. Still contemplating.
Aussie mates arrived Grand Cayman from Cayo Largo, Cuba, today. They expect departure to reach Shelter Bay, Panama, by mid February, about when we aspire to get there. Hey, it's all possible until it's not.
Wednesday
Happy Lunar New Year.
Mama P will make early breakfast for us this morning. The more discriminating crew get eggs, bacon and toast. The rest have requested gruel - Jan refers to this as porridge. Whatever. Expect to arrive boat early to discuss with Cory how to finish rudder.
Walls in guest house don't require much insulation for temperature and thus have little to block sound. Besides people in hallway talking and slamming doors, caterwauling felines entertain us during the night, dogs bark and cocks crow incessantly, not just in the morning. Apparently roosters are very territorial so probably too many for the available area. Once thought they cocked their doodle-do to attract hens, but no chicken could be that horny. Some of us mostly sleep through, others are more sensitive.
Jack & Jan
Conscientiouslessness
27 January 2025 | Port Antonio, Jamaica
Monday 27 January 2025
Every night delivers hard rain that doesn't stop until mid morning followed by partly sunny rest of day. This initially provides excuse to malinger in guest house before going to work. Regrettably, work can proceed thereafter. Some of crew prefer malingering.
Components integral to boat structure have been cleaned and remounted, ready for rudder installation. Maxie well into welding framework, doing fine job. Expect completion tomorrow or Wednesday. Minor adjustments to be ironed out in the morning... following, of course, a wee bit of procrastination over breakfast. Kitchen available in guest house with boat stores of eggs, bacon, avocado & toast.
Trying to locate proper oil filter in Port Antonio proves a wee bit more difficult than expected - no universal brands to cross reference. Found one that is right specification, but may not have correct threads. Will check in the morning. Ought to be a standard as single thread size could adapt to virtually every application. Are we being screwed?
As a lazy sod, have had difficulty remembering maintenance items that require attention when unavoidable work has been completed. Periodically think of something, but seldom write this down and subsequently forget (memory of a three year old). This self-serving attention deficit wonderfully reduces stress until such time as associated fecal matter strikes air movement device. Resulting crisis never seems to be instructive.
Jack & Jan
Mama Mia!
26 January 2025 | Port Antonio, Jamaica
Saturday 25 January 2025
Finally got blankety-blank (may use more expressive words appropriate to situation as desired) rudder out. Very different setup than shown by instructions sent from Queen Long Yard. Somewhat unobvious procedure using pipe wrench on minimal flange necessary to unscrew upper bearing from main post. Even with two thirds missing the rascal is mighty heavy. As it came out, notwithstanding safety rope, just missed squashing Presley, the lovely fellow who is helping. Spent some of afternoon cleaning scum, barnacles and calcified crust off for pickup by welder. Used time after that to decompress with two Guinness and peas & rice at marina watering hole. Fiberglasser ready to start once frame done. Anticipate completion in two weeks. Hey, quit laughing jaded non-believers. It's possible!
Above mentioned Elvis namesake has cleaned topsides, now in process of sanding bottom for anti-fouling refreshment. May just add one coat as boat will be pulled in Panama to fit rudder ordered from Taiwan. Not that its cost will destitute us, but we're getting a taste for catfood. While hauled at Shelter Bay, probably also get value survey for insurance and replacement of two more thru-hulls. Boat work is my middle name, but only when it's unavoidable.
Sunday
Utilizing negligible engineering skill, designed rudder framework for welder, Maxie. He had a few good ideas when he came by to have a look today and will pick up tomorrow. The fix is in.
As working on a boat is insufficiently effortful, spent much of day disassembling rear bike hub due gear cassette not ratcheting onto wheel. This was a bad idea as bearings are not captured, so putting them back in with heavy grease after finding ones that escaped took a fair bit of time and was unnecessary. Liberal doses of WD-40 on inner cassette got ratchet freed. Also cleaned derailer, oiled chains on both bikes and repaired flat. Now feeling wonderfully fulfilled.
Mama Ps Corner Store is her home next to our guest house. Mama does meals on her covered front porch and prepared dinner for us tonight with a roast we brought from boat. About as wide as tall, she's a delightful lady with a wonderful demeanor and infectious laugh. She'll be one of those people we particularly remember.
