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Baja California & Mexico, Bryce's Posts, Educational, Eric's Posts, Leslie's Posts

Lost Two Anchors in Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Eric:

I’ve anchored cruising sailboats probably close to a thousand times. Although this time was unusual from the get go, but nothing glared at me with significant warning. Puerto Escondido was shown on both sets of electronic charts as a designated anchorage and the two older cruising guides described it as a place to visit, so I felt assured, although our trusted website guru Noonsite.com curiously was silent. Oddities began to present themselves. 1) the position dedicated as the anchorage was occupied by more than 50 pangas on individual mooring buoys. A local fisherman, fluent in English, approached us on his beautifully painted bright green panga advising us no mooring buoys were public. 2) the depths far exceeded the charts’ descriptions; 12 feet was now 80, and 15 was now 150. Thinking our depth sounder was on the fritz, I had Bryce drop a lead line to verify depth. “Line” is a nautical term used to describe loose rope on a boat, no matter the diameter. The sounder was accurate. 3) we were adjacent to one of Mexico’s primo surf sites, on purpose, and the current swell supported it. 4) with all the pangas on moorings and little room between them and the surf, we had to anchor outside their mooring grounds in 80 feet deep waters. Not our favorite circumstance. And, in addition to our bow anchor, we’d have to deploy our stern anchor to prevent us from swinging into the pangas since would have to let out so much chain due to the deepness of the anchorage.

The onshore breeze made anchoring that afternoon easy. We picked our spot, brought Kandu’sbow around, pointing her in the wind, then idled in reverse while in 85 feet of water, Bryce dropped our 65-pound Mantus anchor, the same anchor we faithfully deployed all around the world (an anchor few other long-distance cruising boats possess but wished they did, if only they knew how great it was). Bryce let out 150 feet of chain before we tested whether it would hold us. Most anchors need a chain to depth scope ratio of 3:1 to test, be we’ve found that the Mantus will grab at 2:1.

Mantus anchor

Once satisfied, we drifted back deploying a total of 240 feet of new high-tensile marine chain. Several types of marine chain exist, mostly all are steel galvanized with a zinc coating to protect it from prematurely rusting. Through our travels, we’ve learned that the French and Australians typically anchor with 3:1 scope, 4:1 in a blow. Americans, Brits, and Germans anchor 5:1 standard, and 7:1 in a blow. But at a depth of 85’ on a sharply rising seabed combined with the weight of 240’ of chain, we felt secure with 4:1. A rising sea bottom meant that the depth decreased dramatically, improving our ratio should we drift closer to shore, and such an angle advantaged us as well. As is our practice, Bryce attached our Mantus chain hook and nylon bridle, but with 240’ of chain deployed, we were a little too close to shore to let out all 30 feet of the bridle, deploying only half.

Our primary anchor is attached to all chain, 300’ in total. To prevent the chain pounding that can occur when a boat bow dips and rises, we attach a nylon rope to act as a shock absorber. It’s called a “snubber.” Wet nylon stretches more than dry, and the longer the nylon line the greater the stretch as well. We felt we had enough nylon in the water to give us the desired stretch. A bridle provides additional benefits in that two lines are attached, one from both sides of the bow, centering the pull forward off the bow, distributing the load, and adding security in the event one side should fray and give way, having the second to hold us still.

With our bow anchor secure, we set about the task of deploying the stern anchor, something seldom needed in most anchorages and therefore something we only seldom have done. We were not far from shore. Waves broke on the beige sand beach directly behind us, beach-goers Boogie boarding in the surf. To put out our stern anchor, Bryce and I inflated and lowered our dinghy, a task in and of itself, but one we are very accustomed to. With Leslie’s help too, the dinghy was launched in short order and our small, 3.3 hp outboard mounted to its transom. Seat and oars installed and with Kandu’s engine turned on, I boarded the dinghy, ready to receive and deploy our stern anchor. As agreed, Bryce monitored the outgoing line. “Leslie, reverse idle to port.”

Unlike the steel of our bow anchor, our stern anchor, a Fortress is made of aluminum. It’s the only anchor I know of made of such a light alloy, but that’s precisely the reason I like it as my stern anchor. I can easily “throw” it over board with minimal damage to the dinghy or myself. The proximity to shore and the greater than normal depth of the sea bottom made it impossible for us to first deploy the stern anchor from deck – a technic accomplished by traveling further forward to drop the bow anchor, and then pulling back in on the stern anchor line. Under our current circumstances, we needed to transport the 16-pound anchor and 50 feet of chain to the drop point, “toss” the anchor and chain in without damaging our dinghy, like pulling off an oar or puncturing something, and then have someone else on board Kandu take up the slack from the poop deck hoping it sets quickly. The make of our aluminum anchor, the Fortress, does this very well.

Fortress aluminum anchor

Over the next two days, we had to re-anchor the stern because the surf kept moving our anchor. Each time we brought up the anchor was challenging but we were able to pull up the stern anchor twice successfully. Finally, the third day it stuck. In that case, we anchored it much further away, almost at a 45-degree angle from the boat, directly in the surf.

Puerto Escondido surf right next to Kandu

The day before we were planning to leave this famous Mexican surf spot, a charter sailboat showed up, anchored for four hours, tried to pull up his anchor and couldn’t. He called two different scuba divers to free up his anchor and they both gave him the same reply, “No, I’m not going to do it, because it’s swallowed up by the sand and anything I do will be erased in a second by more falling sand. The only thing you can do is cut your anchor.” His anchor had mostly nylon hooked to little chain. I was hopeful that with our experience with the stern anchor and the fact that our fore anchor was all chain, we’d be successful.

Kandu anchored in Puerto Escondido, Mexico.

Bryce:

“Let’s go Trent” said Dad with determination. Initially, Dad and Trent paddled out in the dinghy to pull up the stern line and anchor while I was in charge of monitoring the line, the release and pulling the line/chain back in. Mom was monitoring the helm. “All good.” “Still good,” I yelled as I studied a fishing panga a little distance away to check the swell movements: whether the up and down movements were gradual or quick – the quicker movements indicated especially large incoming waves. “Still good,” I yelled every minute as I continued the pattern of letting the line out, and then pulling it in as some of the chain was released from the sand. “Outside set,” I yelled, and the two quickly abandoned their tugging in the surf and rowed to safety. This repeated at least five or six times when dad declared: “I’m exhausted, you need to take over with Trent.” As with Dad, Trent monitored the line and chain while I paddled out overtop the anchor which was directly in the break of crashing waters. I was worried about sinking and/or damaging the dinghy with too much pressure. When I grabbed ahold of the chain, due to the swell, I had to release or pull-in how much I had: swell decrease = slack, swell increase = the dinghy flying over top of the anchor, like when you spear a whale and it suddenly takes off. I placed my feet as if getting ready for a car crash to lock myself in. I was getting ready for a tug of war, holding on tightly letting the upward motion of the dinghy do the heavy lifting of the anchor. My position in the boat was far more secure than Trent’s because I was holding onto the anchor chain. Poor Trent was being thrashed around in the back of the dinghy like a malfunctioning carousel. Up, down, whipping all around. At one point, I only saw Trent’s legs hanging onto the back transom, and no Trent. Busy holding the chain I heard behind me: “Hey Bryce, I just fell in the water,” while lifting himself up pushing against the two ends of the dinghy. Trent’s torso and head had been completely doused. He looked quite disheveled. Both of us depleted, that was the last time we tried lifting the anchor with the dinghy. But still not giving up while rowing ashore, I decided that I would scope out the anchor with a mask and snorkel.

Bryce Rigney ready to swim ashore after boarding the waves at Playa Escondido.

Dad and I rowed back out with the dinghy bringing up the line and chain as we went in order to attach a buoy, a floating marker. That was needed in order for me to find the anchor once dad dropped the line. I jumped into the pitch black with snorkel and mask and waited for the stirred-up sand to dissipate. Plunging down into the water holding the lead line, my goal was to see if I could touch the anchor. Once I got past all the floating sand, due to the moonlight and bioluminescence I could see pretty far…like there were stars under water, Van Gogh’s starry night! At the bottom of the chain, I couldn’t see or feel the anchor at all and every time I tried to unbury the sand, I would have to go up for breath. Then returning back down via the lead line just 2 minutes later, my unburied work was gone. I was so frustrated. I felt like all my hard work was for nothing…and I couldn’t change the situation. Like building a big Lego spaceship, while bringing it to your parents to show it off, you trip and drop it.

We figured there was forty-eight feet of chain with two feet remaining. The new plan was to pull up the slack as much as possible and during overnight’s largest swell we had experienced up to that point, the tugging of the chain by the boat would eventually pull the anchor out of the sand. At half past midnight, we went to bed exhausted.

The next morning around 7:00 am, we’d hoped to see the aft line slack, but no, the aft line was tighter than ever. I jumped back down into the water to see, and what I discovered was definitely not inspiring. I told Dad and Trent floating nearby in the dinghy, “We’re so screwed! That anchor is buried even deeper than last night because of the crazy swell we had during the night.” Due to the unbelievable current switches, the chain was buried an extra foot and I couldn’t even unbury the hook holding the buoy marker. Instead, I untied the buoy, leaving the entire marker line behind. I swam back to the boat while Trent and Dad in the dinghy, lifted up the chain and unattached the shackle holding the nylon line to the chain. We ended-up leaving all the 50 feet of aft chain plus the anchor. This whole business took about 45 minutes. We really didn’t want to lose our anchor, but we needed to get busy pulling up the forward anchor in order to depart that day. Trent’s flight out of Zihuatenejo was booked…we had a deadline.

Kandu’s aft positioned toward the beach of Puerto Escondido.

Dad was still hopeful that we could bring up the forward anchor because ours was attached to chain, not nylon line. I remember dad saying: “We have to at least try to pull-up the anchor!” However, we had been anchored there for a week…not just four hours!! I wasn’t very hopeful.

