Adventures of s/v Dunvegan

Vessel Name: Dunvegan
Vessel Make/Model: Farr 50PH/2003
Hailing Port: Seattle, Washington
Crew: Debbie McLeod, Shannon McLeod
About:
D [...]
Extra:
Our journey from Mystic, CT began September 10, 2011. 22 legs and over 10,000nm later we arrived in Kenmore on Lake Washington on May 13, 2013. Currently at Anchor Cove Marina, Anacortes,WA for new canvas. Our home port for the winter is Rosario Marina, Orcas Island, WA. For an exciting video of [...]
06 January 2013 | Shelter Island Marina, San Diego
03 October 2012 | Shelter Bay, Colon, Panama
27 July 2012
09 April 2012 | Tortola
08 March 2012 | Tortola
27 January 2012
29 December 2011 | Emerald Bay Marina, George Town
27 December 2011 | Chub Cay
25 November 2011 | Coco Plum Marina, Coral Gables, FL
29 October 2011 | Severna, MD
Recent Blog Posts
06 January 2013 | Shelter Island Marina, San Diego

Golfito to Hawaii w/diversion to San Diego

On November 9th, at 1:00PM, local, Dieter (1st mate) and Frank (2nd mate) and I launched our 4,200nm trip to Oahu, Hawaii from Golfito, Costa Rica. Estimated trip time is 27 days and our fuel range is 1,200nm. We had good winds in Golfo Dulce and quickly reached the Pacific Ocean by sunset. From there [...]

09 October 2012

Dunvegan reaches Pacific Ocean

We safely passed thru the 6 locks making up the Panama Canal, arriving Flamenco Marina, Panama City on Saturday afternoon, October 6th.

03 October 2012 | Shelter Bay, Colon, Panama

Panama Canal

Hello ALL, We arrived 7am this morning in Colon. Our vessel needs to be measured before we can set the appointment to go through. We hoped to be measured today, but just learned it will not happen until tomorrow. This means the beginning of our 2 day transit will mostly likely be on Saturday instead [...]

27 July 2012

Grenada to Panama

Dieter and I departed Grenada July 12th after several days of repairs and provisioning. Lite air first day followed by good downwind sailing under "Code Zero" lite air spinnaker to Aruba. Arrived Aruba noon July14th, cleared and stayed at Renaissance Resort Marina, Oranjestad. Met newly weds, Glen and [...]

09 April 2012 | Tortola

Tortola Spring Break

Debbie and I had a very nice week in and around Tortola with our 18 year old daughter, Shannon, and one of her best friends, Cami. We enjoyed St John's natural land and reefs and Coral Bay, then to Sopers Hole, Indians, Willy T, and the Baths. Last nite spent up on Virgin Gorda where we were forced to reanchor in the middle of the night due to large rolling swell counter to the wind. Ended up at Beef Island. There we awoke to large tarpon circling under Dunvegan where millions of small fish sought safe haven. Managed to catch the underwater scene with iPhone and it's underwater case. Shannon and Cami had good time at Willy T's where we spent 2 nights on anchor.

08 March 2012 | Tortola

Circumnav Tortola

Debbie met me in Road Town, Tortola on Feb 11th after taking ferry from St Thomas. I rode my folding bike into town from Nanny Cay and we took a cab back to the marina. After several days enjoying the beach and restuarant/beach bar we set sail for Sopers Hole where we spent the nigh on a mooring. We met up with Gil and Joy on their Farr, "Joy for All" and had a nice dinner with them at Sebastians on the north shore. We also met the owners of "Wild Thing", friends of the Dolives in Atlanta, moored next to us. Next day sailed at hull speed (video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40JsNQfHoMo) to the "Indians" near Norman Cay. Then to the "Willie T" anchored boat bar off Norman Cay. After a wild night on the Willie T we snorkeled the reefs and caves off the Cay (videos at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hm1o9b7cN0 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3gMVR45wLQ)

