Project BlueSphere

All is well in the San Blas with the exception of some 2nd degree burns on my left hand. My buddy John (Trinka) and I were starting a garbage burning fire, and the gas in my hand went off and gave me a decent burn, ouch!

I’ve been working on the boat a bunch and attending to a number of projects. John and I are going to sail to Isla Grande tomorrow, which is out of the San Blas archipelago. I need to focus on cutting some video for the new Latitudes & Attitudes TV show, and post another video on the website. I need a few weeks in one anchorage just to work with out distractions. It’s not so easy to get motivated to work in a beautiful anchorage when one could be reading, snorkeling, or fishing.

Send an instant message to say hi and introduce yourself if you’re new to Project BlueSphere.com.

Peace, Love & coconuts.

– Alex

I just arrived back in the San Blas after a 2 day jont to Panama. Lou left :( and Namaste is very quiet now.

If anyone is interested in chartering Namaste, and would like me to show you around the San Blas let me know. I can accommodate 1 person, or a couple. Airfare is really cheap now. I met some people who got a round trip ticket from North Carolina to Panama for $242.00. The flight from Panama to here is $32.00, and takes 20-30 minutes. If you would like to talk about chartering send me an email to adorsey@skyfile.com, or an instant message through the website.

I’ll be going to the Lemon Keys tomorrow with a friend to do some fishing for a few days, but I’m always in touch.

Hope everyone is well.

Peace, Love & Coconuts.

– Alex

It’s 7:00 in the morning, the sunrise was beautiful, and Namaste is sitting in the anchorage at Chichime in the San Blas. I left the eastern Holandes a few days ago after rebuilding my alternator & sea water pump, it’s always good to have spares of everything!!! My friend John (on Trinka) spent the entire day working on my boat with me, Thanks John!

I traveled with John & Cara to the western Holandes, where we anchored for the night. The next morning John came over with a fresh Tuna & Mackerel which I cleaned and prepared for breakfast that morning.

I was in desperate need of fresh water and about to sail 15 miles out of my way to take on water at Rio Azucar, when another friend (Dennis on Valhalla) said to meet him in Porvenir where he would fill my tanks from his boat. I sailed 6.2 miles to Porvenir which is the hub of all the San Blas islands. There is an air strip, small store for provisioning, and hotel. One may also check into Panama and the San Blas islands which I did with no problems, it was like $100.00 when all was said & done.

I really wish I could upload some pictures, but I’m flying to Panama on the 9th to meet with a friend and do some provisioning and buy some supplies. I’ll upload some pictures from the internet café in Panama City.

I met Captain Woody Henderson, the guy who writes for Latitudes & Attitudes (www.latsandatts.net), in Porvenir, what a great guy! You need to check out what he’s doing at www.captainwoody.com. Woody is finishing up his circumnavigation, and on his way back to California. I was also able to make the trade of a lifetime. I traded Woody my Maxi-Prop, for a nearly new PUR 40E water maker. I’m so Psyched it’s not funny, I CAN MAKE WATER!!!!! That means showering every day, and after I swim in the salt water, laundry and sooooo much more.

Lou is doing well and enjoying the cruising lifestyle as well.

Remember you can send instant messages, I love the company, and the DVD’s are shipping out now. If you want a DVD you can place your order on-line, and securely. You’ll have it in about a week.

Hope everyone is well, enjoy life to the fullest!

– Alex

Life is really slowing down.

I’m thinking of sailing over to Rio Diablo in a few days. We are going to need fresh water, and there is a good, clear, river there. It’s also supposedly a nice place to do laundry. I hear there are white-faced monkeys that watch you the whole time and provide entertainment. There is also a store for provisioning at Nargana, I didn’t do the best job provisioning in Cartagena.

We have friends from Colombia (John & Kira, on Trinka) coming over to visit today. We will do some snorkeling & fishing, and attend the weekly garbage burning party tomorrow night. Lou and I are going to fry Plantain Bannanas as our “Finger-Food” offering.

I posted a picture of this island in the goodies section of the website, you can download it as wallpaper if you would like, and get an idea of what it’s like here.

Hope everyone is doing well, and if you have some time please send us an instant message (Iridium), from the website.

– Alex

All I can say is WOW! This really is living in paradise. I’ve lost track of time, and one perfect day is replaced by another. Lou and I have been living on coconuts, bananas, breadfruit, lobster, conch, and an assortment of reef fish. We snorkel 3-4 hours a day looking for food, and enjoy the quick showers each night to rinse off the salt water. We’ve gone to the Kuna’s a few times to trade things for fresh fruit. Yesterday we traded a container of mayonnaise for bananas & bread-fruit; I thought it was a great deal. Each morning I check into the Panama connection net on the SSB radio (8107 @ 8:30am). Namaste’s alternator quit the other day but luckily I had a replacement. The local cruisers have a garbage burning party on a nearby island on Monday nights. Everyone brings finger foods, drinks, and burns garbage; believe it or not it is very civilized. We ran out of cheese yesterday, and I’m looking forward to see how Lou does over the next week, she really loves cheese. If anyone gets a chance please go to the contact section and send us an instant “Irridium” message, it’s our entertainment, and connection to the outside world.