Leslie:

After 4 hours of painstakingly raising chain inch by inch, Eric and Bryce working together the entire time in the hot sun, concluded that it was a lost cause. “In the last 4 hours we’ve brought up just 150 feet of chain and it is no longer coming up. The tension is just too intense. The continued pressure will damage the boat,” declared Eric. Regrettably, he pulled out the bolt cutters and hewed the chain in two. We lost 2 anchors, our stern Fortress anchor and our fabulous 65 lb Mantus anchor attached to 130 feet of expensive new chain, plus 12 hours of concerted effort. Darn, darn, darn. However, on the positive side, during our two-day motor to Ixtapa Marina pointing into the swell, we benefitted from a substantially lighter bow!

Bolt cutters posed to cut Kandu lose from the chain.

Fortunately, we have 3 more anchors aboard. In Ixtapa, just before departing for Cabo, Eric and Bryce hooked-up and situated our secondary bow anchor (now our primary anchor), a Plow anchor, in a matter of minutes to line and chain – not Eric’s preference, but good enough to get us home. It took 45 minutes for them to prep the adequate but much heavier aft Danforth anchor for the stern. We also have a 95 lb fisherman’s anchor stored in the bilge to use for massive storms, which fortunately we have never needed.

Danforth anchor on Kandu
Plow anchor on the bow of Kandu
Example of a very large Fisherman’s anchor
Educational, Eric's Posts, Leslie's Posts, Panama Canal

Panama Canal Quest – Part II, Practice Run

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Four days before our own crossing, completely wide-eyed and excited for our educational trial-by-fire transit through the canals, Eric, Bryce and myself jumped aboard s/v Taopao around 12:30 in the afternoon for a two-day, one-night voyage through the Gatun and Pedro Miguel/Miraflores locks of the Panama Canal. Captain Bill Broyles was calm.

Captain Bill Broyles of s/v Taopao, Tayana V42′

He motored Taopao out of Shelter Bay Marina to anchor behind a large yellow buoy to await the advisor’s arrival along with the two other boats who would be traveling through the canal with us. Eventually, just before entering the two sets of three locks, we’d all raft tightly together, advancing and stopping as one unit inside the locks.

In addition to our family of three volunteer line-handlers, Captain Bill hired a professional line handler to complete the required quartet. Santiago was a master at handling the lines having done it 63 prior times. With a calm demeanor and twinkle in his eye, he helped the three of us fasten the rented fenders into the best positions and arrange in unencumbered 4-foot long coils, the four hefty 150-foot, 7/8” rented blue polypropylene dock lines which he purposefully left unattached, stoppered by a 4-foot long bowline at one end. My eyebrows raised in surprise seeing such a large loop not imagining its use. I tried to tie-off the loose ends of the coils to the boat, but Santiago gently stopped me (our communication was hampered by the fact that he spoke a little English and I speak even less Spanish) and signaled to leave it unfastened; that it would be okay. I shrugged and followed his lead.

Two hours after hailing the authorities that Taopao was in requisite anchored position outside Shelter Bay, waiting as the wind increased in force – that wind having already dislodged the anchor of one of our buddy-boats from the seafloor, the advisors finally boarded the three pre-arranged sailboats. Our agent immediately directed Captain Bill to weigh anchor and motor toward the Gatun locks following our commercial ‘lock-buddy’ ship, aided rapidly forward by 25-knot tailwinds. As we passed beneath the massively tall bridge under construction, the advisor alerted us to prepare for rafting.

We watched as the fiberglass cutter from Australia rafted its starboard side up along the port side of the steel ketch from Iceland, the longest of the three monohulls. Once secure, we gently pulled our port side to the starboard side of the steel ketch, without much ado even with the heavy downwind impetus. I attribute this success to the veteran line handlers and advisors who were alert and skillful. Now rafted tightly together, the lead advisor in the middle boat communicated orders to all three captains: “More thrust to starboard, reverse hard, neutral!” etc. Between the wind, current, and prop surge from the forward ship and two large tugs with whom we’d share the next three locks, it was quite the rodeo keeping the three squirrely mono-hulls moving carefully forward as one raft. Yet, steadily, we made our way behind our very large lock-buddy ship, buffered by the two large tugs. As our raft moved into the lock, four dock handlers holding coils of long brown jute-like messenger lines with a heavy ball called a ‘monkey’s fist’ attached to the end, got in position, signaling their readiness for us line handlers to catch and attach.

Center boat (steel) of our three-boat raft inside Gatun Lock with tug and ‘lock-buddy’ ship in front.

As the starboard most vessel, we would have to catch the lock lines and eventually secure the starboard side of the raft. Santiago and I were in the starboard aft position, Eric and Bryce starboard forward. The lock line handlers use a special technique for throwing their messenger lines. You can see the large targets and overhead rails they use for practice.  Frustratingly, our forward lock handler had to throw his messenger line three times before the monkey fist arrived close enough for Bryce and Eric to catch (hmm – that dock handler didn’t play enough baseball when he was young!). Knowing that the aft attachments are the most important in stopping the forward motion of the raft against the strong aft winds, Captain Bill and I were relieved Santiago had secured it as the raft approached closer and closer to the tugboats. However, a loose bow could spell trouble for our port side sailboat buddy. Catching the third attempt, Eric quickly tied the messenger line with a bowline to the head of the heavy-duty dock line as Bryce rapidly fed it out. In short order, the lock handlers on the wall hooked the large blue polypropylene loops around gigantic bollards high above us. Eric and Bryce, Santiago and I, wasting no time, pulled-up the slack and secured our lines thus stabilizing the starboard side of the raft. Whew! That first time was mentally taxing since the three of us, Eric, Bryce and myself didn’t know what to expect. Even though Bill had volunteered a few days before, this was his first time as captain . . . never stress-free.

Panama Canal Gatun Lock Steel Doors closing behind us.

Shortly after, the massive hollow steel doors closed behind us. The surrounding lock waters began to rise requiring constant adjustment tightening the lines until the lock chamber was full and our raft reached its level. This exercise repeated two more times until we exited the last of the three elevating locks entering into Gatun Lake and unhooked from the other two boats. Already twilight, we zoomed over to the large plastic mooring, where we’d spend the night. It was fully dark by the time our three boats were settled down on moorings in Lake Gatun, one of the largest man-made bodies of water. The advisors on all three boats were soon after collected by a pilot boat. I heated up the pre-cooked dinner, served the meal and performed the galley clean-up. Exhausted, we all headed straight to bed in order to be perky for the next day’s adventures scheduled some time after 7 a.m. We would be required to motor full speed for 3 hours through Lake Gatun to the Pedro Miguel/Miraflores locks, re-raft with the other two monohulls, and instead of being brought up into the lake, we would be lowered into the Pacific. The Miraflores locks were reported by other sailors as the most difficult due to a strong surge and a venturi wind effect whistling through the canals.

The next day, following our crew’s sunrise breakfast, I prepared the advisor’s requisite hot egg breakfast for our second-day advisor, a different person from the day before. After jumping from the bow of the pilot boat which had taxied him to us and some quick introductions, we were off and motoring at a decent clip of 6 knots. In the lock chambers, instead of being in front of our raft as was the case coming up into the lake, our ‘lock-buddy’ ship would enter behind us. When getting ready to raft this time, instead of the three of us tying up in the channel as we’d done before, it was decided by the advisors that the most port boat of our raft would attach first to the wall just outside the lock, then the steel boat to him, and then us to the steel boat. This put the port boat in an unfavorable position, with a great possibility of being pushed into the cement wall. The heavy winds at our back turned this into an erratic operation. The middle steel boat approached its port neighbor too fast and the bows almost touched before the aft rafting lines were exchanged and secured. It was nerve-wracking to witness. Our turn also brought us in hot, even though Captain Bill was motoring in reverse. We came together with the sterns almost hitting. I quickly positioned myself to push us off the steel boat and fortunately two other line handlers were alert and stepped in – disaster was averted. As the excitement was occurring, I heard a few expletives shrieked behind me by the mentally stretched Captain Bill. Whew! That was close! Poor Captain Bill was drenched in perspiration!

With our raft secured and ‘lock-buddy’ ship approaching, the port boat cast off its wall lines. After much shouting and orders given, we entered the empty lock: Pedro Miguel. Once lowered to the next lock level, we exited without incident. The lead advisor skillfully guided our raft a few short miles to the Miraflores locks, the final two. Without another hitch, all three boats survived the 30-hour transit experience unscathed. Whoopee! It was a success.

Captain Bill Broyles thrilled to exit the last Miraflores lock just before de-rafting.

Our volunteering adventure was not over. While we packed our day-bags and made sure not to leave anything behind, Bryce transferred our camera’s photo images to Captain Bill’s computer, a great souvenir for the gentle captain. Passing under the Bridge of the Americas in the dark, Eric, Bryce, and I along with Santiago, the 3 other line handlers from one of our partner boats, including all the rented dock lines and fenders from the two boats, were dispatched away by Balboa Yacht Club’s hired water taxi. The advisor remained on board, waiting for the pilot boat to fetch him. Once on the smaller wooden pedestrian dock and overpass, I soon realized I grabbed a bit too much gear along with my own backpack, not realizing how far I’d be carrying the load. Fortunately, most of my burdens were relieved by the other line handlers and I made it across the wharf and up to the top of the street without stumbling in the dim light. Once the rented gear was discharged behind a pick-up truck, Santiago directed us how to make our way back to Shelter Bay Marina by bus and taxi as per agreed with Captain Bill.

Getting home from the Balboa Yacht Club, having never done it before, was its own two-hour adventure. We eventually hailed a wonderful taxi to take us to the bus terminal. After a bit of a broken Spanish scramble in the terminal, we made our way to a local bus, leaving immediately for Colon. The driver motioned us aboard. With no empty seats, we exited the bus confused. However, while signaling us to re-enter, the driver handed us two cloth-covered buckets to serve as stools between the two rows of seats. Bryce sat on the floor.  With recorded Colombian salsa playing, we were off and running. An hour or so later, the bus dropped us three off at a stop where we could catch another taxi to Shelter Bay. We had been warned of the dangers of Colon, especially at night, especially for tourists, so we eagerly awaited the chance to hail a taxi. An older local woman, positioned herself ahead of us. Ten long minutes later, she hailed the first empty cab to pass by. She and the driver spoke, exchanging looks our way. She asked in English our destination and translated to the driver. She motioned us over to take this taxi, she’d catch the next one. We insisted she take it, as I guess she saw “target” written all over our faces. What a kind thing to do. After negotiating the price, we entered the almost working taxi, and were off…never mind that little of the car functioned. What was important was that the driver knew how to keep it running the 45 challenging minutes over windy, pot-holed, unlit, dirt roads. Feeling sorry for him, Eric paid him more than was agreed. We returned to Kandu tired but mentally prepared for our own future challenges.

