Blue Water Sailing,  July and August 2003

We completed a circumnavigation on our yacht, Escapade, and we are pleased and proud of the accomplishment. If you expect a disaster story, better find another article because for the most part it was a successful voyage and generally stress-free. We certainly enjoyed it. However, there are things that went wrong and things we would do differently.

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.

We started in England, where we received delivery of Escapade on June 14, 1996. We sailed southern England and the Atlantic coast of Europe that year. During 1997 we explored the eastern Mediterranean, going as Far East as Antalya, Turkey. In 1998 we cruised the western Med, and then crossed the Atlantic with the ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) in November. That was a good introduction to an ocean crossing, and highly recommended. 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. In 2000 we went through the Panama Canal and crossed the Pacific. This included stops in the Galapagos Islands, Marquesa Islands, Society Islands, Cook Islands, Niue, Tonga, and Fiji. We day sailed the coasts of New Zealand and Australia in 2001 before heading through Indonesia and Malaysia to Thailand and back to the Mediterranean via Sri Lanka, the Maldives, the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. We arrived back in Antalya, Turkey, on April 8, 2002, 4 1/2 years after departing there on October 6, 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.

The Boat

Our first major decision was selecting and equipping the boat. We chose an Oyster 55 for many reasons. Primary among these was that it is a superior blue water cruiser, with raised deck saloon for light airy living, center cockpit, stern "sugar scoop" for easy boarding and swimming, great stability and capable of short handed sailing. We had it built to our specifications. After six years we are totally confident of Escapade's ability to deliver us safely and comfortably through all the worlds' oceans and seas. What ever boat you choose make sure you have confidence that it will handle what the oceans will throw at you, for it will be tested at some point. In discussions relative to the weight of the boat versus speed, I would recommend fast, but not at the expense of enough displacement and the proper hull shape to make the boat seakindly with motions that the crew can tolerate. Most modern boats can survive extreme weather conditions but a really good boat will permit the crew to not only survive, but to maintain acceptable living in all weather conditions. In Escapade we often achieved 200 miles days, and with 50,000 pounds displacement we were able to beat into a Force 10 storm without altering our watch schedule while doing it on autopilot.

For another example, as we were sailing up the east coast of Australia we were in trade winds from the southeast nearly every day. The winds were generally 20 to 25 knots on the aft quarter so we were making extremely good times for our day sails. As we passed various harbors we could overhear other cruisers on the VHF discussing if the conditions were calm enough for them to leave the harbor after several days being "trapped". Those are conditions Escapade loves and we enjoying the sailing. Very seldom were we confined to harbor unless there was a full gale or worse outside. (We may drive our boat harder than most cruisers and enjoy, or tolerate, higher winds and seas.) Yes, we are very satisfied with the Oyster as it met all of our requirements.

Rig

Escapade is a cutter-rigged boat with an MPS (asymmetrical spinnaker) and spinnaker pole. It has in-mast power furling of the main, and both foresails are roller furling. We don't carry any storm sails as the staysail works well in heavy weather, and it can be reefed in storms. The boat can be balanced well with a reefed staysail and reefed main. Thus, in most instances all sail handling can be performed from the cockpit. Trade wind sailing is usually down wind sailing so it is imperative to have a good sail plan for wind near dead aft. We put the yankee on the pole so it is held out. (a yankee is a high cut genoa.) This wing-on-wing plan works well. In fact we often pull out the staysail to catch any stray wind. We can hold full sail up to 35 knots true. Then the yankee can be reefed without taking it off the pole. There is a preventer on the boom, which has prevented more than one accidental jibe. I call this our "bullet proof" arrangement as it will take high winds without constant attention and the autopilot handles it well. Thus it is good for night sailing. We can even sail with the wind slightly by-the-lee. The only negative is that the boat can roll a lot, but this is probably due to the quartering seas. In the Pacific we achieved 1,200 NM in six days while feeling comfortable doing it. In fact, below deck there is very little sensation of speed.

