The second part of the diaries I kept during my sailing cruise from Mexico to Panama…
Cruise 8. Day
A holiday mood started to form in the team, which was revived with the improvement of the weather.. Now, instead of struggling with the waves, we have big problems such as what meal we should cook today, what time we drink tea.. Since it is a problem to use the same toilet with four men, the first thing I did was cleaning the toilet.. Since there is no water left, we wash our hands with an anti-bacterial gel, and for some reason I cannot feel completely clean.. An ailment like a urinary tract infection scares me a lot, especially on the boat.. I think the toilet that I cleaned with water and chlorac from the sea hasn’t been this clean in decades.
Simon continues to give nautical lessons and have fun little jobs done in order not to keep the team idle.. Our topic today was case sewing.. This stitch is preferred at some special points, as it lifts more load than any thrown tie.. Knowledge is knowledge, although it is not as enjoyable as pian sewing.. I think I’m getting the best sailing course I can get from Simon for free. As they say, there is nothing like learning from the master in the field..
The engine that caught air in the middle of the day made it hard. not me of course. On the other hand, I preferred to find a shaded place and read a book in order not to walk around underfoot.. It seemed like a bit of a stigma, but what’s up?. After struggling for a long time, it was understood that diesel and gasoline were mixed in the daily tank, and the engine stopped what came out.. Problem solved. We drifted straight in the middle of the ocean for a while because it wasn’t in the wind at the time of the failure.. The air was so hot and still that the squeaking sounds from the mainsail sounded like our grumpy Anne Marie in a desert town in Texas, rocking in her chair desperately waiting for something to happen.
From the stars in Orion’s belt. only those with very good eyes can see someone. So much so that anyone who could see that star with the naked eye would make an archer in Ancient Rome.. I waited anxiously for the night and my elf eyes saw the lost star. I’m not an archer in Rome, but maybe an amazon warrior in my past life, who knows.
We are dying for the excitement of the slightest breeze at night, with Oz. It’s gotten so monotonous that we’re bickering over steering and scouting, who’s going to steer.. When he was bored, he took me off the helm and took my place and sent me aft to watch the boulder river, which looked like a magical river flowing behind the boat..
Sailing 9. Day
When I saw the dolphins that came with the sunrise, I was as happy as a 5-year-old girl who found red patent leather shoes on the morning of the feast.. Mexican dolphins come to play with us every day.. I wonder how they still do not hesitate to show themselves to people when they remember the tortures of human beings to their races.. Don’t they know?! I think they are absolutely aware of everything..
Oz nicknamed me the evil queen when I started to express myself and my wishes more clearly, probably because the shyness in the first days was broken.. However, all I wanted was half of the apple he ate.. Don’t the elders of the family peel and slice the fruit while eating it and give it to the others? The old man made fun of me by saying that when you eat half the apple, you also covet the food of your slaves.. This man, who goes to buy fresh cakes on his bike every day we are at the marina, after eating the cake I made in the pan, started insisting that I should not leave Panama and continue as far as Antigua.. Antigua sounds good, but when you consider the cost of the plane ticket, it is a clear no..
With the nice weather, everyone started to cook better meals. After all, the boat doesn’t roll as much as it used to. Simon intends to turn good food into a little contest.. I think she reached her goal with the amazing hummus made by Oz on top of the cake..
We first lowered the balloon to jibe at around 10 a.m., then we removed the spar, so that it would not interfere with the sail.. I felt like I had done something wrong in the process, Simon was nervous even though he didn’t say anything.. Maybe because his sleep was interrupted.
I put my pocketknife that I have been using for years in the bucket with the dishes to be washed, so that it can be washed. Rupert didn’t pay attention, he dropped it into the water.. very upset. apologized over and over. He wanted to give his own pocketknife. gone is gone now. I don’t cry behind my back, nor do I blame anyone else for a pocketknife. Remember me to the Pacific.