Panama, Panama City, the Bridge of the Americas (Puente de las Americas) over the Panama Canal access channel on the Pacific Ocean side, the Miraflores Locks in the background (aerial view)

By Leslie Dennis-Rigney with additions from Eric Rigney

Eric's Posts, Europe, Experiential, India, Leslie's Posts, Morocco, South America

Rigney Family 2018 in Review

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In 2018 aboard Kandu, we achieved our most extensive traveling since departing Ventura, February 2015. Starting in Malaysia, after the overhaul of our engine and other repairs/upgrades, we sailed Kandu west to India. With Cochin as our base, we enjoyed three weeks of splendid adventures and discoveries, traveling north and south by tuk-tuk, taxi, houseboat, train, and airplane.

India’s TuckTuck mania!
Holy Cow!
Bryce Rigney at Kerala’s Backwaters

Being late in season for a westward Arabian Sea passage, we were eager to be on our way. Heavily provisioned, water tanks filled, and diesel topped-up including additional 10 deck-tied Gerry jugs, we left feeling fully prepared for our 20-day High-Risk Area (Pirate Zone) passage.

Kandu ready to go loaded with 10X20 gallon jerry jugs

The western Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea gave way to the Gulf of Aden with Yemen in civil war to the north, infamous Somalia to the south. All went well, bringing us unscathed to the port of Massawa, Eritrea. Of the 28 boats that transited the Red Sea, only 8 stopped in Eritrea. Few, if any, explored its awkward interior. We took a public bus up into the highlands to the capital Asmara. Shown the sites by a wonderful local friend, nephew of LA friends, it was quite the learning curve, a city with little operational infrastructure.

Continuing up the Red Sea, two days later we stopped in Suakin, Sudan, poked around the Suakin ruins and nearby village, picked-up Uncle Nick, and sailed North to Egypt, stopping briefly at Sanganeb Reef (UNESCO site), its crystal-clear waters perfect for snorkeling.

Onward north, we motor-sailed several days to Port Ghalib, Egypt. We spent 3 weeks total in Egypt, initially diving the nearby Red Sea reefs and then driving inland to visit the ancient sites of Luxor. From Port Suez, we ventured inland to Cairo and the Pyramids of Giza. Yes, we did the most touristic things, like riding camels below the pyramids dressed in traditional Egyptian garb.

Dendarra
Luxor Temple
Luxor Temple Sphynx row
Luxor Temple Interior
Luxor Temple Interior
Feluccas of the Nile, Luxor Temple in background
Valley of the Kings
Luxor camel ride
Temple of Hatshepsut
Hatshepsut Temple with Eric Rigney
Valley of the Queens
Entryway to Temple of Karnak
Temple of Karnak
Temple of Karnak
Temple of Karnak
Egyptian Museum in Cairo: Akhenaton – King Tut’s father
Gold sarcophagus
King Tut’s Golden Mask
Eric and Nick Rigney, Sphynx wannabes
Leslie Rigney kissing the Sphynx?
Eric Rigney at the Giza Pyramids
RigneysKandu at Giza Pyramids
Look out tourist Bryce!!!
RigneysKandu say “Farewell Egypt!”

With slower moving recreational vessels like ours, Suez Canal is transited in two days. Each day, we hosted a different requisite pilot, stopping overnight in a “lake” at a yacht club in Ismailia. Around the world, yacht clubs are mostly just private ocean-view restaurants with little to no support for transiting yachts. We dropped one pilot off in the evening, picked up the other at sunrise. Transiting the Suez Canal was a thrill, passing large ships within a stone’s throw. The second pilot was dropped off onto a moving pilot vessel so we could continue without delay into the Mediterranean Sea.

Kandu pulling into Lake Ismailia while motoring the Suez Canal

Next stop, 2 days away: Cyprus. After a year in various Islamic countries, it was a welcome relief to land in a Western-style country, especially one so steeped in history and philosophy. There, we said goodbye to Uncle Nick, welcomed friends from Washington. Together, from their rented hilltop villa, we spent 6 days exploring the historical sites of Cyprus – including the Turkish occupied north. Then flew to Israel, drove to Jerusalem (the day after our US Embassy opened), the Dead Sea and Palestine to Bethlehem, and flew back to Cyprus.

RigneysKandu floating in Dead Sea of Israel

From a small fishing port in western Cyprus, it was a quick sail to Rhodes, Greece. The Schengen Visa clock was now ticking.  90-days to see Europe, including their Atlantic Islands, not nearly enough time, but we made the best of it. From medieval Rhodes, we sailed to romantic Santorini.

Santorini Island, Greece

Then to Athens, ground zero of Western philosophy. So rich in history, legends, and lore, like Jerusalem, seemingly every corner beheld another historic treasure. There, Uncle Bill joined us, and Bryce jumped ship to spend more time in Athens with a newfound friend, Alex. Kandu sailed west through the Corinthian Canal to Delphi sans Bryce for the first time in three and half years.

Kandu passing through the Corinthian Canal with Uncle Bill

From Greece, we sailed five days across the Ionian Sea to Italy, arriving near Napoli and Pompeii where Bryce re-joined Kandu, having spent a week and half with his buddy. Seeing Pompeii (prominent site on my bucket list) was just the beginning of a GREAT tour of Italy which would come to include beautiful places like: Cinqueterra, Rome, Vatican City, Pisa, Florence, and Venice. Just WOW! Even with all Eric’s and my previous travels and university studies, we never fully appreciated the extent to which over the centuries Italy had accumulated (pilfered?) the world’s artistic and symbolic wealth.

Saint Peter’s Cathedral, Vatican, Rome

From Northern Italy, it was a few short days to Nice, France and La Cote d’Azur. Here, we bid farewell to Uncle Bill (87 yrs young), crew and traveling companion over 5 jammed-packed weeks, visiting three countries together. Marina Nice is centrally located, making all the fun stuff available by foot. The boys, hanging at the beach and playing beach volleyball pick-up games with locals, serendipitously connected with a school mate from the Marquesas! Small world.

Kandu Crew playing Volleyball in the Cote d’Azur!

We caught up with many dear French friends while in Nice before sailing across to the other side of Southern France to Port Corbière, Marseilles. Safely tucked away, we securely berthed Kanduand drove 9 hours up to Paris to pick up my parents at the airport. We would spend the next 5 weeks together, driving to various countries, spending valuable time with more dear friends. So, directly from Charles de Gaulle Airport, with parents’ bags firmly packed in the trunk of our rented van, we were off to dine and stay with friends in Southern Belgium.

While in Belgium, we were hosted by two families, each with two teenage daughters, together enjoying meals of moules-frites, steak frites, and frite- frites; and outings of the must-see sights, including the Grand Place, Atomium, site of the 1950 Brussels World’s Fair, Brugge, Waterloo (Napoleon Museum) and Bastogne (Battle of the Bulge Museum).

Atomium, Brussels with Lara and Elena Demande
Grand Place, Brussels, Belgium
Ron and Rosie Dennis, Odette et Pierrot Robert chez Thierry Robert

Bidding sad farewells, we set off to Eastern France, via Luxembourg. A bowl of traditional green bean soup and a long stroll around this beautiful city was all the time we could spare before continuing our second, long toll-highway trek, this time to Alsace.

Through the generosity of several family friends, all of whom are connected with Eric’s Alsatian Aunt Annie, we spent 8 fabulous days filled to the brim with Alsatian splendor: food, wine, beer, history, crafts, architecture, etc. As an added bonus, we witnessed France’s 2018 World Cup championship victory with friends in Surbourg and marched through the streets with celebrating fans, demonstrating their “bleu-blanc-rouge” pride! From Alsace, we made an afternoon sojourn into Germany, sipping the gorgeous resort town of Baden-Baden, exploring its castle ruin and a popular beer garden – Wundabar!

Brigitte, Harold and Joris Keizer at Biergarten, Baden Baden, Germany

Strasbourg, Colmar, the wine tour, ceramics, country festivals, a WWII concentration camp, and meals galore with great friends had us on our way with greater awareness and appreciation, warm hearts, and kilos added to our waistlines via tartes flambées, baeckeoffe casserole, and sauerkraut & sausages.

Colmar, Alsace, France with Brigitte Hubert, Myriam Rott and Ron & Rosie Dennis

From Alsace, we headed west to Paris again, but this time to show Bryce and Trent. Again, through the generosity of another good friend opening her home, we stayed at her place just outside Paris.  From there, we drove daily to the nearest metro station to pick up the train into town. We toured many (too many for Bryce and Trent’s taste, but this is their classroom) of the celebrated museums and sites of one of our favorite cities. It’s where Eric proposed to me 25-yrs prior! Eric even drove the boys to the exact spot, at sunrise, just as he had done for me.

Place de Paix at Trocodero, Paris

For their last Parisian evening, Eric and the boys walked from the Arc de Triomphe to a cinema on the Champs-Elysées where they watched the opening night of the latest Tom Cruise MissionImpossible installment. Watching the chase scenes through Paris was surreal as they’d been walking on those very streets less than an hour before. As exhausting as this is to read, it was even more so to live.

Eric, Trent and Bryce Rigney on the Champs-Elysees, Paris, France.

Paris behind us, we headed south through gorgeous countryside to Voiron where we met up with friends with teenage boys. After days of seemingly endless museums, Bryce and Trent jumped on the opportunity to just hang with guys their age, all so handsome, smart, and adventurous. Giving in to pleas to extend their stay, and a promise from the Dad to drop the boys off at Kandu in three days, the four of us left the boys with their new-found friends and headed south sans enfants.

