DISCOVERING MAKATEA THE WORLD'S TALLEST ATOLL
DISCOVERING MAKATEA 
THE WORLD'S TALLEST ATOLL
By Maurisa Descheemaeker of. SV WHIRLWIND
The Tuamotus are 1 of the 5 archipelagos that make up French Polynesia. The Tuamotus are typically characterized by low lying fringing reefs surrounding a lagoon. Typically, the fringing reef is made up of a relatively narrow run of sand, limestone (ancient coral reef), living and dead coral reef, coconut palms, Oyster farms, small huas (or shallow channels) where the ocean may flow in and out with the tide. Many of the Tuamotus have small villages with declining populations spread out on a broad stretch of the reef. Most of the Tuamotus have at least one main Pass (or break in the reef) where vessels enter and exit the lagoon. The passes and huas are natural channels through the reef where nutrients flood in and out twice a day. The water is typically exceptionally clear in the passes and a favorite ‘pass-time’ on SV WHIRLWIND is drifting on the incoming tide with mask and snorkel from the outer edge into the atoll admiring coral and tropical fish big and small. On the outside the ocean glows deep infinity blue and on the inside the lagoon glimmers unbelievably with a turquoise rainbow of aquamarine cerulean blues.
While all this is pretty typical of the Tuamotus, the atolls are far from commonplace and we have enjoyed their uniqueness anew with each island and each drift. 40 nm to the west of the rest of the archipelago we recently discovered the most unique outlying island among the Tuamotus: Makatea. This atoll is nothing like any of the other Tuamotus we visited. Granted it was like the other Tuamotus…millions of years ago… before it floated over shifting plates in the ocean and was thrust above sea level. Makatea notably stands as the world tallest atoll rising in some places up to 320 feet above sea level. While there is no calm turquoise lagoon on the inside, there is a broad depression on the interior of the island (where there once was a lagoon?!) and there is a dramatic fringing reef of sand, limestone, coral, and coconut palms set at the base of dramatic, vertical, limestone cliffs. The water surrounding the island is incredibly clear and the visibility is tremendous.
Makatea came into view as the sun rose after a night of sailing from Rangiroa. It was rather romantic from the start: a dark mass looming out of he ocean, the smell of earth, not just flowers and fruit, but the smell of actual earthen dirt. We watched a mother and baby pair of Southern Hemisphere Humpback whales moving along the coast across our bow in the sunrise.
On the northwest side, in the lee of the island and the regions typical SE trade winds, there are anywhere from 2-6 moorings anchored 25-50 meters deep near the entrance to the small harbor. The moorings are difficult to find, examine, and maintain. Although they are cared for by the joint efforts of passing cruisers and locals, they require specialized, deep water materials, tools, and techniques that are not always readily available. With the help of some friends, we caught a mooring and sat, our mouths agape as we took in the precarious balance of floating between a mooring an a reef. We marveled at the scene. While both the wind and swell were greatly diminished in the lee of the island there was still a decent swell rolling onto the shores of Makatea. WHIRLWIND would go up and down, to and fro with the swell without moving into the break or crashing onshore. It was a bit surreal to get used to being simultaneously so close to shore and sitting so steadily just off the shore. Mike did not leave the boat for two days gaining confidence in the motion on the mooring. (Thank you Captain!).
The moorings are anchored 50-70 meters from the shore on a steeply sloping reef in an assortment of old anchor tackle from a time that has come and gone from these shores. A time when Makatea was the wealthiest and most modern island in the region. A time when the people of Makatea had electricity and microwave ovens while the people of Tahiti were still cooking in earthen ovens. A time when Makatea had over 3000 residents, a stark contrast to today’s population somewhere between 60&80.
Looking ashore we could not help but wonder over the time, life, and industry that has come and gone from Makatea. The cliffs from sea level to the top of the plateau are impressively steep and exposed with interesting cave-like openings and deep cracks. There are iron canons and anchors set along the outer edge of the reef, there are concrete forms large and small, some stout, others beat and battered in neat rows with twists and turns, and there are rusty metal roofs poking out of the thick green cliffs over the Port area, vestiges of big industry.
