14 March 2006:
At midnight, I come up for my watch, the winds continue at 6 or 7 knots, close reach, tracking north. The boat is heeled over, about 30 degrees. It is cold and wet. Humidity is up to 75% and the temperature has dropped to the low seventies. For us, it feels like it is "freezing". We have become so accustomed to night sailing in sleeveless shirts and shorts, that to wear fleece jackets, long pants, socks and shoes is foreign attire.
During my six hour watch, the Captain had us tack three times. We tacked on a northeasterly course then to a northwesterly course and then back to a northeasterly course. Once, we tacked to avoid the likes of a tug and barge that rapidly was making its way to Panama City. I watched as a cruise ship, bright like a Christmas tree, passed us to Port, on its way to Panama City. On the radio, I listen as the cruise ship, Queen Mary II, hailed for the assistance of pilots. On another occasion, while on watch, I was hailed by a sail boat passing our bow. It was the s/v Eletheria, Captain Abe, hailed to alert us of his intentions. To his surprise, he would find it was S/v Encanto that he was hailing. S/v Eletheria and s/v Encanto both had berths in Oyster Cove Marina, South San Francisco in 2001-2. We had traveled over 4,000 miles to meet again, a mile apart, in the middle of the morning, in the middle of the Gulf of Panama.
By the time I am relieved of my watch at 0630, the winds are starting to decline. At this rate, we will be at least 24 to 36 more hours out here. To give you a sense of our "progress", in twenty-four hours, we have traveled 100 miles to get 35 miles further north up the Gulf of Panama. Tacking back and forth is not the most direct route, but it assures us the use of the winds, the advantages of the currents, and a more comfortable ride. The direct route is not necessarily the most advantageous option or even available option.
By 1200 (noon), we are staying in place or going backwards, no wind. During the girl's watch they sight dolphins, a sea turtle and more red tide. John is busy on a creative idea.
Anticipating the next issues is always part of our life. Without an engine, sailing into an unfamiliar anchorage could be tricky. We have a dinghy and a 15 horsepower outboard. One option would be to use the dinghy and outboard to act as a side tug, letting it push the boat to where we can drop the anchor. Another option is to call on other cruisers to bring their dinghies to assist us in the push and place procedures.
But, as the wind faltered, and the morning sun wanes, John comes up with another option. He creates and designs a structure to mount our 15 horsepower outboard on to our swim ladder at the stern (back) of the boat. Placing the outboard in this position enables us to move forward with more control than the side pulling of a single dinghy. We can use our existing steering system and thus conceivably, have more control. It would be a very slow push of a 26 ton steel boat with everything on it, but it may be a viable option. This is not that unusual, as many small boats use an outboard as their main engine, just not likely on a 60' steel mono-hull.
1430: John has his contraption built and installed. We are testing it as I write. It is pushing us along at 2.4 knots. That's a respectable speed. The outboard is bolted to boards that are clamped onto the swim ladder. A pulley and two lines to the side stanchions secure the outboard so it won't fall into the water should the wood boards flex too much under the vibration. We won't use this set-up tonight when we expect to get winds, but tomorrow or the next day, when we come into the anchorage, we could use this option. (Note: Later, John decides that the prop of the outboard needs to be in the water further and scrubs this option).
Next installment to come, but for now the girls are on their watch and playing cards as the boat does a donut in place. No wind in sight. DRIFTING. The Captain naps. We are content. Safe and afloat.