My elf eyes see even the slightest light at night, so they can turn on their navigation lights.. It doesn’t make sense that it’s closed on those last nights we’re on the motorbike, but Oz says he can’t see and turns it off unless there’s a ship around.. I do not raise my voice so that the old man does not tire his eyes, but I scan the whole ocean and the lights on it softly..
Sailing Day 10 (01.03.2017)
Acapulco, as there will not be enough fuel until Panama, when the error in the fuel calculations is understood. we headed to. In fact, even if we take a two-day sailing cruise from here to Costa Rica, all the fuel is enough, but the wind is afraid that if we stay upright in the middle of the ocean, Simon. He’s got kids to catch up with, a regata and a job. Our goal is to get fuel immediately and leave without being at the port, but if the paperwork comes out, we will stay longer.. That’s when a pizza, a glass of wine and a hot shower… Don’t get too excited, but I know I’m lucky.
We arrived at Acopulco around 16.30. We approached Pemex immediately.. I said we’ll take it and leave right away, we shouldn’t waste time. Closed station said security guard. Turns out it was 18.30.. There is a 2 hour difference between Ensenada and Acapulco. Our clocks are set for Ensenada.. We never thought it might be late. 8am tomorrow morning said the attendant. When we left Ensenada, we had our passports stamped with an exit from Mexico.. If we stay, we will have to re-enter one more night and pay a visa fee of $25 per person.. Spoken Simon with the port manager, we stay here for the night, refuel as soon as the station opens in the morning and leave. Marina looks like a very luxurious place. It is evident from the swimming pool and restaurant.. First we drink rum and celebrate our arrival. Then I take a shower. I stay under hot water for minutes. I’m getting ready to go out with my cuties on. He’s gonna eat that pizza tonight.
We throw ourselves to the pizzeria with Rupert and Emre. First a stupor and the silence of stupefaction. Then the words pour out with the wine drunk. Our old Oz frightened Rupert about the dangers of the journey and said we have a 50% chance of surviving this cruise.. Fifty fifti so. He said get ready for the possibility of dying.
There is a risk due to the condition of the boat, but it’s not that bad, of course.. There’s also a lifeboat, gps, and lots of gear.. orgy man it’s Oz. I know you don’t like Rupert but I don’t understand why. In fact, Simon’s anger yesterday was also to Rupert.. It is evident from his demeanor.. But on the one hand, they both continue to work professionally..
It turns out that our Oz was one of the most important base jumpers in history.. When you search for Mark Scott, a page appears on wikipedia.. (note, I couldn’t find the page right now, he probably deleted it.) He made his most important jump 20-25 years ago.. Rupert didn’t answer when asked.. Closed topic. He did it for sure. Such an interesting place boat, you never know who did what, why you ran away.
The streets of Acapulco, famous for its dangers, look like a normal place, with no tourists, police cars swarming the streets more than usual. The drug cartels have nothing to do with me, but the tension is felt in the streets, from the 30cm thick steel gate of the marina, the high walls with steel wire surrounding the houses..
Course 11. Day
Yesterday, the boat got flooded due to a malfunctioning engine during the maneuver.. Since the exhaust box was not welded well, it took water inside.. It will either be removed and then dry-run and sealed before the engine is stopped, or a welder will be found.. It is decided to remove the box and at 04.30 on the boat at 06.30 on the Acopulco time, metal cutting sounds begin at the foot of my bed.. I sleep stubbornly, deep. I have to sleep so I can be fresh during the shift. I’m making an apple cake as a tribute to Simon and Oz, who can’t go out at night due to tiredness..
Acopulco’s water must be pretty clean. The fish I saw in the marina in the area where the fuel station is, are the kind that people want to put in the aquarium, only seen when diving in the tropics.. all color color pattern pattern. Some striped, some polka dots.
Simon was afraid if the marina did the paperwork and we wasted time. When you went to the office, they didn’t ask much.. This is the advantage of luxury marinas.. They get things done without asking too many questions because they’re dealing with extremely wealthy people.. In return, you pay high wages.. The $140 connection fee per night is too high for Mexico. Considering that we only benefited from the marina’s shower, I had the most expensive shower of my life..
