Sailing Vessels and their Captains!

Backpacking on boats is an amazing adventure if you can handle small spaces and people in your own personal space!  Now I'm not that kind of person really.  I am a social animal, however I love my time and my space at the best of times and this was something that sorely lacked.  For me personally, each journey is a journey, no doubt about it.  I am always being taught a life lesson and if I am stubborn as a Taurian usually is, then the lessons are painful and take a while to sink in.

The lessons learnt in the last 10 months are many but the one I am going to focus on today is patience and tolerance.  Phew, two big words those and the lessons have been gigantic for me.  You may just laugh and think it's all so crazy.  Well yes this has all been pretty crazy :-)

You sitting back, you have a cuppa something to sip on?  ....  here we go.

Boats are incredible things, they have such character, they usually have a lifetime of history which they sail with and they usually out live their Captains if they don't sink with their Captain.  On our travels we have seen, 'met' and spent time on some of the most incredible vessels of all types, sizes, ages and colours.  Each vessel has it's name and it's 'birth date'.  Each vessel has a Captain.  And let me tell you a truth, any person can be a Captain!  Sad but fascinatingly true!  The age old saying 'the owner looks like it's dog?' well let me tell you, that applies to boat and Captains too.

We have stayed on 5 boats during our 9 months in the Caribbean.  Each boat completely different to the other!  The only common attribute is that they all float!  Nothing else in common!

The SV Dixi Rollar is a pirate like boat!  Just like the ones you see in the movies.  The Dixi Rollar is the exact replica of the first boat that circumnavigated the globe single handed, Captain - Joshua Slocum.  It's a 36ft, mono-hull.  A Bruce Robert's Spray. Black steel boat, gaf rig with brown sails and old school character.  A steel boat creeks and groan under one's foot steps so there was no chance of being totally quiet on this boat.  Of course with a 4 year old in tow, the Dixi Rollar didn't know what had hit her.  We spent 8 weeks on the Dixi Rollar, we quickly realized that sailing from Grenada to South Africa on a 36ft mono-hull with absolutely no privacy and very little space was not an option.  Besides, we were not ready to sail to South Africa only a few weeks after leaving.  So we had to find another boat and fast as we had been given little notice to leave the boat.

We then found ourselves on SV Inanna!  Now she was a beauty.  We had our own cabin, privacy at last.  A place where we thought we would have time to reconnect and re-look our plan.  The Inanna is a 49ft Bavaria.  Also a mono-hull.  Beautiful finishes inside of teak and leather.  Enough space for the 1 Captain, 3 crew, 2 children and 2 chihauhaua's!  Plenty of physical space yes but not nearly enough space for the extra hot and large personality of the Captain!  With Joshua in mind constantly we new right away we had to find our own little boat, with our own space to ensure we remain sane as a family!

Four weeks later and we were moving onto the Raggamuffin!  A very sweet but old fibreglass boat.  Only 29ft.  No cabins, so we slept on the fold out couches in the saloon.  The wood was old and the boat was horribly dirty and unkept. No fridge on board, a small ice box but with the price of ice it wasn't worth our while.  The other issue was that the fibreglass was old, so in addition to the mosquito and sand fly bites, our heat rashes, Joshua and I were also suffering with the itches from raw fibreglass.  I can't say we were very happy,  itching can drive a person in sane!  Anyhow, the deal with the Captain was that we could stay on the Raggamuffin while we fix up the boat next door, Delfine, and once she was good to live on we could move onto her.  Which is exactly what we did!

Delfine was disgustingly dirty.  Old oil on the floor in the galley, pots of old food that had been left by the last 'tennants' FOUR YEARS AGO!  The toilet was not working and everything had that horrible mildew smell which meant the boat had mildew too.  So we spent 2 weeks cleaning Delfine and fixing her up to a liveable standard.  Finally we could move our backpacks and Joshua onto the boat.  It felt like she was ours.  We were totally comfortable.  We put up rain catchers, reconnected the solar panels, installed a brand new toilet, cleaned and filled the water tanks along with our solar shower.  This was the first time in 16 weeks that we were able to take a warm shower with our own water, every day!  What a pleasure!  We spent an enjoyable 4 weeks on Delfine and then it was time to go sailing!

Backpacks and all, we then boarded Moonjoos!  It felt like pure luxury!  Clean, new, spacious and just perfect continue our Caribbean experience.  Moonjoos is a 36ft Catamaran.  A South African catamaran with a South African Captain!  Finally a like minded person who wasn't only our Captain, he fast became Joshua's best buddy and a good friend to Barry and myself.  We were able to shower indoors, cook a healthy meal once a day.  There is a fridge and freezer on board so for the first time in 10 months we had access to ice cold water, beer and ice!  Total luxury on the seas!  We set sail on Moonjoos on the 18 August, crewing on a magical adventure from Grenada to Colombia via Venezuela.

 

We are still on Moonjoos.  Our final day on board is Thursday, 18 January!  20 weeks on board!  It has been so totally amazing in between my bouts of homesickness!  We crossed big waters, experienced some intimate moments with pods of dolphins, snorkeled some of the most breath-taking spots in the Archipielago, we cooked some of the tastiest meals and drank the most delicious rum!  Memories which will remain in our souls forever!

During our time on boats we have also met some of the most amazing families and single handed sailors along with their beautiful vessels!  One of our favourites was a Tug Boat called the Flying Buzzard,  Anchored in Grenada.  On board this mega steel structure were the most welcoming people,  Captain Mike, Julie, Angie, James and toby the dog.  Captain Mike took the time to give Joshua lessons on Tenders.  Julie always served the most delicious toast, coffee, soup or biscuits at the exact time our tummies were rumbling!

We were also honoured to spend time on the Stormvogel a 60ft mono-hull.  Now she is just a beauty.  We met Captain Ian and Darria in Curacao.  Darria and Ian fell totally in love with Joshua.  This meant he got to spend some special time with very special people on this magnificent 70 year old vessel! The Stormvogel is a famous vessel and known as the fastest sailing yacht of her time, winning many races and regatta's.  She is fully restored, the woodwork is immaculate! Lucky boy our Joshua :-)

The sailing families we have met and spent time with are all on catamarans.  It makes good sense!  A catamaran has space, space for children, space to cook and eat together, space to play and space to sit down and do their school work.  Each family has 2 or 3 children.  Most of them are are home schooled and under the age of 15 years.  Field Trip, Dafne, Day Dreamer and What If, are some of the most beautiful and comfortable Catamarans we have seen and been on.  The families of these vessels are amazing and their stories keep you captivated and wanting to experience their adventures for yourself!

Leaving some of our good friends behind in Grenada was pretty hard.  Goodbyes are never easy, especially for Joshua who made friends with all the children and the adults along the way.  We were however surprised to see SV Marlin in the anchorage of Los Roques.  Another warm and loving family!  Natalie, Mike, Lena and Maya.  Joshua is always the first to spot the boats we know so he was super excited to have friends to play with again.

In Cartagena, Colombia, we are sharing the anchorage with Dafne, Field Trip and Sea Shell.  More familiar faces and good friends whom we never thought we would see again.  What a nice surprise!

And so this chapter of our sailing adventure is drawing to a close.  We have only 7 days left on water and then our adventure takes to land.  From Colombia to Venezuela.  Backpacks are packed and we are ready!

Life on a sailing vessel...not for the feint hearted!

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