Pirates – Unknown-Known

Passage Revelation:  Listen to the warnings and stay alert of suspicious surroundings. Trust your instincts and use good judgment, danger can be anywhere and everywhere.

Lessons Learned:  Always be prepared against unknown-knowns.  Use your electronics for safety notification and information. Document your float plan with Tow Boat US.  When suspicious intruders are nearby call Tow Boat US with your location or any change of plans.  This notification alerts nearby boaters and pirates the fact you are not alone out at sea.

The first time I heard the term unknown-known was after the Space Shuttle Columbia came apart on descent to Cape Canaveral over eastern Texas.  NASA engineers were aware of foam chunks striking the Space Shuttle on takeoff, but did not understand the ramifications or dangers.



Next to Last Shuttle Flight with my Dad and Mom



 This is how I felt when I noticed a new marker indicated on the radar.  It would appear, disappear and then re-appear.  In the distance, I finally saw a boat approaching the JonNe’.  Of course, the boat would stop its approach and then begin again.  It seemed to be monitoring our speed and distance.  It was a power yacht who had more speed and maneuverability than our 42 foot sailboat.  Now it motored toward our bow.  Then it turned to the center of the boat.  Suddenly it stopped and started toward our bow again.   Their approach made me nervous. 

 After discussing the unusual situation with our crew, Kent Brownhill, I woke up Captain Jon, who was sleeping in the aft cabin, and requested he bring his gun for our protection.  He was startled to say the least, but promptly retrieved the gun with and ammunition. 

We all have a predefined description of a pirate.  Some think a pirate wears a big black hat with a ruffled white shirt and a large knife attached to their belt scarf.  Pirates can be anywhere but their apparel may be just like fellow sailors, or a tourist or even Kemah, Texas dress code.  They don’t sail the skull and bones for warning. Pirates certainly are unknown-known, but you can’t tell by their appearance or behavior.

The ominous boat could have been potential pirates.  Their erratic behavior led us to believe their intentions were not honorable.   Jon’s preparation and plan proved to be invaluable.   He immediately called Tow Boat US and reported our position.  This information alerted the Pirates, Tow Boat US knew our location.  Upon the transmission the pirates turned and paralleled the JonNe’ for miles.  Then after a while the Pirate Yacht anchored at our stern.  Possibly, the pirates were waiting for an unsuspected ship without a plan.

The JonNe’ continued their course in the calm beautiful Gulf of Mexico leaving the unknown-known boat on the horizon.

 

Kemah, Texas Pirates

Changing Weather - No Sight of Land

Passage Revelation:  God  made an incredible ocean and sky for us to enjoy it's majestic beauty. Be grateful for all weather in your life; even in doldrums, fog or storms.  Eventually, the weather changes, bringing clear skies and smooth sailing.


Lesson Learned:  Use radar to navigate through bad weather, whether in storms or fog.  If you don't have radar, hove to and wait until fair weather.

No wind.  The ocean's water was crystal, dark, and deep royal blue.  It was as smooth as an ice pond frozen in the cold northeast.  The difference is the hot sun that beat against the Bimini.  

The only sound was the engine and the almost non-existent waves splashing intermittently against the hull.  Yes, we were in the doldrums.  Looking up, the sky matched the sea; crystal, dark, and deep royal blue with no clouds. 

Since there were no clouds, the night sky is covered with sparkling bright stars.  It is incredible seeing the stars without the interference of city lights.  We saw falling stars, satellites, and the International Space Station.  Unfortunately, we did not see the Space Shuttle, nor will we ever have another opportunity.  The Space Shuttle has been non-commissioned; retired after only 30 missions.  Did anyone tell you the Space Shuttle was built to fly 100 times?

Yes, the doldrums were upon us with no wind.  In times long ago, sailors would sit, and wait until the wind returned.  During this time, the Captain assigned sailors work to keep them busy.  This would occupy their minds, and keep their hands busy until the winds returned.   They had no weather reports on VHF, and no engine to propel them through the water.  For us, we had the motor to continue our journey across the Gulf of Mexico, even without wind.

The next night contrasted from the clear beautiful night.  Fog covered the sparkling stars in the sky and engulfed the boat.  It was eerie looking out in space and seeing nothing.  Darkness had fallen over our safe haven.  We were now motor sailing with the assistance of radar.   My fear somewhat diminished as the radar electronic circle surrounded the boat.  Again, our safe haven returned against the thick-as-thief fog to alert us of any ship or rocky shore coming into our path within 12 miles.

Running Aground – From Pensacola to Clearwater, Florida

Passage Revelation:  There are only two types of boaters, the ones who have run aground, and the others who will.

Lessons Learned:  Know tribal knowledge in navigating through new seafaring territories.   Ask directions from local sailors, before leaving the dock.

