I blogged a while back about life on a boat and that was merely covering what it is like living on a vessel of some sort, (I say so because we have 'lived' on many) but not detailing what it is like to be crew on a sailing vessel, which is totally different. So today I will tell you more about my experience as a crew member on board a sailing vessel.
First let me start with the correct terminology so you have a better understanding of what it is I am referring to:
1. Cabin - a bedroom.
2. Head - bathroom: small toilet, A basin and a shower head which is the nozzle on the tap in the basin. Drainage holes for the water.
3. Saloon - lounge/diningroom: definitely not a salloon as we know it!
4. Galley - kitchen: usually small, only one person at a time.
5. Cockpit - helm and seating area which is outside.
6. Foredeck - the front deck area of the vessel.
7. Starboard side - the right side of the vessel.
8. Lockers - cupboards, found all around the vessel, used to store items safely.
9. Port side - the left side of the vessel. Thanks to our sailing buddy, Shaun Tarr, who explained it like this. There is too much port left. Meaning the port side is on the left. :-)
10.Hatches - windows
Walking around on a vessel takes concentration, balance and at times good strategy! When you are anchored you are able to walk around, get boat chores done and possibly a good night's sleep. This is not the case when you are sailing, crossings or island hopping. The minute the anchor is up and you move into deep waters, the boat rocks and roles continuously until you get to the next anchorage and you lay anchor. When I say 'rocks and roles' I mean that everything moves and so do you. Walking is an adventure, to get from the cockpit area to the galley, which is 6 steps (in my steps) you have to stand up, compose yourself, find some sort of balance in your sea legs, hold onto the table, then the door, then the counter and then into the galley It's best not taking too long to accomplish this adventure. If the weather is bad, the waves are higher, the water sprays in from all angles so everything is wet including you, walking becomes that much more difficult and frustration levels increase quickly. I have found that crawling is usually best and if you can't crawl then whatever you do next just do it with style!. Eventually you don't care what your butt looks like from behind. LOL!
The doorways of all vessels are lower than those in a home. I would say only about 1.5 meters in height. It reminds me a bit of a submarine, with those small oval shaped doors that seal when they are closed. This results in a whole lot of head injuries if you are tall. Thankfully I am short so moving through on on a vessel is easy.
So back to the cabin. "ooh so I'm claustrophobic", I hear you say. Yes your are right! This is usually a small space, cramped, with a bed that is higher than what you would be used to in your home. The bed for me is usually way to high, with me being 5ft tall and all, I always need some sort of a box to stand on to hoist myself up onto the bed. The box always being Barry's camera case! Thank goodness we have had this camera case with us throughout out travels or I wouldn't have managed to get into bed at all. The mattresses are hard and thin, so please don't think that you will have a great night's sleep on any vessel. If you do it's because you have consumed way too much rum and you have passed out for the night!
The heat in a windless anchorage is a killer. Avoid it whenever you can. Not a drop of air or a breeze passes through your boat. If that happens then you kick back, siesta and swim.
You simply CAN NOT have tidy cabin lockers. I have tried for 8 months now being the tidy freak that I am. You have to hoist yourself onto the bed, to get to the lockers, and if the vessel is rocking and rolling then you simply grab the first item of clothing and pull quickly to get it out. If you haven't mastered the art of removing clothes from a locker, then all the clothes come out with that one item you are after. So what's the best solution? just bundle it all up and shove it all back in, with the thought that you will simply repack again when you have time.
The head is pretty cosy, the toilet is just big enough to fit your butt onto. They remind me of the small toilets you find in a nursery school. Ideal form me, cos my feet still touch the ground! They remind me of the toilets you find in a nursery school. The toilet is usually one of those that you manually flush. So you fill the toilet bowl with water, do your business, then you pump at least 10 times, this flushes your business through the pipes, then you have to close the sea cocks (this is the valve that allows the water into the toilet) and pump another 5 times to empty the bowl again. If you enjoy reading on the toilet then this kind of toilet environment is not for you! There is no time to read while the boat is rocking and rolling. The room is also small so the stink can kill a person. It's best to do your business and get the hell out of dodge!
Your showers are usually cold, so don't for a minute think that you will enjoy a warm shower after your night watch is over. This is usually when you crave a warm shower the most. Because you are always in 'concerve water mode' its best to run 250ml of water into the basin. Soap yourself down and then use the shower to wash the soap off. You can not simply hang around under running water for the sake of hanging around under running water. If you are blessed and anchored in chrystal clear water then you simply jump into the ocean, climb back onto the boat, soap yourself with 'colgate shampoo' (the only shampoo that lathers in sea water), jump back in the sea to wash the soap off and then back on the boat to rinse the sea water off with fresh water (sweet water). If you don't have enough water on board then you simply don't shower until you do have water.