In lighter winds we use the MPS, which can be set off the bow or off the pole. The problem with the spinnaker is that it needs constant attention, thus we very seldom used it at night. Overall, the sail plan is very flexible for all conditions.

Twice we made mistakes. On the Atlantic crossing, at night, while wing-on-wing, one crewmember hit the autopilot buttons by mistake and the autopilot was turned off. The boat rounded up and the yankee back winded with tremendous force. This pushed the pole into the mast and bent the pole track severely. From then on we took more precautions to prevent inadvertent touching of the autopilot, including putting the cover on. When the boat was new, we abused the in-mast furling by attempting to furl the main in a gale without relieving the pressure of the sail on the mast enough. As a result we burned out the motor. This never happened again after we learned how to reef in a gale without having to point into the wind. It is trickier, but just a little bit of flapping will do the trick.

Equipment

Escapade is fully equipped with items like lead bulb keel, dual ram autopilot, power winches on main and yankee, bow thruster, generator, solar panels, water maker, electronic charting, water computer, air conditioning, inverter, battery monitoring system, SSB radio, Inmarsat-C, Iridium phone, GSM phone, weather fax with Navtex, forward facing sonar, radar, air conditioning, microwave, and laundry machine. Safety equipment includes a 6-man life raft, MOM-8, Lifesling, drogue, sea anchor, offshore medical kit, flare kit, 406 and 121.5 EPIRBS, and pre-packed "Go bag". Some important details make world cruising much more comfortable such as the dinghy mounted on stern davits, a good Passerelle, and the boat wired for 240 VAC. This equipment served us well and we would not change much. 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. The outboard was kept on the pushpit rail and a cover on the dinghy to keep water out of it. (I was prepared to cut the dinghy free if there was a threat of the davits breaking.)

We did alter some equipment during our cruising. For example in the Pacific we increased the anchor chain from 60 meters to 90 meters. This became critical when the shallow spot in the anchorage at Male, Maldives was about 36 meters. If we dragged off the hill the depth increased to 42 meters. Although it was less than 3:1 scope, the anchor held. There were other instances where we needed nearly all the chain as well. I could have attached a rope rode to the chain if it was deeper or if the wind increased. An all chain rode is important when anchoring in reef areas. With that much chain and anchor out it is necessary to have a strong windlass. In fact, the original windlass, a Lewmar, was inadequate and it broke, as the design was similar to a winch. I switched to a Lofrans, which is a better design. (Lewmar has since changed their design.) In our experience, it is impossible to have too large an anchor and chain, too long a chain or too big a windlass.

For the Pacific we added Inmarsat-C E-mail. It has worked well everywhere, but is somewhat expensive. When near shore we use a GSM telephone connected to our computer and utilize a local AOL number for E-mails. For voice communication we added an Iridium telephone which, although it does not have perfect voice quality, is usable anywhere. We came to place high value on communication systems, which worked anywhere, anytime.

Our most trouble prone piece of equipment is the Onan generator. I would never again have a generator with brushes. Also, it is a 3,600 RPM unit as it generates 240 VAC at 60 hertz. Apparently 50-hertz units that run at 3,000 RPM are not only quieter but have better reliability.

The TV and video systems on board a cruising boat need to be world capable. We have totally changed our system. Originally the boat had a Grundig universal TV, but we had a series of problems with the unit. Also, we started with a VHS tape player. Now, DVD's are a better media for movies as they take less space and are not bothered by humid air. Our new solution is works very well. We are using a Samsung multi-function LCD flat screen monitor (171MP), which has a built-in TV receiver and two speakers. As we purchased it in the US, it is a NTSC unit. In addition we can connect one of our laptop computers to it and play DVD's. To make it universal, we also have a Samsung worldwide video VHS unit (SV5000W). This unit will receive any type of TV signal, either from an antenna or from a VHS tape, and convert it on the fly to any other type of TV signal. It will program the local TV stations automatically. Thus, you can receive in PAL or SECAM and play on the NTSC monitor. You can also rent VHS tapes locally and play them. The system works well and the image is sharp and clear.

