Getting Ready to GO Cruising!
Getting Ready to GO!
by Ocean Posse member Rob Murray on SV AVANT
What do you do to get ready for a cruising season? What resources do you rely on? How can you assess the weather and potential passages months in advance? The following is a list of some of the steps we take and resources we rely on aboard Avant to get ready for a major passage that’s a few months down the line, or to get ready for a season of sailing.
First, we have a look at Jimmy Cornell’s World Cruising Routes, a staple reference guide for cruisers. While a great resource, this book is a, “comprehensive guide to over 1,000 routes covering all the oceans of the world from the tropical South Seas to the high-latitudes of the Arctic and Antarctic” – all in some 600-odd pages. While it provides breadth, it is somewhat lacking in depth. It suffers to some degree from the source of data, which is a mix of pilot charts and books overlaid heavily with the personal experience of many seasoned cruisers. Since some areas are not frequented by cruisers for various reasons, they are often omitted (for example, the 1987 edition omitted Colombia, since it was so dangerous it seemed no one cruised there). Also, since Cornell’s other endeavors (such as founding the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers [ARC]) have been long distance and circumnavigation focused, it often misses out on more coastal routes. Nonetheless, it is always our first stop for a broad overview.
Cornell does focus on the passage part of the planning and has virtually no information on local conditions to expect when you have arrived.
Regarding our plan to leave Panama, Cornell says, “Eastbound Passages from Panama can be extremely difficult at all times of the year, because of the prevailing direction of the winds and current” and that “better and more comfortable passages have been made in late spring or early summer”. Good to know.
Before Cornell wrote his guides, sailors relied on Ocean Passages for the World, publication NP136 from the British Admiralty. I think the 3rd edition of 1973 was the last to feature separate routing advice for sailing ships and power vessels (newer editions omit advice for sailing ships). It builds on the 1895, 1923 and 1960 editions and is the last Admiralty guide written for professional world sailors (the iron men in wooden ships). PDF versions can be found online and make interesting and instructive reading. While the sailing directions are directed for full rigged tall ships, they suit modern sailors because, although we may be able to sail upwind, none of us much like it. While I enjoy referring to it, I should note that its precision and brevity make Cornell look positively loquacious.
Next, we go shopping at the NGA store (National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency) is a support agency of the United States Department of Defense with the primary mission of collecting, analyzing, and distributing geospatial intelligence (GEOINT)). If the US Navy gave you command of a destroyer and said ‘go there’, the NGA would provide the travel guidebooks. The NGA annual budget is classified, but was estimated to be at least $4.9 billion in 2013. It is nice to be able to add that kind of horsepower to your cruising budget.
We get the Sailing Directions (Enroute) for our area (these include:
“detailed coastal and port approach information, supplementing the largest scale chart of the area). Each publication is subdivided into geographic regions, called sectors, which contain information about the coastal weather, currents, ice, dangers, features and ports, as well as graphic keys to standard [MIMA/DMA] nautical charts available for the area.”
They have some photos, and some sketch charts. While mainly designed for much larger vessels, they are very handy. After the introductory chapter, the detailed description of the region begins. A map/chart precedes each chapter and outlines the nautical charts used in the area to be discussed. In these chapters, as much as possible, the coastal description is in geographic sequence and gazettes the coastline, ports, anchorages, navigation aids and hazards. These are fairly current: it is unusual to find one that hasn’t been updated in the last six months or so. For example, the 2017 Publication 148 was corrected (updated) through 26 September 2020 when I downloaded it in December 2020. Similar ADMIRALTY Sailing Directions are available from the UK Hydrographic Office, but they are priced at Hardback Paper Publication: £63.50, Electronic version (AENP): £38.70 per volume, so we don’t use those.
Both publications have some information on local conditions along the coast and note currents and weather systems with much more detail than other readily available sources.
For the western Caribbean, where Avant is now, the Sailing Directions (Enroute) tell us:
“The prevailing winds are the NE trades, which frequently assume a N or E direction, also a gusty character close inshore. These winds flow strongly from December to March”
and
“During the dry season [December to March], the winds are stronger”
and
“During the dry season, the wind may freshen to a velocity of 15 knots in the vicinity of the Panama Canal, but frequently exceeds 20 knots for a period of 24 hours or more. During the wet season in the same locality, the average wind velocity is about 8 knots, but greater velocities are experienced during passing local rain squalls.”
Hmmm. We are not fans of sailing to weather in strong or gusty winds; spring sounds much better.
