Cpt. Joshua Slocum's been aboard
10 August 2009 | Playa Coco's, Costa Rica
RC
Written in 1899 Joshua Slocum's "Sailing Alone around the World" is a major maritime classic and perhaps a nautical equivalent to Thoreau's "...Walden..." Almost all American sailors have been inspired by him. For those who are familiar you will understand. For those not acquainted, give him a go, you will not be disappointed.
With apology to the Captain and in the spirit of imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, here is a report of a few days in Costa Rica as he may have described them. The facts are largely correct, a little embellished to suit the purpose.
It was on the morning of July 18th the Mandy hauled and worked out of the sheltered waters of Bahia Elena, sent on her way by a chorus of raucous parrots. The waves doffed their white caps to her beautifully that day before the northeast wind, the first of the week from that quarter and here she was on the first of it, with every prospect of clearing the Cape before it should shift.
Her mast now bent under a strong steady pressure, and her bellying sail swept the sea as she rolled scuppers under, curtsying to the waves. This was grand sailing
Cabo Elena, notorious in local lore but of no consequence to our cutter, was rounded a couple or so miles further off than necessary due to long lines placed by local fisherman.
The sea was rugged and the Mandy washed heavily when hauled on the wind, which course we took for Bahia Huevos, and which brought the sea abeam. The Mandy beat close hauled up around the Bat Islands before freeing off and she fairly flew along making the 20 miles to the flat waters of Bahia Huevos, an exceeding snug nook, in a little over 3 ½ hours.
On approach a sail was sighted hull down three points to port, rare in these waters, and on closing it was made out to be the sloop Sidewinder, also bound for Huevos. The Mandy romped with her new company .The wind was still northeast, but it had moderated, and roaring seas had turned to gossiping waves that rippled and pattered against her sides as she rolled among them, delighted with their story.
A few days of relaxation in the placid aquamarine waters of Huevos surrounded with dense jungle and the booming calls of Howler monkeys revived the captain and crew and the Mandy then gave them safe passage 8 miles down the coast to the small fishing port of Playa del Coco.
Here the Mandy had arrived in a new port of entry and it was not without the usual bureaucratic hijinks that formalities were completed with the Capitania de Puerto, who soon came alongside, starched from clue to earing. He stood in the boat as straight up and down as a fathom of pump-water - a marvel of importance. With the necessary paperwork in hand we watered off, provisioned and victualled at the fine selection of stores in this gringo enclave and made ready to greet visitors from afar.
These guests treated us as if our voyage was of some import and made certain the full ships complement were able to get some inland travel after which we were well fed, rested and showered.
The Mandy reciprocated and took our guests for a fine day sail to avail ourselves of the white sand and clear waters of Huevos and upon our return porpoises gamboled all about.
The following Saturday saw us ghosting out of Coco and drifting downwind to the deserted cove of Guacamaya. Deserted it appeared, however in the gathering dusk natives emerged from tents aback the beach. Fortunately these natives turned out to be less savage than those Fuegians encountered by Mr. Slocum in Patagonia and we were able to get three good nights sleep without resorting to the laying of carpet tacks on the side-decks. These we keep to dissuade borders for it is well known that one cannot step on a tack without saying something about it. A pretty good Christian will whistle when he steps on the "commercial" end of a carpet tack
We used the daylight hours in this hospitable little bay to repair weather cloths, scrub the Mandy's under body and make further general preparations for our passage southwards towards Panama.