This Thanksgiving did not even feel like Thanksgiving. The only part that felt like a holiday was the fact that we ate our Thanksgiving dinner at a Shell gas station because nothing was open. This is the first Thanksgiving that I did not even get to eat any turkey, but that is just the beginning of the sacrafices we made to be right were we are right now. It seems like all great things in life require sacrafices and this trip is no exception to that rule. The sacrafices have been endless from countless hours of preparation to leaving loved ones, jobs and our life at home to live out a dream of adventure. For those people`s understanding we are appreciative and thankful for their support. Today, I am also thankful for the unknown and for a life of no regrets. Where I am right now is exactly where I am meant to be and because of that I am could not be more at peace in my life. So let the journey begin!
She is quite a beauty! Our new home could not be more perfect for our crew. Expect the worst and hope for the best. I walked into our new home with its 360 degree view of the ocean and fell in love. As a surfer you need to be in tune with the ocean to understand its energy, but this is a whole new ball game. This goes beyond being in tune with the ocean to having a complete understanding that the ocean is more powerful than you in ever way possible and that you need to adapt to its every change. Learning weather patterns and understanding how the ocean reacts to wind, rain, pressure changes and currents is critical to survival. Out here you go through each day and just react to everything as it comes. One day at a time
It is kind of funny, because we really do not know what we are getting ourselves into sometimes and we truly love it that way. We just deal with things as they come and that is exactly what happened last night. While searching on the Internet, a couple of us noticed that our new track is going to take us directly through the Bermuda Triangle. Not knowing much about the Bermuda Triangle, I started to get a little concerned.
The Bermuda Triangle is actually a magnetic field in the shape of a triangle in the atmosphere that can cause our compass to read 20 degrees off. BUT!!!! Their is a big BUT here. . . Luckily we have a GPS satellite navigation system that always reads accurately as opposed to reading the latitude and longitude based on the magnatic field of the earth!
Captain Papi hooked up the boat more than we could of ever imagined. Navigational maps, chart plotters, Sonar Fish Finder, Satellite radio, Play station 2, movies and of course, good times!
The past couple of days we got held up with some additional provisions in Fort Pierce, so we will now leave on Friday for a 2 day sail to the Spanish Cays in the Bahamas. Next stop. . . white sand beaches accompanied by turquoise reflections. I am ready for some surf, living in my bathing suit and eating some conch
I`m out for now to live in this moment. . . until next time!
It is expected that we would have some set backs during the duration of this trip, but our first set backs have been one after another in Fort Pierce, FL, for the past week. Everyday we are definite that we are going to leave and then life happens. It is almost like we are not meant to leave yet because fate is not allowing us. Life is weird like that, some days nothing goes your way and then other times, everything just falls into place without even trying.
In our latest venture, everyone on the boat woke up with a bunch of bug bites. We racked our brains to figure out how fleas were brought on board. The alleged suspect, a bummed named Pineapple, but we won`t get too deep into that. Although we are not really sure how it happened, we did know that we had to balm the boat and wash everything in sight.
Additionally, we have also been building a davit pulley system for our dingy, which has taken a couple days. We also had to wait for our satellite phone and make sure we are all up and running before leaving.
It has also been raining and we need to wait for the weather to be right before leaving Florida, especially since we will be crossing the Gulf Stream. Crossing the Gulf Stream will be the most challenging part of this next feat because the stream flows north, which can make it hard to travel east towards the Bahamas. Plus, if the winds blow hard enough against the current then it creates the equivalent of a rip tide 25 miles wide with strong steep waves. In addition, we are trying to sew one of the rivets that broke on the main sail to have full power going forward against the stream
All things considered, we contiue to deal with things as they come and in the end patience will be a virtue!
Ahhhhh . . . the Bahamas! A little slice of tropical paradise. Sailing through the Sea of Abaco has proven peaceful with calm seas, since our boat has been protected by the outer islands of Abaco. Our first international adventure started at Spanish Cay where we were reminded of the magnitude of life beneath the ocean. After checking into customs on the island, the crystal blue water looked so devilishly inviting with its simplistic clarity and temperature. Ryan, was instantly tempted by the oceans turquoise beauty and jumped into knee deep water. Ryan was thoroughly enjoying his surroundings and was checking out a vibrant orange star fish as a bull shark took notice of his commotion and headed straight over to him. The crew yelled out as soon as they saw the shark and watched Ryan sprint to sacred land. All this to learn one important lesson, we are not in Kansas any more Toto. Awareness is key and sometimes the most beautiful things in life are the most dangerous. Our welcoming committee could not have been more of an awakening to our surroundings and a reminder that you must look before you jump.
