This basically meant we had to cross the Bay of Fundy at night to arrive there at 10 am.
With light wind from the east and calm sea and we are running free with only the Genoa up.
The speed is still too fast for our exact 10 am arrival time but maybe conditions change later.
As we get closer to the US coast we were expecting a fleet of US coastguards checking us out, but what we saw was worse! Millions of buoys marking Lobster traps. We try to avoid them by steering around them, but it is an impossible task. Interestingly when we sail right over them the lines don’t get caught in the propeller. Maybe we were just lucky.
At Bar harbor the clearing in was easy, but I had to promise the Customs officer that I will eat that Canadian steak in the fridge asap. We don’t want no mad Canadian cow disease in the USA.
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No sooner had we picked up a mooring the wind increased a lot. We could not even launch our dinghy anymore.
For 2 days it was blowing 30 kts or more, thankfully the mooring holding us well.
We passed our time reading the complete series of the” Hornblower”.
Note:
If my intentions to enter the USA illegally or with intentions to cause harm, it would have been easy. So much for security!
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Fire on Little Swan
For a couple of days we sailed along the Main and Massachusetts coastline. The wind from the south west and against us all the time. We did a lot of tacking maneuvers. The coastline is very scenic and we anchored overnight in calm bays to rest. A few miles out from Portland we decided that in order of making landfall in Portland in daylight we need the help of the engine. The engine started normal and all was fine for about 5 minutes then the engine stopped. We don’t know why as everything seems to be in order.
We tried several times to start it again but with little success.
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Sunset Dinner |
The engine starter motor was working overtime.
Gry noticed some smoke coming out of the engine compartment and the engine control panel.
Something has gone badly wrong! I disconnected the Battery bank as quickly as I could as it appears there is a short circuit somewhere.
Now we could see flames coming out of the helms control panel.
Frantically I try to unscrew the panel and flames were now coming out of the circuit breaker board. Gry was standing by with the fire extinguisher and as soon as the panel was off we blasted |
it with powder. The battery selector switch, made of plastic, was in flames giving off obnoxious fumes and plastic smoke. Together with the powder of the extinguishers we could not see or breath anymore and we had to evacuated on deck, hoping the fire was out.
Gry and I in fear and panic, but Keith who was helming Little Swan was not aware of how bad the situation was down below and we informed him what happened.
The smoke slowly cleared away and we could not see any fire anymore.
Investigating the cause of the fire revealed the battery selector switch got hot due to the excessive use of the starter motor trying to start the engine and consequently melted and burst into flames causing further short circuits in the battery cables going to the starter motor.
Cables had melted and the starter motor was cooked. The damage was horrible, but at least we did not burn Little Swan down.
We informed the coastguard of our blight, but we don’t need assistance. We decided to sail into the lee of Cape Elizabeth and anchor there overnight. The coast guard stood by until we were safely anchored. Thanks guys.
With a triple shot of Rum we managed to get some sleep.
The next morning we launched the dinghy and outboard motor and strapped it alongside Little Swan. Soon we made way towards Portland harbor with dinghy power.
An hour later we were safely tucked away in the Spring Point Marina.
I certainly cannot fix the damage and an electrician was needed.
Bad weather was forecasted and we had to doubly secure Little Swan from the direct on slaughter of 40 kts squalls. Never have I seen a Marina popping about like this and we hoped it will hold together.
After the worst was over the electricians started work. We replaced all burnt cables and fitted a starter motor which I used as a spare, but was not reliable.
Further investigation why the engine did not start revealed a blocked electrical fuel pump. Dirty fuel being the root cause of all this. The location of the fuel pump was wrongly placed in front of the filter instead of after the filter. My mistake. The damage bill was over US$2000.- plus Marina fees. The guys working for U$75 per hour sticking cables together.
We tested the starting of the engine a dozen time and could not fault anything , however I had a bad feeling about fitting my unreliable spare starter motor even though it bench tested OK.
With the delay in getting a USA Visa, stuck in Bar harbor and now a week in Portland we were keen to make our way south. Cuba, as the crow flies, is 1300 miles away.
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Cape Cod Canal
Our sail plan was to do 40 to 50 miles per day. With perfect sailing condition we managed to do 70 nm and anchored in Gloucester harbor overnight watching the CD “The Perfect storm”. Filmed here.
The next day, with good wind from the northerly quarters we sailed all the way to the entrance of the Cape Cod Canal.
The canal is a shortcut, bypassing Cap Cod which can be a bit tricky and is a long way around.