Jack & Jan
...And A Rudder To Steer Her By
25 January 2025 | Port Antonio, Jamaica
Tuesday 21 January 2025
Frisky night hard on nearly thirty knot blustery apparent trying to lay course around east end of Cuba. Auto pilot unable to maintain consistent course in swirling wind and current. We were taking heavy sea over the bow and across top of bimini. Conditions finally eased somewhat around sunrise as we began turning off through the Windward Passage and true wind dropped slightly. By noon, of course, there was barely enough breeze to sail.
However, during the heavy bit, boat became even more difficult to steer. Rudder had lost authority. Checked quadrant to confirm post was moving properly, so concluded either shaft had broken free inside rudder or we lost most of the rudder, probably due heavy weather and/or grounding in Bahamas. Had just enough authority left to have minimal steerage, but auto pilot eventually unable to hold course even with full turns lock to lock.
Installed Hydrovane auxiliary rudder for help, but that requires locked boat rudder to maintain balance. Eventually locked it in place straight ahead for stability and as sea calmed steering became easier for awhile. That lasted part of the night, then sea again increased to a meter and a half. Aggressive hand steering kept us going in general direction of Port Antonio, Jamaica, closest destination with a yard that wasn't Cuba or Haiti.
Wednesday
Arrived this afternoon after constant hand steering an erratic course with just enough rudder to get on dock for the night. Set up for haul out in the morning.
Thursday
Bottom of rudder broken off exactly the way it had in Mozambique Channel going into Richard's Bay, South Africa. New one fabricated there, but expect this time to pay big bucks to have OEM unit shipped from Taiwan. Two pipe braces from upper remaining rudder into lower missing bit broke at weld. Of course, Chinese New Year just began so the month lead time to fabricate new (they no longer build 46s on spec) won't begin until 2 February. Contemplating options.
Friday
Spent yesterday afternoon and all today trying to remove rudder. Detailed instructions from Queen Long Yard don't match our installation in important ways. Hylas engineer in Ft. Lauderdale not helpful. Will continue working it tomorrow. Have determined that a serviceable rudder can be fabricated with local talent to get us to Panama where new unit can be shipped. Had planned staying there until at least end of March, so perhaps enough time to get delivery.
Seem to remember from a recent installment of this blog about how everyone would be out cruising except for a few niggling issues... this is one of those.
Jack & Jan
Front Loading
20 January 2025 | En Route George Town, Grand Cayman
Monday 20 January 2025
A magnificent sail for north tip of Long Island Saturday with clear sky and perfect temperature to anchor in a wide sand bay of gin clear water. If every day of cruising were like this everyone would be doing it. Well, except for boat maintenance, constant difficulty performing nearly any task that's so much easier on land and a few other niggling complications: seasickness, country officialdom, bad weather, etc... except for those.
With possible heavy weather descending on Caymans Friday night into Saturday decided to take off yesterday, figuring to motor into light wind all first day. Well color me orange and call me a pumpkin, wind veered and filled in NE for sailing principle portion of it. Motored a bit overnight until 0400 then rest of day listened only to wind and waves. Too bad we're not going in right direction. Weather weasels claim backing wind will draw us east to allow rounding end of Cuba tomorrow morning. We'll just see about that.
Elon is apparently distracted by all the ceremoniousness (real word) of Inauguration Day. Our regular Starlink still operating far offshore. Normally a premium of two USD/gig required after more than about twelve miles out - cost adds up quicker than you might suspect.
In going over scuba gear the other day, besides regulators, one of us could use new shorty wetsuit to replace thirty year old jobbie. This time will get one that zips in front like Jan's. Don't know why previous standard was in back, which often required shoulder dislocating contortions or two sets of hands. Wetsuits, washing machines and bras - all more convenient as front loaders.
Jack & Jan
Well Isn't That Special
18 January 2025 | Between Georgetown and Long Island
Wednesday 15 January 2025
While birthdays (womb emancipation anniversary days - thanks Dusty) have no intrinsic significance, people tend to treat them as important, probably to encourage gifts and to justify raucous partying. Governments collude in this by alcohol restrictions, various social engineering projects, retirement manipulations, etc. In fact, however, they're just days like any other. They have been of little consequence to me since gaining majority allowing minimal legal interference in many desired stupid activities. A friend (who for some inscrutable reason misspells his name Geoff) was expecting a birthday entry on the fourteenth. This again evokes the lost age of thirty four, peak studliness, the year before wheels began to come off. Current age would only be important if concept to start back down after sixty five had actually worked out - didn't. Still exploring modes of failure and possible revival.
