1/8/07
Twenty four hours since leaving Bahia Ballena. Back in our “sea-capsule,” feeling very normal. Normal, of course, is a relative term. Out here it means either good weather conditions or bad, with “normal” meaning that we pretty much know what to expect. The past month, in Puntarenas and Tambor, brought treasured surprises every day. We love that. It keeps us alive, spices up our conversation and gifts us with lasting memories. But it wasn’t normal.
This morning I’m trying to decipher the wave action that has at least three patterns crossing each other. I know it’s a clue to weather and I’m watching it closely for a sign of what will be today. We’re running closer to the coastline than we usually do, so we’re plotting our position hourly on our 63-year-old charts. These never-used charts came from a Liberty Ship and were given to us by our late friend, Heine Dole. (Heine, a yacht and ship designer by trade, was one of the most competent seamen we’ve had the pleasure of knowing.)
The charts were published by the U.S. Hydrographic Office under the authority of the Secretary of the Navy. They were printed on exceptionally high quality paper that seems to repel the elements of the sea. The original price on the chart we are using for Costa Rica was 40 cents. It was last updated in 1943.
We pulled out the charts to show a friend who sails this area with the latest electronic navigation images. He was amazed to see that details of rocks he’s familiar with appeared on our charts but not on his. Our old paper charts were first created in the late 1800s by highly skilled sailors, navigators, cartographers and artists. How they did it remains a mystery that I ponder all the time.
Yesterday, as we put up sail and motored out of Ballena Bay, we were hit by very stiff headwinds. Everyone had told us, though, “Calm winds from here to Panama.” The ketch, Serraya, left right behind us, so we raced together across the choppy sea, photographing each other’s boats rising and crashing with the waves. The unexpected blast of wind reminded us of my new and unflattering nickname … while in the Northwest for two weeks in December, near hurricane force winds hit the Puget Sound area. Seattle experienced 70 mph gusts and our hometown, Gig Harbor, took the brunt of it. Trees were downed and power was out for days. It was the worst storm to hit the area since 1964. When Bruce read about it he declared me the cause of our stormy path, so now I’m known as Hurricane Heiney. I swear … I had nothing to do with any of it!
Back at sea. Back to work. Back to normal.
The local fisherman on the pier in Bahia Ballena. That pier had at least 20 huge dorado on it!
This morning I’m trying to decipher the wave action that has at least three patterns crossing each other. I know it’s a clue to weather and I’m watching it closely for a sign of what will be today. We’re running closer to the coastline than we usually do, so we’re plotting our position hourly on our 63-year-old charts. These never-used charts came from a Liberty Ship and were given to us by our late friend, Heine Dole. (Heine, a yacht and ship designer by trade, was one of the most competent seamen we’ve had the pleasure of knowing.)
The charts were published by the U.S. Hydrographic Office under the authority of the Secretary of the Navy. They were printed on exceptionally high quality paper that seems to repel the elements of the sea. The original price on the chart we are using for Costa Rica was 40 cents. It was last updated in 1943.
We pulled out the charts to show a friend who sails this area with the latest electronic navigation images. He was amazed to see that details of rocks he’s familiar with appeared on our charts but not on his. Our old paper charts were first created in the late 1800s by highly skilled sailors, navigators, cartographers and artists. How they did it remains a mystery that I ponder all the time.
Yesterday, as we put up sail and motored out of Ballena Bay, we were hit by very stiff headwinds. Everyone had told us, though, “Calm winds from here to Panama.” The ketch, Serraya, left right behind us, so we raced together across the choppy sea, photographing each other’s boats rising and crashing with the waves. The unexpected blast of wind reminded us of my new and unflattering nickname … while in the Northwest for two weeks in December, near hurricane force winds hit the Puget Sound area. Seattle experienced 70 mph gusts and our hometown, Gig Harbor, took the brunt of it. Trees were downed and power was out for days. It was the worst storm to hit the area since 1964. When Bruce read about it he declared me the cause of our stormy path, so now I’m known as Hurricane Heiney. I swear … I had nothing to do with any of it!
Back at sea. Back to work. Back to normal.
The local fisherman on the pier in Bahia Ballena. That pier had at least 20 huge dorado on it!
Comments:
<< Home
For a minute there I thought Heine Dole was another new nickname for Jan...glad you cleared that up. - Nancy
# posted by 
: January 11, 2007 at 6:03 AM
: January 11, 2007 at 6:03 AM Hey, Bruce
Wayne sent me the link to your webpage and I'm catching up on your trip. As I sit here in my office, I get to envy you all the way to the Carribean. Ejoy.
Rich Acton
Wayne sent me the link to your webpage and I'm catching up on your trip. As I sit here in my office, I get to envy you all the way to the Carribean. Ejoy.
Rich Acton
# posted by : January 13, 2007 at 10:44 AM
: January 13, 2007 at 10:44 AM Hello Rich, thanks for checking our Web blog. It was great to read your comment. Please pass it on to the rest of the family.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]