Today was a phenomenal day! We sailed to Guana Cay and docked the boat at the most beautiful private yacht club you have ever seen in Orchid Bay. But the best part of the island was getting our first waves of the trip at an unknown surf spot in the Caribbean . We were starting to go a little stir crazy just to get our fix, so we took the dinghy a couple coves north and walked across the island in search of anything. We found a little spot of heaven that did the trick and all though the waves were not big, it was enough to hold us over. Getting our toes on a board in foreign waters with a myriad of colors flying underneath our feet could not of felt better, except for Adam who got his first cheeseburger in paradise from the coral reef.
As the first surf of the trip began to come to an end, the sun started setting, the rain clouds parted and a vivid rainbow appeared in all its glory to remind us once again that we are exactly were we are meant to be at this very moment. After talking with the locals we called this unknown spot “Yesterdays” because everyone could not stop telling us how good that spot was working yesterday. The surf here is tricky to predict because you are on an island with swells coming from all different directions combined with strong winds and random storms.
Going to War is what we call sailing into open waters. Every time we sail in open water something on the boat always breaks and lucky we have an amazing captain who knows how to fix EVERYTHING. Although everyone helps out on the boat, their are certain moments in life when you are just not sure how to react, like when your captain starts off the sail by saying, “Today is going to be some serious shit and you have to be on your game. Today will be your first REAL day of sailing.” Our biggest challenge is what we don`t know and our lack of sailing terminology to communicate, but all we could say was bring it on.
Apparently there is a hurricane off the coast of Puerto Rico and we picked up some really strong winds last night. So strong that when we were rolling up the jibe the rope got ripped out of my hands and it felt like it ripped off my finger prints. When you have really strong winds those small mistakes can cost you a finger, but of course, I had to learn my lesson the hard way. But how would you know your limits if you never pushed them? When it is survival, you learn quickly because you have no other option, but to step up! Although it was a rough night, we all understand that you have to experience some shit to appreciate those magical moments.
The unfortunate thing is that with a great swell comes a great battle at sea. In a way, it is an oxymoron to say a sailing surf trip. The winds and the swells dictate where we take the boat and where it is safe to anchor. Getting to surf will prove to be a challenging task, but the search is on! Our dinghy is our ticket to getting barreled and our ever increasing knowledge of the sea will be our ticket to survival. Out here danger is always around the corner, but it is how you prepare for the unexpected that matters the most. Every decision has an outcome, just like in life, but out here you see the outcome a lot quicker. With every action there is an equal and opposite reaction and mother nature could not be a better example of that. Every element of its being is in fluid connection with one another. Before this trip I already had a solid appreciation for the ocean, but now that connection goes even deeper than I could of imagined. My love for the ocean began on the surface where the swell meets the land and all its energy dissipates into a barreling wave, but now, my love runs deeper into the source of where its power begins. A place where the winds, swells, currents, storms and tides all collide to create a massive source of raw energy.
Surfing has to be an addiction because I always want more. Today was the day I have been waiting for! The day where we would score some insane surf and be stoked for days, but it didn’t come easy. We woke up in the morning and had some crab breakfast sandwiches and just knew it was going to be a great day. We walked down the road from Gregory Town, through Pineapple fields and Banana trees, on a mission to get to Bahamas infamous Surfer’s Beach. Luckily, we met a local along who fed us freshly picked papaya and sweet bananas for lunch and then graciously showed us the way and lead us through the brush. The locals were stoked on us that we walked the entire way because back in the 70’s that is how all the soul surfers did it.
After an hour of hiking through the lush forest, we came through the brush to reveal a beautiful long breaking left wave over a sandbar. Surfing a sand bar here is luxury because most of the waves break over coral with an occasional steep right. Being goofy footed I was overwhelmed with excitement to see the long lefts rolling in with some occasional steep rights just in case I wanted to throw in some backside action. We dropped into wave after wave until our arms felt like they were going to fall off and our muscles were shaking from exhaustion. Surfer’s Beach gets just about any swell, but because of that there was an insane current that kept us on our toes. You get caught on that inside section once and you learn your lesson as you get pounded while trying to get back out. Surfing in the Bahamas is so freeing because there are not many places in the world were you get to rip it up in transparently turquoise waves in the middle of December wearing only a bikini.
Now I understand what it is like to be on this end of things! Worrying about people on the boat with no form of communication definitely can be a little frustrating. This website really does help, but it is not so useful when the person writing is not even on the boat to communicate.
For Christmas, my parents flew Adam and I home, while Ryno`s girlfriend, Karen, swapped places with us to be with her man for the holidays. Aye Papi continued its journey southwest as we played a little musical chairs for Christmas.