Better yet, always have a solar shower packed in your backpack! you will love every minute of your showers!
Showers in the rain are the absolute best, when it starts raining you strip to your bare essentials, lather yourself up, arm yourself with a mop and you go onto the foredeck. That way you get to shower for as long as the rain lasts and the boat gets a good wash too. Don't be shy, every other 'yachtie' also does it, some more brave and do it in the nude, others in their costumes. Warning! Don't shampoo your hair! I repeat, Don't shampoo your hair. The rain doesn't last long enough to get it out. Either way, its an experience to tell your grandkids!
By the way - You usually looked beautifully tanned, just a friendly bit of advice, the top 2 layers of brown are usually dirt and when you wash at least 3 times you will see that your 'tan' will fade...lol ;-)
While sailing, water is the damndest thing! Collect rain water when and wherever you can! from the rain, from a lonesome tap at midnight (covert operations...lol!) or you have to buy water from a mariner. The crew must always ensure that water is a priority because you don't want to get caught in the middle of a crossing without water. When it rains, you have to line every single empty container up at the water catchers and you fill them and now you have to work in the rain. So what if it's raining and you will get wet. You can deal with your bad hair do later (later never comes by the way) and the bruised ego about slipping your ass off.
The boat is only neat and tidy while you are anchored. Its easy to tidy and clean when you are not rocking and rolling. When you sail its the complete opposite, the tools are out in the event of something on the engines needing attention, so the saloon area becomes a workshop. Dishes will pile up unless you are as skilled as I am and can wash, dry and pack dishes in the middle of high swells! Plain and simple...it looks like a bombs hit it!
When you are anchored you have to get stuck in and work like a hound dog! Wash windows, sweep the carpet, wash down the floors, repack lockers, wash down the heads, do your laundry (by hand), get your laundry washed and dry, clean the dingy and kayaks, clean the bottom of the boat, feed yourselves (because you haven't eaten properly in a few days), go shopping, have a shower because you probably stink! and the list goes on.
When crossing from one country to another you are out at sea for a few days and nights. Our first long crossing was 4 nights and 5 days, this was from Curacao to Colombia. Just when I thought I was equipped to handle night watches and possibly crazy weather, NOT! On the first night during my watch, 11pm to 2am, we sailed right into a rain squall. The wind was crazy, the rain was pouring, the swells were high, I was soaking wet, I couln't see through my eyes with the amount of water pouring down my body! And through this chaos you have to watch for giant tree logs in the water and tankers. Ha ha ha! anyway I survived that episode, at the end of my watch i dried off, put on a sarong and attempted to sleep. Thats not easy when the waves are crashing and everything inside of the boat is creeking or knocking.
On the 4th night, Joshua, Barry and I went to sleep leaving the Captain to handle the watch, we sail into another squall, which lasted the entire night or so it felt, we didn't close our cabin hatch properly, a huge wave hit us from the port side and swoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooshhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, we were woken with about 50 litres of water pouring onto the 3 of us. What a way to wake up! Wet, ice cold, 2am, dark, waves crashing, the Captain cursing! What a crazy experience.
"Well at least I you're in paradise." I hear you say. In my mind, paradise = peacefulness, tranquility, splendour. Well yes, that does very much exist and I have 'lived' that way for the last 7 months. Now we are anchored in the harbour.' We are anchored right off the Old City and the Town with rolling suburbs behind the high rise buildings lining the promonade.
As you, who live in the city, have taxi's, busses, bicycles, people etc etc, so we on water have 'water taxi's, fishing boats, speed boats, power boats, yachts, dingies, cruise ships, tankers.. etc etc. There isn't a quiet time on these waters. The rocking and rolling here is driving me crazy..lol. Like when you hike and climb to the top of the mountain and that wind just blows and blows and blows? Like chinese torture at times :-).
Saying that though, not always chinese torture. Every day continues to be an adventure, the awesome always outweigh the 'crap' days. Every morning we are greeted by the most beautiful sunrises and blessed good night with magical sunsets.
Life on the water. With only a few days to go until we finish on Moonjoos, I am both sad and extremely excited. Sad because I already miss that peace, tranquility and splendour but I carry it with in me, the smells, the sounds, the views..the very place where I discovered a whole lot more of myself. Extremely excited to be taking all I have experienced and learnt from the Caribbean and living on boats, to the city, back to my daughters, my family, friends and everyone we encounter, especially on our next adventure!
Travel, journey, have adventures, open your world to something new every day!
Blu
The story of a South African family, who sell up all they own, to embark on an alternative way of life which most people only dream of. This family are making their dreams a reality each and every day! Their first adventure took them to the Southern Drakensberg, then they spent 12 months backpacking and sailing the Caribbean and adventures up Africa.