It turns out that among Makatea’s unique geology was a subsoil that contained rich and especially pure phosphate deposits. Supposedly, there were rumors of the phosphate on Makatea in the late 1800’s. The phosphate was analyzed and identified as some of the purest phosphate in the world in the early 1900’s. Shortly thereafter a company, Compaignie Francaise des Phosphates de l’Oceanie (CFPO) was set up and won the monopolistic concessions for phosphate extraction in Makatea. The mining industry was quickly established. Mechanization of the extraction was not possible so for 60 years the phosphate was hand dug and moved by wheel barrows away from the extraction site. Mechanization was employed in the moving of the ore around and off the island. According to Ivan Sache, “For more than 15 years, phosphate was the main export product of French Polynesia bringing more than 75% of the amount of foreign currency received by the territory. At it’s peak the Makatea operation represented nearly 30% of the salaries in the private sector in French Polynesia: taxes paid by CFPO represented 25% of the territory’s income.”
And then in 1966 phosphate extraction stopped, the company pulled off the island in a matter of weeks, and left all their equipment and materials behind. During the 60 years of mining one third of the island was excavated. An industrial village spawned and turned to ghosts. People came and people went. Everything from machinery to sheds to railways were left where they were. The jungle got to work: vines split roofs from rafters, roots worked foundations apart. Nature was free to begin the steady process of concealing the past from the present.
A real intriguing mystery is what lays deeper in the layers of natures concealment. The rich soil of Makatea is host to a heathy lot of flora and fauna now and yet people say that before the mining Makatea had huge trees, large bird populations, a healthy coral reef teaming with fish, and archeological sites from pre-European times that have all but vanished. One Marae is said to be preserved but we did not get to see it to so firm or deny this.
While a lot changed on Makatea in it’s mining heyday, there was never an airport and you can still only get to Makatea by boat. It’s isolation lends itself to peace and quiet like very few places on earth can truly boast. Over the last 20 years, locals have begun to envision Makatea anew as a sustainable eco-tourist destination. Locals are making strides to recreate prosperity in new ways by developing tours and outdoor opportunities for visitors to enjoy the unique natural features that make Makatea so special. There are several people who offer different tours featuring climbing, caving, swimming, hiking, snorkeling, fishing, biking. The goal is to develop tourism and nurture the islands natural and cultural heritage.
Without knowing too much about it, the crew of SV WHIRLWIND went on a climbing and caving tour one day with Tapu from Makatea Escalade. This excursion is hereby on a unanimous short list of favorite adventures we have been on since setting out on this voyage in 2018. The day was set to his light and lively Polynesian music as he took us to his storage shop to suit up with well kept climbing shoes, harness, clips and helmet. We went to two Via Ferratas with multiple bridges, incredible views, and a zip-line. We top rope rock climbed and hike to a large cave with Chrystal clear sweet water for a swim and deeply refreshing cooldown. I was amazed by the relaxed vibe, the grand beauty, and the friendly pace of the day that was well suited to our group of 6 ages 11-50.
The climbing scene on Makatea is pretty exciting because is is lead by Tapu who grew up on Makatea. His parents grew up on the island, and his parents parents before them as well. He says that Makatea has been home to Polynesians since 800AD, well before European exploration of the South Pacific and the 60 year phosphate mining era. Now that the mining is over it Tapu and others are striving to bring life back to the island while also giving unforgettable life experiences to the people that visit. I felt it: the beauty and the energy , it was life giving.
The idea to develop climbing to the cliffs on Makatea was hatched in 2018. Over the next few years, grants were made and awarded, several world-class climbers came out, well respected companies in the industry like Petzl and ArcTeryx donated gear, and the first routes were put in. The climbing dream is still being realized and I wish Tapu and his fellow Makateans the best as they forge this new path into the future. May their path be sustainable while benefiting the community and the island. So far, it looks good!
Check out Makatea Escalades Facebook page for contact, event, and tour info.
SV WHIRLWIND Mike, Maurisa, Russell, & Josea - Alajeula 48'
POSSE PERK: FREE PRINTABLE REFERENCE CHARTS
POSSE PERK: 🗺️ FREE PRINTABLE REFERENCE CHARTS
*Emergency Backup To Your Electronics*
Paper charts are an excellent navigational aid ESPECIALLY if electronics fail. An Ocean Posse Perk gives members access to printable charts along the main routes of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
Printable Charts are also available in the Atlantic and many European countries.