It is hard to write when you are not writing a first hand account of what has been happening, but from what I can gather, it has been an intense couple days. After multiple days of sailing to get out of the Bahamas with attempts to stop in several places for food and gas they opted to continue to Cuba because of the winds. Karen`s first sailing experience continued as Aye Papi forged ahead for 3 more nights of sailing, while things continually broke along th way. With fuel and food running low, Captain Papi opted to stop in Santiago de Cuba. Upon arriving and after waiting 2 hours for customs, they charged it ashore without clearance. As fate would have it, they met 2 Austrians (Hans and Franz) at the dock who informed them that the customs inspection consisted of the 2 hour rampage the Cuban authorities would put them through. They bring dogs on board in search of any guns or drugs, just looking for a reason to take you to jail or to get a pay-off.
Not feeling it was worth the risk, the crew headed back off the dock and back to sea even despite their need for necessities. Although they were bummed they did not get to travel back in time to the 50’s, they knew it was the right thing to do. Without any sort of break the crew went straight back to the battlegrounds knowing they had a couple more days of continuous sailing in front of them to get to Montego Bay, Jamaica. We met the crew tired with the boat tattered in need of some major attention. Captain Papi and crew got to work to fix the following problems simultaneously: battery charger, water pressure, bilge switch, AC, torn main sail and jib, plus fuel and additional food (& beer) provisions.
Life is good in Jamaica! After flying into Jamaica and meeting up with the crew, New Years Eve began with a quest for a huge concert known as Unity Splash. The quest turned into an hour and half long cab ride across the island and through the mountains only to find out that the concert is on the following night. In turn, we took a detour to Negril for a Jamaican New Years firework show and dancing beach bananza to remember.
To start off our New Year right, we contiuned on our quest to finally reach the concert to see how the Rastafarians really do it! We drank Red Stripe and danced until the sun rose and our tired bodies could not take it any more. We some how even ended up on RE Tv, because we were the only crazy white people they could find. . ."Your watching RE TV- Don`t watch me, watch yourself!" It was a New Years Day to remember and it can only keep getting better from here. Next mission. . . a two and a half day sail to Cayman Brac and continual maintence to fix the things that keep breaking on the boat.
After a 2 day sail with 25 knots winds, 5-10 foot seas and long nights of rolling and pitching seas, we made it to the Cayman Islands! The Caymans have been by far one of our favorite spots, mostly due to its breath taking world under water. We just could not get enough of the Caymans so we ended up staying for a week and have been diving for 6 days straight.
Our first dive was at Eden Rock in George Town where we glided through underwater tunnels surrounded by a myriad of vibrant colors bouncing off the living reefs. The best part was when we were accompanied by a beautiful sea turtle who graced us with his lucky presence. Our second dive was the wreck of Cali which was literally off the back of the boat. You currently can see our sail boat, where the wreck is, at the George Town Port web cam (http://www.caymanport.com/webcams.htm). If you are lucky, you can see us sun bathing on the deck surrounded by tranquil turquoise waters. Our third and forth dives consisted of a leisurely sail north to the North West Point of the Grand Cayman Islands where we had our most spectacular dives yet. We dove to 110 ft to a wall drop off, where we felt like we were on top of the world at the bottom of the ocean. The reef was more alive than I have ever seen it with huge tunnels, caves and a plethora of colorful reef fish. Gigantic sunfish accompained us at the top of their world and all we could do was watch in awe of their surreal environment. From then on, we all were hooked on scuba diving for life!
Everyday we just wanted more, so the next day we tried to sail to Stingray City, but were unsuccessful because we could not make it into the channel. We sailed the boat to a spot called Turtle Farm where we dove a shallower spot to 60 ft. There we saw a huge school of Tarpon Fish who lethargically lounged around multiple caves. We were expecting to see Turtles at the Turtle Farm since they are bred and released into the wild there to prevent their extinction. We had no such luck seeing any turtles, but like everything in life, those special things only appear when you are not looking for them. Only when you least expect it, those magical moments happen.
Tomorrow we leave for a 3-5 day sail to Roatan, Honduras, depending on the winds. Watch out Central America here we come!
Florida- Bud Light
Bahamas- Kalik Gold Extra Strength
Dominican Republic- Presidente
Jamaica- Red Stripe
Grand Caymans- Cay Brew
Honduras, Roatan- Port Royal and Salva Vida
Costa Rica - Imperial
Panama - Balboa, Atlas, and Panama (4.8%...mmmm)
Our sail across the Caribbean Sea from the Caymans to Roatan was absolutely phenomenal. We could not have asked for calmer seas or better conditions for our 3 day journey. Our first day started off with Spanish lessons from Kara and Mexican food for lunch as we prepared for our arrival into Central America. We sailed through the night and encountered a strong current, which we named don Carlos. Luckily the current was going in the same direction we were traveling which helped us pick up some serious speed from our friend Don. That night we crossed a major shipping lane and at one point we were surrounded by 5 boats in the middle of nowhere, and then did not see a boat for the next 3 days. Our XM radio even kicked in enough for us to hear that the Chargers beat the Colts and were going to the playoffs for the Super Bowl.