To our horror the starter motor did not work My suspicion was correct. I tried everything I know to make it work but nothing happened.
Keith was sailing Little Swan nicely and we could see the canal entrance clearly. The wind is on our beam and there is a good chance to sail into the canal. We prepared the dinghy ready for launching to be used as a tug boat. We also made the anchor ready in case we need to drop it
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Snowing at Cape Cod |
quickly. Everybody was instructed what to do and off we go. Keith at the helm was doing a good job lining up the Canal entrance perfectly.
Once we were inside the breakwaters the wind died on us and there was a strong current running against us. Gry and I quickly launched the dinghy. The best way is to push Little Swan at the stern. With full dinghy power on we barley moved, but very slowly we picked up a little forward motion.
Someone on shore shouted that there was a Marina just ahead of us. That was good news and we made it into the Sandwich Marina and secured ourselves to a pontoon. Wow, that was a bit of excitement.
To our joy it started to snow. It snowed so much we could throw snowball at each other.
A lovely dinner at a local restaurant was most enjoyable. |
Next morning I scratch my you know what and consider our options, To get a new starter motor in this far out place is impossible. And it’s the weekend .
I was angry with the “electricians” in Portland for letting them install this unreliable starter motor.
The closest place with any chance of getting a starter motor would be Fairhaven.
This bloody motor has given me a headache many times before. As a last option I will spend an hour or 2 removing , testing and reinstall it again. What can we loose?
It bench tested Ok and back in she goes. Click, click nothing. F*#!?*
Just one more try, last chance and unbelievably she started and got the engine going.
Don’t stop it until we are in Fairhaven. Off we go through the Cape Cod Canal and with no further problems arriving in Bedford / Fairhaven harbor.
Through my binoculars I could see an engineering shop with the sign PERKINS on it.
Drop anchor here.
On Monday morning we ordered a new starter motor in which had to be flown in from Atlanta.
The cost of the motor and freight was US$1200, ouuuch!
Bless this new starter motor and long life is my wish. |
New York
We wished we could have spend more time in the Long Island Sound, but it is getting colder and the birds are flying south.
Out of the early morning mist, (we had sailed all night,) we spot the ghostly skyscrapers of New York
By midmorning we passed by the Le Guardian Airport with jets screaming in what seems like 2 mastheads above us at what seemed like one plane per minute, busy, busy!
Soon we enter East River and a current helps against the blistering southwesterly.
We passed trough the famous Hells Gate a narrowing S-bend in the east river which had lots of turbulences. It pushes and tugs Little Swan and spits us out towards Manhattan doing 10 knots.
Our cameras clicking away to a sight which we cannot deny is grand.
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East River New York |
We can see the Empire state building, the Chrysler tower and many more famous skyscrapers.
The twin World Trade Center missing from the skyline.
All too quickly we rounded Battery Point and turn into the Hudson River, looking at Manhattan
at our right and New Jersey on our left. Awesome!
Where to go and anchor or find a place in a Marina. There were many derelict wharfs around but not in use and not suitable for us.
There! We spot some unoccupied moorings and with only slight hesitation we pick up one of those moorings.
Well, it is a bit rocky, but after 36 hours of excitement it is good enough.
Keith cannot relax and soon he is off to explore Manhattan.
Just on dusk we got called by the Security guards. “You can’t stay here, we are closed for the season”. What’s the big deal, just let us stay for tonight and we shift in the morning blah, blah.
“Your boat is too big, you have to leave”
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Manhattan Marina |
Where to is the big question. There is a City Marina called North Cove just a mile down the river. It had a very narrow entrance and looked awfully tight inside. With Little Swan’s poor maneuvering in restricted waters we usually avoid situation like that. Keith is still onshore.
We rung up the Marina office to inquire about space and cost. Yes there is space and it is US$ 4 per foot of boat, which in our case was comes to US$204 per night. I gave them my apologies and humbly admitted that it is beyond my affordability. They replied nicely to come in as the price is negotiable because the season is over. It was only US$100 per night.
Well you could not pick a better place for Little Swan to stay a couple of days in New York.
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Soon we were secured to a berth and finally can relax and enjoy our arrival in New York
Ground Zero, where the Twin World Trade Centre stood was just across the street.
It is a big hole now and September 11 still in our memory, God bless their souls.
For the next couple of days we explored as much of New York as possible. Took the subway to Grand Central Station.
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They have the worlds best delicatessen shop with irresistible goody goodies for sale. Look up the Chrysler Tower, walk 5th Avenue, visit the Empire State building, walk the Broadway to Time Square. We even spotted Bubba Gump Shrimp Company then walked Central Park for lunch.