IN THE OCEAN POSSE YOU CAN SAIL YOUR OWN SCHEDULE
WITH HARD COPY CHARTS
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PASSAGE REPORT: MV HO'OKIPA IN THE BALTIC SEA
PASSAGE REPORT: MV HO'OKIPA IN THE BALTIC SEA
MV HO’OKIPA is cruising in the Baltic Sea. They keep record of their voyage and have shared with the Ocean Posse a part of their recent journey from Stockholm, Sweden to Kiel Germany with many stops along the way. Thank you Ho’okipa for this window into cruising in the Baltic Sea: the beauty, the oops'ies, the lessons and the realities along the way. Below is a screenshot of their track. To zoom in on their various spots follow this link.
MV HO’OKIPA writes:
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN TO KIEL, GERMANY
Sunday September 1st, 2024 From Stockholm we headed back out to the archipelago the way we came in and headed to an anchorage, Soviken. It’s 52 nm. It takes us 7 hrs. 10 min at 7.25 knots average speed. Location: 58 47 .603N 017 51.050E It’s a secluded anchorage with protection from the no. winds. The chart was confusing, and we almost went into an area thinking that was the anchorage. It was a shallow area and had we kept going it would have been terrible, rocks everywhere. Luckily, our instincts told us to drop anchor where we were in 24 ft. When in doubt don’t do it.
The next morning cruise forty miles to Harstena Flisjarden. Instead of going down the coast we are going to go across the bay (about 3.5 hours) where Norrkoping is and directly to these islands east of Valdemarsvik. Per usual, as we have come to learn, we must pass through a narrow shallow cut to get to the deeper bay and anchorage. 58 15 .659N 017 09. 491E Stunning place. In the summer, this place will have 50 boats. Thankfully, there are just 3 others now. It’s a big enough bay that we all have room and privacy. It felt like being on a lake in the Sierras with the pine trees and rock outcrops. We did notice jelly fish surrounding our boat, just like the previous anchorage. They appear to be ones that do not sting. Of course, with the cold-water temperature I am not going swimming in any case.
Choppy today with 2-3 ft swell. Had to find a protected anchorage. We opt for Mjödö around some islands along the mainland. Requires following the buoy system through the shallow waters. 40 nm takes 6 hrs. 34 min. average speed 6.13kts. 57 46.809N 016 41.586E It’s empty of course as the season is over. But clearly a summer camp area. We normally would spend more time at these anchorages and meander more. However, the season has ended and although the weather has been unusually nice, we must be in Malmö, Sweden Sept 19th where we have an appointment with Swedish Immigration to apply for a temporary resident permit. Plus, we need the transformer work done and the European rep must meet us and do the work before September 28th.
In the morning, we continued south about 40 nm to an anchorage in Tillingeo. It’s near a port and lies off a quaint suburban area. We anchor i20 feet in a small cove. 57 16 .833N 016 29 463E
Depart early to head south but the anchor caught on a buried cable. Had to spin the boat 360 degrees to detach. Was a little unnerving. Could have been a big problem. Of course, had we looked at the chart carefully we would have seen the symbol for a cable running right under where we anchored. Good lesson. That’s what that means. Don’t anchor near a cable as you may hook your anchor around it. Doink!
Heading to Kalmar, an old historic walled town on the coast. It’s 42.8 nm, 6 hours at 7kts. 56 39.614N 016 21.907E We get a slip for 2 nights (660 SEK. Or $33 a night) alongside the dock at the small marina near the center of old town with its cobblestone streets. It’s a quaint town, and the castle with its moat are walking distance from the marina.
We learn that the marina in Copenhagen cannot import the transformer and ensure that the VAT is waived. The European rep suggests we have the work done in Germany, where he’s from, and that we will not have to pay the VAT in Germany. On his advice we have the transformer shipped to Kiel, Germany and we will now head there for the installation.