The next morning we woke up to Spinnaker Madness. Captain Papi was on a mission to figure out this foreign sail that we had not ventured to use yet. For us to use the Spinnaker, the winds have to be right on our tail in order to push us along. After countless hours of attempts and ripping the sail in the first five minutes of flying it, the crew found success four hours later under the harsh sun. Our success prevailed as we were able to pick up some speed towards our Latin destination. Although Honduras is at the end of its rainy season. we caught a couple hours of rain, but then were rewarded with a beautiful irridescent tuna that we seared up and savored for breakfast. As we pulled into Roatan we did not have a specific destination and randomly spotted some sail boats and decided to stop. We ended up at a private fly fishing resort called Mango Creek www.mangocreeklodge.com. Although we were not paying guests they graciously took us in and we ended up having one of the best rest stops thus far.
We are going to take it back a couple knots to bring everyone up to speed. We stayed in Roatan for a week and scuba dove our brains out. We were fortunate enough to pick up some Latin flavor along the way with the addition of Alex to the crew. His first sail lasted 7 days and still proves to be the longest first sail anyone has ever encountered on Aye Papi. Our sail began off of a little island next to Roatan named Guanja and our crew took off for a journey to Puerto Limon, Costa Rica. Although all the days seemed to blur together, there were many natural phenomenon’s that took place in our presence. Our first day, we were all taken back by a beautiful show ing of a a hump back whale that had all of us in awe and Adam even caught a iridescent Mahi Mahi for dinner. The following day we were blessed with our first Fish Bonanza with the crew reeling in a King Mackerel, a little tunny and another Mahi Mahi. The following day we had a bunch of playful dolphins that put on a show dancing around our boat for about an hour.
Although these moments were magical, we also had some triumphs and challenges along the way. Our first challenge was an uphill battle to get around the corner of Honduras because of the angle of the point, the direction of the wind and the barrier reef that stretched over a couple hundred miles long. We spent a couple long nights with the boat violently pounding up and down, which lead to Kara getting really seasick. After about 4 days of not being able to keep any food or water down, she started to go downhill very quickly and everyone started to get really worried. Her body was worn down, her temperature went through the roof and she started shaking from the chills, which lead to her break down mentally and physically. We started looking into all the options to obtain medical attention, but the choices were Nicaragua, a Columbian island or calling in a may-day. Mentally she was not conscious of what was going on around her and physically her body started going into the first stages of shock. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of confidence, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. -Robin Sherman” Everyone in the crew stepped up and we were able to nurse her back to health with a little tip from Dr. Stone. We were able to bring her back by having her swish Gatorade in her mouth to absorb nutrients through the membranes in her mouth, therefore giving her body enough energy to fight back.
We all actually started to break mentally in our own ways after being on the water for 7 days straight. The crew was just starting to get wore down from countless hours of night shifts sailing and non-stop working. Everything just seems to take more effort out here, even to do the simplest things. When you are living in such close corridors with 6 people nothing is a secret and we are all a team. One person gets sick and we all get sick. Every day we push the boats limits and ourselves a little harder, but we finally ended up at Puerto Limon in Costa Rica to see the excited faces of our friends Hayley and fellow sailor BC. The last day sailing we all celebrated our victory with a midnight disco dance party to bring the adventure full circle.
I have been putting off writing about Bocas del Toro because it is hard to put our experience into words. For once, I am actually at loss for words! Bocas was just such a magical place for all of us that we ended up staying for 3 weeks and loving every minute of it, from the vibe, to the people, to the consistent surf, to the simplistic lifestyle, to the reggae music to the parties and bars. Bocas just has this laid back Caribbean surf culture surrounded by a serene jungle with many surrounding islands to explore.
When we arrived in Bocas it just so happen to be the beginning of a 5 day celebration known as Carnaval. I love those type of unexpected things that happen while traveling! Just to put it into perspective, Carnaval is one of the most anticipated festivals of the year in Panama and occurs the 4 days prior to Ash Wednesday. The whole country relishes in the festivities by celebrating in the streets enjoying the parades, live music, dancing, the crowing of the queen and many parties that follow. Those five days was just none stop and none of missed a beat.