We’ll be going to Nargana in a week or so to meet a friend (John on little-wing), and we will be able to pick up some supplies and hopefully find some fresh water for the tanks.

Peace to all, and fair winds.

Well, we made it!

It was a 52 hour sail from Cartagena to the Hollandaise channel in the San Blas. I’m currently anchored at N 09 35.019 W 078 40.443 if anyone wants to look on the charts.

The first day out of Cartagena was rough, the seas were confused and on top of each other, it was blowing 22-30 the whole time. I was very ill about 10 hours out, and did some major hurling. Lou was not feeling well either but she didn’t loose it. The second day however I felt much better, but Lou was still not feeling well. It was a chore to stay hydrated, and a few crackers were all we could manage to eat during the 2 day crossing.

There is a price for everything, and the price of an uncomfortable trip was worth making it to the San Blas. I can’t tell you how picturesque these islands are, they’re just perfect. I caught a nice 20lb. Black Fin Tuna upon arriving in the channel. After I gutted him he managed a bit of energy, and flopped off the boat, what a waste. I have a new rule, “All fish go in the cockpit”! All was not lost though. A friend of mine (John on Gabriella) whom I met in Jamaica welcomed us to the islands with an offering of fresh fish. Lou and I cleaned up the boat, did some snorkeling, cooked a nice dinner, and watched “Castaway” last night.

As usual it’s going to take a few days to recoup, but what a nice place to do it.

Remember if anyone wants to say hi, you can send a free instant message to “Namaste” in the contact section. Don’t just send an email, click on the iridium logo. Please put in you email address so I can reply though.

Fair Winds everyone.

– Alex

Waiting for weather.

It´s blowing about 35 off the coast, and I´m waiting for a window to split to the San Blas. I´m calculating a 40 hour passage.

Lou has never been to sea before, and I´m trying to find the best window possible. I´ll probably just give her a bunch of Boneine, and let her sleep for the 2 days.

I´ll apply for my Zarpe (exit papers) on monday, and I´ll have 48 hours to depart once I get them.

I think the reality of the situation is that it´s going to be an uncomfortable trip, hopefully not as bad as it was when I sailed ¨little Wing¨to Panama 3 weeks ago.

Hope everyone is well.

– Alex

I´m in Panama in an internet cafe. Crossing from Cartagena to the San Blas Islands in Panama took about 20 hours, and what a trip. We had 35+ mile an hour winds, and 12-18 foot seas for most of the trip, Yuck, bad crossing and I ended up getting sick.

The San Blas Islands are SOOOOOOOOO beautiful, I´ll post some pictures when I get back to Cartagena tomorrow or Monday, I´´m really motivated to get going now.

Hope all is well.

– Alex

A friend of mine ran into some crew problems and I will be helping him crew his boat to Panama today. I´ll be flying back to Colombia in a few days. I´ve never sailed a big Cat before, and it should be a cool expierence. He´s thinking it should take around 15 hours, we might stop in the San Blas for a night.

I´ll try and send an update from Colon, or Panama City.

Adios.

Man does my head hurt. My buddies John & Sugey (Little Wing) and I had dinner at around 10pm, and then I took off with a group of cruisers to do the town. The other photo is Santa Domingo Plaza just before midnight. Wall to wall people, lots of drinking, fireworks, dancing in the streets, what a good time. There was such a good vibe in Cartagena last night. I was going to go dancing at one of the local Discos but I blue-out my Flip-Flop, and spent most of the evening walking the streets bare foot & drinking with friends, it was perfect.

I have a big agenda for 2005, and if I can achieve just a small portion of it I’ll be wildly successful.

Namaste is torn apart and wall to wall tools. I’m doing a bunch of varnishing and installing the refrigerator and SSB. I hope to get Namaste hauled in a few weeks to install my maxi-prop, and bottom paint. I brought back a bunch of sunbrella and I’m covering everything from the intense Caribbean sun.

I hope everyone made good New Year resolutions, and more importantly I hope everyone finds the strength to make them happen.

Happy 2005 everyone, much love from Namaste. – Alex

Merry Christmas from Colombia. This will be my first Christmas out of the states. It´s very festive here, lots of lights & Christmas spirit. I think santa will enjoy delivering presents here this year as it´s 85 and sunny. I saw santa this morning but he was speaking spanish, however I understood the ¨HO, HO, HO¨ part. I´ll be going to old town tonight to have dinner with friends, and I heard they are doing a pig roast at the club tomorrow (Christmas Carribean style). For those of you who purchased DVD´s they should be shipping out in mid- January. Merry Christmas and happy New Year.