Saturday September 7, 2024, We leave Kalmar. We decide to go all the way to Utklippan, a tiny island off Sweden. About 51nm. Tomorrow, we think we will head to Bornholm Island which is part of Denmark and stay there until the rough weather heading this way passes. Then we will press on to the German coast. Utklippan is just a rock posing as an islet. You can walk around it in minutes except when the tiny harbor is in the way. There is a very narrow walled entrance (100ft wide) to the outer small harbor and then a slit into the inner harbor which is even smaller. Very intimidating. We must tie up along the cement dock which is high. The cleats are big bollards. It’s windy but sheltered. 55 57 .284N 015 42.218E
Weather is moving in so in the morning we make straight for Borlholm Island and the town of Hasle on the west coast. 55 11.211N 014 42.209E It’s 60.58nm and takes 9 hr. 4 min. at 6.68 kts average speed. This Danish island is in the Baltic Sea southeast of Sweden north of Germany. There is a small marina at Hasle, a fishing town that was once famous for its smoked fish houses. We can pay for the slip using a credit card at the machine by the Kiosk. $62 a night. There are a few other boats and a sauna across from the marina. We can easily walk to town. We stayed 4 nights to wait for a mild weather window to do the overnight passage to Kiel. The island is beautiful countryside with a few small towns. We get the motorcycle down and explore. Tour a small glass blowing factory and artisan studio, dine at a traditional old fish smoke house, visit the main town of Ronne, and walked around its old cobblestone streets, and admire the old Lutheran Church with a stain glass window over the alter featuring a fishing boat.
Thursday Sept 12, 2024. The forecast was for 3-foot seas and winds to 14 knots with gusts 18. The problem was swell wind was on our nose. And the swell period was 3-4 seconds. Not great at all. Changed course to get a smoother ride and it was a 2-hour delay. The entire day was like this. I felt like we were not making headway. in the early afternoon, the autopilot went off. “Drive Stopped” error. Not good. While I was steering the boat, C went to trouble shoot and checked all the connections. Nothing. We have Starlink SAT connection so checked online and on a Raymarine Forum a tech said sometimes you can tap on the device with a mallet and get the sensor (?) brushes unstuck. Charles tried it and it worked!!! Lots of cargo ships, tankers and cruise liners are out. This is a major throughfare. Wind farms dot the coasts too. When it’s dark lights are everywhere from various ships, buoys, lighthouses. Took two-hour shifts at the helm. We had calm seas all night for which we were grateful.
We reached the start of the passage that takes us between Fehmarn Island and the main coast of Germany. Still not light enough to see but the Flir infrared camera helps, and the chart is spot on. We slow down to let the morning light pick up. Perfect timing. After passing the first set of buoys we could start to see the outlines of the green and red buoys that were not lit. The buoys are only spaced 350 feet apart. No other vessels. Going under bridges is fun. As soon as we got out of the gap the wind and swell picked up. Nice and choppy again but at least it’s not right on the nose. Spend the next couple of hours getting to the outskirts of Kiel and our Marina Rajhe. But first we had to avoid the German military area. I just happened to zoom in on the chart to see what all the dotted lines meant. It’s a danger zone with active military shooting exercises. We had to circle around it instead of a straight shot across the bay to the inlet that leads to the canal and the city of Kiel. Took an extra hour or so. Lots of sailboats and ships coming and going. Marina Rajhe is a mile west of the canal entrance which is a mile west of Kiel. We made it into the marina at 1300. 54 23.124N 010 09.979E
MV HO'OKIPA 🇺🇸 Lisa & Chuck - Selene 43'
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR ADVENTURES ON THE WATER IN THE BALTIC SEA!!
PASSAGE REPORT: SAMOA TO WALLIS ISLAND
SV VIVA SHARES PASSAGE REPORT:
SAMOA TO WALLIS ISLAND
VESSELS ARE GETTING A JUMPSTART ON CRUISING SEASON ON THE PACIFIC COAST
VESSELS ARE GETTING A JUMPSTART
ON CRUISING SEASON IN MEXICO, COSTA RICA, & PANAMA
SY PERCEPTION 🇺🇸 Jim & Melinda & Grace - Lagoon 42'
SV ZORBA 
Tomer & Limor – Tayana 48’
FAIR WINDS
ONE YEAR AFTER HURRICANE OTIS STRUCK ACAPULCO
ONE YEAR AFTER HURRICANE OTIS STRUCK ACAPULCO
Hurricane Otis was the result of a tropical storm that rapidly intensified off the coast of Acapulco in October 2023. No one expected it and everyone was caught off-guard. In the dark of night three 20 foot waves came through the bay and destroyed everything. In one fell swoop the entire Acapulco Yacht Club was thrown on land. Four marinas were obliterated. Boats got swamped and sunk rapidly. 650 boats were destroyed or sunk. Some people escaped with their lives, others did not.