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Sunday, 29 December 2013
Thursday, 26 December 2013
Christmas in Cartagena, Colombia!
Christmas was super special, with skype calls with people that I miss dearly and simply cant wait to see again when we are back in South Africa. We also received heaps of messages and comments via Facebook which were just awesome. It's so important knowing that people actually miss your presense when you arent a hop skip and a jump away.
On Christmas eve we went to the ATM to draw our last R200 to buy food for dinner and Christmas day lunch. There we had R490 instead, someone had deposited R290 into our account in Johannesburg the day before. What an awesome surprise! We bought what we needed and ate like royalty.. well as close to.
Father Christmas found Moonjoos and the Sanders- Costello clan. Christmas morning was magical. Joshua woke up at 6am with his cousin Faith, calling him on Skype. He flew out of the cabin and straight to the computer to say hello and merry Christmas, Feliz Navistad (in Spanish), and then he saw his pressie under the tree. His eyes grew big, looked at the plate where he place and ice cold beer and a traditional Colombian cookie. Just a quarter of the cookie was left and the beer replaced with a handwritten note from Father Christmas.
"Dear Joshua, I have heard so many good things from so many people around the world and this makes me proud. Thank you for the beer and cookie, I saved you a piece of my cookie to share with you, and I saved you a sip of beer too, it's in the fridge." Lots of love, Father Christmas.
Joshua ate the piece of cookie and drank his sip of beer and then opened his pressies. An awesome water pistol from Captain Brett and the Moonjoos Station. A small bag from Colombia which he uses to carry his UNO cards, a car, an army man and his bean bag. A holy stone necklace. A packet of chocolate and toffee lollipops, and a packet of fruit sweets. All small enough to travel with which is a blessing!
Christmas lunch was delicious. Barry did the cooking this year. Baked potatoes, cold meat, white sauce, fresh tomato and salsa. Full tummy's and it was time to siesta!
Travelling takes you away from those traditions which you have with your family back home. Thank goodness for skype, which allowed us to connect with some special people. Home sickness always hangs around and is a reality. With Joshua and Barry making it so special, I did just fine :-).
The best present I received was to speak to my girls and then my Mom. Mom only has a basic mobile phone without the bells and whistles that you and I are used to. So when my friend Christopher called my Mom, placed her on speaker phone and then connected to us via skype, and I heard her say "hello my lovie, merry Christmas", I new all will be just fine. Oh how I have missed chatting and being close to my Mom. Christopher rocks!
The streets, buildings, boats, cars, trucks, busses and taxis, the horse and carriages, everything is drenched in Christmas lights! Every night there has been a Christmas pageant at the old fort which is a few meters from the boat. The fireworks displays at night are just breath-taking, like nothing I have ever seen. Every single person in Cartagena have been in the Christmas spirit since we arrived here on the 2 December. Can you imagine, 23 days of celebrations and music all around us!
With just 26 days until we fly out of Caracas, Venezuela, we have a whole lot still to accomplish on our 'to do list'. Our backpacks are packed, and we are in full swing with the boat jobs that must be done by the 10th January. We are also working to raise money to get from Cartagena, Colombia to Caracas. Its going to cost us $550 USD.
We are so looking forward to this adventure. We have been on Moonjoos for 15 weeks now and living on water since June this year. Life on the water is magical but I am so ready to sleep in a comfy bed that doesn't move, to have a good shower so I can wash properly and smell good afterwards, and to enjoy nature along the way.
Then we fly from Caracas to Brazil to South Africa! Bring on the African sunsets, braai's, friends and family!
Monday, 16 December 2013
Cartagena, Colombia - surviving the big city!
After months of small islands, some uninhabited islands, the silent but powerful ocean.. we arrive in Cartagena Colombia. A shock to the system and sensory overload of note!
The anchorage is surrounded by buildings, the coast guard, the navy, shops, local vendors, cars and taxi's, horse drawn carts, lights, fireworks, music, live performances... and life!
It is winter here in Cartagena, but the winter here is like our summers in South Africa with humidity levels sitting at 90% and above with very little rain. Thus making water collection our first challenge. That's okay, we have arranged water through the mariner for a great price.
The exchange rate is 1USD = 1800 Colombian Peso's. We are now working with million's and hundreds and not much smaller than that. A french loaf (pana in spanish) is 2500 Pesos. A weeks worth of water from the mariner is 20 000 Pesos. A kilogram of bananas is 2000 Pesos. A 10 day data plan for our device is 20 000 Pesos. It's much cheaper living from the streets as the local people do. You can spend 5000 Pesos and buy quite a few pastries. Fruit and vegetables are plentifull on the streets, all delicious.