If anyone comes across my sea legs please send them back to me ASAP! I was getting off of Namaste (med-tied) the other day with a large bag of laundry and my sleeping bag. I slipped and landed in the water. Sounds funny, but there was a cement pilon covered in barnicles just under the surface. Half on my left arm and a third of my leg is one big, dark, ugly bruise. The worst part is I drank some of the very, VERY, nasty water when I had the wind knocked out of me. Pain is one thing, but you know what really hurts, the decline of the American dollar. When I left Colombia in July I was getting 2,800 pesos to the dollar, now I´m getting 2,100, that really bites, especially when I have 5 months of back bills to pay. All in all it´s sooooooooooooooooooo nice to be back on Namaste. I will start up the logs again, and be posting 2 ½ years of video clips shortly. Hopefully I will not have to go back to work in the states anymore. The DVD has been selling well, and they will be shipping out in January. Love to all, and don´t forget to get out on the water. – alex

The last few days have been more then stressful. I arrived in Cartagena fine, but I was left standing at the baggage carrousel watching everyone get there bags but me. Panic…!, this could really wipe me out, An SSB & Tuner, a refrigeration unit, new video & still cameras, a new backpack & climbing gear, a new back-up auto pilot & remote, not to mention a bunch of other stuff. Then it hit me, my master video tapes are in there as well, how could I be so stupid, 2 ½ years of my work? “Just return the tapes” I thought to myself, “please… just the video tapes”. My buddies Charlie & Eric were at the airport to greet me. They could tell something was wrong by the long look in my eyes. Charlie said it would probably show up, however he lost a new computer the same way last year, “not too reassuring” I thought. I left the airport with a hollow feeling and a blue slip of paper in place of my bags. Namaste was closed up for 5 months in the hot & moist Caribbean air. Mold was rampant throughout the boat, my allergies & asthma kicked off immediately. When I woke up the next day I could tell that I was loosing my voice again, What is that, laryngitis, strep? I’ll see a doctor in the next few days if it gets worse. I spent the day taking taxi’s back & forth from the airport. I was there for every scheduled flight, nothing…, 3 flights came in, no luggage for me. They said it might come in on the last flight from Bogotá. The guy next to me laughed, “Bogotá, those guys are thieves, but they only take small things, cologne, a small camera perhaps” My hopes were worn thin, however my eyes were fixated on the door to the carousel. I wasn’t allowed to be in the airport for security reasons, but I found a window from the parking lot and watched intensely. Here comes the first bag, BANG!!!!!, IT”S ONE OF MY BOX’S!!!!!, then another, and finally the 3rd. I could immediately see that they had been opened, and inspected. They were re-sealed with blue & white security tape. “Thank God, I don’t care if they have just the tapes, please, just the tapes, every thing else will be a bonus”. I mounted the 3 grande caha’s (big box’s) on a particularly small taxi and my driver sped through the old streets of Cartagena, blaring salsa, and playing drums on the dash board. It seemed as if he was trying to knock my box’s loose, but just after midnight we arrived at Club Nautico without incident. I tore the Box’s apart with a vengeance, “WHERE ARE MY TAPES”! Wouldn’t you know they would be in the last box, “Thanks Murphy”. After further inspection I realized everything was there, even the co2 cartridges that I wasn’t supposed to bring on the plane. Why is that, every life vest on the plane has the same cartridges, why is it illegal to transport your own, the plane is pressurized? Do they think it might have a poisonous gas in them or something? Who cares, I made it back to Columbia with my 3 grande cahas, all is well now.

I’m sitting in the Miami airport waiting for my flight back to Cartagena. A funny thing happened to me on the way to Miami last night. I was in the Baltimore airport (BWI) 9 hours before my 6:00am flight to Miami. Obviously I was going to try and get some sleep. I stretched out on a bench, and covered my eyes with my great new polarized sunglasses to keep out the light of the airport. At one point I remember removing them and placing them on my chest so I could cover my eyes with a bandana. I must of dozed off for a few minutes because when I opened my eyes my new glasses were gone. Someone stole them right off a sleeping mans chest, MINE, can you believe it? It just reinforces my belief that bad things happen every ware. Everyone is so stressed about being robbed in other countries, but it happened to me last night in Baltimore. Merry Christmas I guess. I’m trying to figure out why it happened, and the lesson I’m supposed to learn from it. If you haven’t noticed by now I have a tendency to over-analyze everything to death, later.

Hot Lazy day, no wind or sleep. There is still a lot of traffic (Tankers & freighters) entering the Windward Passage from points South. My radar’s perimeter alarm seems to go off every time I try and shut my eyes. This would be so much easier with one crew member for helm-shifts.

My spirit sank pretty low today for some reason, possibly “Non culture-shock” mixed with fatigue and deliria.  I’ve really have been missing my family & friends, sharing a bottle of wine and good conversation. I have to be honest; I started thinking of abandoning the trip and setting sail for the eastern seaboard. For some reason, in these calm waters, I became fearful today, and quite lonely.

Early in the day I decided to alter course and head for Port Royal (Kingston, Jamaica). If I motor I can make it in 2 days. There I could fuel, properly provision, and make some phone calls. Should I go home, or should I continue and cross the Caribbean Sea in hurricane season?

Late in the day, off of the Haitian coast, I came across a catamaran making way for the Windward Passage (Between Cuba & Haiti).  He hailed me, and had many questions about navigating the passage, through the Bahamas, and on to Fort Lauderdale. He asked me my destination and I replied “Port Royal”. He asked if I had ever cruised Jamaica before. After I told him I hadn’t, he let me know Kingston was not the place for me. He had just spent 4 years working in Jamaica, and told me to alter course for Port Antonio, “trust me, take my advice” he said. Being a child of the United States and the film industry, I have become firm in my belief in trusting no one. Why should I take the advice of a strange voice on the radio in the middle of the ocean? My cruising book says that Jamaica is not a popular cruising destination because of the number of violent crimes, muggings and drug traffic. It suggests that Kingston would be the easiest place to clear in, Port Antonio the least. I took his advice though, altered course, and I will make Port Antonio by midnight.