A little rest and off we go to China town and Little Italy. It is exhausting seeing so much in such a short time.
The next day we planned to visit the Statue of Liberty. Queuing for the ferry was an hour and security was very strict. Finally we entered the base of the Statue and learned about its history. Then we were allowed to go further up and we could see the inside of the statue. A very ingenious piece of engineering. |
The Gang |
Disappointingly we could not go to the top of the Statue, understandably so as millions of people visit the Statue every year.
There were many other things we have seen in New York and many more we did no see.
The autumn weather was just fantastic to us.
Well it is time to move on and our departure was handicapped by thick fog. We wanted to do a photo session with Little Swan in front of the Statue of Liberty. We waited patiently for 3 hours, listening to the foghorns and bells.
Eventually the fog lifted and we got that “Photo of Little Swan and the Statue of Liberty”.
Good bye New York we enjoyed our stay, thank you very much.
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Little Swan and Liberty |
Sadly, as we cruise away from the Statue of Liberty one cannot help but contemplate that the Statue now looks the wrong way around. What has become of the USA by invading other countries, torturing people, have secret jails, use evidence of tortured people in court, brainwash people of USA into believing wrong facts.
Then they have a person who spends more money then anybody else before to make war they cannot win in a country they cannot understand. He makes enemies and looses friends of importance.
This ambush of liberty hopefully one day soon will again represent what it supposed to mean.
We pray for it.
To Cape May & Delaware Bay to Annapolis & Washington DC
Westerly winds helped us to sail south for 50 miles, then the wind died and engine power was on again. We passed Atlantic City by night and it was a spectacle of lights and illuminations.
In one way one cannot be but impressed by this enlightened City on the other hand it is vulgarity of the rich and wealthy wasting energy. Let it be.
Three o’clock in the morning Keith wakes me up and informed me that we have arrived at the entrance to Cape May. Ok Red Right Return no problems. I keep Little Swan course to pass the red light on our right, but out of the total pitch black darkness looms the breakwater wall up and directly in our path. Full engine reverse did not stop us from hitting the wall with a big bang.
The impact was strong and I feared the worst.
Thankfully a strong current and engine still in full reverse we got off the rocks.
Gry checks the bilge and its not rising and no water is pouring in. That’s a relief!
The bloody break wall was protruding way past the light and in the darkness we didn’t see it.
Lucky escape!
Slowly we enter the harbour and drop anchor in shallow water, just in case we sink we don’t sink very far, but all was OK. I am sure there is some chunks of fiberglass missing on my keel.
Cape May has quite a bit of history and is a popular tourist destination. We had a look around and did some shopping. The season is over here.
What can we say about Delaware Bay? We sailed it all the way running free.
The Bay itself is shallow and muddy. It is well marked and big ship use the channel.
The shorelines are low, an atomic power station pillowing out steam. We anchored near the entrance to the Delaware Canal to stay overnight.
Early morning we up anchor and enter the Delaware canal which will bring us into Chesapeake Bay. It was blowing 25 to 30 kts but we were safely motoring in protected waters.
We reached Annapolis just on sunset having done 60 miles for the day. Well done. |
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Capitol Hill |
It was a beautiful Autumn day and we planned to go and see a little bit of Washington DC.
We walked the park towards Capitol Hill like so many other thousands of tourist.
Pictures here and pictures there.
The Constitution; “All man are equal”
I wonder about that, maybe some are more equal then others?
Marching all the way down Pennsylvania Rd, to No.1600 the White House. Maybe we can get an invitation for breakfast, but George wasn’t home. Only his many bodyguards and Police protection. Hasn’t he got any friends?
We hop across the grassy park to the Washington Monument and twist our necks to see the top of the spire.
In the distance we can see the War Memorial and the Lincoln Building. |
What I noticed doing my round in the circle of remembrance where every state of the USA was mentioned but also the Philippines.I don’t know the reason for that. Any enlightments?
We have seen enough and depart Washington with mixed feelings.
To have peace on needs peaceful leadership.
May peace be with us! |
The Dismal Swamp Canal
Southerly winds in the Chesapeake Bay, we gotta go south and we motor sail most of the way, reaching Norfolk two days later. This place was packed with Navy Warships and aircraft carriers, guarded by young trigger-happy soldiers in inflatable boats casually pointing their machineguns in our general direction. This place reeks evil, lest get out of here.
Soon the waterways divided and we took a left turn to the Dismal Swamp Canal.