In the discussions on simple versus well-equipped boats, I conclude that well equipped wins hands down. It certainly makes life more comfortable and enhances the overall cruising experience. In general, most of the equipment was trouble free. In many cases we had alternative means of achieving the same results, especially with the electrical systems. This provided backup if one part failed. For example, the generator, the high output alternator on the engine and the inverter all failed at one time or another, but not together. Thus we were able to devise work-around strategies to keep the refrigeration, battery charging, etc. going. In every case the ultimate backup was to revert to non-equipment operation. There are more maintenance issues to consider, which I will discuss later, but why deprive yourself of something convenient just because it might fail? In fact, most of the cruising boats we encountered that were circumnavigating were very well equipped as well.

For handheld equipment, we depended upon our ITT night scope as it gave the best indication of objects around us at night (better than radar). We have two handheld VHF's so we can communicate with two shore parties and we have handheld GPS units for backup of the main unit.

Overall, we are very pleased with our equipment selections, with the exceptions noted. The equipment matched our cruising plans and the conditions we encountered.

Planning

A circumnavigation may seem overwhelming when first considered, but when broken down into individual passages and cruising areas, it becomes manageable and the ease of doing it becomes apparent. Jimmy Corrnell's World Cruising Routes was our basic resource to plan the timing of all major passages. The cruising sections were then fit into the overall plan. We kept to our plan, often within a few days, for the whole trip. As a result we went on the long passages only at the best time of the year for favorable weather. Escapade was put 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. These 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 additional crew with us the whole way. One permanent crewmember 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 experienced sailors onboard so we could handle a three-watch system with ease and assure that all were rested at all times. Passages this way are enjoyable with no strain on anyone. Further, it is far safer than only two crew, which are subject to sleep deprivation in difficult and strenuous situations or if one becomes ill. When coastal cruising we had friends and family join, but they did not have to be sailors. Day sailing this way permitted many more friends to participate, to our delight. 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 arrived at a marina, our car was waiting for us. She slept on Escapade every night. Our crew strategy is discussed in more detail in the article entitled Crew- Help of Hindrance?, in the December 2002 issue of Blue Water Sailing.

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 in advance. 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 everywhere are very willing to share their experiences and knowledge. We also had courtesy flags for every country to be visited. Check www.noonsite.com, it is Cornell’s latest effort and has lots of useful information on nearly every country in the world. We chose a marine insurance company in advance that would keep us insured all the way around the world. It is Pantaenius, and they were supportive of our sailing plan. And we made sure we were out of the hurricane areas as specified by them.

Our planning worked remarkably well. This made sure we were at the desired places at the desired times. With our crew strategy, we had to commit months ahead to where and when we would have crew join and leave us. None of the 88 crew who have been on Escapade at one time or another ever missed a flight or did not find us in the appointed place. We also booked our flights home in advance and made reservations at marinas in advance as appropriate. To achieve this we researched our proposed itinerary thoroughly and identified all ports that we intended to enter to confirm that our length and draft could be accommodated, the facilities were as desired, and if it was a port of entry, if required. We booked the places where we put Escapade on the hard at least 6 months in advance. As a result of the advance planning, we had less "flexibility" in our schedule than nearly all other cruisers we met. However, we provided enough cushion in the schedule to handle weather or maintenance delays, if necessary. Thus, we were sometimes ahead and sometimes behind schedule by a few days. If we were really delayed we could always do a short passage or overnight to catch-up to the schedule. Some may view this planning as not consistent with cruising "freedom". That may be, especially by those people who do not like to plan ahead. However, it worked for us and we would recommend it.

One part of our planning we would not do again. When we decided upon an Oyster, we elected to have it delivered to us in England, where it is built. Our original plan was to have our new boat delivered in Florida. However, we wanted to go to the Mediterranean so we thought it would avoid one ocean crossing. But, this placed us on a very steep learning curve. Not only did we have to learn the new boat, we had to get used to large tides (like 40 feet in the Channel Islands), contend with foreign languages, learn the skill of Med moor, and handle foreign port entry plus other complexities all at the same time. We would definitely recommend to start out cruising in familiar territory, if at all possible. But we would still do a shake down passage and some day sails close to manufacturers support.