We also get the Sailing Directions (Planning Guides) (these include, “relevant physical, political, industrial, navigational and regulatory information about the countries adjacent to a particular ocean basin in a single volume”). The information on each country is contained in a page or two. These are not hugely useful, but they do list national holidays and Search and Rescue (SAR) contact information for each country. You generally do not want to arrive on a holiday with the attendant overtime port fees, and while you don’t want to have to call SAR, if you do need to, it’s nice to have the number.
While you are in the NGA shop, you may as well get some other e-books that may be handy – the latest American Practical Navigator (Bowditch), the latest International Code of Signals (revised 2020 – you do have the new edition aboard, don’t you?), etc.
We want to review the Pilot Charts which:
“depict averages in prevailing winds and currents, air and sea temperatures, wave heights, ice limits, visibility, barometric pressure, and weather conditions at different times of the year. The information used to compile these averages was obtained from oceanographic and meteorologic observations over many decades during the late 18th and 19th centuries. The Atlas of Pilot Charts set is comprised of five volumes, each covering a specific geographic region. Each volume is an atlas of twelve pilot charts, each depicting the observed conditions for a particular month of any given year. The charts are intended to aid the navigator in selecting the fastest and safest routes with regards to the expected weather and ocean conditions.”
There are three main ways to get these, by:
- Buying paper copies at a chart dealer or online. (This is expensive and inconvenient, and a set is heavy to carry around for the use they get. They are rarely updated, however, so they will be current for many years). They are about $45.00 US per volume, plus shipping.
- Downloading the free PDF versions at the NGA. These are big PDF files, and some computers have difficulty managing them well. They are faithful copies of the paper charts and contain all the data.
- Downloading the free versions converted to *.BSB files for use within OpenCPN. The Chart Groups feature in OpenCPN is ideally suited for viewing and organizing Pilot Charts, but its often difficult to see the chart and the explanatory text or notes at the same time.
The downside of pilot charts is that they have been developed over many years and use data reaching back at least 100 years. Since a lot of the data is from pre-satellite times, they are primarily based on data derived from shipboard observations: since ships try to avoid areas of inclement weather, the observations tend to under-report gales and high waves, and the data quality for rarely travelled routes is poorer. The upside is that they combine a huge amount of data (tens of thousands of data points, if not millions combined in a very comprehensible format: wind, waves, currents, storm tracks, and more on a single page).
Here’s a view of the Pilot Chart for the western Caribbean in January:
Where the red arrow is (just North of Santa Marta Colombia) is the region with the strongest average winds, about 23 knots. Because the data is digital, we can move our cursor around to see the average winds are almost exactly 20 knots throughout the region, which makes a bit of a difference from the 17-21 in the pilot charts. Remember, if the average wind is 20 knots, about ½ the time it is stronger than that and about ½ the time it is less.
We also like to root around a bit in satellite data sets. You can review years of data for many satellites with disparate data sets at the NOAA portal. I don’t know what the combined budget is for this satellite array, but it’s a nice data set to have access to for free.
For example, if we want to know what the waves were like in the western Caribbean, January 2020 mid-month we go to this data set and can extract wave height data:
Hmmm . . . up to about 20-22’. That puts the fun meter pretty deep in the red, we should probably look at another month for that passage.
We can also go to this data set and extract the satellite wind data for the same date:
Positively sporty, that is. I’m not liking January for voyaging in the Western Caribbean.
We also try to find cruising guides. Cruising guides for different areas in the world vary tremendously in quality, and many are out of date. For some areas, they’re just not available. We have also found errors in waypoints and just plain bad advice in some, so do check the data and be careful. As Ronald Reagan said, “trust, but verify”. Sometimes you can find cruisers going ‘the other way’ that you can trade guidebooks and check guidebook reviews with.
I spend the time to find or make satellite charts for the cruising area to use in conjunction with OpenCPN, and download satellite views to the OvitalMap application on our tablets and in SASPlanet on our PC for reference. We get at least large-scale paper charts to carry aboard (which we have never used but carry ‘just in case’). Last time I checked, the best deal was at Frugal Navigator, at about $16.00 per chart for DMA charts. For some more travelled areas, chart books are available and make a cost-effective alternative.
We also look for rallies and races in our area of interest as their websites often have good local intel (fleet briefing documents, weather synopses, lists of marine facilities, etc.). We join rallies if their interests coincide with ours, but generally avoid those that have a ‘fleet’ approach with all vessels sailing in ‘convoy’ with set departure dates, since we like to pick our own weather windows. So, sailing down the coast we looked at the website for the Baja Haha and didn’t join up, but we did join the Panama Posse since it seemed useful. In the Pacific, the Single Handed Transpac, the Pac Cup, and the Vic-Maui are good sources; in the Atlantic, the ARC (westbound) and ARC Europe (eastbound) have some useful bits. These rallies and races give you a means to meet cruisers in the area and get up-to-the-minute local knowledge from people in the area, and often offer discounts at marinas and similar places of interest.