Kandu Crew taking out Serge, Max and Valentin for a ride at Port Corbiere, Marseille.

Not yet done with being spoiled by French friends, we left Voiron for the Southern French coastal town of Meze where we stayed with a couple we’d met in French Polynesia years ago. From their home, we attended a fishing celebration in Meze.

We spent a day at the nearby Medieval town of Arles, an important city in the life of Van Gogh. As with our friends before them, the two nights we spent together felt like a royal affair. After yet another heavy-hearted farewell, we drove east, back to Port de Corbières to meet up with the boys, to explore Marseilles before returning the van, and to prepare Kandu for the sail back to Nice, where Trent had a rendez-vous with an airplane.

In Nice once again, we boarded a commuter train to Monaco…a bucket list destination for my father! Wearing our best “boat clothes” and scrounged up bow ties, we entered the Monte Carlo Casino in style, not “Bond, . . . James Bond” style, but style nevertheless, and basked in the luxury. Castles, cathedrals, and a Formula 1 race track made this a fun, albeit Trent’s last, country visit. By the time he left us, he’d visited 27 since our California February 2015 departure.

Monte Carlo in Monaco with Rosie and Ron Dennis

A bit melancholy, the 7 of us said goodbye to an extremely cheerful (perhaps too cheerful) Trent as he boarded a Norwegian airline plane in Nice, laying-over in Oslo, arriving in Los Angeles to start high school as a freshman. His new home is with his Uncle Nick and Aunt Gita in Calabasas, California. With an abundance of electricity, hot showers, WiFi, Netflix, Mexican hot sauce, and kids his age, Trent is happy.

Nani and Papa still with us, Kanducasted off Nice and motor-sailed 2 days to Barcelona, Spain. Soon after departure, we experienced our first and only crazy Mediterranean wind, quickly rising from 15 to 50 knots of wind with short steep seas and horizontal rain – Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride for one intense hour! My parents didn’t quite know what to think because the captain, Bryce, and I acted as if nothing was unusual.

Our days in Barcelona were exquisite, filled with flamenco music and dancing, delicious Catalan foods, and Gaudi architecture, most notably the Sagrada Familia! Here, after 6 weeks of intense traveling through 6 countries, we bid a tearful farewell to my parents, who flew back to California with an abundance of electricity, hot showers, WiFi, inexpensive wine, and friends their age!

Interior Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

 In Barcelona, we stocked Kandu for a 5-day passage, checked out of Schengen, and motor-sailed across the Eastern Mediterranean to Gibraltar. The next day, Bryce flew solo to London, England for 6 days to meet with Alex, his friend from Greece. Eric and I enacted repairs on Kandu held off during our Schengen rush through Europe. We squeezed in a bit of fun too, touring the sites. Eric discovered a broken bolt supporting the alternator and engine’s freshwater pump. This kept us in Gibraltar longer than anticipated. Once appropriate bolts were acquired, we carefully timed our Mediterranean Sea exit with winds and currents and cast off the dock lines for the Strait of Gibraltar. All went well. For our first Atlantic Ocean stop, we chose Port Mohammedia, Morocco – a fishing port near Casablanca, to which we took a train, and from where we toured, inside and out, the world’s largest mosque outside of Saudi Arabia, Hassan II.

Magnificent Interior Hassan II Mosque

Sailing further south along the West African Coast, we made our way to Marina Agadir. With the engine’s freshwater pump leaking internally, Kandu ended-up docked in Agadir for almost 5 weeks (a month longer than planned), waiting for the new pump to arrive and clear customs. However, we met lovely people and traveled to various nearby cities, fully immersing in the culture and exploring the environs: Essaouira and Paradise Valley by renting a car, and later to Marrakesh by bus, plus Bryce got a chance to surf to his heart’s content at several renowned surf sites, including Taghazout. Souks, tajine, couscous, and avocado-date shakes we enjoyed a-plenty.

Departing Agadir, ‘We Kandu’ sailed deeper into the Atlantic to the exquisitely beautiful resort island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. Volcanic craters and surf are among this island’s treasures. We flew to Las Palmas for boat parts and a tour of the Columbus museum.

Volcanic wine vineyards of Lanzarote, Canary Islands

From Puerto Calero, Lanzarote, we sailed southwest to Marina Mindelo, Sao Vicente, Cape Verde. Porto Grande is Cape Verde’s largest and most protected natural bay.

Sailing Kandu 10 days to Mindelo, Sao Vicente Island, Cape Verde

We arrived just prior to the send-off of 3 world class cruising rallies, organized to help amateur sailors cross the Atlantic, all of which terminate in the Caribbean. It was great fun to be amongst the bevy of so many serious sailors preparing to make an ocean crossing! Thanksgiving, we received spare parts Uncle Bill mailed us, and got stuck an extra week, waiting for replacement bank cards to arrive from Cape Verde’s capital city. Ate lots of cachupa (local breakfast dish) in the meantime. On Dec. 5, we departed Mindelo for what would be our third and final ocean crossing.

Sixteen rock’n’rolling days later, we’ve made it to French Guiana.

Saint Laurent du Maroni Marina, French Guiana.

Whew! We’ll spend Xmas in the country’s second largest city, Saint Laurent du Maroni, then head to Suriname (Dutch) to tour the sites, maybe spy some freshwater pink dolphins, and spend New Year’s. We’ll pass through Guyana (English) before sailing north into the Caribbean, stopping at Tobago/Trinidad (more parts). From there: Grenada, Bonaire, and Curacao. Then entering South America one more time in Columbia, fromwhere we’ll arrange a canal agent to deal with the formalities of transiting the Panama Canal in late February or early March 2019. The only other Central American stop will be Costa Rica. We’ll skip the rest of Central America, sailing directly to Southern Mexico. There are just too many security concerns with coastal pirates and within Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. Obviously, from Southern Mexico, we’ll continue our northly trek. Puerto Vallarta is where we’ll cross our circumnavigation track. Then it’s a few short weeks, early May, before we clear-in at San Diego, California.

2018 marks our trip’s most prolific year in terms of countries visited (23), oceans and seas crossed (2/6+), and continents touched (4). With about nine more countries, a canal, and a few more seas to cross, we return eager for life’s next adventures. We want to thank you, our friends and family, for following along on our journey, and to so many of you whom we met along the way. Until we meet up again, we send you our biggest virtual hugs and wish those who are sailing, fair winds and weather!

Love Leslie, Eric, Bryce and Trent

REMINDERS

To see where we are on a map in real-time, scroll down on our home page and click on the Delorme link.

We continue to post updates and photos of our travels on our Facebook sites: RigneysKandu, Eric Rigney, Leslie Dennis-Rigney and Bryce Rigney. Bryce and Trent post their favorite photos on Instagram under: Bry.Rig and Tnert_Rigney. If you mostly prefer short video clips, visit us on Youtube.com. Our channels are RigneysKandu and Kandu Crew.

Europe, Guest's Notes, Leslie's Posts

Rosie’s Adventures in Belgium, July 2018

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Monday, April 9th

Flying into Paris on Norwegian Air, we were met with excitement and love by our dear RigneysKandu family: Leslie, Eric, Bryce and Trent, who had rented a large SUV to hold us all and our luggage as we began our five-week inland tour of Europe. Late that evening after driving for 4 hours, we arrived in Belgium at beloved friends, the Demande’s. It was still daylight outside even though it was 10 PM. Welcome hugs and welcome beds….just what we needed after a day and a half of travel.

Petit déjeuner Chez Famille Demande

Elena, Lara and Mom Sian allowed us travelers to sleep in while they quietly snuck out to find traditional European breakfast yummies: almond croissants, pain au chocolat, and a variety of fruit all served with orange juice and coffee. Hurray, after long awaited planning, we were in Europe. We were saddened that Michel wasn’t present for the two days of our stay as he was off working, yet we were able to connect with him via facetime to catch-up.

Our first excursion and possibly most important was to a nearby Corné Port Royale chocolate factory warehouse.

Corne Port-Royal Chocolatier

We were allowed to sample any amount of tasty morsels we wanted! Imagine, 9 of us moving through the layers of samples….digesting incredible amounts of scrumptious calories. Next, we drove into Brussels to explore the “Grand Place,” the central square and community plaza of Brussels surrounded by 16thC 7-story buildings including private homes, opulent guildhalls, the city’s Town Hall, and the “King’s House” which today is the Museum of the City of Brussels.

Grand Place, Brussels

With the exception of Bryce and Trent, we had been to this landmark before, but I hadn’t remembered that the fronts of the buildings were so heavily decorated with gold leaf. Impressive! It is considered one of the most beautiful squares in Europe, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. It is truly a festive sight to see, with a cobble stoned open plaza chock full of meandering spectators and a myriad of restaurants with seating areas spilling out onto the square.

Grand Place Restaurant

Nearby, we made sure not to miss Mannequin piss! With the World Cup in full swing, the little Mannequin piss was attired in Belgian team colors – red and yellow. Groups of young people were also attired in Belgian colors shouting cheers for their team, which would be playing France the next day.

Mannequin piss, Brussels

Sian drove Ron and me back home to rest, while Leslie, Eric and the teens went to see the shiny stainless steel Atomium that was constructed for the 1958 World’s Fair. That evening Sian treated us to a delectable Salmon Dinner. Ron and I felt spoiled and overflowing in familial love!

Atomium, Brussels

Wednesday, in two cars, we drove into Brugge for a walk around the gorgeous old medieval city topped off by taking a pleasurable, quiet boat ride through the channels. The charm of the old, yet well-maintained Danish looking buildings flavored the day. Along the channel were modern art installations: a twisting tower built entirely of old metal chairs and an enormous blue and white whale crafted out of plastics captured from the ocean – a reminder to all that improperly discarded plastics end up eventually in our oceans. Everywhere, the walkways and homes sparkled with cleanliness and order.