Golfito to Hawaii w/diversion to San Diego

06 January 2013 | Shelter Island Marina, San Diego
Ben
On November 9th, at 1:00PM, local, Dieter (1st mate) and Frank (2nd mate) and I launched our 4,200nm trip to Oahu, Hawaii from Golfito, Costa Rica. Estimated trip time is 27 days and our fuel range is 1,200nm. We had good winds in Golfo Dulce and quickly reached the Pacific Ocean by sunset. From there we struck a great circle course to Hawaii finding lite wind until reaching the area traditionally affected by the Tehuantepec where 20 knot winds propelled us at hull speed a safe distance (200nm) from the 20' -30' seas near closer to shore.
Once past Tehuantepec, the air turned lite and we began to closely monitor fuel consumption with more frequent motorsailing.

After 9 days of sailing we had to make the difficult decision to put into Mexico for fuel. At this point we had an estimated 68% fuel remaining and 74% distance remaining with a worsening trend. Nearest port was Acapulco but we elected Puerto Vallarta, 2 days away, as a better option for fuel and moorage. This turned out to be a poor choice as we did not have a Mexican Cruising Permit, only available at their border ports. The Customs authorities were downright nasty and ordered us to leave immediately, threatening to confiscate our boat! We stayed one nite, took on fuel and food leaving without even having a shower on shore! While the marina and port are nice, we would not recommend to any cruising vessel to go there considering the attitude of the Customs people.

From Puerto Vallarta, we took a revised great circle route to Oahu, again using GRIB downloads over Iridium to help us see 5 days of wind forecasts. Debbie provided NOAA weather summaries via email over Iridium which worked flawlessly.

Our water and food are holding up but we are out of any fresh food other than the Mahi Mahi caught by First Mate Dieter! We are rationing beer at one every two days! But still have good supply of rum, vodka, and single malt Scotch!

Winds turned lite on our stern so we tried our large spinnaker and were able to make about 5 knots over the bottom, far short of our 6 knot average goal. From the wind forecast we can see 2 very large cold fronts (lows circulating counter clockwise) that cover the entire Pacific between Hawaii and California center northwest of us by about 1,300nm. These systems completely distort the prevailing clockwise North Pacific High that all the books/charts advised would propel us to Hawaii. At day 19 into the trip, our fuel range remaining was 750nm and distance remaining was 2,128nm so we had to make the very difficult but prudent decision to divert to San Diego, 733nm away to the north northeast. The turn allowed us to sail on a reach, saving fuel and we reached San Diego 5 days later with 193nm of fuel range.

During this leg two Yellow Footed Boobies lifted our spirits by riding with us for several days doing all kinds of antics on the deck and angled windows of our pilot house.

San Diego is very nice and we are in Shelter Island Marina, a first class location for the winter. Next steps are to haul Dunvegan for much needed bottom job and consider the sail up the coast to Seattle in the Spring.

Thanks to Dieter and Frank for a 120% effort to reach Hawaii!

Smooth sailing,

Ben




Dunvegan reaches Pacific Ocean

09 October 2012
We safely passed thru the 6 locks making up the Panama Canal, arriving Flamenco Marina, Panama City on Saturday afternoon, October 6th.
We were in center chamber with 4 lines to the line handlers for Cristobol Locks which raised us to Gatun Lake where we spent the nite. Saturday we motored 3 hours on Gatun Lake to the Mira Flores locks. For these 3 locks we were rafted with 28' sailboat from West Palm Beach who had hired line handlers (cruisers from other boats).
All is well as we explore our historic surroundings!

Panama Canal

03 October 2012 | Shelter Bay, Colon, Panama
Ben/hot humid thunderestorms
Hello ALL, We arrived 7am this morning in Colon. Our vessel needs to be measured before we can set the appointment to go through. We hoped to be measured today, but just learned it will not happen until tomorrow. This means the beginning of our 2 day transit will mostly likely be on Saturday instead of Friday.
All is well with Frank, Jackie, Debbie, and myself. And it looks like Dieter and El are on schedule to leave NJ today, spend the nite in Panama City and fly to Colon in the morning.
We are checking daily into the Maritime Net via ham radio and updating our position reports which post on http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/index.html under our call sign: W4BCN. This position report will be more current than Sailblogs as we need wifi in order to update Sailblogs.