A longtime friend of the Posse, Vincente, who lived in the bay and managed several mooring buoys experienced a horrific tragedy. He and his wife, son, and grandson were sleeping aboard their boat the night Otis hit. His boat was among those quickly destroyed and sunk. He was the only one aboard who survived. The city was an absolute mess immediately following the Hurricane. Power, water, and cell towers were out and it took weeks to discover that Vincente had survived. Many Posse members pooled donations to help him and he was very grateful. The memorial for his loved ones is this weekend;
In the aftermath of Otis's devastation, the Mexican government sent in assistance to help lift the boats out of the bay and get the city out from under the rubble. It has been a long road and true to many Mexican coastal towns the spirit of recovery has gotten them far and, by the sounds of it, the people of Acapulco are still working to get their Port town back. We reached out to Vincente to see how he is doing and what he could share for Posse members cruising to Acapulco this season.
Vincente shares:
Buenas noches Capitán envío las respuestas a sus cuestionamientos que me fueron enviados:
A un año del huracan Otis le puedo decir que nos estamos recuperando lentamente en todos los aspectos y confiamos en que muy pronto tendremos el Acapulco de antes del Huracán Otis.
El turismo no a dejado de visitarnos tanto nacional como internacional poco pero siempre tenemos turismo en el Puerto.
La costa actualmente está bien dentro de lo que cabe.
La bahía en este momento puede recibir a todos los visitantes que vienen navegando y tenemos ya listas las bollas de amarre para darles un excelente servicio cuando sean requeridos.
Informo a usted que no fueron recuperados ninguno de los barcos porque el gobierno los retiró como chatarra.
Los amarres en la bahía se siguen gestionando a la hora que sean requeridos.
Informo a usted también que seguimos desembarcando en el mismo lugar de siempre.
Reafirmó a usted que quedó a sus órdenes para cualquier servicio o acciones en las cuales podamos apoyarlos anexo mi tarjeta y quedó a sus órdenes saludos
(TRANSLATION)
Good evening Captain, I am sending the answers to your questions that were sent to me:
A year after Hurricane Otis I can tell you that we are slowly recovering in all aspects and we trust that very soon we will have the Acapulco that we had before Hurricane Otis.
Tourism has not stopped visiting us, both nationally and internationally, but we always have tourism in the Port.
The coast is currently doing well within what is possible.
The bay can currently receive all the visitors who come sailing and we already have the mooring bollards ready to give them an excellent service when they are required.
I inform you that none of the boats were recovered because the government removed them as scrap.
The moorings in the bay are still being managed at the time they are required.
I also inform you that we continue to land in the same place as always.
I reaffirm to you that I remain at your service for any service or actions in which we can support you. I enclose my card and I remain at your service. Regards.
The financial toll of the storm is estimated to be between $12 billion and $16 billion, making it one of the most costly tropical cyclones in Mexico's history. The storm devastated the region, destroying over 51,000 homes, damaging more than 250,000 others, and displacing over 34,000 households. Additionally, around 80% of Acapulco’s hotels were affected, severely disrupting the local tourism industry, which is crucial to the region’s economy. Hurricane Otis caused significant damage to vessels, especially in Acapulco. The storm destroyed 480+ public tourist boats, and at least 33 vessels sank in Acapulco Bay. Additionally, some boats were rescued near Playa Manzanillo, and others were found in the bay of Puerto Marqués.
SOUTH PACIFIC TROPICAL CYCLONE SEASON OUTLOOK
SOUTH PACIFIC TROPICAL CYCLONE SEASON
NOVEMBER 1-APRIL 30
NEW OUTLOOK RELEASED
Tropical cyclones, like hurricanes, are known for their powerful winds, heavy rains, and potential to cause significant destruction. Tropical cyclones frequently affect the southern Pacific and can pose serious threats to both public health and infrastructure. All vessels are advised to have a plan of action for the cyclone season.