Center Plaza Brugge
Brugge canal view
Water captured trash Whale
Bryce Rigney, Lara Demande, Elena Demande, Trent Rigney in Brugge, Belgium
RigneysKandu in Brugge, Belgium with Ron and Rosie Dennis and Sian, Lara and Elena Demande.
Metal Chair Art installation

While the Demandes were cooking up an awesome eggplant casserole, Bryce was outside bouncing flips on their trampoline. On jump number 8, he landed wrong slicing open his shin bone badly enough that it was decided he needed medical attention…and since the French/Belgium soccer game was on, the emergency doctor didn’t address his gaping wound until the game was over (Leslie, Sian and Bryce sat in the waiting room forever). Yup, stitches and no swimming for 10 days…Belgium, unfortunately lost the game.

July 12

After early coffee and rolls with Lara, Sian and Elena, our family packed up, said farewell and headed for Huy. On the way at nearby Waterloo, we entered the Waterloo Napoleon Museum for a comprehensive display and history of Napoleon’s war efforts. A 3-D movie experience made it clear how brutal the Waterloo battle was. Adorned uniforms and horses of Napoleon’s high ranked officers brought to mind the large ego of the infamous leader. All along a glassed-in corridor we saw displays of clothing, equipment, banners, etc. of all the armies involved.

Napoleon Museum at Waterloo

Outside was a monument in the shape of a hillside which had many many steps to arrive at the top. We were all very interested to witness the surrounding areas of battle, which were clearly shown on brass plates for a panoramic 360-degree view.

Ron and Rosie Dennis climbing the Waterloo monument, Belgium

All of us left with a higher interest in and understanding of the Napoleonic wars and his influence on European life during and after his political involvement. Did you know that in order to feed his armies, Napoleon was instrumental in the development of canned food? And did you know Napoleon pushed to establish the metric system as the standard? One of Napoleon’s aims was to unify Europe, to create a ‘European Union’ back in the early 1800’s. Ahead of his time. His downfall was invading Russia, the BIG beast. That was Hitler’s downfall as well!

Getting closer to Huy (a small town with its own fort – proximate to Liege), the Robert family met us at a lovely regional restaurant that specialized in serving Belgium mussels. All of us ate plenty of them along with fries and fine wine. MMMMMmmm good – love the varied tastes of Europe! Later we visited on the back patio of Thierry’s home along with his darling parents and two teenage daughters.

Ron Dennis, Pierrot Robert, Leslie Rigney, Odette Robert, Eric Rigney, Thierry Robert and Rosie Dennis chez Famille Robert

Much more wine, many stories, and memories were exchanged. Leslie and Eric overnighted with Odette and Pierrot, we stayed with Thierry and his girls. It was delightful getting to know Thierry’s lovely daughters even though the language barrier was a little prohibitive.

July 13

Leisurely we formed our group to head off to the town of Bastogne and into the Bastogne World War II Museum, which described in full detail along with modern audio commentary the history of the area and the Battle of the Bulge also known as the Ardennes Counteroffensive, which was the bloodiest American battle of the European campaign. Fought in the final days of the war as a last-ditch effort by the Germans to regain an overland travel route to the Atlantic, the 101stAirborne Americans holding Bastogne were saved by Patton, his tanks and his men’s valiant efforts to break through the lines to deliver supplies because the weather was so monstrous that air support was impossible. It was a large, impressive and modernly organized collection of photos and materials describing all stages of the battle including how neighboring towns were decimated by retaliatory actions by the Germans as they fled.

Adjacent to the museum stands an impressive memorial structure, the Mardasson Monument, a three-story building in the shape of a star upon which visitors can climb to the top in order to see better the terrain where so many Americans died. The town center had a large heavily shelled American tank displayed for photo buffs.

Clara and Alexandra Robert with Bryce and Trent Rigney in Bastogne, Belgium.

Prior to the museum we all ate a hearty lunch at a local restaurant that commemorates the 101stAirborne. The 101stAirborne even have their own Bière brune called Airborne– delicious!

Thierry is an avid connoisseur of good food and wine. He’s presently training to become a restaurant sommelier. Upon meeting up after our museum tour, Thierry took us to a delectable sausage and meat store. He purchased numerous cheeses, chicken and sausages for our later-evening meal. My request to stop in the Biggest Little Town in Belgium (Dubuy) on our way home gave us a chance to enjoy beautiful river vistas, walk quaint cobblestone streets and indulge in an ice cream treat.

Later, at home, while the BBQ was firing up dinner, it was fun watching the guys playing with their dog, Phooie, with neighbor cows lowing in the background. The sunlight held until 10:00 pm while we continued to drink way too much of Thierry’s very very fine wine…. What an eventful, beautiful day with loved ones.

Backyard of Chez Famille Robert in Huy, Belgium

I cannot forget to mention our visit into Thierry’s well stocked wine cellar, decorated with wood from wine boxes. He also had two valuable cars stored in his garage, a pristine Cobra along with a Porche. His standards of taste in collecting beautiful prizes is astounding.

Bidding sad farewells to our friends in Belgium, we set off to Eastern France, via Luxembourg. A bowl of traditional green bean soup and a long stroll around this beautiful city was all the time we could spare before continuing our second, long toll-highway trek, this time to Alsace.

by Rosie Dennis with additions from Leslie Dennis Rigney

 

Bryce's Posts, Easter Island, Samoa, Fiji, Vanuatu, Darwin, Experiential

A Surf Day in Vanuatu: Pongo Point, Efate by Bryce Rigney

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June 22nd, 2017 : Bryce’s Journal

On our second day hanging around the island of Efaté, Vanuatu anchored off Port Vila, I called a local surf instructor, John, to see if he could show my brother and I around the local breaks. At the end of the call, he asked if I could come skate around to the café to meet us. Eventually, I wandered upon the shop and found the instructor. He was a small 27-year-old man with dark skin and short dread locks. He looked very friendly. Trent and I introduced ourselves hoping to makes plans for the morrow. It was concluded that we would meet up around 9:30 am at the wharf to skate around with some other kids while waiting for the high tide to crawl in. And then once the tide was close to its peak, my brother and I would fetch our boards on the boat to then catch a mini bus ride to Pongo Village, where John (the instructor) lived. Once all was said and concluded, John and I skated over to ask permission from my parents. Thankfully they said yes, and with that the plan was settled.

Efate Island, Vanuatu

Anxious to go surfing, I had trouble sleeping through the night. Finally, the morning light rose and the timer on the clock began to ring. Before we were allowed to leave my dad gave us some chores. The first on the list was to take out and clean the spark plug on our little 3.3 horse engine, once that was finished we needed to start our reports, comparing the archipelago of Fiji and Samoa. We finished both chores by eight o’clock then commenced the days packing of extra clothes, water bottles and snacks. With our surfboards, board shorts, skateboards, and the bus money all ready to go, we lowered the dingy in the water and putted off with our skateboards. Trent and I waited around the wharf skating for an hour and a half, and right before heading back to the boat disappointed, John and his 8-year old student (Charlie- a girl) showed up. Together we skated around looking for a place to eat lunch. We came upon a place called Nambawun café and ordered protein with a chocolate brownie. An hour later we snatched our boards from the boat, mom motored us back to the wharf and we caught a bus to take us surfing. The four of us arrived to see 1ft waves and hardly anybody out. The tide was not quite high tide yet, so we weren’t completely depressed.

We stashed our things at John’s house and changed into our surf wear. A few minutes later we left towards the beach with hope of high tide to bring bigger waves. As we got closer we saw more and more surfers crowding what was now 2ft waves. So we hopped in the water and all paddled out together to the break. John and Charlie complained from the start that the water temperature of 80° was too cold, but us bros didn’t mind. We surfed around the beginner’s spot for a good half hour trying to figure out the waves’ weird way of breaking. Eventually the group separated and paddled to their preferred breaks, being as their were four different reef breaks all just ten minutes paddle away from each other. I scooted over to a super shallow left reef break where the waves were more my size, and my style. There I could get sets of 4ft waves to shoot down the line and give a big carve at the end of the wave before it got too shallow. The name of this particular spot was called Breakas, and it was my preferred break. The four of us stayed out until the tide once again dropped too far to be able to surf.

Breakas, Pongo, Efate, Vanuatu

Those three hours of surf made us really hungry. We dropped our stuff of at John’s house to grab some money and to head out for fries. Hanging out while waiting for the fries, we talked about the past few hours and enjoyed access to the internet. After gobbling down the French fries we paid at the register and hopped back in the car for a return ride to John’s house. Once arrived at the house we quickly gathered all our things and placed them in a pile near the door. Charlie packed to leave as well since her ride home was coming. Since her mom would be picking her up to take her back to town we asked if it would be possible to give us a lift. As the mom arrived we grabbed our things and asked if she could drop us off at the wharf. She agreed, so we placed our things in her 4×4 and hopped in the back. During the car ride, John, Charlie, Trent, and I all talked and bragged about our day’s best waves. As the car came to a stop we ended the great day thanking the mom for the ride and saying good bye to our new friends John and Charlie.

Once on the shoreline, we laid our things aside down and looked for someone to borrow a phone so I could call my dad for a dingy ride back to the boat. We waited impatiently as my dad motored across to reach the dock. The first thing I said was, “Hey dad, do you think it would be possible to do this again tomorrow morning?” but he denied my request. I already knew it wasn’t going to be possible, knowing that tomorrow morning Kandu (Our boat) was scheduled to leave Port Vila in the morning to head to Pentecost. We got back home and over dinner gave our parents a run down on what happened during our great surf day in Vanuatu.

Bryce Rigney lookin’ at you!

Here are photos and videos of some of the other cool things we did during our tour of the Vanuatu Islands.

Tanna Volcano Mount Yasur upclose!

Bryce and Trent Rigney with the Rom Dancers of Ambrym Island, Vanuatu

Land Diving on Pentecost Island, Vanuatu

After the Land Diving, I helped pound the Kava roots for the adults to drink and celebrate the last diving of the season.

Diving the SS President Coolidge wreck, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu

Riri Blue Hol rope swinging and swimming, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu

 

 

Canary & Cape Verde, Leslie's Posts

Our Snail Mail Arrived in Sao Vicente, Cape Verde!