We round out our research by looking for cruising blogs on the internet, seeking out Facebook groups for specific cruising areas, and looking at the Center for Disease Control website for health information, and UK and USA consular sites for information on safety. While some of the safety advice seems histrionic, it can be useful to have a relative gauge of what to expect in each area. The Canadian consular sites are usually not as good or up to date simply because we have fewer diplomats abroad.
To prepare for time ashore we may look at general travel guides such as the Barefoot guides or the Lonely Planet guides (printed or online), trip advisor, reviews in google maps, etc. We also download offline accessible street maps to our phones and tablets in Google Maps or another app (like Maps.me) for navigation in our land-based adventures.
Generally, gathering all this research takes an afternoon or perhaps a day (except for making the satellite charts, which can take a lot longer), then reviewing and sorting our ideas on when and where we want to move can be done at our leisure.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR ROUTE PLANNING STRATEGIES!
SAILORS HAVE BEEN USING THE GULF STREAM FOR CENTURIES
The Gulf Stream is part of a global conveyor belt of ocean current that mixes global ocean waters (salinity density and temperature) around the globe. Like creatures of the sea, sailors have been using different currents in this conveyor belt for centuries. A very important current in the Atlantic Ocean is the Gulf Stream. Basically, SE trade winds blow and drive warm surface water from the mid/south Atlantic between Western Africa and Northeastern South America northwest through the Caribbean to the Gulf of Mexico. The turning of the earth and the west winds then drive this current north east up eastern North America. As the gulf stream gets more north it splits in a few different directions towards Europe and the North Atlantic.
The Gulf Stream is very important for the European climate as it brings warm air to the continent that would otherwise be quite cool. The Gulf Stream is 10,000 km long and moves at 2m/sec making it the largest and fastest of all the ocean currents on earth. Some people liken it to a river of water in the ocean. The Gulf Stream was discovered by early Spanish explorers over 500 years ago and was used to both colonize the West and bring wealth and fortune back to Spain. For this reason the Gulf Stream has had a huge impact on the history and culture of the Caribbean, the Americas and Europe.
Consider Christopher Columbus’s final transatlantic voyage, when conquistadors carved out a vast and wealthy overseas empire for Spain, first in the Caribbean as far north as what is now Florida and then on the mainlands of Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, and Peru: these early ships used the Gulf Stream. Products of these tropical and mountainous territories brought high prices on the Continent, and Spanish galleons sailed home laden with exotic dyes, sugar, tobacco, chocolate, pearls, hardwoods, and silver and gold. These so-called “treasure fleets” made Spain the most powerful and envied nation in Renaissance Europe. Thanks to the travels of Ponce de Leon in 1513, Spanish navigators knew that the best return route from Spain’s rich Caribbean possessions was along the Gulf Stream, through the Bahama Channel, and past the shores of Florida. The Spanish knew they must defend this peninsula to prevent enemies from using its harbors as havens from which to raid the passing treasure fleets. The Spanish built Forts to defend their positions in the New World. One such Fort was built on the East Coast of modern day Florida:
CASTILLO SAN MARCOS, St Augustine Florida
See https://oceanposse.com/castillo-san-marcos/ to learn more about the Spanish Must See Fort along the Ocean Posse route in San Augustine, Florida.
For Ocean Posse vessels looking to cross the Atlantic Ocean the Gulf Stream has been and continues to be very important voyage planning consideration. Two big challenges are the higher amount of large vessel traffic in the Gulf Stream and the warmer water in the Gulf Stream which translates to thunderstorms or worse. For these two reasons many mariners cross the Gulf Stream as quickly as possible relative to their destination.
MUST SEE: 🇧🇲 Town of St George and Related Fortifications, Bermuda
MUST SEE: 🇧🇲 Town of St George & Related Fortifications, Bermuda
The Town of St George, once the Capital of Bermuda, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 1609, a British ship, the Sea Venture, was bound for Jamestown, Virginia when they encountered a storm which set them on a reef. Following the 1609 shipwreck, the surviving crew built two new ships, Deliverance and Patience, and most continued their voyage to Jamestown, Virginia. Supposedly three of the Sea Venture crew were left on the island to mingle with Spanish and Portugese New World explorers who had also 'found' the reef in previous ocean voyages. Three years later, in 1612, the English trading company, the Virginia Company, returned and laid claim to the island. In 1612, the Town of St. George was founded by the Brits courtesy of the Virginia Company. Today, Bermuda is an Overseas Territory of Great Britain and the Town of St. George stands as an prime example of the earliest English urban settlement in the New World. According to UNESCO: "Its associated fortifications graphically illustrate the development of English military engineering from the 17th to the 20th century, being adapted to take account of the development of artillery over this period." After the American Revolution Great Britain made St. George its main New World Naval Base. Their military fortifications have been reconstructed and strengthened over and over again over the last four centuries.