Milk is not fresh cows milk as we know it. Everything is powdered or long life milk. Not delicious!
The local transport is cheap, you can catch a ride on the back of a motorbike or scooter, a 3 wheeler bicycle or you can use your legs. Everything is within walking distance so it's nicer walking. Anything on wheels is pretty scary!
The water is good to drink and there are taps along the parks and in the streets of the old city so drinking water is easy to come by. The bottled water is available at 2600 for 6 liters (sold in plastic that looks like a giant ice lolly).
The people are friendly if you can get a few words in Spanish to make sense to then. We have thankfully met a local guide, Henry Castrillon, who meets with us regularly to get information. We have also made friends with some Spanish speaking backpackers who are helping us with Spanish lessons and Yoga lessons. They have also helped us hugely with connectivity so we have comms with friends and family.
Christmas away from home, this is my first Christmas away from South Africa and my family. It's been quite tough for us but with skype on the boat we will be able to say hi to everyone back home and around the world.
When night falls and the city cools by a degree or two, the lights come on and the city is drenched in colour. The boats, the harbour, the navy ships, the cars...they are all decorated with lights. It's a sight I can not describe to you. You have to see this to believe it!
Then the music starts, from all around the city. The music plays until the early hours of the morning. Singing, laughter and party busses. One after the other the party busses pass the mariner and they are jam packed.
The local people shoot fireworks every single night. The shows are fantastic like I have never seen before. Back home you can't just shoot fireworks anywhere at any time. It's all so new.
Colombia is definitely a country to visit. It's alive, happy and full of energy! Oh how I miss the solitude of the islands and the sea.
We will spend Christmas eve in the old city, midnight mass with the local people. Christmas day in town and New Years eve on the boat is the way we will be enjoying the festivities. It's going to be something else.
Wherever you are and whomever you are with, may your festivities be magical xx
Blu
The anchorage is surrounded by buildings, the coast guard, the navy, shops, local vendors, cars and taxi's, horse drawn carts, lights, fireworks, music, live performances... and life!
It is winter here in Cartagena, but the winter here is like our summers in South Africa with humidity levels sitting at 90% and above with very little rain. Thus making water collection our first challenge. That's okay, we have arranged water through the mariner for a great price.
The exchange rate is 1USD = 1800 Colombian Peso's. We are now working with million's and hundreds and not much smaller than that. A french loaf (pana in spanish) is 2500 Pesos. A weeks worth of water from the mariner is 20 000 Pesos. A kilogram of bananas is 2000 Pesos. A 10 day data plan for our device is 20 000 Pesos. It's much cheaper living from the streets as the local people do. You can spend 5000 Pesos and buy quite a few pastries. Fruit and vegetables are plentifull on the streets, all delicious.
Milk is not fresh cows milk as we know it. Everything is powdered or long life milk. Not delicious!
The local transport is cheap, you can catch a ride on the back of a motorbike or scooter, a 3 wheeler bicycle or you can use your legs. Everything is within walking distance so it's nicer walking. Anything on wheels is pretty scary!
The water is good to drink and there are taps along the parks and in the streets of the old city so drinking water is easy to come by. The bottled water is available at 2600 for 6 liters (sold in plastic that looks like a giant ice lolly).
The people are friendly if you can get a few words in Spanish to make sense to then. We have thankfully met a local guide, Henry Castrillon, who meets with us regularly to get information. We have also made friends with some Spanish speaking backpackers who are helping us with Spanish lessons and Yoga lessons. They have also helped us hugely with connectivity so we have comms with friends and family.
Christmas away from home, this is my first Christmas away from South Africa and my family. It's been quite tough for us but with skype on the boat we will be able to say hi to everyone back home and around the world.
When night falls and the city cools by a degree or two, the lights come on and the city is drenched in colour. The boats, the harbour, the navy ships, the cars...they are all decorated with lights. It's a sight I can not describe to you. You have to see this to believe it!
Then the music starts, from all around the city. The music plays until the early hours of the morning. Singing, laughter and party busses. One after the other the party busses pass the mariner and they are jam packed.
The local people shoot fireworks every single night. The shows are fantastic like I have never seen before. Back home you can't just shoot fireworks anywhere at any time. It's all so new.
Colombia is definitely a country to visit. It's alive, happy and full of energy! Oh how I miss the solitude of the islands and the sea.
We will spend Christmas eve in the old city, midnight mass with the local people. Christmas day in town and New Years eve on the boat is the way we will be enjoying the festivities. It's going to be something else.
Wherever you are and whomever you are with, may your festivities be magical xx
Blu
Monday, 2 December 2013
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