Speaking of my 'special' day spent it, after Jan treated us to breakfast at Copia, The Peace & Plenty restaurant, cleaning off barnacles and replacing zinc anodes, which were almost, but not quite, used up. Installed new in St. Maarten last spring after which water too cold for this little wood duck to replace until now. Usually attach hookah, long hose to tank on deck, but used occasion to check out full scuba gear. Octopuses had been serviced in USVI, but all regulators had leaks. Jan's unusable. Mine good enough to do the job. Age of both thirty years or so with some internal corrosion. Wouldn't want to rely on down at thirty meters. Time for new.
Saturday
Yesterday finished last items before departing Bahamas: groceries, petrol, clearance (three hundred to come in; seventy five to get out) and Chat 'N' Chill Bar 'N' Grill with friends who just arrived Georgetown. May see them again in Cancun around April. Could have stayed until Sunday except in-town customs not open Saturday and only twenty four hour grace to leave. Probably would have finessed that, but today wind turned better for Long Island, where we'll await weather window south beginning Monday. Expect reasonable sail all the way to Grand Cayman taking five days without stop.
And finally favorite words of wisdom from Groucho Marx to enlighten your day: "Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana".
Jack & Jan
Stirred, Not Shaken
12 January 2025 | Between Staniel Cay & Georgetown
Sunday 12 January 2025
Took a wee break in Staniel Cay, location of Thunderball Cave, where underwater scenes from the eponymous James Bond movie were filmed. That Bond, James Bond, was played by Sean Connery. He was first and (not counting David Niven) Daniel Craig sixth who was much more like original written character. For that reason Ian Fleming didn't want Connery, but liked his portrayal so much fashioned later novels on him. Not to give away which actor Jan likes best, but all it would take is a wink from Craig and I'd be heading south solo.
Besides wanting a rest after good sailing all the way from Freeport, wind yesterday was light southerly (and pushed boat over shallow water during full moon where we thumped for awhile last night) so continuing would not have been possible without constant motoring. This morning after a couple hours we're able to sail and make Georgetown by dark (he claims... TBD).
As well as a rest, stop also included two excellent meals from Staniel Cay Yacht Club (with rum punch of course) and coffee at Flying Pig Cafe which is by the airport and references nearby swimming pigs, a well known attraction on west side of Big Major's Spot. Having fed pigs last time and explored the cave, didn't do either yesterday. Anyway water is still too cold for our delicate sensitivities.
As furthest point south reached by many yachties due increasingly challenging conditions, Georgetown is known as Chicken Harbour. It accumulates hundreds of boats in winter that return north in spring to avoid this recurrent hurricane magnet. Uncertain how long we'll stay. Friends will be coming in, but plan to meet Aussie mates in Cayman islands then make Panama by middle February, so may not wait.
Jack & Jan
Saved
09 January 2025 | Warderick Wells
Wednesday 8 January 2025
Want to express gratitude to Zuma's Restaurant and Bar on Highborne Cay for saving us a whopping amount of money. Sent an email earlier to reserve, but due an unforeseen closure today any inheritance our progeny might have received had we produced any was not squandered on what was reviewed as superb, but extravagantly expensive cuisine. Could be accommodated tomorrow, but thoughts of destituting our lazy, unappreciative, non-existent spawn plus desire to keep moving south extinguished that possibility. Besides being frugal we also have rather plebeian requirements. Jan likes a beautiful presentation as well as the next fine chef, but but good taste at sufficient volume with cheap alcohol takes precedence. Two episodes of Jack Ryan on Prime Video was a bonus.
Thursday
With predicted energetic north wind beginning this afternoon decided prudently to spend the evening at protected Warderick Wells, headquarters of Exuma Cays Land & Seas Park. Only mooring open was far side of J-shaped channel when we arrived at low tide. Chart indicates depth less than our draft at south end, but with assurances from park ranger and compulsive willingness to do stupid (that would be me), got around with plenty of water. Having no visual over bow as we approach moorings Jan always locates us perfectly for pickup with guidance through headsets. Easy peasy.
Listening to good music (defined as almost anything but hip hop and Stravinski) has been somewhat absent from the homestead since voltage spike took out numerous electronic devices. Finally wired new stereo then dedicated ancient iPhone 5s to use Spotify on bluetooth with Starlink to get down and get funky... OK, we never get down and seldom get funky - prefer up and mellow. Whatever, we again have technology to enjoy the dulcet tones of Buffett, Knopfler, Stone, Quinn, Dashew, etc. By the way, if you can find it, Music For Cruising by Sarah Dashew is excellent.
Jack & Jan