As soon as we leave the marina, first whales greet us in the blue of the ocean, then stingrays. They come out of the water and flap their wings as if they want to fly.. I didn’t know they could get that high above water.. Since I was looking around at the helm, I had the chance to watch this show, which lasted for 1-2 seconds.. Others could only hear my cries of amazement as they were sailing..
When we checked the weather in Acopulco, we realized that we are two days away from the storm.. Elderly Anne Marie will be in the midst of 40 knots wind and waves up to 10 meters. If it was one of them, we would say whatever, but both of them will be very difficult for Anne Marie’s 105-year-old old body.. That’s why we decided to get around the storm as much as possible and started preparations.. All dry items went into plastic bags and to protect our sleeping bags, plastic garbage bags were pulled from both sides of the bed to divert water that seeps into the bilge.. Worst of all, the additional mast at the end of the mainsail was removed and lowered onto the deck.. When you are burning under the heat and making preparations for the storm, one wonders if it is a camera joke..
We say it’s time to do laundry because of the temperature of the weather.. Laundry goes into the bucket, all the dirt flows into the ocean. When I see that the laundry is going to be done, I quickly leave the helm to Rupert, for the camera recording and I eat a solid brush from Emre. About my failure to comply with the helm handover procedure and the dangers it may create.. I shut up. I say you are right. But I don’t remember any such procedure.. It was like they talked about it for a long time.. I don’t remember why. I can’t say much because he’s right.. I swallow what comes to my mouth. my face is falling.
As the logbook is filled in Acapulco time, we move the clocks forward 2 hours.
Sailing 12. Day
Before entering Acapulco, Rupert fell and cut his entire arm, and today he managed to scald himself by pouring hot water on his feet.. I present the surprise of the year award to this man who manages to injure himself every day without exception..
I notice that Emre, who filled his logbook, hit the barometer once and wrote the new value given by the changing arrow.. Like everything else, the barometer is antique.. It turns out that I filled the notebook with wrong data for a long time.. Why doesn’t anyone share such fine details with me?.
Today we are catching fish for the first time with the idea of dipping the fishing line in fish oil and releasing it into the sea.. 3 tunas one after the other. I pull the third from the sea. It comes fluttering on the water. When I get it, I try to get the fish off the deck softly without hurting its mouth, as if I wasn’t the one causing it.. I leave it in the bucket and ignore it. It’s easy to forget though.
Oz says I should cut off his head and remove his entrails. I try to do what I’m told so I don’t run away from work. The tuna doesn’t flutter anymore, but it’s still alive. Tired or given up. He looks at me with his big eyes. I’m tearing his head away from his body. Everywhere is full of blood. the work of my brutality. I’m Tuğçe Makarnacı, I’ve watched the killing of animals many times, I’ve been bad at each one, but I ate what was put on the plate for years. It’s been a while I stop eating meat and chicken. It was easy to eat since I have no attachment to fish. Not anymore. Eating fish won’t be easy after you take that life. I do not eat an animal that I cannot kill myself, and I do not want anyone to kill it for me.. I can’t make someone else experience such a bad feeling just because I don’t want to experience it.. I guess pescatarianism is up to here..
Since we’re going into a storm tonight, we lowered the mainsail and opened the storm sail instead.. Made of durable fabric, this sail is slightly larger than a windsurfing sail..
Nights with Oz are either completely silent or lively.. What issue can I seriously discuss with this man, who answered the question of what would happen if you were reincarnated and reincarnated as a cow?. He just said that he was very happy with the life he lived but didn’t want to talk too much about the jumps because he would rather be a man enjoying the moment than a man living in the past.. I love this guy’s attitude towards life, his look. Sometimes when you get lost in thoughts, it’s hard to communicate like tonight.
