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“This is the worst trip I ever bin on”

 

(The Sloop John B)

 I have just finished writing a 4 page letter to Air Canada regarding my being “bumped” on my Toronto/ Miami flight and the loss of my suitcase for 4 days.

 I won’t go into the details of this ordeal but will just warn you that paying the $25. to guarantee me a seat on that flight would have been a very wise thing to do.  Also, be warned that Air Canada’s human type staff in Miami airport is very elusive and may never be found.  People who speak only Spanish abound.

 

My advice – stay clear of Miami and air Canada – especially Air Canada.

 Now, after the initial ordeal in actually getting to Miami, I found my three mates, Gwyn, George and Bill busy doing things on the boat, Sassie Lassie which was tied up on a pier behind a lovely home in Miami Beach.

 The house and pier belonged to Michael and Sandra Gilbert, he being over 90 and Sandra probably in her late 60’s and had been a ballerina with the New York Ballet.  Michael was a retired doctor in Psychology.

 There was another guy on board, Paul, a local who was and had been working on the boat for a long time getting things repaired and everything ready for our sailing.  There was still a lot to do and the guys were doing it.

 Gwyn had a rental car and we went and ate at a place on one of the canals called Monty’s.  A huge crowd and noisy but the food was good.  Back to the boat and I slept without my sleeping bag in the forward area (pointy bit!)  Comfortable.  Covered myself with somebody’s towel.

The boat is great.  Lots of space.  I had the forward part to myself.  Bill and George had bunks on either side of the main cabin.  Gwyn has the Captain’s suite at the stern.  It’s about 10’ x 10’ and has a double bed.

 We, at various times, went shopping at a supermarket and Wal Mart and spent a lot of money.  On the first return trip to the boat, it was dark and I, carrying three gallon containers of water, missed a step getting down onto the pier and went flying.  Fortunately, the water containers stayed on the pier.  First indication that Osteoporosis is not a problem.  I was fine.

 I’d made several calls to Air Canada on Paul’s cell phone and was talking to people in India who took down some data and assured me that Air Canada had my bag and it would be delivered.

 .After the third day, we four drove to the Airport and George and I eventually found 3 human employees of Air Canada and one was the lady in charge of lost and found luggage.  They didn’t have mine but she took info and said that I would probably have to buy clothes but she would start a search.  The people in India hadn’t reported anything to her.

We were going to a Marine store for bits and pieces for the boat and I bought about $250. worth of clothes which were on sale.

 We went on to the nearby Sears Store for me to by more clothing, etc. but the Air Canada lady phoned on Gwyn’s cell phone while we were in the parking lot and said that she had located my bag with American Airlines and that it would be delivered asap.

 A long story but my bag arrived late the next afternoon. I sat on a chair outside the front of the house watching for the delivery people all afternoon while the guys went shopping again.

 Michael, the owner of the house had asked George, on one of the many shopping trips, to buy him some batteries.  George had done so and Michael owed George some small amount.

 Michael, went down to the boat to pay George and thought that we were on board but he couldn’t raise anybody.  He attempted to climb on board (remember that this guy is 92 years old) and fell into the water.  In getting out, he cut up his legs on rocks and looked like hell.  Fortunately, they had a cleaning lady and a gardener working and they heard him yelling.  I heard nothing, being at the front of the house.  Michael will be fine - if he doesn’t die of something else.

 They had a small swimming pool at the back of the house and we were allowed to use it.  I got in once with the guys and then Sandra, Michael’s wife, said that we should hose ourselves down before going into the pool.   Body sweat!  We didn’t use the pool, again and I didn’t have a shower from April 30 until May 14.  None of us did.

 May 6:  We motored out onto the Atlantic and the Miami skyline was impressive.  Sunny day and we motored all day.  I made spaghetti.  Not bad.  The oven doesn’t work so most of my planned recipes are out.  The previous owner had switched from kerosene to propane but hadn’t bothered to change the jets on the oven.  Gwyn didn’t learn of this until close to our departure date so couldn’t get the jets changed.

 May 7:  We got a good wind but saw two wind funnels (tornado) ahead so shifted direction and avoided them.  I don’t know if they ever came down to sea level.

It got quite rough and water came in the hatch over me, my sleeping area and my clothes got wet..  I had a hard time standing but made chicken fried rice which was OK.