My hands are shaking from lack of sleep I suppose. I’ve managed maybe 4 hours in the last 5 days. For some reason I just cant sleep. I try…, but every time I dose off I feel the need to glance at the radar and chart plotter just one more time, after that, I’m awake again. When I do manage to fall asleep, it’s only to a 20 minute timer, or I’m awakened by one of the various alarms on the boat.

Tonight…, after midnight…, I know I will sleep.

Christopher Columbus arrived in Jamaica in 1494. The name Jamaica comes from the Arawak word “xaymaka” meaning land of wood and water.

At about 19:00, I caught my first sight of Jamaica. I jumped up and screamed “LAND HO!!!!!!”, I started dancing around the boat singing various Bob Marley lyrics. Adrenaline filled my veins…, the sun set, and a full moon rose. I could smell Jamaica from 8 miles off-shore. The wind was fragrant with the smell of rain, trees, and rich soil.

This is why I’m doing this! The cost of loneliness and delirium are well worth it I thought. I felt like an explorer, entering a strange harbor under a full moon. Port Antonio is surrounded by mountains. The wind died completely, and I could perfectly see the full moon reflecting in the still water as I quietly explored the harbor. Jamaica is thick, lush, fragrant, and humid. This is my first tropical destination. I was not tired. My chest was filled with the excitement of youth, and a raging smile dawned my face

I came across sailboats on mooring balls. A local motored by in a skiff and said “No anchor Mon, mooring only five dollars”, a father and his boy got in their dingy, and helped me retrieve the mooring, we spoke for a while, and they invited me for drinks the following day.

I lay in my bed so excited I can’t sleep. The hatch over my head was fully open when it started to rain. The fresh water felt good and I left it open.

Last night…, I fell asleep with Jamaican rain falling on my smile…., oh what a life!

Today marks the first day of hurricane season, however with all canvas up, sailing under a cutter rig; I can only muster between 2.2 – 3Kts, in 8 knots of wind. I hooked about a 50 pound Wahoo yesterday, gaffed him and got him 75% on board when he snapped the leader and got away, what a waste, He’ll probably die, and he took my favorite lure with him, one that a friend gave me for the trip.

Last night I watched the sun set and shower Cuba with warm light, beautiful mountainous Island. I had to dodge tankers & freighters all night through the Windward Passage…, still no sleep to think of.

I need wind, not too much mind you, but a solid 12-15 would be nice. I was running with the wind most of the night, which is usually very comfortable; however Namaste rocked port to starboard all night, I couldn’t really figure out why the sea was fairly calm, perhaps currents in the passage.

It was 90 degrees at 09:00, I suppose it will get hotter today. Everything in this heat is a chore, setting sail, fighting a fish, cooking. Every hour or so I pour a bucket of sea water over my head, as well as on the teak decks. I haven’t been eating much, yesterday I noticed It was late afternoon and I hadn’t had my morning coffee or anything to eat. I don’t think I’ve missed morning coffee for at least a decade. I had an Atkins shake for dinner. I picked the shakes in Nassau thinking it would be good nutrition, and preparation would be simple, I mixed it with soy milk, it was fine.

No more then 8 kts of wind today. I was sweating in the cockpit wondering I hadn’t stocked up on duty free rum in the Bahamas. Something crossed my mind. When I purchased “Namaste” there was a big black sail in her inventory. A Drifter, as it says on the sail bag. I dug deep into the stern hold and found it. It’s an ugly sail, black and dawned with mold stains. It looks like something out of “Pirates of the Caribbean”. I doused both the main & jib and hoisted this monster. Namaste gained a full knot and was now making 3.8 – 4 Knots in 8 knots of wind, “that’s not bad” I commended my new friend. The wind died quickly, and I was only making 2 Kts.

I’ve decided to slightly alter course for Port Royal (Kingston Jamaica) I’ll get some rest, provision, and fuel. If I don’t motor, it will take me a month to make Columbia at this rate. This may bring me too far west to ride the trades for Cartigena, and Panama may be my best choice. However by fueling in Kingston, I could damn near motor the entire way to Columbia if need be.

Once I altered course and rounded Haiti, I got a 10+ foor swell from the east. I am now in the full force, and mercy of the Atlantic. Namaste casually steps over these swells as if it was no bother to her. I had to dodge 4 squalls last night, I could see them on the radar. About 03:00 I passed a British sailing ship heading north for the passage. I hailed him on 16 and we talked for a while, mostly about the weather.

I think I need to get a refrigeration unit. Foremost to keep fresh fish, but man could I use a cold drink. I’m drinking nearly a gallon of water a day, and shedding it as fast as I consume it.

What will South America be like?

It’s been hard to sleep. I set the alarm clock in 20 minute intervals; I think I’ve only been getting an hour or so during the night. It’s a bit easier to sleep during the day, I have a bit more comfort in the fact that if I do encounter another boat, the will be awake and able to see me.

I was getting a cat nap last night and awoke to smoke coming from the cabin, and the horrible smell of something burning, obviously I jumped to my feet, my heart was racing, I quickly noticed that the belt for the alternator had burned up. I carry extras, and had the problem fixed within minutes.

