S/V FêNIX'S 2008-9 Adventures

FêNIX
Adventures 2008-9

In November 2008 FêNIX departed Simon Town, South Africa
for a journey through the Atlantic working her way back to the USA..

For general information about Cape Dorys

For more of my commentary about this part of the cruise go to this thread on the Cape Dory Website.

Approximate passage distances:

Simon Town, South Africa to St.Helena Island 1,800 miles
St.Helena to Ascencion Island 700 miles
Ascencion Island to Salvadore, Brazil 1,500 miles
Salvadore, Brazil to Natal, Brazil 600 miles
Natal, Brazil to St. Lucia 2,200 miles
St. Lucia to St. Thomas 350 miles
St. Thomas to Culebra 20 miles
Culebra to San Juan, P.R. 45 miles
San Juan, P.R. to Key West, FL 1,000 miles
Key West to Tampa 200 miles

Good Hope

A delightful stay in Simon Town ended early Satuday morning November 15, 2008. I waited for a break in the weather. It seemed to blow very strong from either the SW or E-SE. There were many days of 35-45 knot winds whistling through the rigging. Finally a good forecast so FêNIX and I left early to make the first waypoint a bit to the SE of Cape Point. This is sometimes a very difficult 12 miles to get with the strong sou'easterlies. When we left the wind was about 20K and gusting a bit more. We rounded Cape Point, the end of the Cape of Good Hope's penisula about 2:30 in the afternoon. By then the wind had come down to a very pleasant 12~15 K and was slowly shifting to the South.

FêNIX and I depart South Africa

SimonTown

An early morning sail in 20~25 K S'Easterlies.

A Dolphin escort is always a good thing.

Numerous dolphins, seals and seabirds see FêNIX on her way.

Cape Point

FêNIX and I sail by on a very pleasant afternoon.

Over the next few days the wind blew strong from the South to SW. We ran off a string of really good distances. 146, 156 and 155 miles on three consecutive days hurried us to the NW and warmer climes.

More 150 mile days

Yankee and ssail

Under Yankee and poled s'sail FêNIX flies.

From astern we are chased by seas up to 20'.

Following seas break harmlessly astern.

On the next night and day the wind got up a bit more 30~ 35 K.

Under just the poled s'sail we romp along to a 155 mile day.

After a few days conditions start to moderate as we near the tropics. It took a number of days to get through an area of light breezes.

FêNIX glides along in gentle conditions.

Very light air sailing under spinakker and drifter

Continued light conditions prevail after we reach the tropics.

Turkey Day at sea as we cross the Prime Meridian

Stare closely and you will see the Zero Degree longitude line, follow it to the north and there is Greenwich, England about 4,300 miles away.

Downwind sailing in the trades.

FêNIX runs off a few 120~130 mile days as we near St Helena.

We spent a few days at St Helena. It was good to break up the long passage from South Africa to Brazil with the two stops, here and at Ascension Island.

St Helena

The anchorage and Jamestown.

Then we were off to Ascension. This is a 700 mile trip and was made in light going the whole time. The first few hours after leaving St. Helena were very lumpy as the different swell patterns converged in the lee of the island.

Just passed the half way point

Ghosting along under just the spinakker

Ascencion

Georgetown on Ascension Island

The bay of the little fishes. They eat the bottom of the boat clean and are supposed to be relatives of phiranas but looked to me just like parrot fish of an atoll except they are black.

On the way to Brazil

Dolphins, numbering 20~25, entertained the crew of FêNIX for over an hour.

Brasil

In Salvador de Bahia

The "Elevator". At 5 centavos a ride its a good deal.

After having a couple of minor sail repairs made, FêNIX and I headed out of Salvadore for Natal, about 600 miles to the north along the coast of Brasil. This was a difficult passage requiring close hauled sailing for all but the last 36 hours or so. For the first three days progress was also hampered by an adverse current of about 1.5 knots. We reached Natal eight days later. After a brief stop of one and a half weeks for some R&R and reprovisioning we set out for the second longest passage of the entire voyage. From Natal, Brasil to St. Lucia was approximately 2,200 miles. Generally the course was 315°.

on to the Caribbean

Passing the equator for the fourth time.