The legal and governmental requirements for all the countries that you will encounter are diverse and many. It takes a lot of effort to conform to all requirements. We tried to do everything "by the book" although we noted that many cruisers did not. Early on, when we were in Europe the law specified that a non-VAT paid boat could remain in the EC only 6 months out of a 12-month rolling period. As a consequence our whole cruising itinerary was based on this requirement. The law has been revised to 18 months, renewable by exiting the EC. This makes life much easier but is still a factor to be considered. The cruising permit for Indonesia took several months and a lot of paperwork to obtain. Other countries simply make things difficult. But I never had to pay a bribe. In many countries you are forced to utilize a yacht agent. For example in Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and the Suez Canal. We also used agents in Malta, Venice, Rhodes, and the Panama Canal. Although sometimes expensive, I would use agents more than we did. They can save a lot of hassle, ease the paperwork, and get you into places you might not be able to go by yourself. It is always helpful to have a local speaking on your behalf. If he is a good agent, he will be able to assist in obtaining the lowest cost fuel and boating services.

Maintenance

Before departing, I developed an extensive 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. The schedule was derived from the recommendations of all the manufacturers of the systems aboard. 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, because of transportation issues and customs requirements. 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 parts on the assumption that if it failed once, it may fail again.

It is necessary 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 and no service facility is available, or because there are simply no adequate service people near the port. I would not let anyone touch my boat unless I was convinced they knew what they were doing. I "tested" them by asking questions on what went wrong, why, how they proposed to fix it, etc. I heard of several cases where local hack "mechanics" or "electricians" did more harm than good to other people's boats. There were very good mechanics in New Zealand and Australia. We had our transmission thrust washer replaced, the water maker rebuilt and the engine heat exchanger rebraised there. I was very satisfied with their work ethic and the promptness in attending to our issues. On the other hand, in Tahiti the fuel injection pump on the generator failed. Even though there was an authorized agent for our pump manufacturer, he did not have bench test equipment to test any repair. So I had a crewmember bring a whole new pump in his luggage and avoided the local mechanic.

Of course, this means you need adequate tools, including special ones for specific operations. Also, it is important to have manuals for all systems readily at hand. Manuals should include not only operator’s booklets but also mechanics maintenance and repair manuals and parts catalogs. This is especially true of the engine and generator. It is always reassuring that you know how something is put together before you start disassembling systems that you know nothing about. After repairing many things I learned more about some systems that I really wanted to know. The Oyster after sales department is a big plus to owning an Oyster. Without them I would have been desperate many times. They help in the diagnosis of the problem and identifying the necessary parts, can get parts to you anywhere in the world, and it is reassuring that you know they will do everything in their power to keep you underway. If you do not have a supportive boat manufacturer, then utilize a family member or friend at home to be the one to track down and ship parts to you. There are also companies that will perform this service.

Our maintenance strategy worked well. But we did have to do repairs while underway at sea, sometimes in heavy weather. We fixed the engine, generator, autopilot, toilets, electrical systems, GPS, fresh water system, and more while at sea. During long passages we would even do preventative maintenance, like winch greasing. A good sense for mechanical and electrical things is a required trait for a cruiser.

Shore Facilities and Fuel

Marinas and shore facilities are quite good around the world and after overcoming the language problems, things would generally go smoothly. The most common method of securing at a marina or dock is "Med moor", or stern-to. Besides having a boat that will back down well, you need the equipment to facilitate the operation. We have three large fenders for each side so we can force our way between other boats. The ability to lay the anchor chain from the helm and the bow thruster make the operation easy, even with some cross wind. A good Passerelle (gangplank) is necessary to get off the boat, and a long one makes sure your stern is well away from the dock. On Escapade we have the ability to drop the dinghy, while still attached to the davits, deploy the Passerelle and then pull the dinghy up out of the water under the Passerelle. A very neat solution to storing the dinghy while at dock.