When I went on deck this morning I found an unfortunate flying fish who had found his way onboard. Funny looking fish, big eyes, and fin-wings, too small to eat. I tried to use him as bait, but no luck, I think I’m the worlds most unsuccessful fisherman.

Namaste is sailing along at about 3.5Kts, which will put me in Great Inagua in the morning sometime.

All of the books I’ve read by solo-circumnavigators (Slocum, Guzzwell, Dumas) talk about loneliness. I’m not really lonely, but it’s an odd feeling to be so far away from people. I fired up the radar, and scanned the horizon, not a blip to be seen (24miles). I hailed “Any Vessel” looking for weather information, yet no reply. At night there is not a light to be seen save the stars above and my own running lights. I did see a ship last night about 6 miles on my port quarter, I suspect a mail boat returning from Inagua.

I’m going to try and set the alarm in 35-40 minute increments tonight. I have tried to put the proper electronics package together. I must now learn to trust Namaste during my sleep. I something enters the perimeter I set on the radar, lets say 5 miles, Namaste will wake me. If I wonder off course, venture into water too shallow, or the wind shifts, she will wake me. Technically I should be able to sleep all night; I just can’t bring myself to do it.

Got up at 04:00, and left the anchorage with zero visibility. Used the GPS, Nobeltec, and the radar to guide my way. No luck fishing today.

I’m headed for Clarence town on Long key. I arrived at Clarence town about 16:00, and pulled up to the fuel dock. I’ve used 16.2 gallons of fuel since Highborne key. Disaster struck. I was walking Namaste about 40 down the dock, the guy said I could tie up for an hour to explore the town and get some groceries. There was a good tide, and when I wasn’t paying attention, the outboard (attached to the stern pulpit) got caught between Namaste, and a pylon. The outboard was almost broken in two. I’m going to see if I can do something to it tonight. I really got hit with the blues, started wondering if this is all worth it? It seems like an uphill battle at times.

I was going to spend the night at anchor, and get a bite of real food, but I just wanted out of there. Its 18:30 and I’ve left for Great Inagua, about 160 mile trip. My plan is to fuel in great Inagua, provision a bit, and leave for Cartagena. If I can’t get wind for Cartagena, I will head for Panama.

I’m probably going to leave Namaste there for a few months, and go back to Maryland to make some money for the Canal, a new outboard, and some other things.

South America will be my first big crossing about 1000 miles. Legs across the Pacific, will be over 3000. This should give me a good Idea of what to expect.

Hurricane season starts on Tuesday. Reuters: The Atlantic Caribbean hurricane season will be busier than average with 14 named storms this year, 8 of which will become hurricanes. A cyclone researcher said in a revised forecast on Friday, “of the 8 anticipated hurricanes, 3 will become intense”

It really is time to get going. I still need to figure out how to get ashore in Great Inagua, I hope they have a marina.

That’s it for today.

Crossing Exuma Sound, at about 13:00 I heard a noise from the engine room. A bolt holding the alternator bracket came off, it only took a few minutes to fix. I finished crossing the Exuma Sound and anchored off of cape Santa Maria at about 16:30. Bar none, the most beautiful anchorage I’ve ever seen. I went spear fishing but no luck, saw a nurse shark.

How was your day today? Let me tell you about mine. Today is what I’ve been working so hard for. Today was the most relaxing, beautiful, spectacularly peaceful, perfect day of my existence.

I watched the Flames (hockey) game last night at Crocodiles with my buddy Keith and some girls we met from a cruise ship. I got home about 23:00, and had a great nights sleep. The winds died last night.

I woke up this morning to Keith saying “Alex…, get up… today’s the day to go” as he passed Namaste on his catamaran “What’s up Doc”, I stuck my head out of the hatch and waved goodbye, it was about 07:00.

The morning sun was shining and the Bahamian air heavy & warm. I got in the Dingy and went to Crocodiles to have my morning coffee with Dave the owner, what a great guy, we talked for a while. There are coral heads on the yellow banks and I wanted the sun high in the sky for the crossing so I could see them. I left Nassau at 10:30, I was in no hurry.

There was only 6 Kts of wind, I tried setting sail but I could only squeeze 1.2Kts out of it and ran the motor instead. The water was 6-15 feet deep and as clear as a bathtub, at first a few dolphins were playing about the bow, then I could see sharks, rays and other fish swimming about, it was like sailing over an aquarium, spectacular. After setting the autopilot I laid out in the sun all day listening to Van Morrison, Neville Brothers,  and U2.

I made it to High-borne key about 17:00, and dropped the hook off this perfectly looking tropical island in the crystal blue water. There is a reef about 50 yards away; I got my snorkel gear and spear gun to look for dinner. I wasn’t in the water more then 2 minutes before I shot my dinner, a “Speckled Hind”, about 6 pounds; the water is 86 degrees by the way. My dinner was on the grill 15 minutes later. Why oh why don’t I have a nice bottle of wine on board, oh well? I’ve never eaten a Speckled Hind before, but it was one of the nicest pieces of fish I’ve had, clean white meat, with olive oil & lemon, over curry rice. I can’t afford to eat like this on land, it’s great.