Everyday we surfed consistently and enjoyed Bocas’s plethora of left hand breaks. Some breaks we accessed by boat like Dumpers, La Curva or Paunch, while other spots we hiked through the jungle to get to, like Carenero or Wizard beach. Personally, my favorite spot was Dumpers afueda because it was a heavy- fast wave. It had its way with me a couple times too when I received my first Bocas coralina tattoo from the reef. Just another mark that adds to the stories of my life! We even ran into the RVCA surf team while there and saw Archy and Russell Smith score some mental waves at Silverbacks.
Everyday was all about the adventure and exploration of the surrounding islands. We explored a breath taking National Reserve on an uninhibited island known as Cayo Zapatillo, Red Frog beach on Bastimento, Starfish Beach at Del Drago, Carenero island and anything else we could get into.
Although it was hard to leave this simplistically beautiful life, we knew we had to keep moving. We ended up sailing along with another sail boat and fellow Panamanian Reef team rider and Capitan Bolivar. His crew took us to a beautiful island about 30 miles from Bocas called Cayo de Agua. Since there was no surf we ended up wakesurfing off the back of their dinghy until the sun went down. The next day we sailed to another island known as Cusapin and did some surf exploration. We found an amazing wave on the opposite side of the island as we hiked barefoot through the red mud and took in our tribal jungle surroundings . It was an unreal experience that kept us coming back for more the next day. After 2 days of surfing on Cusapin we took off for mainland Panama to bring our Caribbean leg of the trip to an end. Our boat is now docked at Shelter Bay Marina in Cristobal as we wait to go through the canal. Dave and Ryan are currently going through the canal as line handlers for another vessel to get some experience before we embark through to the Pacific and I took off for Panama City to do some exploring of my own. We are still waiting for confirmation to see when we will get to go through the canal, but it looks like it will be Sunday at the earliest. We will continue to communicate all that information to you as soon as we have a set date. The stories will just keep on coming . . . so until next time . . .same channel- same place
Patience, Patience, Patience. We`re still waiting to go through the canal....Now we`ve been told it will be the 11th. That`s just how it works here in Panama.
We`ll let you know when we have a confirmed date.
The Crossroads of the World will mark the end of our Caribbean leg on Aye Papi and the beginning of our journey through to the Pacific. After 2 weeks of waiting and 007 filming chaos, our day has finally come and today we will embark on a voyage through the Panama Canal! If this engineering phenomenon sparks your interest then you can also be there to experience it with us.
You can access the Panama Canal’s live cameras at www.pancanal.com to live the experience with our crew. The following is an approximate schedule of what locks we will be at to help you know what times to look at specific cameras/locks
Directions:
Pick what language you want
Click on Tab labeled “Multimedia”
“Live Cameras”
PLEASE NOTE THE TIME ZONE. PANAMA IS 2 HOURS AHEAD OF CALIFORNIA. PLEASE CHECK ONLINE TO VERIFY TIMES. TIMES LISTED BELOW ARE IN LOCAL PANAMA TIME.
Monday (3/10/08)
6:30-8:30 pm- “Gatun” lock camera
Tuesday (3/11/08)
1-3 pm- “Centennial Bridge”
2-4pm- “Miraflores” Locks
Directly after Miraflores lock- “High Res Camera” *Best camera to see us up close and personal
Hope to see you there!
I have never been so happy to see the Pacific Ocean in my entire life! After two and a half weeks of waiting on pins and needles to get a call from the canal transit agent, we ended up going one day before our scheduled appointment. One thing we learned in Panama is that money talks and nothing is organized.
Everyone keeps wondering why we had to wait so long to go through the canal and the answer is easy. . . we were a small fish in a big business pond. We soon learned that an appointment date holds no stature and you only get the opportunity to go through the canal when they can fit you in. We had to be ready to go everyday at their beckoned call because if you missed their opportunity to go earlier, then you were put at the back of the line again. Our crossing was not a priority, which is understandable in a big business industry such as shipping, but it sure did test our patience. Just to put it into perspective, these cruise ships are paying a quarter of a million dollars to go through without a waiting period and the cargo ships get turned around within 24 hours.
It is a little ironic, big business in a third world country? What I do not understand is why Panama is still a third world country with so much consistent cash flow going through their country everyday, but that is government bureaucracy at its finest. Panama is just such a beautiful country and it has so much potential to be a diamond in the rough, but only time will tell.
Everyday we waited and we would try and pass the time by doing something fun and this particular day we went biking through the jungle in an attempt to see a Spanish fort when we heard our cell phone ring. Our eyes all lit up in hopes that we would get word that we could go through early. Sure enough they had a spot for us and we all slammed on our breaks and peddled back furiously with excitement. Aye Papi’s day had come to get her virgin rudder into the Pacific Ocean.