Again, we proceed with the lights turned off, but now we are quite close to the beach, there are many fishermen.. I’m way too nervous for every single light I show you saying no that fisherman, no he’s far, no this is going in the same direction as us. And when there was a change in the sound of the engine, I got very nervous when I said there was nothing again.. Well, why did the sound change? After about half an hour, when he came out of the lands he was immersed in, the technical explanation came with him.. Due to the growth of the waves and the changes in the sea, the contact of the engine with the water is different.. So the change in voice is normal.. Hah, come to me with such explanations from the beginning. We’re already going storm.
Course Day 13 (04.03.2017)
We try to get around the shore as much as we can, as the waves grow in the open due to the storm.. We have no escape from the wind, at least let’s not fight the wave. I did not dare to take the helm in the morning, so he was very tired, but I will do this in the afternoon, I take the helm saying. The weather is hot, the wind is 30 knots. Shorts on me, raincoat on me. When Poseidon sends waves he no longer jokes with us. Every single wave is pouring down my head, the raincoat is useless. Whether the weather is hot, the water is hot, I am in a good mood. No problem as long as I’m not cold. We’re off to mid-shift, the waves are getting bigger. It’s the skipper’s job to determine the route, but he’s the shift leader in Oz so he has the right to make changes.. I’m not sure if this adrenaline junkie is dragging us out or the route was real. Simon changes course to shore as soon as he comes up.. Where we will be least affected by the storm.
I think there is even the smallest hole where water can enter because of the storm, so air cannot enter either.. engine running. Downstairs is living the heat of hell. Those on deck are cool, wet but happy. It’s almost like a description of heaven and hell. Angels above, sinners suffering from hell under the ground, the heat is so intense that the heads have to come out in order to breathe.. The wind has eased relatively but is still extremely strong. Emre and I wrap around the crane and hang on the rope.. Crane slips back, slips away from our hands. He deals a blow to Emre’s hand at the last moment.. Maybe he broke his finger at that moment. Fighters throw me aside, they say we’ll do it. It’s a mess everybody’s trying to catch the rope. Oz catches it in the end, but he can hold it by wrapping it around his own body and lying on the ground. The rope is wrapped around the crane again, the crane still does not carry the load, Emre’s fingers get stuck between the crane and the rope.. She screams in pain, it hurts me as she screams. I’m just watching from afar. I think I’ll bring ice, there’s no fridge on the boat. I’m just looking. I want to go to you but I can’t go. It’s been a long time since I learned that he didn’t let anyone near him like a wounded wild wolf when he was hurt, and he regretted anyone who came close.. I don’t know if his fingers were broken or hurt, how many got stuck at that moment.
He’s calling from below, can you help me?. Nothing to do with fingers. It’s not broken but we’re not sure. No joint problems. I’m cleaning your wounds, wrapping a bandage on your broken arm and giving you painkillers. He must be hurting to accept painkillers when he normally doesn’t take any medicine..
The nearest hospital is 2 days away. We’re lucky his fingers didn’t break.
Course 14. Day
When you look at the weather, you can’t see a trace of yesterday’s storm. The sun is burning my skin. I can’t think of applying sunscreen because of the previous day. 3 hours sitting at the helm, my shoulders are on fire. not bad anyway.
The additional pole that we removed will be put back in its place.. I don’t like this job. It takes around 2.5 – 3 hours. Emre’s fingers are bad but he’s still trying to do something. That’s why we shoot. Those who can’t stop without work. So it’s best to steer in this beautiful weather. If he’s going to do something, at least he should take the helm.. Better than pulling a rope. From time to time, he slams his hand left and right, squirming in pain, then.
Yesterday, when his fingers were broken, he did not go to him and was disturbed by my watching from afar.. I tell you why I didn’t go, he tells me how he feels when I don’t go… I check his fingers one by one. Two finger trouble. He can’t close his hands.
What you’ve read so far was pre-cruise preparations. You can access the general summary of what happened to me while sailing and the first and second parts of the sailing logs from the links below.
Sailing – Mexico to Panama
Sailing Log Logs – Part 1
Sailing Log Logs – Part 2