It is very tricky leaving the Pensacola Bayou Grande Marina.  The markers are confusing; yes I went aground, but recovered very quickly.  Over the years I have found the best solution to running aground is to re-track your boat steps.  This was especially important, as I had followed a local sailor, in a sister Vancouver 42-foot Tayana sailboat, into the marina.    The only difference in our boats; he was the original owner and bought an aft cockpit; whereas, we are the second owner and bought a center cockpit.

When I ran aground, I put the boat in reverse, and returned the way I had come, and backed into deeper waters.  Come to find out my husband and crew previously had run aground, but recovered by flying the spinnaker (whopper), in another area of Pensacola Bay.  The spinnaker provided the propulsion to ease the boat off the bottom.  So after 2 weeks, the JonNe’ had run aground 3 times; once in Portofino Marina, Houston and twice in Pensacola, Florida.  Fortunately this time, TowBoatUS is not required for the Pensacola groundings. 

After the almost running aground incident, we set our course to open seas heading toward Clearwater, Florida.  As night approached, the sky darkened with no moon to guide the way.  Previously we had 14 days of moonlight, with clear skies all the way.  Tonight the moon did not appear until midnight.  Out in the darkness, I heard whistling and blowing noises.  I searched for the sound, but nothing was over the side, except a phosphorescent illumination on the water’s surface.  This beautiful glowing light had replaced the moon and was guiding the boat through the ocean.  Then I heard the noise again, and saw magnificent dolphins gracefully diving in and out of the waves.  The dolphins were the culprits responsible for the magical seafaring sounds. 

The translucent light sparkled against the boat and dolphins as if fireworks on the fourth of July.  This brightly speckled light is plankton on the surface.   The dolphins were feeding on the micro -organisms available for other sea mammals.  The shimmering iridescent light accompanied our sailboat for hours, but soon the dolphins disappeared into the darkness.   This light had served two purposes:  one to light our sailing course; two, and the most important, as a food source, instrumental to the ocean’s Eco life cycle.

 

Temptation of the Sea – Heading toward Tampa

Passage Revelation:  It is comforting to know we have an electronics blanket to keep us safe and warm.

Lessons Learned:  Ensure all electronics are working correctly by checking them regularly, and listening for any changes in the performance.  Always have a backup plan, if your electronic world fails. 

It is another gorgeous day on the ocean with warm winds, fair skies and dolphins playing on the starboard and port bow of the boat.  They would dive from side to side playing in the waves.  The grace and beauty of these creatures mesmerize me in thought and soul.     I would like to back wind the sails and hove to, so I could jump overboard and play with these lovely sea animals.  Logically, they are wild mammals and as such; I should not be tempted by my inner desire.  It reminds me of the ancient sailors, who would hear the sirens on shore and jump overboard to join them.  The sirens were not real, but the sailors desire to join their singing and their comforting were real, if only in their minds.  This was the 6^th day at sea and the temptation of swimming with the dolphins is real.

In life, beauty of objects mesmerizes both men and women.  You must determine inner beauty from the outer beauty.  What is real and what will be the best decision, whether it is a choice, person or entity.   The choice to head for Tampa was not conducive with the winds.    We fought the head winds right on our bow for days.  It was apparent we needed to change direction, and give our crew a rest.  We set the GPS and headed into Pensacola, Florida.   

In setting another course, the winds allowed us to sail for the first time in days.  The sail was exhilarating.  Finally, we were sailing. The temptation to continue on our original course to Tampa perished. The change in course was right for us, the boat and our crew member Kent Brownhill.   It allowed us to visit with our wonderful friends; Keith and Diane Davis from Hammond, Louisiana, Loretta Revis and Charlie Baucom from Pensacola, Florida.  

 

Real World of Electronics - Dependency

Passage Revelation:  It is comforting to know we have an electronics blanket to keep us safe and warm.

Lessons Learned:  Ensure all electronics are working correctly by checking them regularly, and listening for any changes in the performance.  Always have a backup plan, if your electronic world fails. 

Epiphanies happen when one is surrounded by tons and tons of deep, endless, cobalt blue water.   This realization came to me about my years of racing sailboats.  In retrospect, that experience has given me a base of understanding how to maneuver the boat:  whether it is trimming the sails or understanding the direction of the wind and waves.  In racing you watch the waves to know the direction of the wind.  They move from the same direction.  This knowledge has come in handy for my now cruising world.   In my earlier racing years, electronics were not used to determine the direction of the wind or the depth of the sea.  You used the same knowledge the Vikings used as they read the stars, watched the waves and interpreted the skies.