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Yeah – our mail arrived from our mail service in Florida! We had ordered it weeks ago hoping it would beat us to Cape Verde. Oh well, we can leave Mindelo Marina of Sao Vicente, Cape Verde now after an extended visit of just over two weeks. This has been a lovely place to relax and enjoy the cruising life as Kandu had only a few maintenance projects to complete since most were completed earlier in the Canary Islands and Agadir, Morocco. We’ve met several lovely cruisers here making the Atlantic crossing and hope to see them again in the Caribbean.

We will be casting off the lines tomorrow to sail the Atlantic west to French Guiana. We are excited to get moving again. Everything is ready. Water tanks and diesel tanks are full, the boat bottom is clean as well as the deck, cockpit and the interior. All the laundry has been washed and we’re topped up in provisions. 

The music scene is excellent here on the weekends. Typically there is a singer and guitar accompanied sometimes with a cajon drum box. Both weekends we went out to hear the mixed sounds of the tropics combined with Portuguese rhythms topped with a language mix of Portuguese, Creole and English. We actually bought a couple wonderful albums one from their most internationally famous singer – Cesaria Evora: Miss Perfumado. Today’s most popular singer Elida Almeida is featured on her latest album: Kebrada distributed by Sony Music.

Cesaria Evora “Miss Perfumado”
Elida Almeida “Kebrada”

These last two days, Bryce has been able to get out and surf the northeast side of the island in the south section of the Baia des Gatas: Praia Grande de Calhau. We met a recently arrived fellow American cruiser, Jeff Morcroft on sv Talaba who was game to join Bryce on some water adventures.

Bryce Rigney and Jeff Talaba, Sao Vicente, Cape Verde.

 

Educational, Eric's Posts, Morocco

“How to” Filter Diesel & Store for Long Crossings 2018

October 2018

My wife, teenage son, and I are circumnavigating aboard our 42-foot Tayana sailboat Kandu, currently waiting for a replacement freshwater pump for our Yanmar engine in Agadir, Morocco, in preparation for our trip to the Canary Islands. I have some time to pass on some how-to’s we’ve learned over the past 4 years of cruising. Diesel fueling is a frequent chore on our boat.

DIESEL STORAGE: In order to motor distances greater than Kandu’s 500-liter tanks would allow, like when we motored thousands of miles through the pirate zone north of Somalia, and up the Red Sea, to minimize how often we have to go to fuel docks, we’ve loaded Kandu up with 320-liters of cannisters or Gerry jugs. In a Belgian museum, we learned that the term “Gerry jug” comes from WWII US G.I. slang for fuel cannisters modeled after those used by the German military. “Gerry” was slang for a German, thus Gerry jugs.

RECYCLED or REPURPOSED JUGS: In the US, sailors buy their Gerry jugs complete with nozzles, whereas the rest of the world uses alternatives which are free and readily available sans nozzle, converting 20-25 liter heavy duty plastic motor oil, coolant, and/or vegetable oil containers into diesel jugs. In Gibraltar, smugglers loaded with jugs of fuel throw overboard their empty and sometimes full jugs. Each morning, fishermen collect the discarded jugs. That’s how we got our last five 25-liter jugs, from Pepe, a helpful man you got them from a fisherman. The jugs interiors are cleaned with soap and water and then rinsed out with diesel that is discarded to provide a container ready to top up.

Recycled or repurposed gerry jugs

GASKETS: Not designed for re-use, these types of recycled jugs often leak fuel from their caps. The standard third-world solution is to cut squares from recycled plastic bags and screw them on between the cap and the jug, a poor man’s gasket. These gaskets are good for one or two uses before they fall apart and need replacing.

Recycled jugs need plastic bag gaskets

FILTERING: Diesel engines require clean fuel to run properly, free of debris and water. We rarely take fuel directly into our tanks without filtering it through our specifically engineered water fuel filter funnel; diesel is able to pass through the filter’s fine screen but amazingly, water does not. Water molecules are too large and don’t pass through the fine mesh.

Water separator fuel filter

SYPHONING: To migrate the fuel from a Gerry jug into one of our three tanks, we set the jug such that its bottom is above the level of the deck fitting and then use a syphon hose with a chambered glass ball that when shaken gets the syphoning action going without having to suck fuel in with our mouths and risk swallowing and/or breathing it in. An alternative way to get the syphoning action to start is to place a short second hose alongside the syphoning hose with a firmly held (air tight) rag, and blow through it to cause the air pressure to initiate the syphoning action.

Bryce Rigney syphoning and filling diesel tanks from gerry jugs
And lastly, old-school, just dip the hose as far you can into the jug without losing it. Place your thumb firmly over the hose’s opening, and quickly pull the hose out, drawing with it the fuel that filled the hose, releasing your thumb.

So that’s it. That’s how we store and fill our boat’s tanks with diesel.  Hope this proves helpful.

Here is a pdf version of this article: 2018-11-2_Diesel Fill by Eric Rigney

Educational, Eric's Posts, Morocco

Agadir Marina, Nearby Cities & Marrakesh, Morocco October 2018

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This article can also be found on the world cruiser’s Noonsite.com called Morocco: Agadir Marina and nearby cities.

The day before our departure to the Canary Islands, I discovered an  irreparable leak in our engine’s fresh water pump.  It would take more than 2 weeks before our replacement would arrive in hand. Moroccan customs are notoriously painful.  Thus we remained berthed in Agadir Marina for more than 4 weeks, a great place to be “stuck” and here’s why:

Eric working on the water intake pump

Finding it was not immediately obvious when we came into the marina, here’s the entrance waypoint: 30°25.2 North, 9°37.0 West.

We called two days in advance by phone from Mohammedia to insure they had space for our 12.7m monohull (+212 (0) 5 22 79 84 84). They did. Apparently, although they monitor channel 9, they don’t reply. Upon our Friday morning arrival, we hailed the marina on VHF channel 9 with no reply. As we arrived, we were waved toward our berth and assisted in tying off bow first, our preference as we have a windvane. The dock pontoons are low and short. The distance between pontoons is large enough for catamarans. When a heavy swell comes, boats sway with great force.  Chafing gear and extra lines are recommended. The staff does what they can to assist.

Kandu in Marina Agadir

Water (reportedly potable – although we still filter it) and power are included in the slip rental, as well as toilets, a hot shower, and WiFi. Water requires a pipe thread to garden hose adaptor. The meager toilets and shower stalls are locked behind a single door, with the key hidden outside. The toilets (2) are sit down with toilet seats, but bring your own toilet paper. The poorly maintained single shower has enough hot water for one and half showers and is clean enough for those who aren’t particular.

Marina Agadir Shower

Morocco houses Immigration, Customs, and National Police at the marina office, 24/7.  There sole role is to process pleasure craft. I think they hear us hailing, but don’t always reply. Once you’re tied up and settled in, they come immediately to your boat and process you quickly and professionally. We offered them coffee which they seemed to like. They filled their forms, we provided them copies of our ship’s documents, and they took our passports to be stamped and returned 1-2 hours later. They asked for a blue customs form from Mohammedia, which we never received. They accepted our explanation without issue.

Agadir Marina Rates 2018

Speaking French helps, but English is fine.  Note: they asked if we had a drone. If we did, they would have held it in their office until our departure. There were no charges for processing.

Checking into the marina office was casual. Check out is the same.  They want to see your ship’s document for measurements. Their credit card machine doesn’t usually work, so be prepared to pay cash when you plan to leave. An ATM nearby usually works, but other ATMs are not far away. Make sure your statement reads “Paid in Full” to eliminate any potential misunderstandings. Let officials know when you plan to leave, at least 12 hours ahead, or the night before if you wish to leave early. They do break for lunch and they do have shifts, so best not to wait until the last hour to check out. Note: the marina office is closed on weekends and holidays, but you can pre-pay your slip fees. They are very accommodating.

Marina Agadir office

Security is excellent, 24/7. The common gate leading to the pontoons is not locked, but closely monitored. We left our boat to travel to Essaouira and Marrakesh. The free WiFi in and around the office is adequate for basic needs, including phone and video chats. We were able to slowly upload short videos and handle all Facebook and internet needs for communication back home.  For decent phone and data service, go to Telecom Maroc and buy a sim for 20 MAD. Once you have your sim, head over to a local tabac or convenient store to top up on phone and data service…50 MAD buys you 5 gigs of data.

Maroc Telecom Sim

A nearby fuel dock offers diesel, gasoline, and cooking gas at normal local gas station rates.  We gravity fed our own propane tanks at the station’s boat yard using our own adaptors.

Gravity Propane Re-Fill

Here is an instructional video we made while hanging out at the marina on the subject:

Light provisions can be found close to the marina, but a 20-minute walk there and a 20-40 MAD (Moroccan dirham) taxi ride back from Carrefour and/or Uniprix, or from the main Souk (closed Mondays) is worth the time and incidental cost. Marjane is a super modern supermarket near Mr. Bricolage (Home Depot), accessible by the #98 bus (3.5 MAD pp, one way) discussed in more detail later.  Car rental agencies occupy one block near the marina (we liked Lotus), or the marina can arrange one (we did this too). We paid about $33/day for a 4-seater small diesel car. When we first took possession of the car, it had almost no fuel, so our first stop was the station to top it up. Parking on the street or in a lot where there are attendants is normally 2-5 MAD, not 10! Apparently, some insurance is automatically included within the rental rate. Good thing as we were broken into (small back passenger window) while parked at a beach. Nothing was stolen, but insurance covered half the window replacement; we paid US$70. The window was replaced in a couple hours.