We like to go to marinas whenever they are available as we like the convenience of getting off the boat and because Escapade is power hungry. Docking space was generally always available with very few exceptions. In most cases the local people would do their best to accommodate us, even if it meant tying to the fuel or ferry dock during off hours. We had difficult times in Lisbon, and some French ports. The highest prices were in the US, the lowest in the Pacific, and Europe was in between except for places like Capri, Porto Cervo and Venice, which were high.

Nearly all-overseas marinas have 240 Volt AC power that is 50 hertz, so world cruisers should be wired for 240 volts. We collected a large number of plugs to handle the variety we encountered. The most common, however, is the European small blue three-pin type. (There is also a larger one.) I have a pigtail lead available for quick connection to any nonstandard variety. In addition I have a "reverser" adapter, which switches the polarity of the hot leads as not all power connections are wired with the same polarity.

Diesel fuel was available worldwide. In the more remote places it was obtainable only by jerry can, like in West Timor (delivered by dinghy). On the atoll of Ahe it was delivered to the dock by SUV in a drum. In Safafga, Egypt it was brought by pickup truck. In general, diesel availability has improved over the past several years. In terms of price, Europe is the most expensive area, with France leading in high prices. The lowest prices were in the US and duty-free ports like Gibraltar. We have special equipment for 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. In addition we have a spare Racor filter, which can be used in conjunction with the electric pump to "polish" the fuel in the tank. In the Caribbean we picked up fuel with fungi and have since treated the fuel with anti-fungal additive. The fuel has slowly improved since then. But because of this contamination, we cut our fuel filter replacement period to 125 hours from 250 hours. That has resolved the issue.

Navigation

For me an electronic charting system is necessary today, and it is our base system. 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 coverage with 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. Our charting strategy is explained in more detail in the article titled Electronic Charts- One System That Works in the January 2003 issue of Blue Water Sailing.

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 entered 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). In England it is now a legal requirement to have a passage plan on paper before a yacht goes to sea. The plan should include tide and weather considerations as well.

These navigation systems work well, and were refined during our circumnavigation so I wouldn't change them. One misjudgment did cause some discomfort in the Cook Strait, however. In our previous experience Escapade was not bothered by overfalls, so I became blasé about them. When crossing the Cook Strait in New Zealand, which is famous for having turbulent waters at times, we left Wellington on the backside of a gale. The conditions were reasonable, but I had plotted our course over some overfalls identified on the chart. This time we were suddenly in a "washing machine" with short peaked waves all over. The ride became uncomfortable to say the least. I then noticed that there were no white water waves only a short distance off our beam. After a quick change in our course we were out of the overfall area and back into normal conditions. That is one reason why all the information on a chart is important.

Provisioning

Cruisers must depend upon local stores and markets, but these vary widely in what is available. In Europe, nearly everything is available, and your menu has to be tailored only slightly. In the Pacific and Indian Ocean regions much less is available. In most cases, however, you must manage the local language. The pictures on the cans help, but it takes patience to find the item you are seeking. Provisioning for one to three months is required and is an art into itself. My wife developed her skills well, and we always had plenty to eat and drink, even in the most remote areas of the world. So we provisioned when we could, and calculated usage requirements well including planning of all meals. Some hard to obtain items we brought from the States. All of our storage is in dry areas. We tried many of the storage tips provided at cruising seminars and they either didn't work or actually shortened the storage life of goods. For example, washing potatoes is worse than storage as purchased. We kept eggs in plastic egg containers and did not coat them with Vaseline. Our freezer was able to keep thing frozen continuously so we were able to keep meat and fish for long periods. The only item, which required preparation, was bread. Bread will not last long and in some areas like Indonesia, it is not available locally. So we made bread onboard, and our favorite method was using bread mixes from England. These worked well and took minimum preparation.