The first lock not too faraway and a very friendly lockkeeper gives us advise and suggestions. He had one of those Cone shell he could play a tune on it entertaining us as we get lifted to 8 feet above sea level. The canal can be transited by yachts of no more the 6 feet draft and 20 meter mast height. We just made it.
The canal was built by slaves over a hundred years ago just using spade, pick and shovel.
In the 2nd world war it was used a lot to ship freight from the south to the north, those avoiding the German submarine waiting outside in the Atlantic sea.
The dismal swamp canal is part of the intercostals Waterways which starts from as far south as Key West, Florida and go all the way to at least Delaware maybe as far as Cape Cod.
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The with of the canal was barely 50 ft and we could certainly not turn around. It was a cruise through an autumn forest with leaves falling on deck.A couple of times we touched bottom but it was a soft touch.
In the afternoon we reach the second lock to lower us down to sea level again.
It is getting late and we cannot reach Elizabeth City. On a wide bent in the River we drop anchor and enjoy the tranquility of the Dismal Swamp on a full moon night. Elizabeth City has a visitors birth for free, which we gladly accepted. We did our usual touristy bit of having a look around while doing the shopping. The local yachties threw a little Party and made us feel welcome. |
Maccmaw river |
To Key West Florida
There were many more intercostal waterways to go and we cruised in daily hops between 30 and 70 miles. The Alligator River, Oriental and Beaufort . The weather forecast for the Atlantic waters was bad and we decided to stay in the canal for a couple more days.
In the next few days we run aground many times, sometimes we got off easy sometimes it was a struggle. The towing off fee was like US$ 600 and we never even considered it.
It is good practice knowing you capability of getting off a “run aground situation”.
The cause of it all was, that the Hurricanes going through that part of the country only month ago silted up the Canal in places. |
Miami by night |
Finally the weather report for the Atlantic Ocean was favorable and we departed from Georgetown South Carolina to sail south in the Atlantic Ocean.
It was pretty rough the first day and 2 people were sick.
Then we were becalmed and we motored mostly on a warm sunny day.
The Ocean waters now blue in color.
We decided to make landfall again in West Palm Beach. The currents were now 3 knots against us and while we had good sailing condition, the speed over ground as only 3 knots. Frustrating.
We cruised the canal again to Fort Lauderdale. Wow, the Mansions, the Mega yachts, little old Swan is out of place here.
We got an early start to Miami 30 miles away only to find the last bridge in Miami to be 55 feet high and we had to go back all the way to Fort Lauderdale and sail outside to |
Florida Harbour. Arriving there in darkness and not knowing where to go we just dropped the anchor in a suitable location. The views of Miami at night were spectacular. |
The following day we moved to a Marina, shopping look around , fueling up, water and all the usual cleaning up.
Favorable wind lets us sail all the way to Key West. This is our last port in the USA.
The town was in a festive mood with 2 cruise ships at berths. It was also Pirate week and lots of people dressed up as Pirates. Sometimes a whole family marched by in Pirate fashion.
We enjoyed the nightlife with lots of entertainment going on.
All too soon we had to prepare to depart for Cuba. Vic and Muffy are awaiting us in Havana.
Keith had a Passport problem and decided to disembark here and do a bit of sailing in the Bahamas instead. Thank you Keith for being good company and your help. |
Key West |
Toni
www.adventure-yachting.net
svlittleswan@yahoo.com.au
Key West to Hemmingway Marina
Crossing Florida straight should not be a problem and we sailed off in good wind and weather.
There was a bit of traffic about and we kept good watch.
During my night watch a freighter approached us at fast speed. I called them on the VHF radio, but no answer, then I’ve shown the large flashlight onto the sails, nothing ! Now it was obvious we are going to collide and he is not going to do anything. It was up to us to avoid collision by turning Little Swan a 180 Deg. around, back winding the sails and using engine power to escape collision.
Phew that was close. Most large ships don’t even see you or their watch don’t bother to check radar or visual. They could run you down they would not even feel it.
Be alert all the time and don’t insist on your right of way.
The sea got up a bit and the entrance to the Hemingway Marina had surf. They advised us not to come in, but since one is not allowed to go anywhere else we surfed into the Hemmingway Marina. Soon we had Officers from different departments on board, checking this and that, searching for whatever and let the sniffer dogs do their search. The medical doctor asked for a US$10 donation!? With an all clear we proceeded to a berth.
Having made a prediction in Greenland that we will be in Cuba in the first week of December and now being only 2 days late is well done Little Swan and crew.
Toni (owner Skipper of Little Swan)
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