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Letters
From The Blue Water
The Log
Of The Yacht Barraveigh
By Colin
Reedy
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June 2006
| In April in
a special Escape From America issue, we introduced you to Colin, Bob, and
Ryan - three Americans who dropped everything to sail halfway around the
world. In case you missed that issue, we introduce them to you once again,
and then move on in order to catch up to the boat. This will be just about
as live as you can get thanks to Colin who brought his laptop along. Every
few days or so, Colin wades ashore, laptop held high above his head.
From the nearest internet cafe he sends us his most recent dispatches from
the blue waters. |
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Three guys, a 41-foot sailboat,
and enough gear and equipment to wrap half way around the world...which
is exactly what we hope to do. Sailing south from California...along
Central America to Costa Rica ...then west across the South Pacific...Australia...Asia...India.
We've dropped everything in our lives
for this global wander. We quit jobs, rented houses, sold cars, left
girlfriends, and gave away everything that won't fit on the boat.
That was the first challenge. Then we left on an overloaded 20-year
old boat with countless problems and half the knowledge to fix them.
However, time, good judgement, and a bit of luck should balance it all
out. We expect to learn to sail across oceans, read wind and weather, catch
fish, fix things with limited resources, hassle with custom officials,
explore new countries, get sick and scared and maybe hurt, and possibly
lose valuable belongings to nature and thieves.
Why? To learn and experience the
world first hand, and challenge ourselves against the vast unkown. To escape
the daily routines that blur one week into the next. To shirk steady secure
careers now, in favor of amazing memories that last forever. And to return
with great stories, photos, and confidence in ourselves.
This website will keep track of our
journey. Please feel free to contact us, we enjoy the feedback. To
Contact Colin Reedy and the Crew of the Yacht Barraveigh - Click
Here -
Background - Captain And Crew
We've all passed our exams for a
Captain's license with the US Coast Guard, so technically, we are all "Captains"
...but Bob owns the boat and secretly reads many books about leadership,
so more often than not he assumes the role.
I met Bob in 1991 motorcycling thru
the Mediterranean. After camping thru Greece and Crete, I was on my way
to Egypt via Israel to see the pyramids. Bob was about the only other Gringo
on the boat to Haifa. I convinced him to skip working at a kibbutz and
join me to Egypt. Great adventures followed and we've been good friends
ever since. Bob is the visionary hero here for making this whole trip happen.
He's reorganized his life and spent the last year focusing toward this
adventure. He's also the team cheerleader keeping our spirits high and
our efforts on target. He's great about safety and efficiency issues on
the boat, but unfortunately not troubled much by aesthetics or clutter.
I'm working on that.
Ryan is Bob's cousin and managed
to cover some serious ground in his 26 years. Originally from Phoenix,
he's worked and wandered thru Mexico, Thailand, Hawaii, and spent the last
few years driving sport fishing boats off San Diego. He's our fishing guy
and rapidly becoming the electricity expert by untangling and rewiring
most of the power systems on the boat. His yoga tempered patience and attention
to detail make up for his cooking and Country music.
I'm the "materials and design" guy.
They look to me for functional and efficient improvements anywhere on the
boat. Nothing is more fun. With a background in Industrial Design and years
spent making furniture and interiors, I know how things are made, fixed....
or can be quickly rigged up in an emergency. I imagine we'll all have these
abilities in the coming months. I'm also the one to organize much of the
boat for storage and access. I know where everything is and why.
Originally, I was also the "engine guy" in charge of learning and trouble
shooting the diesel engine. But I think we all have assumed a partial role
on that. My other useful qualities include photography, first aid, cooking,
and the ability to fumble thru Spanish, French, and Italian.
If you missed Colin's December Logs
click
here. To skip ahead to January - March, continue reading
31 JAN - 2 FEB 06
Caleto de Campos - Nexpa
Kayak surfing.
Nice to be back on the boat. The
little annoying issues that made me happy to be off for a long week are
yet to return...or put in perspective. I brought back a few important boat
parts, new books and music, kitchen gear, and pounds of good coffee. You'd
think these coffee growing countries would make great coffee, but it's
mostly old bland pre-ground stuff and Nescafe. Yuck. I even drank tea for
a couple weeks...whatever that is. Now, we have an emergency stainless
coffee press in case the main glass one breaks. Redundancy and back-up
systems on a boat are essential.