After that I went to the beach and laid in the gentle surf as I watched the sunset behind Namaste. I can take video all day long, but I’d never be able to convey how spectacular today was, my soul truly smiled. I wish Namaste was larger so I could charter and share these times & places with people, maybe some day.

Maybe tomorrow will be better?

The Winds are starting to die out and I’m heading for High-borne key in the morning. The next day I will travel SE, across Exuma sound, for about a 24hour leg, and anchor on the NW side of Long  Island before I do the 181 Mile leg to Great Inagua where I will get my exit papers from the Bahamas, and hopefully some diesel and fresh food. The next leg will be 790 miles to Cartagena (Columbia), through the “windward passage” which will take me between Cuba and Haiti, and past the eastern shores of Jamaica Mon. I spoke to a captain this morning who warned me that “The Windward Passage” can be “a very nasty stretch of sea”.

I know some of you have expressed concern about me venturing into Columbian waters, however I’ve spoke to a number of cruisers who have visited, and they assure me it is safe as long as one is smart about it. Jimmy Cornell’s book “World Cruising Handbook” refers to Cartagena as, not only safe harbor, but the most beautiful port in the new world. From the pictures I’ve seen on-line, I would have to agree. I’ll be staying at Club Nautico, you can check them out on line, I forgot the address, and will post it later.

I’m aware of the risks evolved with taking a trip like this, and often remind myself that “With no risk, there will be no reward”. Also know, that if for some reason, I do end up in “Davy Jones’s” locker I’ve been doing exactly what I want in life “YEEEHAAAAA”.

There is a big difference between living life & just being alive, the latter of which I am no too interested. I don’t think I will ever be able to change my life and plug back into the system. Freedom is a hard flavor to give up; I just now taste it for the first time. I’m trying to develop more of a “Come what may” attitude, as I’m sure the more adventurous my path, the larger reward will lay in my wake.

I will post text updates during the trip, and don’t be afraid of dropping me an instant message or two, having a bit of company during the crossing will be nice.

–         Live Large!

Basically I’ve locked myself on the boat to finish episode #10, it took a few days but it’s done. I will send it to Nick in California for uploading, I don’t know how long the mail will take from here, and hopefully it will be posted in a week or so. I’m gearing up to do some distance cruising, hurricane season starts in a week and I need to get a move on. My friends Chris & Joseé took off on the 18th for Chubb. And my other buddy Keith pulled in aboard “What’s up Doc” the same day. Episode #10 is on the way. What to do for hurricane season: Trinidad or Columbia?

I spent some time at an internet Café in town, and had a slice of pizza and a beer, what a nice break from the canned crap I usually eat from a pot. Good fresh food has to be the biggest drawback so far.

When I can afford it I will add 2, 50 watt solar panels, and a sea water cooled refrigeration unit. It would be nice to enjoy a cool glass of water at my leisure, or perhaps some butter for my bread. I feel as if I’m complaining, Joshua Slocum had no power at all, no GPS, Radar, Depth gauge, computer to watch the occasional movie, or motor for his boat, not to mention an outboard for his dingy for that matter. I live in the lap of luxury compared to some of the men who have attempted to circumnavigate before me.

The Canadians (Chris & Josée) invited me for dinner again. I feasted on Salmon, rice, Chardonnay, and brownies for dessert. Maybe I should have thought this through better and found a woman to accompany me.
Everything seems so civil on their boat; they work as a perfect team and manage to raise two perfect twin boys (Simone & Phillip) at the same time, they just turned six.

The wind still blows hard from the east.

No compassion from the wind, it still blows hard from the east. A few boats have left for Bermuda, Azores, then the Med, I kind of want to join them. The winds & current will work to their favor. The Med would be nice in the summer, however an expensive trip. The cruisers who head for Europe in the summer return to the Caribbean in November. The wind will not work in my favor until I venture west, probably from the Leeward Islands, and the westerly trade winds will carry me to New Zealand for the following winter.

I read most of the day.

I took off with one of my Canadian friends (Josée) to do some shopping and try and get a prop for my outboard. A cab would have cost $20-25.00 usd each way, so we opted for a bus ($1.00). I knew we weren’t in Kansas any more when I saw the bus driver drinking a Guinness with his buddies up front. They were trashed, dancing, stripping, blaring reggae (Bob Marley), it was so damn funny. At one point the driver jumped out of the bus to take a leek behind a tree, his buddy jumped in his seat and took over driving for a few blocks. They had a case of empty Guinness bottles under the seat which broke open and the empty bottles were rolling around the bus. One of the guys collected all the bottles, and threw the case and empties on the side of the road. It was funnier more then anything neither of us could stop laughing. They were so damn drunk.

The Yamaha dealer didn’t have the prop I needed so we went to the supermarket, the next two bus rides were a bit more laid back. We had dinner aboard their boat, they were staying at a marina, and I snuck a fresh water shower on shore and did some laundry, wow was that nice.

I borrowed Monsters Inc. from one of the kids and headed back to the boat for a movie.

It’s still blowing over 25 knots.

I met some Polish guys who broke some of their rigging (Starboard Upper). They didn’t speak English very well; however one of them spoke Russian. My Russian was better then his English, so I was really their only option. They seemed so helpless not speaking English. I really need to work on my Spanish & French to survive better on this trip. I grew up in a European family where 5 languages were spoken at the table, talk about confusing.

