Around the World
Oyster News, Winter 2002
We did it! We circumnavigated the globe in our own sailboat. It is still hard to believe that we actually did it. We had so many experiences and visited so many places that it is hard to recall them as a single event. But when we think of a specific country, or a specific passage, the memories flood us with the events that make up the accomplishment.
Perhaps we are not like other circumnavigators, as we didn't start out with that in mind. When I was considering retirement, going sailing, and specifically blue water cruising, fit my need to achieve something different in life. That led us to Oyster, and we ordered an Oyster 55 for delivery in 1996. We wanted a boat capable of handling the world's oceans, as the idea was to cruise the Mediterranean and cross the Atlantic. We embarked on this plan and sailed southern England and the Atlantic coast of Europe in 1996 as we had the boat delivered in Ipswich. We cruised both the eastern and western Mediterranean in 1997 and 1998, and then crossed the Atlantic with the ARC in 1998. That was a good introduction to an ocean crossing, and we would recommend it. From there on, we did it by ourselves around the world. In 1999, we cruised the Caribbean north from St. Lucia and then day sailed up the east coast of the US from Key West to Boston.
We found that we had achieved all of our initial objectives and were having so much fun that we had to do more. After considering various alternatives, we decided to go through the Panama Canal in 2000 and on around the world. This included stops in the Galapagos Islands, Marquesa Islands, Society Islands, Cook Islands, Niue, Tonga, and Fiji. We did a cruise of New Zealand and Australia in 2001 before heading through Indonesia and Malaysia to Thailand and back to the Med via Sri Lanka, the Maldives, the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. We arrived back in Antalya, Turkey, on 8 April 2002, 4 1/2 years after departing there on 6 October 1997. We did not hurry, nor did we go as slow as many cruisers.
Overall, for the six years we have owned Escapade, we have sailed 47,000 NM, visited 48 countries, entered 547 ports and anchorages, and lived onboard 1,173 days. We met countless people of many backgrounds and made many friends. Doing it in an Oyster made it pleasurable and easy. Even more importantly, we are totally confident of Escapade's ability to deliver us safely and comfortably through all the worlds' oceans and seas.
A circumnavigation may seem overwhelming when first considering it, or even after you have a capable boat; but when you break it down into individual passages and cruising areas, it becomes manageable and the ease of doing it becomes apparent. Jimmy Cornell’s World Cruising Routes was our basic resource to plan the timing of all major passages and then fit the cruising sections into the overall plan. We kept to our plan, often within a few days, for the whole trip. Escapade was up on the hard each November/December so we could go home to be with family and friends, and we made at least two other trips home each year. Also, we included side trips by air to places near where Escapade was located. This included Machu Picchu when Escapade was in Ecuador and Cambodia when Escapade was in Thailand. We attempted to maintain a good balance between the cruising lifestyle and home and family.
We had crew with us the whole way, supplemental crew for passages, and friends along for the cruising fun. Paul Fenn, a Kiwi, was onboard for the whole circumnavigation. His presence made the trip much more pleasurable and provided flexibility for us when the boat could not be left on its own. For all major passages, we had either five or six persons onboard so we could handle a three-watch system with ease and assure that all were rested at all times. Passages this way are pleasurable with no strain on anyone. When cruising we had friends and family join in all areas of the world. Day sailing this way made it enjoyable. One plan that worked well on the east coast of the United States was that we had another crewmember drive our car between marinas each day. Thus when we pulled into a marina, our car was waiting for us. She slept on Escapade every night.
Cruising involves many more aspects than sailing. In fact, sailing is probably the easiest part of the whole adventure. Detailed planning in all other aspects made the whole experience pleasurable with minimum hassle. I did as much research as possible in advance: such as the legal requirements for all the countries to be visited including immigration, customs, quarantine, and cruising permits. We obtained all of the charts, electronic and paper, which we needed for the planned route plus any alternatives. There are pilot books or other sources of information for nearly every area of the world. Some are better than others, but we obtained every possible source of information we could lay our hands on. Of course, we always supplemented our data bank with local knowledge whenever we could. Sailors are very willing to share their experiences and knowledge. Don't forget getting the necessary courtesy flags. Check www.noonsite.com. It is Cornell’s latest effort and has lots of useful information on nearly every country in the world.
Before leaving homeport, we developed a maintenance and spare part strategy. We followed a strict periodic maintenance schedule and made frequent checks of all equipment to keep Escapade in top-notch condition. With the help of Oyster, we obtained spare parts for all items that might wear or break. In remote places it is very difficult to obtain spare parts, even if you have them sent to you. Thus, we carry many spares (some people say I could build another boat with the spares, but that is not quite true). If any part needed replacement, I always obtained two replacements on the assumption that if it failed once, it may fail again. It is very useful to learn and understand all the systems on the boat, as often you will be the one that has to perform the service. Either because you are at sea or no service facility is available, or because there are simply no adequate service people near the port. I would not let anyone touch my Oyster unless I was convinced they knew what they were doing. I heard of several cases where local hack "mechanics" or "electricians" did more harm than good to other people's boats. Of course, this also means you need adequate tools, especially special ones for specific operations. The Oyster after sales department is a big plus to owning an Oyster. Without them I would have been desperate many times. They can get a part to you anywhere you are in the world, and it is reassuring that you know they will do everything in their power to keep you underway.
