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| Noel Checking out our washing machine |
We left Suriname on October 24th with our friends
on Argosea, Tony and Anne. It was a
bittersweet departure as we felt comfortable and welcome in Suriname. We have to send out a special thank you to
Noel, owner and developer of Waterland Marina and Resort for being the best
host one could imagine.
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| Beautiful Waterland Marina Suriname |
It is hard to describe what passage making is like in a 44-foot sailboat. The idea of it seems a bit romantic.
In fact it is challenging even in the best of
conditions. Long hours with watch
changes every 4 hours. When or if you
are able to sleep, it is only for four hours and then it is your turn to take another
watch. Someone is ALWAYS on duty. You
might think that there is nothing to watch for when you’re 100 miles off shore
in the middle of the night. You would be
mistaken. One night at about 3:30 we
were contacted by three ships doing seismic research asking us to alter our
course and stay 6 miles off to their east.
You cross paths with tankers and cargo ships and yes, occasionally
another yacht. The boat has to be run and sails adjusted in the dark so safely
becomes a primary concern. We wear life
jackets at night and “tie in” whenever we leave the cockpit. It’s a rule that no one leaves the cockpit at
night without someone else having eyes on them.
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| Drinks on the deck at Waterland |
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| People do like to play dominos in this part of the world |
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| Sunday Brunch with our friends from S/V Argosea |
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| Kay and Elaine |
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| Richard and Don |
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| Dinner to be - thanks Noel |
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| Rika and Noel prepared a great crab fest for our goodbye dinner |
Our trip north found mild winds and moderate seas. At times there was not enough wind to steady
the boat from waves coming in on the beam.
This resulted in some hours with excessive rolling and an uncomfortable
ride. We sailed offshore about 75 miles
to where the sea reaches a depth of 300 feet to in order to maximize any
benefit from the equatorial current.
This moved us along nicely as we passed Suriname, British Guyana,
Venezuela, and finally Trinidad. We
rounded the north shore of Trinidad and headed for the NW corner to enter a 5-mile
Boca and enter our final port of call at sunrise.
After four days of 4-hour watches, we were tired. When the boat is tossing about, everything is
a challenge: spending time below deck
can wreck havoc with a queasy stomach. Cooking with food sliding across the counter,
showering while keeping your balance, and even brushing your teeth is a trial.
There is great beauty in the open sea and plenty to occupy your mind, but it is
not the same as a weekend cruise to a favorite cove. It is, however, one of those life experiences we
wouldn’t trade.
The plan is to stay in Trinidad for a few weeks, haul the
boat and head back to the States for a month of family and visits.
We will post again in 2015 when we are once
again on the move - to where we do not know.
Richard and Kay