According to New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) and Metservice, the South Pacific may see either fewer or a normal number of tropical cyclones this season. The cyclone season in the South Pacific starts November 1 and runs until the April 30, with the typical 'peak' of the season being January - March. The outlook that has recently been released, "Southwest Pacific Tropical Cyclone Outlook - October 2024" describes a slower start to the Cyclone season, potentially less cyclone risk overall in the eastern region while potentially elevated risk in the western region. According to the NIWA Outlook, "As of early October 2024, sea surface temperatures across the eastern and central equatorial Pacific Ocean are below average and close to La Niña thresholds." Forecasters are observing more La Niña-like characteristics that tend to reduce risk in the east and elevate risk in the west where warmer water may 'stack up' later in the season. As with many weather outlooks of late there continues to be caution that while there may be less risk in the frequency of tropical storms this season, there is still a risk that those that come may intensify more rapidly or simply be very intense.
For cruisers in French Polynesia South Pacific Posse member Scott on Tartaruga shares:
What is critical to following storms in FP is the location of the MJO. Madden Julien Oscillation. You can research that but when that is over French Poly that is when the highest probability of big storms occur. Per some local Tahiti sailors they almost never have any cyclonic storms outside of MJO events. This last season Fiji announced the MJO forecast and when it would be over FP and boom the storms came. Also note that Fiji is the official metrological organization for these storms. Another important data point is they name their storms very early, mean the wind scale starts at a much lower number....NOAA tracks (the MJO) closely as well. I would educate yourself on how to read the graph. It is a bit strange.
Fiji Meteorological Service Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre Nadi-Tropical Cyclone Centre also just released a forecast on the upcoming tropical Cyclone season. Their predictions are similar.
Stay alert on great weather sites including:
- https://www.met.gov.fj/index.php?page=tcoutlook
- https://niwa.co.nz/climate-and-weather/southwest-pacific-tropical-cyclone-outlook/southwest-pacific-tropical-cyclone-outlook-october-2024
MEXICO ENTRY AND EXIT REQUIREMENTS
MEXICO ENTRY AND EXIT REQUIREMENTS
FOR FOREIGN FLAGGED VESSELS
- Paperwork and fees for the people (and animals) onboard the vessel.
- This involves getting tourist visas through Immigration and going through customs. Visitors need to provide their passport, crew list, and vessel documentation.
- Paperwork and fees for the Vessel to obtain a TIP.
- TIP’s are temporary Import Permits that boat owners apply for and pay for upon entry into Mexico. Captains present vessel and ownership documentation for permit. The TIP is on the vessel and the ownership of the vessel is unimportant. The fee is less than $100 and yet the paperwork associated with it is the vessel’s Golden ticket into Mexico. TIP’s for foreign flagged vessels are valid for ten years in Mexican waters. Foreign vessels are meant to cancel their TIP upon exiting Mexican waters.
When a vessel leaves Mexico without cancelling their TIP and this same vessel tries to enter Mexico complications arise. In recent years, one of the biggest challenges cruisers entering Mexico have faced is discovering that their vessel has an uncanceled TIP. If a vessel is found in Mexico without their ‘Golden Ticket’. The vessel can be impounded immediately. Only fees, paperwork and stress build in this scenario.
THINKING BACK ON THE CHESAPEAKE BAY
MARYLAND MY MARYLAND
THINKING BACK ON THE CHESAPEAKE BAY
By Mike Descheemaeker, captain aboard the goodship SV WHIRLWIND
I moved to Washington State over 20 years ago and when people ask, "is their anything you miss about back east?" I have one simple answer: the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay was formed by the southern extent of the polar ice cap depressing the ground. The mighty Susquehanna River and the lesser rivers dredged the rest over a long time. The Bay has been home to diverse and abundance of flora and fauna and the setting for so many stories in the founding of the United States of America. I grew up motorboating and sailing on the Bay from the age of nine until I graduated high school. Most of my mucking about was on the Elk River in the northern Bay but a few times a year we would cruise to Baltimore or Annapolis with stops along the way at Worton Creek or Fairlee Creek. At least once we went all the way down to Crisfield and really got to experience the magic of the Eastern Shore and the Bay.