We carry clothes and gear for all weather conditions and shore requirements. Plus, as Escapade has been our house for years, we have all the things that make her a home. I had to raise the waterline, because of this and all the spares!

Weather

The weather was great most of the time (like 98%); we even had minimal rain. This is to be expected as the route was in the tropics and in the good seasons. However, weather information is not always readily available as might be expected. We found weatherfax transmissions hard to come by and not always with suitable coverage for the desired areas. Inmarsat-C provides weather messages, but generally only notification of gales and storms. This is very valuable information but does not cover normal sailing conditions. Navtex is sometimes the best source of weather information as it is often in English. This applies to European waters but not to the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Local forecasts on VHF are often in local languages and mostly not suitable. Not being able to surf the web, I felt that I did not have enough weather information. So I contracted with a weather service provider for the longer passages. As they knew Escapades normal speed and our tolerance for weather conditions, they were able to provide a five-day forecast for Escapade in the positions where we were expected to be. They also provided routing advice and a go, no go recommendation prior to departure. We communicated by Inmarsat-C so we received updates while underway. This proved to be extremely valuable in the Red Sea as there the winds have a tendency to turn against you quickly. We were able to go from Djibouti to Suez with only three basic stops. In between, we waited in harbor for favorable winds. As a result our experience was probably as good as the Red Sea gets. For more information on our trip see the article Notes on the Red Sea in the September 2002 issue of Blue Water Sailing.

After six years I have learned a lot about weather, but have concluded that weather forecasting is best done by experts. Even they have difficulties making forecasts when they have two or three computer weather prediction models at their disposal. Often it is hard to get consensus on a forecast. Those people that say a really fast boat is the way to go because they can get out of the way of bad weather assume that they will know what the weather will do. No one can do that with certainty at present. Remember the windjammer in the Caribbean a few years ago, which tried to avoid a hurricane only to have the hurricane change course several times and sink them.

Probably the worst thing we did wrong in our circumnavigation was to depart on a passage in front of a stalled low. We were traveling from Fiji to New Zealand and because of the area I had enlisted the aid of two weather services. One was my usual one based in the US, and the other was a noted New Zealand local. Both of these recommended leaving when we did. Actually there were many other boats out there as well. At the time there was a low stalled to the west of our route for several days. The forecast was for northerly winds up to 30 knots, which was suitable. (Remember this is the southern hemisphere.) After we departed the low started to move east. In fact, I believe we ended up going through the center. We were advised to make as much easting as possible, which was good advice. However, we were beating into 55+ knot southerly headwinds for 12 hours, then into 40+ knot headwinds for five long days. At one point one of the weather models predicted that the storm might turn into a "curved back wave front", similar to the Queens Birthday storm a few years earlier in the same area. Luckily that did not happen. We never stopped sailing, we maintained life aboard, and we did the 1,077 NM passage in 1,100 NM at an average of 6.8 knots. However, I never want to go through a Force 10 storm again. It is nearly impossible to convey how VIOLENT the motion was. 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, even in the extreme conditions.

After that, lesser weather seems tame by comparison. We experienced a lot of gales, but if they are from behind they are hardly a worry. The Tasman and Red Seas lived up to their wicked reputations. So plan on lots of good weather, but expect a few challenging times. The major crossings of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans were all very pleasant, and we did them quickly compared with other cruisers crossing at the same time.

Special Cruising Situations

One specific is the transit of the Panama Canal. This is a unique and awesome experience, and one that is adrenaline filled for a boat owner, as it is fraught with danger. We were able to transit it without damage, but the boat we were paired with experienced transmission failure just as we were docking against a tug. It took quick action to avoid damage to our boat. We were able to tow the other boat out, lashed to our side, so he avoided expensive charges related to delaying the canal. Mostly we went center lock. But what I would do differently would be to negotiate with the other boat to swap line handlers. This is because if line handlers fail to secure the lines, the other boat is the one that is swept into the wall.