Adam and Kara did not cross the canal with us because Kara needed to get to San Jose, Costa Rica to catch her flight back home in order to get back in time to finish her nursing credentials. But like everything in life, everything happens for a reason and we were able to hire 2 Panamanian line handlers in their place. Although Ryan and I had an idea of what we needed to do and what knots we needed to use as line handlers, it was nice to have experts on board who do this for a living. It just took a little bit of stress off of us and made the experience enjoyable.
We entered into the first lock on the Atlantic side on Monday night around 8 pm and started getting ready to tie up to 2 other German registered sail boats. The sailboat that was going to be in the middle attempted to approach us on the right (Starboard) side of our boat when the captain suddenly changed her mind at the last moment to approach our left (Port side). Coming full speed at us at the wrong angle, the bow of their boat came within inches of plowing into us and terminating our trip. Luckily, Captain Papi has cat like reflexes and saved us by slamming the throttle forward full speed to escape the collision. The canal pilot was so shaken up that he had to sit down, have a cigarette and collect himself afterwards. Needless to say, we were a little apprehensive about her driving skills, especially considering she would be the middle boat steering us through each lock of the canal. Although she would never make eye contact with us for the remainder of the journey, she redeemed herself by not ramming us into the wall while going through any of the locks. Although it was a shaky beginning, we made it through the canal unscathed and ready to head north towards San Diego.
After sailing 2,600 miles on the Caribbean leg of the journey, the canal marks our half way point pertaining to miles. Our Pacific leg will prove to be a test of endurance as we will have no protection from land and will endure stronger seas and winds. As our money and time starts depleting, it will also prove to be an endurance of character; not only of ourselves, but of the ones we love. For those people who have sacrificed for us in anyway, in order for us to be here, we would like to reminder you that we could not of done this without you!
Adam has decided that his journey on Aye Papi has come to an end and we wish him all the luck in his next endeavors.
After spending 3 weeks in Costa Rica and experiencing its rich coast and plethora of natural phenomenons, Aye Papi contently sailed away from Tamarindo to head north towards home. At this point after traveling over 6,000 miles to over 8 countries we are all starting to get a little home sick and are ready to continue getting closer to San Diego. Although we are still greatly enjoying our adventures, home has never sounded so good.
We left Costa Rica planning to sail to El Salvador to stop for food since we were running low, but the first day off the coast of Nicaragua, Dave and Ryan reeled in two 20 lb yellow fin tunas. We now had hundreds of dollars worth of sushi grade tuna that we ate everyday in every way we could think of. That day we also were intrigued by flying Nicaraguan bat rays that would launch into the air while feeding. They literally surrounded our boat for as far as the eye could see, doing flips and acrobatics in the air putting on a show to remember. In El Salvador our attention was turned to the turtle show as hundreds of turtles migrated while feeding off thousands of jellyfish. It was crazy to see the turtles cruising by with birds perched on their backs just hitching a ride down the current. Plus every day and every night we have had dolphins escorting us along the way, playfully crusing along at the bow of our boat. At night the dolphin shows have been exquisite because of the glowing phosphorescence that lights up all around their propelling bodies as they cut through the water. You can see the dolphins coming from hundreds of feet away as they almost look like little missiles glowing through the water.
The following morning off the coast of El Salvador we all got a startling wake up call at 8 am when the fishing line started screaming with intense speed away from our boat. We new this fish was no joke as it quickly and powerfully took the entire line and burned Dave’s fingers as he tried to stop the fish from running. It was a morning work out to remember that tested every skill I had as the fish continuously did the death dive towards the depths of the ocean. I finally tired the fish out and reeled him in after battling for 30 minutes. It turned out to be a Bull Mahi Mahi that was the same size as me and weighed about 60 lbs. After filleting the fish we had over 20 more lbs. of meat and we could continue on to Guatemala with enough food to eat like kings.
Every night we have been traveling we have been dodging lightening storm after lightening storm. For some reason they only form at night, right before sunset and continue on throughout the night. We have been sailing through eerie pitch black waters every night because there has been no moon to provide any source of light. From being out at sea so long, we have learned how to read and understand weather and avoid going through storms as much as possible, but last night was a little different. The lightening storm turned out to be one of the most intense we have seen. The convection heating allowed the moisture to rise, creating clouds that funneled up into the sky in the shape of an anvil with the fiery red sun setting in the background. At first we were able to navigate right through 2 powerful lightening storms as the sun hugged the horizon and then lightening light up the pitch black sky. It is a little crazy seeing a lightening storm traveling at 5 knots because you literally are going in slow motion around the entire storm; to see its energy colliding from the front, on the side, and then through the back. Later that night turned out to be a little more hairy as we were completely surrounded by lightening on all sides and could not navigate around. With a metal mast that towers into the sky 60 feet it was definitely a concern, but all we could do was hope and pray that we were not in the wrong place at the wrong time. When those type of things happen it just humbles you and reminds you of the power of mother nature at its finest. Sometimes we are at the mercy of the oceans phenomenal source of power and life, but that is just part of life at sea.