The architecture in Town is unique and has changed little since the 17th century so it appears frozen in time. Bermuda is fringed by coral reefs and sits in the North Atlantic so the buildings in St. George are generally less than two stories and constructed to withstand hurricanes. They are white-washed soft limestone that are designed with gentle pitched roofs and gutters to collect water in cisterns as water sources are scarce on the island. 40% of the structures in Town were built before 1800 lending the Town a very historic feel.
FUN FACTS: In 1806 the Town of Hamilton was named the new capital of Bermuda.
This is when St. George was no longer the capital and some say time stopped in St George.
Goslings Black Seal Rum has been distilled on the other end of the island in Hamilton since 1806.
WEATHER SAFETY: DANA STRIKES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN LAST WEEK
WEATHER SAFETY:
DANA STRIKES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN LAST WEEK
The recent severe weather event in the Balearic Islands, known as a DANA (Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos), caused significant damage on the Mediterranean coast, particularly to yachts and other marine vessels, and further ashore causing flash floods in southern cities and towns. DANA is a meteorological phenomenon where a pocket of cold air detaches from the main atmospheric flow at high altitudes and moves over a warmer air mass. This interaction leads to the formation of highly unstable weather conditions, resulting in intense storms, heavy rainfall, and sometimes hail, especially in Mediterranean regions like the Balearics.
DANA is an example of a severe storm erupting from extreme temperature differentials that weather forecasters are unable to predict and in this case absolutely did not predict.
As mariners living and traveling on this ocean, this type of weather event begs us to ask:
What would we do?
How would we ride out a sudden unpredicted storm?
During this particular DANA, winds reached speeds of over 40 knots, and rainfall was exceptionally heavy, with some areas experiencing nearly 50 liters of precipitation in an hour. The rapid accumulation of rain and the strong winds generated significant wave energy and storm surges, leading to the sinking of several boats and extensive damage to moorings and coastal infrastructure.
The energy generated by a DANA is significant due to the extreme temperature contrasts between the cold upper-level air and the warm surface air. This contrast fuels the severe weather, making the storms more intense and potentially destructive. The unpredictable and cyclonic nature of a DANA makes it challenging to forecast precise locations of impact, which is why such events often lead to sudden and widespread damage across affected areas.
Gerrit Haaland, a creative director at NauticFilm was in Spain watching the weather last week:
"It is correct that everyone knew this was going to happen. However, that morning, ALL the six major weather models PWE, ECMWF, GFS, UKMO, SPIRE and AROME predicted the arrival of the front to be much later and the wind speeds much lower.
Until now, I used to believe that when all the models are aligned, the prediction will be at least reasonably accurate. Seems I have to unlearn that.
I guess that with the record-breaking water temperatures in the Med, the weather is changing and the the weather models haven’t caught up yet.
My learnings:
• Stop relying on weather forecasts too much, look up more.
• Don’t consider everyone a moron who was out there yesterday. Could have happened to me just as well.
The destruction in the Balearics underscores the importance of preparedness, especially in regions prone to such meteorological phenomena, where the effects of climate change may be intensifying these events (Nautic Magazine) (Marine Industry News) (Olive Press News Spain) (Barcelona Yellow).
DANA (Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos) can occur in various maritime and coastal regions, but it is particularly common in the Mediterranean basin, including the Iberian Peninsula, the Balearic Islands, and the broader western Mediterranean area. The phenomenon is driven by the interaction between cold air aloft and warmer surface air, conditions that are frequently met in these regions due to their unique geographic and climatic characteristics.
Susceptible Maritime Areas:
- Western Mediterranean:
- This area, including the Balearic Islands, southern France, and the coasts of Spain and Italy, is highly susceptible to DANA events. The warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea provide the necessary conditions for the warm air masses that interact with the cold air at high altitudes.
- Eastern Mediterranean:
- Although less frequent, the eastern Mediterranean, including Greece and Turkey, can also experience DANA events under the right conditions.
- Southern Spain and North Africa:
- The coastal areas along southern Spain, particularly around the Gulf of Cádiz and the Strait of Gibraltar, and parts of North Africa, can be affected by DANA, especially during the transitional seasons when the temperature contrasts are more pronounced.
- Atlantic Influences:
- While less common, DANA events can occasionally influence maritime areas of the eastern Atlantic, especially near the coastlines of Portugal and Morocco, where the cold air masses can descend from higher latitudes.