The Eastern Shore is a place where time seems to stand still and older traditions are still alive. If you come in by water, especially if you come in by water...the magic is can be found. Stop and talk with a waterman and try to understand his mix of old English and southern draw combined; their dialect sounds old; it is very unique and difficult to understand if you speak modern day English. If you are lucky, maybe you can see the last of a working sailing fleet, like a Skipjack, the Maryland State Boat, dredging for oysters. In the 1800's Chesapeake Bay oysters were considered a white gold and people flocked to the bay to make their riches on this resource. As with many a gold rush, there was a fever mixed with greed, hard work, and turmoil. A range of harvesting techniques was followed by substantial depletion and attempts at regulation to preserve the stocks in the Bay. Maryland made it a law back in the 1900's that oysters could be harvested by dredge under sail or hand tongs. On a recent trip back to see my dad we stopped at Harris Crab House at the Kent Narrows for crab cakes and hush puppies. We asked the young waiter about the Skipjack fleet and he looked at me like I was speaking about a ghost he'd never seen. Fortunately, the old watermen unloading crabs at the dock knew. They said there was only one or two still working from Kent Island but the upkeep cost and lack of crew was making it difficult to operate. It’s not surprising and really amazing that these old sailing oyster dredges are still at it.
Another piece of bay magic: the Drake Tail work boat. This narrow, long, open motor boat has a small cuddy cabin and wheel house forward. These boats also date to the early 1900s and were used for going out to the oyster grounds. One or two guys with long tongs would lean out over the edge of the boat to work the bottom, usually 5-10 feet below, and tong up oysters. This was back breaking work. In the summer months lacking the letter 'r' oysters are not in season these same boats were used to run trot lines for the Blue Crab, also a local delicacy. Even today, looking around the docks up a backwater you can see an old classic workboat tied to the dock or better yet out working an oyster bar or running a trot line. Trot lines are long lines between two buoys with eel bait tied in with a clove hitch every 4-6 feet. When the trot line was loaded you dip the crabs with a wire net on a long handle. When it’s happening it’s happening fast and can be a dangerous thrill. The danger is in the jellyfish, which come up with the net and inevitably get flung about with the dip netting. When I was a kid, my neighbors ran a trot line and we got to go with them sometimes. They did not use a classic workboat to run their lines but a 16’ Jon boat trailered down to the middle eastern shore from our elk river home waters. The most memorable day for me was a great day when the crabs were coming fast. Well, when the crab are coming in fast the jelly fish are getting flung all over the place. In a quick moment amidst the bumper harvest, my friend, Billy, actually had a jelly fling right into his open mouth! Billy's day, Bill, ran the boat and always had a cooler of Busch beer and Mountain Dew to fuel the crew. In this instance, we kids had already drank all the Mountain Dew so Billy got to drink Busch beer for the rest of the day. Needless to say we were jealous but glad not to have chewed on a jelly.
Eventually crabbers moved up to crab pots which called for a bigger boat which gave rise to the now more common dead rise workboat. These workboats typically have a large cover over the open cockpit. The narrow beam was widened eventually a lot and the elegant drake tail was flattened out the beam carried aft. These boats were first built in wood and some of these are still around. Time marches on, designs and materials for fabrication have changed. In the case of old wooden crab boats: many have been replaced with fiberglass and single screws have been doubled which is handy for turning a boat into the slip. This video offers a glimpse at the history of workboats in the Chesapeake Bay: https://www.soundingsonline.com/news/chesapeake-working-girls
There are lots of fun traditions that live on and commemorate the ways of water life for those that live on the Chesapeake Bay. For example, the docking competition at Crisfield and Pocomoke city. If you feel like you are timid coming along side a dock check out a docking competition where captain and a crew member are judged and timed coming in hot turning and backing down into the slip. The timer stops when four lines are on the pilings. This is a place where paint and piling really get to know one another. Annual docking competitions happen in Pocomoke City in the end of August or in Crisfield in the beginning of September. A lot of boats, watermen, and water women come together to compete so this a great time to check out different styles of bay boats prideful water people.