Caleta de Campos is a half day hop
from Pilchilinquillo where I returned to the boat. Tight spot, but 4 boats
managed to anchor the first night. The town is nice, but the big draw is
Nexpa, a surf spot about 10 miles north. Bob was eager and I wanted to
support his enthusiasm...so I agreed to haul a board to check it out. I
still don't get this surfing thing. I've tried it. I can maybe understand
a long board. But so much work and time spent...for so little return. Skiing,
snowboarding, white water kayaking, sailing, and most other 'ride' sports
give you way more fun for your effort. Surfing is sitting around waiting,
or paddling thru breakers, or carrying your board long distances...all
in hopes that the conditions will be good enough for a few second ride.
I'm sure millions of people and the glossy magazines that follow it are
onto something, but I think the allure of surfing is the beach lifestyle.
If not, then we'd see more surfing in Alaska and Tierra del Fuego. I agree
with the sun, sand, beer and bikinis part...but skip the surfing thing.
We quickly hitched our way to and
from Nexpa. Piling three guys and two boards into the back of an old Mexican's
pickup to get there, and returning in a van driven by a father and daughter
from Alberta. More extremely nice Canadians. They planned to stay overnight
in Caleta and even offered to take us back to Nexpa the next day. Bob was
excited to give surf lessons to the daughter. Next day, I decided to bring
the small red kayak which tied on top of the van. What a difference a kayak
makes. I can paddle thru breakers and jump into waves faster than the surfers.
With this speed, I can decide at the last minute which waves to take...and
I easily get twice as many waves with far less effort. I can even ride
them all the way to the beach if I want. I also get to sit higher with
a good view and stash a camera in the small hatch. I did this for hours.
Great fun...good exercise...why would anyone mess around with a surfboard? |
Ship's Crew
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Colin Reedy
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Bob Friedman
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Ryan Jannenga
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3-10 FEB
06
Zihuatenejo
...where did
a week go? I've heard only good reports about Zihuat and I agree.
Not too overdeveloped or too big. Maybe some day? Good markets,
restaurants, and even a good outdoor bar with cheap beer and a wide screen
TV to watch the Super bowl. That's as developed as I ever want.
Often, I miss the Superbowl altogether...but Seattle was playing.
Unfortunately, the best part: the commercials...were not broadcast.
Ryan fell into
two days of love with a tall blonde girl before she flew home to Seattle.
Lucky guy. She was nice and left us with some good reading material.
Bob and I hitched a ride the first two days with the Canadian father-daughter
team. We all went to a beach past Ixtapa, Playa Azul, to surf and
kayak.
 Chance
would have it, but this was the weekend of Sailfest...sponsored (i think)
by Latitudes and Attitudes magazine. Dozens of boats anchored in
the large harbor and several events, seminars, and boat parties lasted
into the following week. We met people we knew and others we'll see
down the line. Great way to exchange info.
Spendy restaurants
took the front rows off the beach and boulevard. Rustic markets and
taquerias a few blocks inland offered great food at much cheaper prices...although
the site of three dead, skinned cows piled on the floor near your table
tests the stomach. The butchers can slice meat so thin, you can see
light thru it. Then they hang it and let it dry in the open air.
Amazingly enough....flies don't swarm. on several occasions, I sat
at a picnic table, eating elbow to elbow with locals, spooning salsa and
spicy condiments on my tacos, while 3-4 butchers hacked and chopped away.
I think...this puts you touch with your food.
Boat projects
also took up much of Zihuat time. I managed to replace the dinghy
valve with a new one I brought back...same for the swivel connections on
both bow anchors (all stainless now). I drilled, mounted, and rigged
the davit to raise the outboard motor...a part we've been carrying since
Mini's in Newport Beach. Finally, I installed the oil pressure gauge...my
eternal challenge. We have a warning light, but we want a gauge.
So many attempts...foiled by either a mechanical or electrical issue...grounding,
wiring...this boat's electrics are so screwed up, it's anybody's guess...but
i'm closer than ever!
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| About Colin Reedy Designs:
In his prize winning furniture designs Colin innovated a way of using recycled
plastics and other materials, including used coffee grounds, recycled HDPE
plastic, recycled rubber, steel and aluminum. The proper disposal of solid
waste is a concern worldwide. Efforts have been made to encourage
everyone to reduce, reuse, recycle and rethink the products they are consuming.
Here is someone who is doing exactly that and creating something useful
and beautiful at the same time. Colin's design philosophy is: "reduce,
reuse, recycle, relax." His highly innovative creations demonstrate
an excellent use of recycled materials; reduction of landfill waste, and
the production of absolutely stunning furniture. "Plastic has many
nice characteristics," says Colin. His tables, chairs, and benches
twist and arch, taking advantage of plastic's bending character.