Attached to this post is a screen capture of our AIS coming into the Canal port this morning. We counted about 40 ships!
All is Well!

Ben & Debbie

Grenada to Panama

27 July 2012
Ben
Dieter and I departed Grenada July 12th after several days of repairs and provisioning. Lite air first day followed by good downwind sailing under "Code Zero" lite air spinnaker to Aruba. Arrived Aruba noon July14th, cleared and stayed at Renaissance Resort Marina, Oranjestad. Met newly weds, Glen and Dawn and toured island with them. Saved an overboard local boy about a mile offshore and a mile from his own boat drifting down the island, treading water for about an hour. Departed Aruba July 17th about 10:30am under strong winds and following seas, yielding steady 10 knots over the bottom. Many encounters with large ships and swordfish boats off Venezuela and Columbia. Best sailing conditions of the entire voyage until hitting doldrums about a day out of Bocas Del Toro. Arrived there July 22nd about noon. Charming fishing village with lots of young back packers hiking thru Central ans South America. 5 Customs people boarded us and wanted single malt scotch whiskey of which we had run out! Checked into Red Frog Marina for hurricane season and departed for US on July 24th.
Please see You Tube videos at:

http://youtu.be/QCDLGO8W9Mc (Farr 50PH-20 spinnaker run off Columbia, SA)
http://youtu.be/NtC6N_ja2dE (Dunvegan running under reefed Genoa off Columbia, SA)
http://youtu.be/3NbswtevUWs (Dunvegan almost taking a following sea over transom)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsW9zSr5JtM (Dieter working on fishing reel)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjgvMRlpqUY (Dieter completing fishing reel repair)
http://youtu.be/s0Jsg6WJs2A (Taking a break on water front in Bocas Del Toro)

Tortola Spring Break

09 April 2012 | Tortola
Ben
Debbie and I had a very nice week in and around Tortola with our 18 year old daughter, Shannon, and one of her best friends, Cami. We enjoyed St John's natural land and reefs and Coral Bay, then to Sopers Hole, Indians, Willy T, and the Baths. Last nite spent up on Virgin Gorda where we were forced to reanchor in the middle of the night due to large rolling swell counter to the wind. Ended up at Beef Island. There we awoke to large tarpon circling under Dunvegan where millions of small fish sought safe haven. Managed to catch the underwater scene with iPhone and it's underwater case. Shannon and Cami had good time at Willy T's where we spent 2 nights on anchor.