A visit to the bottom of the eastern shore of Maryland in the end of summer or the beginning of fall is a great time to explore the tidal tributaries that make the bay so unique. The Pocomoke River is one of the most northern places where cypress trees grow in the United States. The Pokomoke River Canoe Company rents boats and provides a shuttle service. The River can be paddled from its headwaters all the way to the mouth at the bay. The Pokomoke River Canoe Company rents boats and provides a shuttle service for and small boat adventure meandering through a cypress forest lined creek. Because of it's long life of living in swamps, Cypress is extremely rot resistant and therefore ab important wood for boat and ship builders. The tannins from the trees dye the river waters a dark ice tea hue giving the water a mysterious and haunting look. This is prime wood duck habitat and their whistles can be heard often before they disappear bending and twisting in flight to screen themselves with the trees. Again, in my youth, I remember paddling along the lower Pocomoke one spring morning. I pulled into a wooded inlet and slipped quietly under some over hanging limbs on a point. Two river otters were playing on the bank a short distance up in the woods. When they saw me they bolted for the water. They shot down the bank right at me to dive into the water beside my canoe. The first one did this in style. The second one ran right into a tree needing a moment to shake off the daze before escaping in the tea colored waters. As one paddles out of the thick cypress forests the creek slowly widens and shifts from a meandering creek to a tidal river. The forest gets broken by sections of marsh grasses and reeds. A low bridge marks the town of Pokomoke City where you may have rented your craft.
Tidal tributaries are what make the Chesapeake Bay so unique. Rivers that are navigable ,especially with shoal draft vessels, have their starts in beautiful northern hardwood forests. Sassafras, beech, walnut, oaks, and white pines are some of the trees you might see on these wild waters. The Sassafras, Bohemia, Chester and other rivers on the bay give you an opportunity to see some truly spectacular landscapes slowly changing from forest to marsh. While draft and bridges will limit river exploration with the big boat, there are many dinghy adventures that can be taken once anchored in a sheltered cove.
Speaking of draft: the Chesapeake has lots of places to experience soft groundings as the Bay is known for it's mud bottom and shallow depths. It is always best to explore on a rising tide so the tide can assist with refloating. There are definitely some hard sandbars and oyster bars but a lot more mud shoals and shallows. Growing up on the Elk River gives me a different perspective of shallow. We used to go into some secret spots by running on plane in the Jon boat with the motor set to kick up and skid across mud flats and then drop into deep water on the other side motoring on. I wouldn’t try that in the big boat!
Mariners who love history will find much to explore. On the head of Elk in the Scotland Marsh Trojan Yachts were built not far from Fort Defiance. Fort Defiance is where there was a small gun emplacement visited by George Washington as he escaped from the British and headed south. The Chesapeake has been used by others to escape as it was a main artery of the Underground Railroad, it’s marshes and wooded tributaries excellent for escaping to the north. Both the Elk River and the Susquehanna flow from the hills of Pennsylvania the Susquehanna actually coming from New York.. This of course was a major route for indigenous communities to move from the north and south trading frequently occurring between the northern woodland tribes and the tidal tribes of the Chesapeake.
As a mariner, an outdoor adventurer, and history enthusiast, the Chesapeake Bay stole my heart at a young age. I look forward to getting back there someday. Hopefully, the magic lives on!
SV GARGOYLE TRANSITS THE CORINTH CANAL IN GREECE
SV GARGOYLE TRANSITS THE CORINTH CANAL IN GREECE
This week SV Gargoyle shares their final stages of their cruising season in Greece with the Ocean Posse:
Gargoyle and her crew are enjoying the last few weeks of the season cruising with family in Greece. This week we've made the transition west from the Saronic Gulf to the Ionian Sea via the incredible Corinth canal. To make things perfect, our daughter and son-in-law have joined us for a ten day stay before we head towards our winter home, Malta's Manoel Island Yacht Marina. Cheers from warm and sunny Greece!
The Corinth Canal connects the Gulf of Corinth in the Ionian Sea with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. It cuts through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth and separates the Peloponnese from the Greek mainland, making the peninsula an island. The canal was dug through the Isthmus at sea level and has no locks. It is 6.4 kilometres (4 miles) in length and only 24.6 metres (80.7 feet) wide at sea level
SV GARGOYLE 🇨🇦 Kevin & Carla - Beneteau 50'