Why These Areas? The Mediterranean climate, characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters, provides a fertile ground for the development of DANA. The sharp contrasts in temperature between the cold upper-level air and the warm sea surface create the unstable atmospheric conditions necessary for DANA formation. Additionally, the complex topography and the enclosed nature of the Mediterranean Sea contribute to the intensity and unpredictability of these events (Barcelona Yellow) (Mallorca Global Mag).
MEET THE FLEET: SV SMALL WORLD III - Darren & Karen
MEET THE FLEET: SV SMALL WORLD III
Darren & Karen
After 30+ years of work in the Seattle area, Darren being a licensed professional civil engineer, and Karen an office manager; a plan was hatched to sell everything they owned, buy a sailing vessel, and travel the world. This afforded them the opportunity to retire 5-years early, planning to return to the USA at the age of 65, when healthcare becomes more affordable. June, 2020 their house of 20-years was put on the market.
June 15, 2020, Darren & Karen departed Washington in a rented motorhome bound for Ventura, California to search for a worthy blue water sailing vessel. Enter Todd Duff, Caribbean Sailor, Author, and Marine Surveyor. Todd had purchased a 1988 47.7 Bristol Cutter Rig in Florida. She was de-masted and he trucked Small World III to Ventura, California where he had worked on an extensive re-fit for an anticipated South Pacific / World Circumnavigation. Due to personal reasons, he sold SV SMALL WORLD III to Karen and Darren.
Karen and Darren departed from San Diego California, November 9, 2020 after finally receiving Certificate of Documentation from the USCG. The marina reservations in Ensenada, MX were in place. Two hours into Mexican waters the marina captain called to say, the previous owner of Small World III, (vessel named Anhinga) had a Temporary Import Permit (TIP) that had not been canceled, and instructed Karen and Darren to return to San Diego. A four hour downwind run immediately turned into a 8 hour upwind beat to return to California. While this wasn’t the beginning of the learning process, it was one of the more painful experiences. Two days later Small World III returned to Mexican waters and the adventure started AGAIN.
While in Mexico, they did some work on SMALL WORLD III and travelled inland. Highlights included, new Bimini and dodger in La Paz, new 50-gallon fuel tank in Mazatlán, and an AstraZeneca shot in small mountain village San Sabastian.
They continued to travel down the pacific coast cruising in El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Panama. Lessons: 1. Don’t runover lobster traps at 0400 hours leaving Turtle Bay, Mexico. 2. Don’t trust an English mechanic in La Paz, that he has fixed a leaking fuel tank. 3. Always be ready to sail your vessel because old fuel tanks cause plugged filters at the worst time. 4. make sure that your secondary anchor is available and ready for use as you sail up to anchor and find that your windlass is not operating and putting your primary anchor out of commission.
The big decision they had to make in November 2021: turn right to the South Pacific, turn left through the Panama Canal? Since French Polynesia, New Zeeland and Australia where still closed due to COVID the left turn was made December, 2021. In Panama, improvements included: new AGM batteries, a new 3.5 Kw NextGen generator, and a trip to San Diego for boat parts.
Once they got through the Canal, they spent three months learning about Caribbean Trade Winds and exploring San Blas, Shelter Bay Marina, Boca de Toro, and many other places. In March 2022, they made an upwind slog to Santa Marta Columbia. The highlight of this slog was hitting the Columbian coast 30 NM south of Cartagena and motoring into a 25 kt wind making 2.5 knots. They made an exceptionally brief stop in Cartagena for four hours to dry out and check weather. Their stay was brief, and Karen had to explain to the Port Captain on the radio that we were promptly leaving his authority and would check in to Santa Marta when we got there.
As promised their next port was Santa Marta. They checked in and then spent three months in Santa Marta, Columbia making land-based trips, to Cartagena, Bogotá, Cusco, Machu Picchu, Peruvian Amazon, Lake Titicaca, and Aramu Muru. At the marina in Santa Marta, they dropped their centerboard to its max depth of 11’ so the boys could clean the barnacles off it. After about 3 weeks in a marina that was only 11’ deep they found the centerboard pin had worked itself out of the hull on the port side. SURPRISE....A 2” diameter by 14” naval bronze pin worked its way out rendering the centerboard nonfunctional. Unfortunately, Santa Marta is not an economical place to haul out: $2,500 was the quote, excluding work, which they would not let the boat owner do. They found a better solution, but they had to work for it. In June, 2022, they commenced a 3-day upwind beat to Aruba, where they could be haul in and out for less than $600. They then took a quick couple months back in the states, returned to Small World III, which had a new centerboard pin and bottom paint. Problem solved! Then they sailed off to Curacao and Bonaire, for the balance of the hurricane season.