Circumnav Tortola

08 March 2012 | Tortola
Ben
Debbie met me in Road Town, Tortola on Feb 11th after taking ferry from St Thomas. I rode my folding bike into town from Nanny Cay and we took a cab back to the marina. After several days enjoying the beach and restuarant/beach bar we set sail for Sopers Hole where we spent the nigh on a mooring. We met up with Gil and Joy on their Farr, "Joy for All" and had a nice dinner with them at Sebastians on the north shore. We also met the owners of "Wild Thing", friends of the Dolives in Atlanta, moored next to us. Next day sailed at hull speed (video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40JsNQfHoMo) to the "Indians" near Norman Cay. Then to the "Willie T" anchored boat bar off Norman Cay. After a wild night on the Willie T we snorkeled the reefs and caves off the Cay (videos at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hm1o9b7cN0 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3gMVR45wLQ)
Dunvegan's Photos - George Town to Tortola
Photos 1 to 60 of 60 | Main
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Volley Ball Beach, Stocking Island, George Town. Dunvegan is anchored 4th boat from the left in deep water.
North shore of Stocking Island looking West at Exuma Sound. Deserted beach with a few honeymoon cottages.
My newly arrived crew getting acclimated at one of the two establishments on Stocking Island.
Sunrise in George Town.
Relaxing after passing the reefs leading to Exuma Sound, January 6th.
Rewarded at last. Jim pulled this 3 1/2 foot bull dolphin in on January 7th. This fish provided two full dinners for the 4 of us over the next several days.
This fish provided two full dinners for the 4 of us over the next several days.
The stairstep coastline of the Dominican Rebublic
Sunset at tip of Dominican Republic, January 9th.
Sunrise, January 10th between Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
Relaxed crew close hauled.
Cayo Lobita, an isolated rock island between Puerto Rico and Isla De Culebra. Provided our first anchorage evening of January 11th. Two hour watches kept thru the night as we were anchored within 200
Getting ready for our first snorkel at Cayo Lobita. A boat with scuba divers came along and found a lobster right under our boat! We came up empty handed!
Sunrise, January 12th, pulling anchor at Cayo Lobita.
Our first site of the US Virgin Islands! January 12th.
iPad navigation January 12th. Dunvegan position is the red boat on left side of screen.
Deserted beach Hans Lollik Island, just north of St. Thomas, US VI, January 12th.
Sopers Hole, Tortola where the other Farr owners hang out and where we cleared customs January 12th.
Sailing from Sopers Hole to Nanny Cay, Tortola.
Dunvegan snug in her slip at Nanny Cay before sunset January 12th.
Breakfast at Nanny Cay, January 13th.
Our own beach, Nanny Cay.
Break water view Nanny Cay.
Gaff rig sailing South of Nanny Cay.
Clark
View out the harbor entrance from atop Dunvegan, compliments of Clark!
Dock "A" at Nanny Cay. We are in A18, the 4th boat on the righthand side.
Lunch at Nanny Cay
Clark setting about island time...
Pelcans fishing in pairs from our break water.
Dunvegan at anchor at "the Baths" on Virgin Gorda. We tacked up Sir Francis Drake Channel arriving mid day, January 16th. This photo and all subsequent water shots taken with waterproof case on iPhone 4S.
Dunvegan at anchor Virgin Gorda, January 16th.
Granite boulders deposited in a long ago ice age. No other granite anywhere close. The islands themselves are volcanic.
Turbulent waters at "the Baths".
Beauty underwater at "the Baths".
Shooting thru the control membrane of the iPhone underwater case.
Dunvegan at anchor at Big Trunk Bay, Virgin Gorda.
Dunvegan in good company January 16th. This vessel provided a bit of excitement after sunset as they came within 50 yards of Dunvegan in pulling their anchor!
Dinghy dock at Big Trunk Bay, Virgin Gorda where we anchored for the night. The, "Pain Killers", worked as advertised on my ailing crew.
A real Sea Dog.
Sea Dog at sea!
January 17th at Big Trunk Bay. Jim has found a friend!
Clark bringing much needed supplies back at Nanny Cay January 17th.
Relaxing on our last day at the beach!
A "cold front" approaching from the north. Temperatures dropped to about 75 degrees!
Captain Friendly, in the rain purchasing gas for our trip to Banana Cay resort on the north side of Tortola. We had negotiated $6 each round trip but ended up paying him the advertised fee of $20 each after the wild ride over the winding mountain roads.
View from Banana Cay Resort looking west into the sunset on north shore of Tortola.
Banana Cay Resort..live music, good food, great view.
Jim feeling no pain!
Last sunrise at Nanny Cay. This is the beginning of a day of travel back to reality and the USA.
Pit stop for me as I missed the ferry to St Thomas while working with Customs on import duties for Dunvegan.
Inside Pussers, known for it
Last look at Nanny Cay from the Tortola -St Thomas ferry.
Ferry stop at Sopers Hole on way to St. Thomas.
Spirit Airlines A319 lifting out of St Thomas airport...until next time...
 
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