Scott tells tons of details about Costa Rica to Mexico
15 August 2013
Aloha from Honolulu,
Yes I am finally back on Celestial (June 2013) so I thought I would tell you some
of the highlights of our 3 month missions' trip.
We first met the leaders of YWAM Ships when I gave a lecture and a
presentation at the University of the Nations on the Kona coast. A
couple of months later I got a call from the head of YWAM Ships asking
if I would take the Caribbean Reach from Grenada to Mazatlan.
While we were still considering the mission we heard the boat was
delayed in Grenada with fuel issues and generator problems. When the
boat reached Aruba, YWAM Ships leader, Brett again called and really put the pressure on; his relief Captain could only go as far as Panama and could we fly
there? I said yes knowing it was going to be tons of work and expense because YWAM is a volunteer pay to go organization but we were excited about their mission plans and using our sailing skills to help.
I spelled out our first month in the last blog so here's continuing with Golfito:
Our three weeks in Golfito were very hot but the team was out every day
working with doctors, dentists, pharmacists, and building contractors.
They walked door to door in small villages in the sun passing out
1,000 Spanish bibles to all who wanted one. My days were filled with
sweat as I had to complete the outdoor rigging jobs. I assembled and
installed a Harken roller furler, cut and reswagged the headstay,
repaired and tuned the rig. Once again we had a big problem with the
engine, the water pump started to leak badly and we needed a new one.
No problem, said Maikol, the marina manager. You can order it from the US and have it here in 4 days. Maikol was super helpful in all ways but he missed this one. By the time the pump showed up in San Jose and waited for customs to release it and charge us and fly it to Golfito, it took 11 days. We were behind schedule getting here and further behind now, not to mention that the hurricane season was approaching fast.
Well, we had our pump and Jessie jumped right on the job only to
discover that he had ordered a left hand pump instead of a right. What
to do now, I could not wait another 11 days We now had the Coast Guard
original Doc and we were good to go on that score. I knew I had to find
an in-country solution. It sure seemed like another God thing because
earlier that morning I met a knowledgeable diesel guy who was local
but spoke good English so I went to see him and ask if any pump could
be found in the country. We spent half the day with him on his phone
calling his contacts all over the country but all we could find was
one inner shaft seal. I decided to change course and asked if he knew
machinist who could take the new parts out of the new pump and use
them to rebuild the old one, He called the best guy he knew and was
told it was impossible because the seal would by destroyed in the
process. I couldn't believe my ears the only part I would really need
was the only part available in Costa Rica, go God. I asked him if he
had both pumps and a new seal could he rebuild it? Of course just
bring everything from all over the country and I will fix it. Getting
everything to him and getting the finished pump to us was a challenge
but in 4 days we had a rebuilt pump in our hands. Jessie lost no time
installing filling and testing, it worked perfectly and we sailed for
Guatemala the next morning.
Our sail to Guatemala was filled with light wind and little sailing so
I stopped the boat in the open ocean and let anyone go
swimming. Almost all the kids jumped in and swam near turtles, mantas,
dolphins, and they even had a scare with a swordfish coming a little too close. As we were approaching Puerto Quetzal I was apprehensive because yachties
almost never go to Guatemala because extremely high customs, lots of
hassles and corruption, and crazy high marina costs. YWAM had connections, though and we docked believing it would be ok.
We ended up having our official fees reduced and our entire stay was only $800. A Christian national congressman picked up the team and took them away for a week of hospital visitation and evangelism. In Guatemala, when the poor go the hospital, it means they live on the grounds or the street nearby and
when a bed becomes available, they move closer to the door. These
people often don't even have food so the team did a hot dog feed for
everyone and prayed with them.
Back on the boat, our work was coming to a standstill on the ship for lack of
parts. When the congressman asked me what I needed, I replied we need someone to fabricate a bracket for a second alternator on the main
engine. He said, no problem, and we had a very well made first class
bracket in two days for free. Wow what a blessing.
On the 10th of May 30, 2013 we set sail for Mexico this would be our
first real test of seamanship as we were facing the dreaded Gulfo de
Teuantapec; the high winds and storms here are legendary. I had been
watching the weather very closely trying to hit a weather window to
get us across. We rushed out of Guatemala and stayed ahead of the
worst of it by just hours. Even so, we had almost 30 kts over the deck
and very rough seas and a lot of seasickness. We had to run the engine
hard to make headway and used a lot of fuel but we were safe on the
other side. Now a new problem: we were too short on fuel to make our
next port, Vincente Guerrero. Once again God was in control;
we just made it 610Nmi to Acapulco and discovered that it was an
international entry port and next port was not. Wow, if we had not been
forced into Acapulco, we would be illegally in Mexico, at an illegal
port. Colter brought the ship alongside the fuel dock with his usual
expertise only to find out we get no fuel until cleared by
immigration. Ok God, we have to get checked in and out with customs,
immigration, the port captain, health, and the harbor master in 5
hours - a process that once took us a week. God sent us an amazing agent
and somehow he pulled it all off.
We left that evening and were at Puerto Vicente Guerrero at first light. No sooner did we tie up than the marine police show up with lots of guns. They made everyone stand on the foredeck while they did a serious 20 minute search of the ship. They let us back in and I had to show all the paperwork that we would not have had without our fuel stop. The whole crew was saying how happy they were for that paper and God's blessings. No one more than me as I was responsible for them all.
This was our last mission stop and the team had another great time of
ministry there. We said goodbye to the outreach team and they stayed
another week at the house of a local pastor before flying out of
Acapulco. Donna as always was the most faithful member of the crew.
Served as boat mom, galley captain, cook, watch captain, creator of
all boat documentation, she never stop's thinking, ignore her advice
at your peril. I said goodbye to her as she flew home from Ixtapa on May 17th.
I continued on to Puerto Vallarta another 372 Nmi and said goodbye to
two crew members, Jessie and David, two fine young men. Now we were off
on my final leg to Mazatlan. We motored the last 170 Nmi in 1 ½ days.
I am so sick of motoring. God provided another free dock that the
docking specialist put us on perfectly and the local YWAM Base gave us
a great reception dinner. Some more official paperwork and my
commitment was fulfilled. I am tired and sick, not ready to fly home but I said goodbye to Colter and the crew after sailing the Caribbean Reach for 2212 Nmi in 3 months.
The base send a van to get me to the airport and the flight to LAX was OK but during my layover, sleeping, or at least trying to, on the freezing floor made me even worse. I went at dawn to find my flight but it was hard to think straight as I had a fever and shakes and a bad cough. Somehow I got there and make the flight. It was the flight from hell. I was sick, tired and sore and trying not to cough on the neighbors. Finally we landed in Honolulu in the rain. I caught the
bus to Kewalo Basin and slept for 19 hours, just happy to be
home on Celestial.
Fast forward to August: We are flying back to Hawaii in a few weeks and our daughter is coming with us to sail to Australia via Fiji, Tonga, American Samoa and more. So stay tuned for those updates! Also, check out our photo gallery.