November 6, 2022, Karen and Darren crossed 550 nm of the Caribbean Sea from Bonaire to Saint Martin. Our buddy boat a 42-foot catamaran called 2CAN, was fraught with problems, losing their wind instruments on day 2 and engine problems on day 4. SMALL WORLD III provided wind information and weather forecasting every 6 hours for the rest of the passage and kept a close eye on them, as they motor sailed to the French side of Saint Martin.
We then ventured to Saint Kitts, Antiqua, and Guadeloupe. That’s as far as we got towards the windward Caribbean, as our destination was actually Florida to stage for our Atlantic crossing. Back we went to Saint Kitts, and Saint Martin. From there it was the BVIs, USVIs, one month in Puerto Rico, one month in Dominican Republic while Karen recovered from a broken foot. Then on to Turks, Exuma's, Bahamas, then West Palm Beach, Florida..
June 6, 2023, we departed Savannah, Georgia. They spent 21 days making way to the Azores, had an8-day weather delay, and then took 9 days to Tangier Morocco. Gibraltar, Valencia, Spain, Ibiza, Majorca, Minorca, Sardegna, Corse, Italy, Sicilia, and then in November to Tunisia, for the winter. We had checked into the EU in Valencia, and checked out in Messina, Sicily. Three months had flown by way too fast, and we were troubled by the odd looks we got at both check in and check out.
By April 2024 with new bottom and hull paint from Monastir, Tunisia, we departed for Malta. Upon entry, we were delighted to get a crew list stamped rather than our passport. Three weeks later we departed for Venice with 800 AH of new lithium batteries on board. What a game changer! To Sicilia, Italy, Croatia, finally arriving in Venice May 15, 2024. Still no stamp on the passport, yea. In Croatia, we obtained a Navigation Permit with the assistance of an Agent, and our tourist tax was paid online. In Venice, we removed our 00000 Turbo for service and cleaning, a routine item. Unfortunately, the authorized Yanmar dealer was not equipped for maintenance and only offered a new replacement at 2000 euro. We ordered a turbo core from the US. It made it to Tessera Italy in 4 days, and that’s as close as it got, about 15 NM from us. We waited for two more weeks and it was apparent that it was never going to clear customs. We left, the core went back to the US, and by the way, because the turbo was disassembled for the core replacement it ended up getting cleaned and found to be in good operating condition. Just what we wanted anyway.
SMALL WORLD III departed Venice on June 6, 2024 and went back through Croatia. They then, checked into Greece June 15, 2024 with the use of an agent. We now have a Greek Transit Log, paid for four months, thru September 2024. Still no stamp on our passport. They have since visited many islands in the Ionian Sea, and crossed the Corinth Cut on July 5, 2024. More recently, they have cruised around many islands around Athens, then north to the Sporades, followed by cruising to all four major islands, and making our way to Mykonos on a downwind run in the Aegean Sea.
We are currently in Paros, south of Mykonos, with the intent of heading east to Kos and Rhodes. We’ll try to figure out a way to visit Turkey that is economical; their inflation rate in the past five years is so far out of hand that marinas that were once less than 500 euro per month are now 3000 to 4000 euros per month.
We plan to head back to the Caribbean this Winter. From there, we don’t know. Or we could winter in Malta or Tunisia, and do another lap next year. Time will tell.
SV SMALL WORLD III Karen & Darren - Bristol 47.7
THANK YOU FOR THE INTRODUCTION!
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE HUMPBACK WHALES MOVE TO THEIR BREEDING GROUNDS
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE HUMPBACK WHALES
MOVE TO THEIR BREEDING GROUNDS
It is the austral winter in the Southern Hemisphere right now which means that the Southern Hemisphere humpback whale populations have moved from their feeding grounds along the Antarctic coast to their more northerly breeding grounds. In the South Pacific, that means that humpbacks can be seen and heard in their low latitude breeding grounds where they will mate and calve. Humpback Whales breed around oceanic islands, offshore seamounts, and reef systems.
Where to find Southern Hemisphere Humpback whales this time of year:
- Oceania in the South Pacific islands of French Polynesia, Samoa, Vanuatu, Fiji, Niue, Cook Islands, New Caledonia, Tonga, and Norfolk Island.
- The Pacific coasts of Central and South America as far north as northern Costa Rica to Ecuador including the Galapagos, and the Pacific Panamanian Islands.