 I tried to sleep on Gwyn’s bed as mine was wet but it was impossible as the bed was too wide and you kept being shifted around.  I just held on until George went on watch and I went into his bunk.  They eventually fell off the wind and it became possible for Gwyn to sleep in his bed.  I switched to Bill’s bunk when George came off watch and slept for 3 hours.  George was complaining about arthritis and stomach pains.  Gwyn gave him anti-sea sick pills and it helped the stomach.

May 8 was a bit better wind but I fell in the cabin while trying to fill water bottles for the fridge.  Banged my head well as well as my feet and knees  but I was all right.

 We got my mattress up on deck to dry.  Bill and Gwyn sealed the hatch over my bunk.  Two reefs in the main.

 May 9 and Force 7 wind of 22 knots.  The boat was bouncing all over but at least we were going the right way.  A big can of beans with sandwiches was all I could manage for dinner.  Holding on was even hard.

 May 10 and rain, thunder and lightning at night.  The wind dropped a bit but big following waves so we roll a lot.  George is feeling a lot of pain from having to stand for 4 hours at the wheel.  He’s talking about dropping out at Bermuda.

 I managed to make chili although it was very hard to stand.  No measuring spoons so I couldn’t judge the amount of chili so it was a bit bland.

 May 11:  More thunder and lightning at night.  Lighter winds but still being tossed about.  Up in the cockpit, In trying to adjust my towel which I’d hoped to dry up on deck, I fell but grabbed onto the stanchion holding the wheel and cut my hand on a couple of plastic ties that were holding a knife sheath.  It was a bad cut on my left index finger and hindered me the rest of the trip.

 A wee bird landed on the boat.  Two white petrels flew around above the boat and we assumed that they were waiting for the wee bird for dinner.  He disappeared soon after.  We were 260 miles from Bermuda..  Later, a second wee bird landed  and stayed a long while.  He flew below decks, landed on the frying pan as I was washing dishes, Bill’s forehead (he was trying to sleep in his bunk) and on Gwyn’s toe in his bunk.  George and I watched a large school of porpoise surfing around the boat. 

 Monday, May 12:  A horrible night bouncing about.  Only a small bit of jib out.  No Main up. We were still making 5 knots. Swells from two directions.  Either Bill or I must have stepped on the wee bird as he’s dead beside Bill’s bunk.

 Too rough so I stayed in my bunk all day.  George made a tuna salad supper.

 Tuesday, May 13.   We’re making 7 knots with no sails out.  Still being tossed by swells.  Huge waves.  Something had snapped on the jib’s drum for roller reefing and George and Gwyn went forward to repair it.

 George phoned Bermuda and was told to expect gale force winds.  It was already blowing 30-40 knots so this was not news.  Waves coming over stern inflated all the life vests.  I gave Bill mine as I wasn’t going on deck.  Still moving at 7 knots with no sail up.

 We suddenly went over on our side. I was in my bunk and had Bill’s rolled up sleeping bag between me and the bulkhead so was unhurt in spite of flying.  Gwyn, in Bill’s bunk, flew across and ended up in George’s bunk.  Stuff flew everywhere.  Gwyn had hit his knee on the post but had flown over the table.

 By this time they’d had two on deck at all times and safely fastened to the boat.  That was all that saved both Bill and George from going overboard. 

 More water came in through hatches and everything forward and aft was wet.  I made sandwiches.  Gwyn had me don my foul weather gear.  This was around 4 pm.  Gwyn put the motor on and we went from 7 knots with no sails to 10 knots and the rolling lessened.

 I slept a while but woke up sometime after midnight with George on the radio to a coastguard guy ashore at St. George’s, Bermuda, who didn’t have us on radar but was watching to guide us into the harbour.

 Gwyn had all the way points on his GPS and was at the top of the ladder on deck, listening to George relay what the coastguard guy was saying and directing Bill who was on the wheel.  It was raining hard and visibility was bad.

 Eventually the Coastguard man got us on radar and we were on the right course but too close to a reef, he said.  We followed his directions and Gwyn’s GPS and finally saw a buoy light.  The guy directed us to anchor behind an island just inside the channel and we did so at 5 am on May 14.  No more waves!