Rental car with back passenger window broken

If you need any assistance buying parts, getting supplies, or with repairs, Youssef Ajewher, a kind local yacht service person and former merchant ship engineer, working privately at Marina Agadir would be glad to assist you. He helped us with many issues, including medical, getting recommendations, driving us around, bargaining and translating for us. He even knows where to dine. Having him care for us was a great relief and time saver. He accepts whatever you think his services are worth. If it were a simple errand, we paid him a little more than twice what a round trip taxi would cost because he knew where to go, who to talk to, and how much to pay. Sometimes, he spent nearly the whole day when we had a medical issue, making sure we knew what was what, and advocating for us. Obviously, we paid him more when he spent so much time, and he was grateful. I love that guy! Youssef Ajewher, +212 (0) 6 77 45 68 87, email: 

aj************@gm***.com











Youssef Ajewehr

Agadir is a great place to visit and an excellent base from which to visit, Paradise Valley, Essaouira, and Marrakesh. We enjoy the sights, sounds, and scents of Moroccan souks (open marketplaces). Agadir’s souk is huge. Be sure to explore the nooks and crannies. Again – note that the Agadir Souk is closed on Mondays! Spices, olives, dates, almonds, walnuts, fruits and vegetables, butchers, bakers, souvenirs, electronics, cleaning supplies, clothing, it’s all there. The freshly peeled prickly pear cactus fruits are fun and wonderfully sweet and tasty. Expect to bargain, and even then, to pay more than a local. Bargaining is not our strength. Inside Agadir’s souk are wonderful micro cafés with inexpensive and delicious Moroccan dishes. Don’t be afraid to try out a café or two. On Fridays, couscous is served with vegetables, chicken, or beef. A portion serves enough for two and chicken couscous is 20MAD ($2.20 USD) which comes with additional sauce/broth. I recommend getting the bag of sour milk, a sort of buttermilk that marries perfectly with the couscous if your stomach handles dairy. They serve the milk with a bowl of plain couscous to mix with into a paste as an additional separate treat. I tend to leave an extra 5MAD as a tip. To get to the souk from the marina, walk awhile or take a taxi for about 30 MAD, or take a bus for about 4 MAD each.

Agadir city map 2018, Morocco

Another souk a bit further away from town central, more rustic and active than Agadir’s, can be found in the town immediately south of Agadir at the end of the #98 Bus. Catch the bus just north of the marina (just north of the large round about by the fish market) and take the 98 bus to its terminus. It’s also your bus back. As you exit the bus, facing in the same direction as the bus, walk a few blocks further up and to your right. Ask around for the souk or “marche.”

Agadir Wholesale souk

This part of town survived the 1960 earthquake and its souk feeds the south of Morocco, selling mostly in bulk and wholesale. Chickens, turkeys, goats, cows, and camels are slaughtered between 5-8 a.m. The whole thing is an extraordinary experience sending you back in time.

Promenade Agadir Beachfront

Our favorite Agadir promenade restaurant is Herguita (aka Hurguita), a little place located just south of the La Coupole restaurant.  It’s a wonderful stroll alongside locals and tourists. The Herguita breakfast and lunch/dinner combos can’t be beat for price, taste, service, and location. Breakfast of fresh squeeze orange juice, café au lait, Moroccan pastries is 20MAD. A two-egg a la carte cheese omelet is 16MAD. One lunch/dinner menu: soup or salad, brochettes or tajine, ice cream or mint tea for 60 MAD ($6.60) serves two of us. The avocado-date-milk drink is Bryce and my favorite Moroccan smoothie type drink.

RigneysKandu at Hergita Agadir Promenade Restaurant

Take a taxi before sunset up to the Kasbah overlooking Agadir for a wonderful view. They offer camel rides up there too, but we just took in the view of twinkling lights coming to life.

Bryce Rigney atop the deteriorating Kasbah wall
Kasbah of Agadir
Agadir Kasbah view overlooking the city

Through travel agency ‘AdmireMorocco’ located on the Agadir promenade relatively close the marina, we booked a local sand dune sand boarding trip located near Tamri (north of Taghazout right on the coastline) that included a traditional tajine lunch in the home of a Berber family; the three of us loved it.

One bummer about Marina Agadir is its proximity to the sardine fish packing plant just north. The smell and occasional dead fish floating around your boat can be a bit much for some. It doesn’t bother me, but then I don’t shower enough to notice.

PARADISE VALLEY is less than an hour’s drive from the marina.  We rented a car.  Don’t be fooled by the first beautiful stream-side date tree orchard with a Paradise Valley sign.  Continue to take the ‘highway’ (currently under construction) much further into the valley, hugging the majestic sedimentary rock wall faces, layers of rock resembling pages from an enormous geological book.  Keep going until you come to a ‘parking lot’ from where you can hike up, then down into the quaint picturesque valley.  Little “resto’s” are everywhere along the 2-3 km trail, ready to serve you fresh juice or even a tajine lunch.

ESSAOUIRA is a picturesque well-kept old fortified seaport that can be a day visit from Agadir. Two and half-hours by car, buses are a likely option as well since the old town is small enough to tour entirely on foot. The excellent wood crafting is not to miss.

Essaouira City Map 2018
Eric Rigney ready to get’em w/ his new antique Moroccan knife.
Moroccan post office parking lot

For MARRAKESH, reserve seats on a CTM or similar bus for 200MAD round trip per person. Take a red-colored taxi from the marina for 40 MAD to the Gare Routier (bus station). I don’t know how often a bus fills up, but tickets can be purchased in advance and paid with by credit card at the Agadir station.

CTM inner city Moroccan bus

The bus is very comfortable but no onboard toilet. The bus makes one toilet stop. Note: 2MAD is the standard fee for a toilet visit. It’s about 80MAD (maybe less) by taxi from the Marrakesh Gare Routier to the center of the old town. I recommend pre-booking a Riad in old Marrakesh (bed’n breakfast type accommodation). They are inexpensive, private Moroccan/exotic guest homes designed with a garden patio in the center, centrally located within walking distance of nearly everything, and include a delicious breakfast. Some have pools; all have roof top terraces. The beds are often hard and our room’s shower didn’t have hot water (no morning coffee required!), but we only paid $40/night for three adults at Riad Chennaoui. We booked the night before through Booking.com.

Bedroom Entrance
Bedroom
Breakfast
Riad Chennaoui

Two to three nights should be adequate time to enjoy most of Marrakesh, but there’s no rush either. A guidebook like Lonely Planet is all you need. Not necessary to hire a guide.

Marrakesh Jewish quarters
Marrakesh donkey cart
Streets of Marrakesh
Bahia Palace, Marrakesh, Morocco
Bahia Palace
Bahia Palace
Bryce Rigney, Bahia Palace, Marrakesh, Morocco
Bahia Palace
Bahia Palace, Marrakesh
Saadian Tombs
Leslie & Bryce Rigney at the Saadian Tombs, Marrakesh
Bryce Rigney, Marrakesh
Marrakesh Museum – renovated palace
Koutoubia Mosque & Minaret
Majorelle Gardens, Marrakesh
Relaxing at Majorelle Gardens
Eric Rigney at Majorelle Gardens, Marrakesh
Leslie & Eric Rigney at Majorelle Gardens
Moroccan dancer
Marrakesh streets
Dyer’s Souk
Handmade Moroccan leather shoes
Moroccan pottery

JAMAA EL-FNA – In Marrakesh’s main square called Jemaa el-fna, we found a food tent, #31, serving only Moroccans. We ate there twice. The Café Glacier rooftop is the best way to experience the square as the sun sets; great photo ops, day and night. From there, you can enjoy the street performers (snake charmers, African drummers, acrobats) without their aggressive demands for money. Some sailors found Marrakesh to be an aggressive, overly populated, tourist trap. We avoided traveling there on the weekend and found it to be a treasure worthy of its worldly acclaim.

SURFING: And the main reason why we came to Agadir was for the local Atlantic surfing scene. There are several spots north and south of Agadir that are good. A 20-minute bus ride (just 7 MAD) north from Agadir on either L31, L32, or L33 is a favorite spot due to the nice accommodations at Richie’s Cafe located at K11 on the beach front route just south of Aourir and Banana Beach. It’s generally a beginner wave, but fun when Anchor’s Point, further north off Taghazout is not pumping. Taghazout is a surfer hangout surrounded by up-and-coming tourist resorts. Even more north just south of Tamri village is Boiler’s Spot where a big ship’s boiler can be found rusting in the wave break. It is a more intermediate to advanced break where Bryce had a great time when the swell was strong. Wetsuits starting in October are generally used.

Some things we didn’t do that sounded like fun:

1) Fez, just too far for us even from Mohammedia.

2) Book a camel trip to a desert Bedouin tent adventure. Sounds great, but we did camels in Egypt, and everything we were finding here was a bit too expensive for us. Those who did it, loved it.

3) There’s also a renowned film studio, but it’s a bit of drive from Agadir. Ouarzazate is the most famous where Lawrence of Araba was filmed and more recently: The Sheltering Sky, Last Temptation of Christ, Alexander, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, Kingdom of Heaven and Prometheus to name a few.

Whether planned or not, an extended stay in Agadir proved of great value to us.  Hope our insights help you get more out of this friendly corner of Morocco.

Eric Rigney

Experiential, India, Leslie's Posts

Sightseeing INDIA from the Bolgatty Palace Marina, Cochin

6 Comments

Feb 10, 2018

We had an exceptional time in India due to the delicious & inexpensive food (that even our 14 year old son Trent loved), the vividly colored clothing, the profoundly different culture, the prolific vegetable and fruit markets, our fabulous tours to the Taj Mahal and Kerala’s backwaters, and the general hustle and bustle.

Still getting our bearings, the second night we got a chance to see the renowned Kerala Kathakali facial dance and costume show along with the pre-show application of the make-up and fitting the costume was amazingly interesting and colorful. The spectacle is offered every evening right at the Bolgatty Palace Resort Hotel for a modest price. The Kathakali entertainment was just the beginning of our great adventures in India.

Instead of flying both ways, we purposefully took a 48-hour sleeper train ride north to New Delhi to observe more closely the countryside, its peoples and to have a true local Indian experience. The Taj Mahal mausoleum, the most important site of our India travels, was as impressive and beautiful as anticipated – all white marble with specially carved and intricately cut and inlaid floral designs. (Definitely one of today’s ‘Wonders of the World.’) The photos say it all!!