- The Atlantic coastal waters off Brazil around 23 (degrees) S
- Southwestern and Southeastern Africa
- Northwestern and Northeastern Australia
According to Mark Carwardine’s HANDBOOK OF WHALES, DOLPHINS, AND PORPOISES OF THE WORLD: “Humpbacks that feed in widely separated regions in the summer gather together and mix in the same breeding grounds (increasing the chances of finding each other and promoting genetic diversity).” Like sea turtles there is a strong loyalty to natal breeding grounds. Mother -Calf pairs generally stay close to one another and prefer shallower water. They may or may not have another whale with them. Other groups of whales are usually made up of a female whale and a dominant ‘escort’ and perhaps other hopeful ‘escort - contenders’.
The demonstrative behaviors of humpback whales make are very distinct. Both males and females of all ages breech, dive, tail waggle and smack, and flipper wave and slap. They can be seen doing this on their own or in larger groups. Both males and females can vocalize for communications and the Singing Humpbacks are usually lone males. Their songs can travel great distances (tens of Kilometers) in the ocean to be heard underwater and through the hull of vessels. The songs are shared among large groups of whales and evolve. They have been described as everything from haunting to beautiful.
Up until the mid-1950’s the humpback whale as a species was depleted by 95% in the whaling days and today, their biggest threat is entanglement in fishing gear. Other threats include noise pollution, ship strikes, oil and gas development, and coastal habitat disturbance/destruction. Thankfully, global humpback whale populations have recovered significantly with the ending of commercial whaling and despite current threats this majestic whale is thriving.
MEET THE FLEET: SV GARGOYLE
MEET THE FLEET: SV GARGOYLE
Kevin & Carla
From the moment Kevin and Carla departed Vancouver BC on May 31, 2019, their first “real” goal was to be in Barra de Navidad in time for the 2019 Panama Posse kickoff meeting at the end of November. That first five months and 4,000 + NM set the tone for the crew of SV Gargoyle, a 2011 Beneteau Oceanis 50. Kevin, Carla, along with their two cats, Sam and Dean, have been sailing proudly under a Posse banner of one flavor or another ever since.
2020 highlights included being locked down in Puesta del Sol, Nicaragua with a number of other posse members. Once they were allowed to leave, Gargoyle beat upwind for nine days to the Galapagos to be one of the first yachts post-COVID to be allowed into these magical islands. After two months in paradise with the islands to themselves, it was time to head East for their first Panama Canal transit and a planned May 2021 Atlantic transit. Insert the Omnicom variant into the story and with Portugal telling them they wouldn’t be allowed into the Azores; they made a 180 degree turn back to Panama for canal transit number two. The decision was now to go the other way to the Med, via the Pacific!
Departing from Marina Papagayo in March 2022 with Dietmar wishing us fair winds from the dock, Gargoyle made a 30-day passage to Nuku Hiva, followed by a season cruising French Polynesia and Fiji. Spending cyclone season in New Zealand, they experienced not one but two cyclones. Leary of the Red Sea they decided to ship Gargoyle with Posse Partner Sevenstar Yacht Transport from Auckland to Cork Ireland in May 2023.
After Gargoyle made her 3rd Panama Canal transit, albeit without her crew, what followed was a magical summer in Ireland and Scotland before a late summer run to Spain, Portugal and then the Med. A winter in Tunisia followed by this season’s cruising in Malta, Sicily, Italy, up to Venice, Greece and now where they sit anchored off Bodrum, Turkey. 24 countries, 40,000NM and yes, Sam and Dean are still rocking it with their human crew.
Follow us on....
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sv_gargoyle/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/svgargoyle50
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOihVJ744XS4CoB71HixcFw/
Kevin and Carla are always available as well for a call or email exchange with their fellow cruisers. sailinggargoyle@gmail.com
SV GARGOYLE 🇨🇦 Kevin & Carla - Beneteau Oceanis 50
THANK YOU KEVIN & CARLA FOR BEING A PART OF THE POSSE FOR SO MANY YEARS!
BOCAS DEL TORO BEACH CLEAN UP
BOCAS DEL TORO BEACH CLEAN UP
Report from Maison de Sante:
We had a nice group of Posse boats and local residents here in Bocas Del Toro, Panama who came out this morning for clean up on Red Frog beach. Many pounds of plastic garbage was collected 😊. The strangest items collected included a bicycle mud flap, a scuba purge valve, and a diaper🤢. Some people had to leave early so not everyone is pictured. Stay tuned for a future date where we can ALL participate in beach clean up wherever you are located!
SY BISOU 🇦🇺 Robin and Tad - Fountaine Pajot 44′ & SY MAISON DE SANTÉ 🇺🇸 Nicole & Keenan - Cal 46'
THANK YOU FOR BEING STEWARDS OF OUR ENVIRONMENT!