Think through the equipment you will need for your specific plans. We added anchor chain to make 90 meters, and used it several times in the Pacific. Communications are critical to us so we stay in touch with both voice and E-mail. Our solutions include cellular when near land (GSM generally, but often with local services as well), Iridium satellite phone and Inmarsat-C E-mail, as well as HF SSB radio. The HF radio is the preferred means of communicating with other cruisers. The water maker is absolutely necessary, jack lines are required, personal EPIRBS are comforting, a good life raft with extra equipment like hand operated water maker is necessary, 406 EPIRB, night scope (essential for us), forward facing sonar to detect reefs, etc. Keeping the dinghy on davits worked perfectly in all situations. Although I was concerned about our inflated dinghy being carried on davits while at sea, it was perfectly safe in even the worst conditions. Only a few times did a wave even splash onto the dinghy, and it was not much water at that. We kept the outboard on the pushpit rail and a cover on the dinghy to keep water out. We also had devices for diesel fuel handling: like a Baha filter for questionable fuel and an electric pump to transfer fuel from shore to boat or from dinghy to boat.
For me an electronic charting system is necessary today. I depended on our system many times, generally when visual and radar observations were not adequate. The key is to use charts that you believe are the most accurate. As a result, I now favor British Admiralty ARCS charts. You know you are seeing all the information that there is on the paper chart (like depths). I use the MaxSea program, but several programs will handle ARCS charts. I also have paper charts as backup, just in case. To minimize complete duplication I try to get the electronic charts in as much detail as possible, but depend upon chartlets in pilot books to provide the paper details, assuming good pilot books are available.
We made as many arrangements as possible in advance: reservations with marinas for berths, yards for haul-out, and our airline flight tickets for home. One of the most tricky aspects is arranging for crew to join and depart. This requires a commitment to a schedule, but we never caused anyone to miss a flight. Arranging all of our affairs at home so they proceed without our attention for months on end requires planning and many strategies. I did not figure a way to avoid going home to do income taxes, however! We chose a marine insurance company that kept us insured all the way around the world.
I created my own passage planning and daily log forms. These provided me with a wealth of information. For every day sail or passage I developed a passage plan in advance with all the waypoints identified from start to finish and then enter them into the GPS. These were adjusted while underway if the conditions required. It also assisted many times in entering ports in difficult conditions (at night, rough conditions and even sand storms).
Provisioning for one to three months is an art into itself. Heather developed her skills well, and we always had plenty to eat and drink, even in the most remote areas of the world. We depended upon local stores and markets, but these vary widely in what is available. So we provisioned when we could, and calculated usage requirements well.
We carry clothes and gear for all weather conditions and shore requirements. Plus, as Escapade has been our house for half the time, we have all the things that make her a home. I had to raise the waterline, because of this and all the spares.
Often non-sailors ask if we had any bad weather or if we were ever afraid. In general, the weather was great most of the time. We even had minimal rain. Remember, the typical route is in the tropics and in the good seasons. Once, we did get into a force 10 storm between Fiji and New Zealand, even though our weather router said to depart. I would not want to do it again, but Escapade handled nicely as we were beating into 50 to 55+ kt headwinds for 12 hours, then into 40 kt headwinds for five long days. After that, lesser weather seems tame by comparison. We experienced a number of gales, but if they are from behind they are hardly a worry. The Tasman and Red Seas lived up to their wicked reputations. The major crossings of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans were all very pleasant, and we did them quickly compared with most other cruisers crossing at the same time. I was never concerned for our safety, and always felt Escapade could handle the situation. The key is the mental attitude of the crew, and making sure they have had enough sleep. I believe we drive the boat harder than most cruisers, and enjoy (or tolerate) higher winds and seas. This is no doubt due to the capabilities of the Oyster.
A concern of many cruisers, especially after the events of September 11, is potential piracy. We went through the Strait of Malacca, the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, all noted for piracy. We followed all recommended procedures such as staying far off shore, proceeding quickly, maintaining VHF silence, etc. In the event, we had absolutely no problems, and I heard of none from other cruisers. There are no guarantees, but I believe that the risk of piracy is a lot less than many other risks, which must be considered and dealt with. For example, I know of at least six boats (fortunately no crew), which were lost on reefs at various places around the world.
Another question we are asked is if we had a favorite place. We enjoyed it all! (Some places more than others.) Each place and passage was unique and had it's own special charm or character. Of course, we wanted a good sail, a safe and secure anchorage or marina, and interesting and accessible shore based activities and sights to visit. We didn't have everything every time, but we had plenty of good and great days. Whether we were the only boat anchored near a remote deserted island, or if we were in a marina in downtown Sydney, or anything in between, it was all memorable.
Once underway things fall into place and a routine develops. In short, although it takes a lot of forethought and planning, it is easy to sail around the world. And it is great fun.