It started raining hard around 17:00 and gusting over 35Kts. I fiddled with the SSB receiver and managed to get a weather fax, I could barely read it.

Didn’t go ashore today. I did some cleaning, and polished some of the stainless, it was looking rather poor. One of the locals told me to use Sno-Blo toilet bowl cleaner for my stainless, and for rust stains on the fiberglass, and boy was he right. It works better then on-an-off, and costs under $3.00 a bottle. It’s by far the best stainless cleaner I’ve found yet.

I’ve been really tired lately, I can’t ever seem to find any energy. I think it’s the heat and confinement of the boat. One of my friends told me that you sleep a lot when cruising, it’s true.

I started a new book today (Wind from the Carolinas), about the Loyalist migration from the Carolinas to the Bahamas, it’s pretty thick; I hope it takes my mind off of the wind.

Worked on the computer (editing) most of the day. I like working on windy days because of the added green power from the wind generator (Scotty).

I’m thinking of becoming a fish-eating vegetarian, I’m sure there’s a name for that? Canned red meat (Ham, Spam, corned beef, Vienna sausages), is just wrong, very…, very…., very…., wrong. The only red mead that I found to be some what palatable was ham in one of those foil bags like the albacore tuna, you know what I mean? Fresh meat is hard to come by and expensive when I can find it, and it’s not the same quality that I’m used to. I’m still trying to figure out my diet. I still have a few months of food on board, and I’m sure it will all change as my peanut butter jars, squeezable jellies, and granola box’s slowly disappear. I have to get better about fishing & spear fishing. The reality is, if I want fresh meat (Fish) I have to go get it. Spear fishing can be some what tricky. Most Shark & Barracuda attacks happen to people spear fishing, a case of mistaken identity if you will. The shark senses the wounded fish and does its job. I physically had to beat a barracuda off my grouper years ago, he managed to get the fish anyway.

When ever I go spear fishing I keep the dingy close at hand and get the fish out of the water as soon as possible. As long as I have coffee and rice, with an occasional decent bottle of wine, I think I’m good to go.

I met a nice Canadian couple and their 6 year old twin boys, back in No-name harbor in Miami over a month ago. They knocked on the hull about 17:00, I was excited to see them and went over to their boat, we shared a few bottles of wine, and talked to around 20:30. I had a bit of a buzz on for my dingy ride home : )

Not much to report today, except these winds are really aggravating me! My trip through the Bahamas is getting shorter every day I spend here. The more time I spend here, the longer I have to spend off-shore beating farther south, missing everything, to get out of the hurricane belt. I spent most of the day editing, and visited an ashram (www.sivananda.org/nassau) on Paradise Island, it’s a beautiful and peaceful place. You can stay there for about $70.00 a night, food & activities (yoga) included. If I had some extra time I’d try and find some inner peace and meditate. I spent some time at an ashram when I was sixteen, it was a good experience, probably because I met a great girlfriend there and had a fun summer in Malibu. I didn’t really get into meditating much. Saturday looks like the day to leave, the hi-pressure should subside.

Got up and listened to BASRA (Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association) weather broadcast on VHF Channel 72, and what do you know, more wind 25+. I decided to go to Rose Island anyway, I met some cool people (Canadians) aboard “What’s Up Doc”, and we were going to do some spear fishing & do a movie night. Things never turn out the way I plan them. I left Nassau harbor around 1100, and shortly their after the RPM gauge started dancing around. I figured to play it safe, turn around, and re-anchor in my same spot. I was right about the gauge, it was just a loose connection on the sender, and fixed it in a few minutes. While I was doing it I noticed that one of my motor mounts was loose, and askew, that’s a bit bigger of a job, it took a few hours to fix. At around 15:30 I went over to “Sea Dragon”, a beautiful CT 38’, and hung out with some new friends. They have an online Nautical Gifts website (www.shipslocker.com) and are heading back to the States later on in the week. It’s funny, I still get stressed out about weather. Nassau isn’t such a bad place to be stuck for a few more days I guess : )

Got up early and walked over to Paradise Island. Checked out Atlantis Hotel & Casino (didn’t gamble), and got some video. Walked down town to an internet café and checked my non-satellite emails and had a coffee. After that I walked another few miles to a real supermarket and stocked up a bit.
I’m thinking of sailing over to Rose Island tomorrow. I have to say “thank you” to Dave at the Crocodile restaurant. Crocodile’s provides cruisers with a free dingy dock and trash disposal. It’s a very “Cruiser Friendly”
place, and the food is fantastic.

Worked almost all day again, winds still blowing from the ESE, 15-20Kts. I’m starting to realize I’ll be cruising through the Caribbean during hurricane season, it officially starts June 1st. I’ve plugged all the hurricane holes into Nobeltec, and I’ll just hope for the best. The locals say the best cruising is in June/July, and not to worry, everyone agrees that it will be an active season though.

I stayed onboard almost all day working on the next episode (#10), it definitely has a different feel being out of the states. I walked to the local street market and bought some onions (For Conch salad), and some plantain bananas, I like them fried for breakfast with honey, and I can’t find any more pop-tarts.