He has created everything from playground equipment for city parks, to
highly sophisticated art forms which decorate the houses of the rich and
famous. |
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Acapulco
- better the first time
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Feb 06
Route Planning
The last day
in Zihuatenejo we attended a south-bound cruiser's meeting in a beach restaurant
owned by a man who had worked for Jacques Cousteau. Free beer and great
food...fresh dorado tacos, chicken, buckets of guacamole...excellent. We
need to plan our route more specifically now as there are fewer spots to
stop and some weather hazards ahead. This meeting introduced us to many
people with good experience.
Our next stop
will be a Puerto Escondido. a legendary surf spot, then Huatulco just before
crossing the Gulf of Tehuantepec. Many cruisers go only as far as Huatulco
and turn back...fearing Tehuantepec. This is the narrowest part of Mexico
and very flat all the way across to the Caribbean. Winds originating in
the Caribbean blow across the land and blast the Gulf of Tehuantepec with
high winds and steep waves for hundreds of miles offshore. While the rest
of Pacific Mexico is in a very calm season now, Tehuantepec is in it's
prime nasty. Two theories of crossing exist: hug the coast and hope to
minimize it, or go far offshore and try to avoid it altogether. We've heard
equal advice, but we plan to hug the shore. Special weather stations and
broadcasts set up by the US exist to inform those considering a crossing.
We'll just wait in Huatulco for a good weather window, tie everything down...
and go for it. Preferably joined by a few other boats.
Once across,
there is not much Mexico left...The Gulf of Tehuantepec is the price of
passage into Guatemalan waters. Can't wait. But we'll actually sail past
Guatemala without stopping and anchor in El Salvador. Guatemala offers
few anchorages and they are reputed to be expensive and less than secure.
We want to leave the boat for a week or so and go exploring inland....Guatemalan
highlands, Mayan ruins....Tikal especially. A marina in El Salvador supposedly
has a secure spot to leave the boat. Then we'll cross back into Guatemala
by land for the jungle wandering. We should be in El Salvador before the
end of the month.
12-13 Feb
06
Acapulco
- better the first time.
Exactly 20
years ago next month, I arrived in Acapulco the first time. With a college
friend, I took an extended Spring Break and drove my little Mazda RX-7
all the way from central Illinois. Over two thousand miles one way. We'd
told our parents we were headed to Texas...and we DID technically go to
Texas....we just kept going. We wanted to see the pyramids near Mexico
City and other archeological wanderings, then find a beach. While our classmates
crammed into overpriced Florida hotel rooms and spent their days seeking
wet t-shirt contests, we exposed ourselves to the Mexican countryside and
culture. The trip taught us some useful survival techniques such as sleeping
in a 2-seat sports car, food and water choices, basic security, bribing
police, and how to avoid numerous opportunities for road accidents. The
following year, I seemed to forget that last skill and crashed a Honda
Prelude near La Paz...but that's another story.
This time I
arrived in Acapulco by boat at mid-morning. Shortly after sunrise, I hear
a call from above decks and step up to see the largest pod of dolphins
yet. Heading toward us off the port bow and constantly leaping. The water
boiled with them for a hundred yards long and fifty wide... At any one
time, at least 25-30 were fully out of the water in a graceful leap...with
some spinning around before crashing back. Why were they so excited? They
sped past us and into the distance.
One day later,
I am ready to leave Acapulco. We just spent a week in Zihuatenejo, so I'm
more interested in small isolated villages, sailing, and Mayan ruins. Acapulco
is a huge teeming resort town with glitzy hotel towers, avenues clogged
with buses and VW beetle taxis, neon lit American fast food restaurants,
and the usual desperate fringe population that feeds off the edges. We
anchored near the old Spanish fort and did a walking tour of it, the main
square, and the famous cliff divers. That's it, ready to go. In major towns
like this, we can't swim off the boat as the water is filthy...we even
use our fresh water supplies to wash dishes. We waited an hour in the beating
sun to get fuel, only to be told we had to report to some office and get
papers or receipts...or something. Just for fuel. I wandered up to the
office, sweaty and annoyed, and put in my best confusion effort....which
means politely asking questions, seeming eager to comply, and finally walking
away as if i'm totally clear on the matter. then I told the workers at
the dock that the 'heffe' (boss) will be over in 20 minutes with the paperwork.
less than 10 minutes later, we waved 'adios', full of fuel, and went to
anchor. no harm done. now get me outta here. -
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