We did a lot of anchoring, 181 times in total. So it is imperative that you get to be proficient at it. Early on, in Turkey, we dragged anchor at night in a very small harbor. That incident, which we could only resolve by leaving the anchorage, put us on warning. From then on we always made sure the anchor was well dug in, no matter how many times it took. We tested the set by a significant pull on the chain and by a crewmember with his foot on the chain during the pull to confirm no slippage or bouncing of the anchor. In Great Harbour, Yost Van Dyke (home of Foxy's) it took us six tries to get the anchor to dig in the hard sand. Our dinghy, with a see-thru bottom, is also used to check the set of the anchor. Our main anchor is a CQR, which I trust. It sometimes takes a bit of dragging before it digs, but it holds well. Our secondary anchor is a Bruce, which digs quickly. It has proved useful many times as a secondary anchor, as a stern anchor, and to pull us off a dock. We also have a third anchor, a Fortress, for emergencies.

Sailing among reefs takes extreme caution. Too many boats come to grief. We know of six that were sunk, but many more suffered damage. It takes complete concentration, continuous monitoring of your position, sailing only in good light and a sense of where reefs might be. We also installed the forward facing sonar. It only works at slow speeds, but for creeping among reefs it works well. Even with all our caution, we still got caught. At one island in Malaysia, there were permanent mooring buoys installed, as anchoring was not permitted. These were along a beach. On arrival, we carefully approached the second one on the inside and tied up. No problems all night. In the morning we left and proceeded past the first buoy, but on the outside. We were only 20 feet away from the buoy when we hit coral and bounced over into a pool. If we had tied to that buoy we would have hit the coral while attached to the buoy during the night! A crewmember dived and saw that we could get Escapade out of the pool with no more damage. He directed us from the water. We let our guard down (the sonar was off), and assumed the buoys would not be near any coral. Mistake!!

Safety and Security

Other than a few minor bumps and bruises, we had no major medical problems. I attribute that to a very safety oriented attitude aboard. All new crew were given a talk about safety and were instructed on emergency procedures. These are also listed on a plastic laminated exhibit for reference. One rule was that crew on watch had to wear shoes so they could moves quickly around the deck without stubbing toes. Everyone always wore inflatable PFD's with built-in harness at night and in rough weather, and in rough weather all crew were tethered to the boat. There are tether points in the cockpit and jack lines running bow to stern. For additional security all crew at night wear personal EPIRBS, which are water activated. If any person fell overboard a loud alarm would sound.

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 in 2002. We do not carry a gun onboard as most reports on pirates say they are well armed and a gunfight is not an option. 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 if caution is exercised while sailing.

Summary

There is a lot that I would not want to change, or ever forget. The experiences are a treasure to remember forever. Passages were great, with a relationship with the sea that is not possible when close to land. The conditions are ever changing, ever fascinating. There is the challenge of being totally responsible for your own actions, with no "help" readily available. You are truly alone in a vast sea world. Sea life is always near, always interesting. The weather impacts your life far more than on land, so it is of greater significance. Even small changes in the wind or seas are of importance. The nights have their own special memories. Clear, moonlit nights are wonderful. Dark nights sometimes permit seeing displays of phosphorescence, which are incredible. But dark nights also give you a sense of excitement as the boat rushes headlong into a black void. The sounds of the wind and the seas are always in the background as well as the motion of the boat. Subtle changes in the sounds or motion can wake you if you are asleep. They are at once a comforting reassurance that all is right, or a warning that conditions are changing.

The places we visited and the people we met are too numerous to recount. But some stand out such as the lovely and remote anchorages inside the Great Barrier Reef, the atolls of the Pacific, and the islands with the Kuna Indians in Panama, the dramatic islands in Thailand, the French Riveria, and anchorages in Croatia. We also spent time in marinas in the heart of many large cities such as Manhattan, Boston, Miami, Baltimore, London, Lisbon, Auckland, Sydney, and Wellington, as well as innumerable smaller cities and towns.

One 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 its 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. 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. The rewards for a circumnavigation are many, besides the accomplishment.

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