MUST SEE: LAUREL FOREST IN SAO VICENTE, MADEIRA 🇵🇹 PORTUGAL
MUST SEE: LAUREL FOREST IN SAO VICENTE,
MADEIRA 🇵🇹 PORTUGAL
Portugal's Madeira Island is an island in the Atlantic off the coast of Africa. Madeira itself is a sight to behold. The volcanic island erupted in the Ocean during the Miocene Epoch about twenty million years ago. After the lava cooled and erosion shaped the island.
The highest point on the island stands at 1,862 metres (6,109 feet) and the distance to Madeira’s submerged base at the bottom of the Atlantic is just over 6,000 metres (about 20,000 feet).
The spectacular landscape of the Laurisilva Forest is a strongly scented, integral part of Madeira Island's landscape. Its lush vegetation hides the fascinating indigenous laurel forest, recognized by UNESCO in 1999 as Natural Heritage of Humanity. The Laurisilva of Madeira is an outstanding relic of a previously widespread laurel forest type. Historians believe that forty million years ago up until the last Ice Age there were great swaths of Laurisilva forest covering much of southern Europe. However, today this ecosystem is mostly confined to the three Atlantic archipelagos of Madeira, Azores, and the Canaries.
The Laurisilva Forest of Madeira is the largest surviving area of laurel forest and is believed to be 90% primary forest meaning the trees in this forest have never been cut down. This forest area dates back to the dinosaurs and has somehow survived almost six hundred years of human habitation. The forest contains a unique suite of plants and animals, including many endemic species such as the Madeiran long-toed pigeon. Madeira is … World Heritage
The Laurisilva Forest is not only a UNESCO site preserved for it's unique beauty and as an example of primary forest; this forest is also it is a precious mass of fertile forest that plays an increasingly important role in maintaining the island’s hydrological balance and biological diversity.
The Laurisilva Forest of Madeira has long played and important role to the islanders. Much of the forest is criss-crossed by a network of irrigation channels known as Ievadas which carry water from the fertile north to the more arid regions on the south side of the island.
Laboriously cut from the sturdy mountain rock to transport water to the island’s plantations and hydro-electric power stations, the levadas date right back to the island’s very first settlers in the early 15th century.
Today, the the levadas still play an essential role in the cultivation of a variety of crops, including bananas, grapes (used for making Madeira wine), sugar cane and passion fruit, that grow in abundance all over the island.
Interested in learning more of the history of this special place, click this link:
https://viajealpatrimonio.com/listing/laurisilva-de-madeira/
CRUISING GREECE: AN UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY FROM ATHENS TO CHAKIDA, GREECE
CRUISING GREECE:
AN UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY FROM ATHENS TO CHALKIDA, GREECE
Chalkida, (is) a city perched amphitheatrically in central Evia. Chalkida straddles the beguiling Strait of Evripos, bridging the coast of Evia and Boeotian mainland. A modern metropolis pulsating with history, Chalkida embraces its maritime heritage and hospitable spirit. The city's allure lies in its unique dance with nature—the captivating tidal spectacle of the Gulf of Evia.
The one thing Chalkida is world-famous for is the peculiar tidal currents that flow interchangeably north-to-south and south-to-north through the Euripus Strait between the island and the mainland. It is this phenomenon that has given the city the nickname: Crazy Waters.
Reversing tidal currents are caused by the moon’s gravity and occur in all straits worldwide, but they are mostly imperceptible by the human senses. It is the distinct geography of Chalkida’s strait—its double-funnel shape among other factors—that make the local currents particularly strong.
The flow peaks at an astounding speed of 12 km per hour, which, for context, is comparable to torrents during floods. For most of the month, the current changes direction about every six hours with a clock’s regularity. But for a few days around the half-moons, it loses its pattern altogether, moving back and forth in chaotic ways.
The 38-meters-wide strait is spanned by an 8-meter-tall bridge, which, constructed in 1963, is the latest of a long succession of bridges dating back to antiquity. The bridge is withdrawn usually once every evening to allow for large vessels to traverse the strait. Given the powerful stream with its notorious vortexes, it requires skillful maneuvering to sail through. It is quite an impressive spectacle to behold. Due to the unpredictability of the currents, the bridge’s opening times are not standard. Estimations are stated on a screen on the spot and live views of the bridge can be seen here.
If you’re now thinking that it’d be great fun to jump from the bridge, you are totally right. But it is unfortunately illegal. However, this detail wouldn’t stop us when we were kids… Free-falling for a short distance, we’d then be engulfed and drifted around by the currents, losing every sense of direction within this dark whirlpool of pressing liquid, for up to half a minute. By the time we’d reach the surface, we could be more than 50 meters away from the bridge, laughing and waving at the coastguards who were always a little too late to stop us.
SV SMALL WORLD III 🇻🇮 Karen & Darren - Bristol 47