Bermuda Triangle
09 November 2009 | St. George's Harbor, Bermuda
Jen/Sunny
Safari Tu crew safely arrived in St. George's Harbor, Bermuda on Wednesday, Nov. 4, seven days after leaving Norfolk, VA. This was our first big offshore passage for the Spring family (and possibly the boat), so we recruited our super-experienced friend Noel Johnson to join us as skipper for this leg. It was very rewarding to see the Bermuda lights come up over the horizon and it does feel like we accomplished a lot, but we didn't love this part of our trip: living sideways for days on end, big lumpy seas, some seasickness early on (names withheld to protect the innocent) and above all, BOAT GREMLINS!
Boat gremlins had us from the get go - starting with the aft head door mysteriously locking us out shortly after leaving Norfolk. The autopilot malfunctioned after 2 days of steering through the big seas of the Gulf Stream, the stemhead fitting near the waterline loosened up letting in lots of water, yet more water entered the boat through numerous deck leaks, one of our running lights shorted out, and most significantly our feathering propeller became jammed which eliminated the possibility of using the engine. Despite all the issues, Safari Tu handled the seas very well and we stayed focused on keeping the boat and the crew safe.
Just like the olden days, we were 100% dependent on the wind and weather - our 4.5 day passage was going to take longer than planned... And so it was that the wind died down to nothing and we were becalmed for 24 hours - during this time we actually drifted 24 miles away from Bermuda. We used the time to dry out the boat, rest, and eat some good meals. Finally the wind filled in from the right direction and we were back in business.
Along the way, we saw several pods of dolphins, a family of whales, and lots of flying fish (including one unfortunate chap who landed on deck). We had Halloween at sea, including a surprise visit from Noel's wife Donna - see our photo gallery for the photo evidence, video to follow!
Once we reached the Bermuda harbor entrance, we were lucky to be able to rely on Noel's good friends Virginia and Jamie onboard the catamaran Matau for a tow into St. George's. We are forever grateful for their presence on the radio, at sea, and on land. Not only did they rescue us without batting an eye, but they also invited us over for cocktails and a tour of their 75 foot boat. We were all very impressed!
About a day after our arrival, a steady stream of yachts began to arrive from the east coast. We began to feel like we were back in Newport, as more boats hail from Newport than Bermuda!
We have met lots of friendly people who have been helping us line up repairs and spare parts over the last few days. Thanks to Sandy and the rest of the team from Bermuda Yacht Services, we have been able to relax in the cruiser's lounge with free WiFi, and she even set up a table for school lessons!
St. George's is a lovely, historic small town here in Bermuda - very welcoming and friendly. We are branching out and doing some walking around and taking the bus and ferry to other island destinations while we are here. The tall ship Spirit of Bermuda has made a few appearances since we've been here, and Jen was able to reconnect with some of the crew from her summer journey on board.
We were sad to say goodbye to our number 1 crew member: Noel. We learned a lot from him, and he fit in just like a member of the family. We wish him luck with his next adventure in Trinidad - and thank his family profoundly for sharing him with us! Thanks also to our Shore Team leader Cindy, with whom we maintained contact via satellite phone once per day during the passage - it was great to know that she was watching out for us.
We are now seeking a few good crew members to help us with our next passage to the Virgin Islands - hopefully with fewer boat gremlins! We have not yet set a departure date - our first priority is to get the repairs taken care of.
From the logbook, our Bermuda triangle incidents:
Day 1
Water in forward starboard compartment - stemhead fitting leaking. Bilge emptied.
Noel and Scott deployed the dinghy to stop leak on bow in 4-5 ft. waves
Day 2
Propeller shaft spinning while engine is off
Blige pump continues to be emptied
Day 3
Bobo the autopilot stops working
Wheel locks to port for a time
Radar connection corroded and no longer working
Day 4
Secondary Bilge Pump clogged
Must empty bilge every 2 hours
Day 5
Becalmed, dove on the max prop and discovered that there was no fouled line, but that 3/4 fasteners were missing with the prop jammed.
GPS resembles a kid's Etch-A-Sketch as we drift around the middle of the ocean
Day 6
Saw an incredible wildlife show over 5 minutes involving whales, dolphins playing at the bow and flying fish!
Screwdriver slides off the nav table and lands point side down on the top of Jen's foot.
Day 7
Early morning arrival in Bermuda
Later in the afternoon, Jen rips muscles in her knee while adjusting a dockline.
Anna and Matthew's Haiku and limericks created while underway:
Flying fish jump high
They are white and they fly far
Gliding on the sea
Life jackets are big
They keep us safe and cozy
They are bright yellow
The water is dark
Monsters live in the ocean
I hope they stay there
We're Bermuda bound
We are in the triangle
It will take two days
2 Limericks:
By Jen:
There once was a bird on the ocean
Who couldn't stand all the motion.
He got on our boat
And stayed quite afloat -
That bird caused quite a commotion!
By Anna:
There once was a man in a moat.
He was swimming with a tropical goat.
He went through the trouble
To jump in a puddle
And scream at the top of his throat.