Saturday the 7th of February at 40°15' west longitude.

A week later, Saturday the 14th of February we are romping along.

Under double reefed main and Genoa Fenix makes good to the NW in 25 knots of wind and 6' to 12' seas.

Nearly lost in the haze to the NE we pass Barbados to the south, now less than 24 hours from St. Lucia

The 2,200 mile, 16 day trip draws to close.

I decided to indulge myself and checked into the modern marina at Rodney Bay. This was a nice pretty new facility with all the ammenities. Good running water to clean up with was only $10 per 100 gallons. I sayed for one week to take in some of the local sights, treat myself to some $9 cheeseburgers and $20 pizzas and buy a few provisions.

The high end of cruising.

A large power yacht in the background.

After a week of indulgence it was time to head back to sea. FêNIX and I headed to St. Thomas. The 350 mile trip took just over three days of pleasant Caribbean trade wind sailing. Many Cruise ships were spotted but they seemed to have captains well versed in the avoidance of small sailboats.

FêNIX and I near St. Thhomas

Now we were officially back in the USA, which meant no more clearances. St. Thomas was overrun by tour ships. Often there were three at a time tired up. They disgourged upwards of 6,000 passengers into the tiny island. It was a good stop and allowed me to make a final re-provision for the last 1,300 mile leg of the trip.
An easy 20 mile day sail to Culebra was next. We waited there for a number of days while a front passed through the area with its strong winds.
San Juan, P.R. was a good stop and a place to look for someone to repair the A/P. That didn't happen but I did meet Mo, a college prof looking to buy a sailboat. Mo was in from Texas for a few days and had a rental car. He kindly offered to drive me around a bit. We had a couple of good dinners and hit the grocery store for one last time before heading out on the long last leg to Key West.
That trip took nine days. One day with no wind, two days of light wind and a final day of a NE gale in the Gulf Stream.
FêNIX and I crossed our outward track at about 1 AM on Tuesday March 17th, 2009 at 072° 17' west longitude. I suspect I was asleep at the time.

Easy sailing in somewhat protected waters south of the Bahamian banks and north of Windard Passage.

Ol' Man weather gives us his last open ocean shot as we cross the 'Stream in a Nor'easter.

After a brief stop in Key West I headed north to Tampa Bay. At 200 miles I planned for an easy two day trip. All went well. We were now "Green Water" sailing as the depth never exceeded about 100'. At dawn of the second day I was right at the entrance of Tampa Bay when the weather gods decided to give us one last challenge.
A very compressed front came through the area and it was soon a gale of wind from the SE and right on the nose. This was VERY frustrating as I had only about 12 miles to go to reach the Manatee River entrance. After spending most of the day in the shallow water, about 20' or less, of the eastern side of the bay and slowly gaining to the east I finally gave up. By four O'clock in the afternoon there was no way to make the LAST THREE MILES. My destination was within sight, dead to windward. The wind was blowing 30~40 knots and gusting to 50. 3~6 foot wind waves were being generated in the shallow water.
I screamed in frustration but to no avail and finally dropped the hook. Made a meal and dropped off to sleep in the q-berth with the bow sometimes plunging to the deck in the waves that were generated with less than one mile of fetch.
Through the night the front passed, the wind eased and dawn brought cloudy, rainy skys. About 9AM I pulled up the anchor's 100+ feet of chain, in only 10' of water, got the anchor aboard and putt-putted the remaining three miles to the river entrance. I tied FêNIX up to a pier and went looking for signs of life on what was now Sunday morning. I managed to rouse someone who found a management type who said it was probably OK to stay for the day at least. The manager, Steve, kindly lent me his cell phone so I could make a phone call. And thus ends FêNIX and my three year adventure.

What's next for FêNIX and me? Stay tuned for a follow up in the future...

FêNIX now has a new owner and is based in west Florida.

FêNIX'S 2008-9 Adventure: Videos

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