Guatemala marks the point in our trip when we have less than 2,000 miles to our point of return. On average we can travel 120 miles in a 24 hour period meaning we could be home in 20 days if we sailed straight home. But we are always trying to find that balance between staying to enjoy the destination and staying too long. After Guatemala we will face our biggest gauntlet with over 1,800 miles of coast line in Mexico and painful customs processes in every city we go into. This is unusual because usually you have to check in and out of a country once, but not in Mexico. Because of this we have chosen our destination stops carefully because we are going to have to really want it. Although things can always change, our stops so far are going to be Puerto Escondido, Acapulco, Zihuatanejo, Manzanillo, Puerto Vallarta, across the Gulf to Cabo San Lucas and that is about as far as we have decided. We are expecting to be home in the beginning of June, especially considering hurricane season starts then. Since many hurricanes originate off the coast of Mexico it is in our best interest to be home by then. Everyday we are getting closer to the ones we love and we will be home sooner than later!
We really did not know what to expect from Guatemala, especially after reading all the books which dubbed this country the most dangerous in Central America, but sometimes that is when you are the most pleasantly surprised. After checking into customs at Puerto Quetzal we immediately took off to the colonial city of Antigua where we were instantly mesmerized by this quaint town positioned at the base of a huge volcano. This delightfully charming place has been preserved and protected as a national heritage site and therefore has been untouched by modern civilization leaving its timeless beauty locked into eternity. Enchanting squares and plazas lined by cobblestone streets take you back hundreds of years when the Spanish ruled this beautiful city. Although infused with a Spanish twist, Guatemalans have proudly embedded their native culture into their prized gem. Indigenous women bustle through the streets balancing baskets on their heads and wearing beautifully hand-woven skirts and shirts that represent a woman’s village of origination. Outdoor markets bring the streets alive while also giving some insight into the indigenous population’s everyday lives. Cobblestone streets are lined with colorful tapestries, vibrant textiles and numerous other hand crafted treasures.
After our pleasant experience in Antigua, we took a 3 hour bus ride through a stretch of land where grumbling volcanoes rise above broad alpine lakes, narrow ravines, tropical valleys, misty cloud forests, pine draped hillsides, and pastoral plains to one of the loveliest spots in Guatemala known as Lake Atitlan. This magical lake was created by one enormous volcano a couple hundred years ago and still has 3 massive dormant volcanoes as part of its mystical remnants. Although there are many villages around this spiritual lake we stayed in one of the smaller hippy villages nestled into the mountain side called San Pedro. We learned the true meaning of relaxation at a lounge known as Zoo-La that dubs itself as the Empire of Tranquility. Directly after our serene experience we continued with a soothing dip in the thermal pools. If you ever need to completely retreat from the world as you know it, you can find your Nirvana at Lake Atitlan. In the morning we took a boat across the lake to bring our breathtaking Guatemalan journey to a close with a 360 degree view of paradise.
Ever since we started this trip all I have heard about from other boaters are the dangers of crossing the Gulf of Tehuantepec. It is particularly dangerous because of a high pressure system that can form over Texas creating north winds in Bahia de Campeche on the Atlantic side of Mexico. When the North winds line up with the Isthmus of Mexico a very strong wind funnels across the land mass and into the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Tehuantepec, proving to be a huge challenge for any boat to cross. During almost half of the year the winds can exceed 60 mph and therefore is impassable. Some boats even get blown offshore 300 miles, while many boats never even make it across and others have to wait months just to cross because of the slim window of opportunity to pass. The winds are less fierce from May to September, but because of the risk of hurricanes present in June through October that really only leaves May and October as the best times for transit. We crossed in mid April and just got lucky! Even if the winds are not blowing hard it is suggested to stay as close to the shore as possible. Instead went straight across the Gulf after making some calls to Dave’s dad and finding out that the winds were only predicted to blow at 25 mph, but since the weather can change on a dime we just charged it. Our passing lasted 24 hours and we saw 30-35 knot winds with 10-15 foot seas. Aye Papi took a beating as huge swells broke over the bow of the boat. Dave had replaced the autopilot in Panama City and we could not have been more ecstatic as our autopilot, also known as “Johnny 5,” took the brunt of the pressure as we hid from the massive swells that soaked the boat under the full moon sky. After 24 hours we were in the clear and headed to Puerto Escondido. After 3 days at sea and one day of taking a beating we all were ready to get off the boat and enjoy Mexico, but soon found out that no plan is the best plan. Puerto Escondido did not have customs to check into, so we anxiously continued on for 2 more days to Acapulco and after 5 days of sailing we all are ready to let loose. Viva Mexico!