 

It is important to keep an eye on the electronics.   On the GPS you can tell your distance from land, your point of origination, and your destination.  At that moment we are 100 nautical miles south of Pensacola and 225 miles northwest of Clearwater, Florida.   The depth meter indicates we are in 8,400 feet or 1,400 fathoms of water.   To me the sea is truly an endless well with no bottom. 

There are no birds, no sign of life on the surface and not a ship to be found.  There are no fishing vessels, because of the restriction on fishing following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill off the Louisiana coast.  The only sound was water coming over the bow making 6.2 knots, Speed over Ground (SOG).

The silence of the men sleeping gave me security knowing that soon they would be at the helm again and I was truly not alone.   Being alone at sea would not be comforting to me.  Another feeling of well-being is the sound of the engine working like a dream, humming and sputtering along.  It is truly the heartbeat of the boat. 

As the men awake, we run the generator and to our surprise it begins cutting off.  I call out, “Switch the fuel tanks”.   My husband open and closes the appropriate valves from the empty fuel tank to the available full tank.   This quick maneuver saved my husband the aggravation of bleeding the engine after it shuts down from fuel starvation.

We are now making out way southeast, so we can head directly into Tampa Bay.  Our stop at Tampa Bay will allow us to catch up on necessary computer work.  The SPOT Messenger tells everyone our location at sea.  It sends a message telling all our friends and love ones that we are OK.  Unfortunately, you can’t escape the real world of electronics.  The electronics on the boat are comforting.  Where the engine is the heartbeat of the boat, the electronics read the pulse.   They provide us the knowledge of where we are and what we are doing at all times. 

My husband faithfully writes on a log the longitude and latitude, so if our electronics quit we can continue our passage.  He has a sextant just in case we have to know where we are by stars.  If necessary, we can still use celestial navigation just as our forefathers did.

What would the world be without electronics?  I don’t think we can ever imagine, but out in the open sea we are far away from the complexity of technology. 

Below the Surface (Voyage from Houston to Pensacola, Florida)

Passage Revelation:  Always seek refuge from predators on land or sea.  Know your predator(s).


Lessons Learned:  Don't swim with the sharks or the Portuguese Man-of-War jelly fish.

The day is absolutely gorgeous with the crystal cobalt blue ocean.  Looking into the eyes of the sea, I thought I saw a message in a bottle.  It was a beautiful translucent crystal bottle  speckled with rose pink.  However, I realized it was not a bottle, but a "Portuguese Man-of-War".    They drift along the top of the ocean eating little tiny fish as they pass.   These jelly fish don't have any means of propulsion or known predators and drift wherever the ocean takes them.  We saw thousand of them.  I guess the real message is to stay away from the deadly poisonous jelly fish.

The ocean has a life just below the surface.  To the port side of the  boat I observed a feeding frenzy.  Was it a shark, porpoise or just a big fish?   Then I saw the angler shark fins rising and falling into the choppy confused sea in their area of feeding.  Apparently, these ominous predators were enjoying their meal.

Just like the ocean life which we cannot see below; on land their are predators and poisonous situations.  People hide their real feelings just below the surface.  These troublesome emotions are hidden, which may be as poisonous as the Man-of-War or the frenzy feeding of a shark. 

Out at Sea Reflections - The Louisiana Coast

Passage Revelation:  In life you sometimes have to adjust your sails for safety, whether at work or play to prevent danger. 

 Lessons Learned:   At night or day be aware that rigs are sometimes connected and avoid going between them.  If you accidentally hit a rig it can destroy your safe haven and home.

We have gone for days and still are along the Louisiana coastline.  You never think you will pass the Cajun country even though it is a small state, it has an enormous coastline. 

This morning I witnessed the most spectacular sunrise with brilliant orange, yellow and red colors reflecting on the water.  The sky illuminated the warmth of God of his creation; the sea.  This is when I feel closest to God.  There are no distractions taking me away from his love. 

In the distance a giant commercial shrimp boat spreads it's wings across the horizon searching for precious food.  I took a wide berth to miss the shrimp boat, since their direction is set.   At the end of the horizon another commercial shrimp boat came toward us.  I never understood why?  There are the only two boats at sea then inevitably they are always heading our way.  At sea the largest vessel wins, so it is best to adjust to safety.

Along the way we witnessed numerous rigs which were all unique.  Different shapes, sizes with their own purposes placed in a straight line.  While sailing you must look very carefully, since these rigs may be connected with pipes or electrical lines.  Sometimes the rigs do not have lights or whistles to tell you their locations.

On the port side a Taj Majah rig sits stately in the ocean.  It is majestic and I wonder who lives on this island of a house.  How many people could handle isolation in the middle of the ocean?  I believe it wouldn't  be so bad if you had a routine and felt valued.  Ironically some people feel isolated with millions of people surrounding them.  It is true happiness comes from within.