Time to go ashore. Crocodiles restaurant has a free dingy dock. My outboard motor quit on the way in, I lifted it and noticed a few hundred yards of fishing like caught in the prop, Ahhhhh…., it’s good to be back in civilization, and not even a free lure at the end of the line. Luckily I had my Leatherman tool on me and was able to pop-off the prop, and get underway in less than 10 minutes.

Cuban cigars, duty free liquor, Rolex, Fendi, Hard Rock, Polo, BCBG, Cruise Ship people by the thousands, lots & lots of drinking. I could not find a good local place to eat and found a subway. Fast food again…, although subway isn’t bad for fast food, that’s not why I came to the Bahamas. I got a Betelco (Phone Company) phone card and made a call to the states ($1.00/min), it was good hear a familiar voice.

I grew up in Manhattan & LA…, my natural habitat is a concrete jungle. I didn’t go into Miami when I was there a few weeks ago, and it’s really been a few months since I’ve been in a real city. Everything seems to move faster.
People shouldering me, a bus turned quickly and almost hit me, cars & scooters from every direction, people trying to sell me something at every turn. The smell of exhaust & perfumes filled the air, and the sound of cruise ship horns, squealing tires, and shouting filled my ears, I felt out of place, I felt like crocodile Dundee in NYC for the first time. Besides a loaf of bread, some eggs, and 12 gallons of diesel, there is not much I need here; I only stayed a few hours. When I moved to LA after college, I had three gun incidences in fourteen months, and my best friends were shot at on the freeway, they pulled bullets out of the car. Maybe living at sea amongst weather & sharks isn’t so dangerous after all.

A spoke to a local woman at the Laundromat on Bimini. They’re building a big resort & casino on the Island, and I asked her what she thought. She said it would bring lots of money, but crime would go through the roof. She said “we not really poor, we just not like Americans, when the casino comes, all the islanders will want more things”. When I was on Bimini I saw an islander walking the streets with an earpiece in his ear attached to a cell phone, it struck me as strange, and out of place.

Even though I didn’t go out last night (Friday) the banging dance music from Club Med kept me up until 02:18, Club Med is more then half a mile away. I guess sound really travels over water, how loud would it be in the rooms there? Remind me never to go.

A sea plane landed next to Namaste early in the morning for my wakeup.

I set sail from Bird Cay around 05:45, when the sun came up and the air warmed, the breeze freshened to around 23kts from the NE. the seas were 7/8 feet, with the occasional 10/11 rolling by from the passing cold front. Around 13:30, a pod of about 30 dolphins played off of Namaste’s bow for an hour or so. I arrived in Nassau harbor about 16:00, set the anchor (not easily). When I left the States I forgot to get a new American Flag, Namaste’s is falling apart in the sun. When I dove the anchor to make sure it was set, I found a new American flag lying on the sandy bottom just under Namaste’s keel, what are the chances of that?

I haven’t seen this much civilization since leaving Miami. I noticed that the boat next to me was dragging anchor, I took the dingy over to the boat and knocked on the hull. The boat owners are completely deaf; they only speak sign, and read lips. I thought my journey was hard; I couldn’t imagine being deaf at sea, no VHF/SSB communications, or being able to hear the thunder in the distance to prepare for a squall, or hearing a fog horn to warn you of a point of land, or hazard. I really give these people credit for following their dreams.

I’ll go ashore tomorrow and do a bit of exploring. This is my last real port to provision until I reach Georgetown.

I set sail about 09:00, and motor-sailed across most of the bank, no wind.
It’s kind of uncomfortable motoring along at 5kts, it water so clear you can see every shell on the bottom. I was in only 5-15 feet of water all day. In the middle of the bank it looks like you’re in the middle of the ocean. The joke in the Bahamas is; “If you sink your boat, you can always just walk home”.

I caught a big Barracuda at 13:45, but let him go in fear that he was carrying ciguatera, a poison that is in the meat of many of the reef fish, especially barracuda.

The wind picked up to 22+ around 15:00. I motored until dark and anchored on the bank (25.28.947 N 078 26.511 W) in a 4-5 foot sea. Have you ever tried to sleep on the back of a bucking bronco? That’s what my night was like, not much sleep.

I hung out in Bimini, one more day. Here’s a neat travel tip. Take Chalks Airlines from Fort Lauderdale, to Bimini. Chalks planes are seaplanes and land right next to the anchorage. The flight is so much fun it’s almost worth the trip in itself; I took one to the states from Bimini in 1997. Stay at the Bimini Big Game club (www.biminibiggame.com), and do a “Dive with the Dolphins” trip from Keefe’s dive shop, right from the Big Game grounds. I’ll show you footage of all this stuff in the next episode, but it would make for a fun weekend.

I met a sailing couple from Washington state. I made dinner onboard Namaste, and we watched a movie. They had a good scare the night before. There was a 45knot squall that went through, he got clipped in the head with his boom, and knocked overboard. Luckily he was wearing his harness. I’m usually pretty lazy about it, but I’ll start wearing it all the time.

I met a nice couple that caught a big Dolphin (Dolphin Fish), and invited me over for dinner & drinks. I really have to get better with my fishing, Wow was it tasty. I didn’t do much today, I still feel a bit beat up from the passage. I just read by the pool, took a nap, and two showers. The wind is still blowing over 20 knots.