Ryan has decided that his journey on Aye Papi has come to an end and he will spend the remainder of his adventure in Puerto Escondido. We wish him all the luck in his next endeavors.
Today we embark on the final leg of our journey home straight from Cabo to San Diego ! The Baja Penninsula will prove to be our longest feat ever on Aye Papi as we take off for a 7-10 day, straight sail in order to get home before Hurricane season. The reason we can not calculate exactly how long it will take to sail past Baja is because we are going against a current that will slow us down. The stronger the current against us, the longer it will take for us to get to San Diego. I can not even imagine the feeling we are going to encounter when we finally see the San Diego harbor. It has been a long time coming and many times we have wanted to quit, but have hung in there for this very moment of accomplishment. We have also gained a crew member for this final leg, which will help us out a lot during the tedious night shifts. Kurt is Capitans good friend and we are excited to have him on board, but he has no idea what he is getting himself in to. We are just stoked he is charging it
We would like to invite you to celebrate this accomplishment with us as we bring this chapter of Aye Papi to a close when we finally arrive in San Diego. All I know is that we will arrive at Shelter Bay Marina where we will live in SD and will arrive before Memorial Day weekend. We will be celebrating at Longboards in Pacific Beach the night we arrive so stayed tuned for more information because we are dying to see all of our friends faces.
After sailing over 8,000 miles in 6 months it is hard for me to put my experience into words. Many of you reading this blog do not even know me, but have come to know me through reading my diary entires as I continously put myself out there. I used to fear being judged on my wrtiting but after letting down all barriers and writing freely I have been able to liberate my mind. I have gotten such an amazing response from people I do not even know and I want to thank you for allowing me to see this passion from the depths of my soul. This expereince has given me the opportunity to do a lot of soul searching and really look deep as to what I really want out of my life.
After traveling and sailing to 10 different countries I will return home to San Diego where I will be confronted with the realities of life. My next adventure is to find a job that truly makes me happy, to listen to my heart and fight for the life I have always dreamed of. Besides writing I have many other skills and passions in marketing, communication, public speaking, etc. that I want to nurture and see where life leads me. So once again I am going to put myself out there and ask you if you know of any good job opportunites that might help lead me down the next path. If you do know of any opportunities in the San Diego area please feel free to email me and let me know (vstone83@yahoo.com)
Thanks to everyone who has supported the Aye Papi crew in this journey and selflessly sacraficed. We can not wait to get back to California and be a part of all of our friends and families lives again. A trip like this truly reminds you of what is important in life. It is not where you are at in the world, but who you are with and the love that surrounds your life!
Hello all...
It`s Hayley here. I was asked to update this site to let all of you Aye Papi fans know when the crew is coming home.
Well, after exactly 6months at sea Aye Papi will be ending its journey. The adventure that began in Florida on Thanksgiving Day November 22, 2007 will finally be coming to an end in San Diego on Thursday, May 22, 2008. After sailing the Pacific coast of Mexico for 8 long days, while being chased home by a storm, Vanessa, Dave and the new crew member, Kurt, will be stoked to finally see the beautiful coast of San Diego, California. They are beyond excited to see all their friends, family and loved ones. So in order to welcome them home I wanted to keep you all updated with Thursday night`s festivities. The night’s destination is not yet confirmed.... (It will most likely be Longboards in Pacific Beach or Winston’s in Ocean Beach). For any of you that can make it out, I know they would love to see your beautiful faces. So stay tuned and I will update the party`s location once I get the next phone call.
If you have any questions or need to contact me my email is hpr12@yahoo.com.
Hope to see you all this Thursday.
Hasta Luego,
Hayley
It`s Hayley here again.....
Well, the Aye Papi crew wasn`t sure if they were going to make it by their planned arrival this Thursday, but of course they are charging it!!! They are going to power through what may be 50knot winds and up to 30foot waves. They thought about pulling into a cove and waiting out the storm, but realized there will just be more storms that follow.....so why not charge it and make this last leg a true triumph. I wish I could see their faces as they reach the California coast. Unfortunately they will be arriving in darkness sometime tonight. They will have to sleep yet another night at sea as they will be waiting for customs to clear them. Then come morning....they will finally be able to sail into Shelter Bay Marina.
Then the festivities begin……
Some of their family and friends will be greeting them at the dock, where they will begin their day of catching up on all the events that have occurred since they last saw them…..6 months ago. Then get ready to get the party started!!! We will celebrate their Welcome Back Party at Longboards in Pacific Beach (1466 Garnet Avenue) at 9pm. So get ready for big hugs and lots of stories…
See you all then,
Hayley