We absolutely loved spending Happy Holi day in New Delhi on March 2nd, where people hit the streets with fluorescent colored chalk plastering it on each other while getting lampooned by water balloons and/or water hoses. We enjoyed the wonderfully generous people we met full of smiles and hellos. The four of us are BIG fans of Masala tea (Chai tea) and samosas: potato & veggie filled deep fried savory.

Before….Happy Holi
Fluorescent Happy Holi Chalk
After….

The boys and I especially appreciated witnessing the ‘holy cows’ walking in amongst the Agra car and auto tucktuck traffic. Sometimes huge cows were laying down right in the middle of traffic – vehicles simply drove around them. Bryce spanked the hindquarters of one behemoth that was walking VERY close. Holy Cow!
Driving on the streets in India is all that it is reported to be…hectic, crazy with just a few rules…mostly ‘anything goes.’ The four of us frequently squeezed into auto tucktucks, which are two or three-seater three wheeled motor cabs that can be hailed everywhere. In the city, it is far more exciting to travel around in that cheap and convenient mode as opposed to cars.

India’s TuckTuck mania!

Renting a car wasn’t really an option nor was it expensive to hire ‘tour guide’ drivers with nice cars to drive further than in-town distances like traveling south to the backwaters of Kerala or the two hours between the Taj Mahal in Agra province to New Delhi.

One such driver was so friendly, that he suggested we come visit his home in the older section of New Delhi. A driver/musician, he sang Indian songs in the car for us, and when we arrived at his home, he played all the Indian sounding licks on his keyboard while singing along. In exchange, I sang “O Mio Babbino Caro” to his family’s delight. We would never have gone into that section of New Delhi without a guide – too local and impossible to navigate!

These particular residential New Delhi streets are narrow like in medieval European towns – no cars, just scooters, bicycles and pedestrians. Built on a hill, the small streets are packed and slippery due to running water leaks. Houses are constructed side by side and scale upwards – one floor per family. Our driver is one of three grown sons with their own families all sharing the same parents’ house: the parents’ room is on the ground floor, the 2nd son, wife and 2 kids in the only room on the 1st floor shared by all as a dining room with the kitchen down the hall, our friend and his wife and son live on the 3rd floor with the only house bathroom across the hall, the 4th floor houses the 1st son, his wife and 2 children plus the laundry room down the hall. Then there is the rooftop for drying clothes and seeing the city sights below. Each room is about 600 square feet and much of the square footage of the house is made up of stairways. The ground floor, supporting five stories is only about 1000 square feet. It is tight living – but not quite as tight as living on a 13-meter sailboat!

We had read that one of the biggest tourist attractions of the Kerala state where Cochin city is located (and the region where our boat was docked), is a houseboat ride on the Backwaters. Our 24-hour trip south to hire one did not disappoint. Relaxing on a luxurious riverboat, we floated through the rice paddy levees enjoying the green scenery and fresh air. Occasionally, we witnessed women wading in the water slapping clothes against the rocks and others bathing fully clothed in the brackish waters. Many homes line the levees and many of those are actually large and brand new looking. Maybe the area supports city families’ second homes? Happily, I didn’t have to cook or clean during that relaxing trip.

Bryce Rigney at Kerala’s Backwaters
Kerala Backwaters houseboats
Kerala Backwaters

Clothing – 1/3 of the women dress in the most beautiful saris and men either wear plain sarong bottoms or long pants and plain button down short or long sleeved collared shirts. It’s a little like fancy birds bedecked in colorful feathers except the opposite – the males are plain and the females draw the attention. More modern female Indian style is the ankle length legging and knee length cotton tops with slits up the sides and long sleeves. No shorts anywhere, even in the tropical heat! Fashions are cut conservatively to maintain modesty.

Buying sim cards for phones is like in the United States – you need a permanent address within the country. Thus, it was impossible to purchase our own. Our handy dandy Cochin marina go-to man, Nazar P.M., provided us two of his own for a modest fee (US$15 each) including phone and data. We returned the sims upon departure. He also drove us around in his tucktuck to shop, sightsee, to get to a local restaurant, to go to the post office (which I would never have found on my own), to find ATMs (almost everything is handled in cash), etc. One day he even loaned me local money when I couldn’t pull out enough from the ATMs to purchase my local market groceries. He helped us obtain diesel and drinking water at great prices always showing up with a huge smile. Plus, he invited us to come and dine at his home and to meet his lovely family. He truly made India GREAT for us.

Although more are spoken, there are 23 languages officially declared in India, each protecting special long-standing cultural traditions. But if an Indian wants to communicate widely, English is their go-to language along with Hindi. Ashamedly, I thought most East Indians spoke English, but only the higher educated actually speak some English.

We had a true Indian experience riding 48 hours by sleeper train from Cochin to Agra. Part of the ride was to see the countryside up close, hang with the local Indians and inexpensively make our way to Agra where the Taj Mahal is located, then to make the two-hour drive to New Delhi to tour the environs including a visit to the Parliament House, the Baha’i Prayer Center, a Kashmir rug store,  the place where Gandhi was assassinated and so much more.

New Delhi Parliament
Baha’i House
Baha’i
Baha’i
Indian Kashmire rug
Gandhi

On the train, each sleeper section housed 6 beds. The four of us slept on the top bunks to insure no fowl play, but that meant Eric was separated from Bryce, Trent and me in a different section on the same train car during the night. Of course, he did sit with us during the daytime. Along with us traveled a lovely older Indian couple, retired dentist and wife. He spoke some English. They were very sweet. During the trip, we got off when the train stopped and walked around the quay for exercise and people watching.

One time, Bryce actually climbed off the train, over a fence onto and over an adjacent quay and into the train tracks to take movies and pictures with his ‘expensive’ GoPro and iPhone flashing in his hand. From the train, I was watching him and within 5 minutes, a local man stood up from his perch and started to nonchalantly walk in his direction. I hollered to Bryce to come back quickly. Bryce turned to me and began making his way to our train quay, jumping up and then over the fence down to our train and inside. I watched as that local fellow followed faster and faster all the way up onto the quay – but stopped at the fence grimacing at me. We glared at each other…’Mama Bear protecting her cub!’ Later I discussed the situation with Bryce and explained to him that his actions opened him up to be a target. It was a lesson fortunately he didn’t have to learn the hard way. Hopefully he learned that he mustn’t flaunt his foreignness and prosperity, especially when alone.

Side food markets

It’s definitely true that there are many poor people in India – those we saw while on the train, begging in New Delhi, and working in the Backwater rice fields. However, the upper lower classes are solid workers and eat well…we didn’t see people starving. Even beggars in New Delhi looked good. Their housing conditions aren’t perfect or large, but they aren’t miserable either. Most people have access to water and sanitation, modern transportation: auto tucktucks, cars, buses, ferries, trains, etc. There is a prominent middle class that spends money in modern malls, on cars, on phones and computers, and on nice clothes. The clothes people wear are clean and ironed, unlike mine – which often smell of boat and are never pressed! We found that the people are happy and free to work as hard as they want or not and to move around freely, with freedom of speech!

The biggest bummer was the amount of trash piled up in the waters, along the rivers, in and around the train tracks, and aside the roads. We constantly witnessed all kinds of people tossing trash on the ground anywhere and everywhere – plastic wrappers/bags, paper cups, full trash bags, cigarette butts, boxes, bottles, etc. When asked why they toss trash on the ground instead of holding it or finding a trash bin, they shrug their shoulders and say, “Everyone does it.” Over and over, we explain that everyone makes a difference and the only way to enact change is in their own individual actions and teaching their children not to toss trash indiscriminately.

The only marina in India that can handle cruiser yachting boats is in Kochi or Cochin on Bolgatty Palace Island. It is located within the confines of the Bolgatty Island Resort Hotel that had a fine restaurant, bar and pool. The reception area was so nice and air-conditioned, that it became our office when we wanted to escape the hot humidity of early afternoon. The boys loved the workout room and ping-pong table. We were able to have our laundry washed, charged by the item not by kilos…so I hand-washed the smaller items using the inexpensive but non-potable marina water on the dock. The showers and toilets were clean and in okay condition, the docks were repaired and in working order, not perfect but fine, and the marina manager was effective.

The customs process was straightforward since we hired Nazar to act as our agent, however, it still took all day – everything is done on paper – and at least five people are involved, when only one is necessary – very few computers and modern equipment are used. Our one hiccup was declaring that we have a satellite texting device. The police and customs required that we dismantle it and have it officially sealed by an officer on our boat inside a cabinet. We were not allowed to use it while in India. India has a problem with Pakistani terrorism. Terrorists once used a satellite phone to activate a bomb housed on a catamaran that killed many people. Unfortunately, customs did not communicate with the police that our device had been sealed and so we were hassled a bit by the marine police who didn’t understand English. Eventually, it all worked out, but at the time it was challenging.

Our departure was easy. The morning before we intended to leave, Nazar tucktucked the four of us back to the customs offices and we were relatively quickly checked out. It took only about two hours. All paid up and accounted for, the next morning we departed the marina early without even making a radio call. It was a wonderfully educational and colorful visit. We thoroughly enjoyed our too short but very sweet two weeks in India.

BTW – We hired a tour agent to help us get to the Kerala Backwaters and onto a boat at short notice: Basil Mathew of Tour Green India recommended by one of Eric’s LA colleagues whose wife hails from Cochin. Basil was so great, that we asked him to help us make our way by train to the Taj Mahal in Agra, then to New Delhi where we spent 2 nights in a hotel frequented by Indian tourists, including tour guides/drivers, and then a plane ride home. All our expectations were addressed and handled extremely well. The only frustration was that we couldn’t use our credit card. Everything needed to be handled in cash or bank transfer. Frustratingly, the ATMs at the banks want to earn fees so they force you to take small amounts of money requiring many withdrawls. Fees then accumulate quickly.

Basil Mathew, Tour Green Co, India, tel: +91 90612 58758, email: info@keralatourgreen.com, www.keralatourgreen.com

Nazar P.M.  tel: +91 98951 64090 or +91 97464 62686, Facebook: Nisams, www.yachtsincochin.com, www.noonsite.com/countries/india/cochin

Bob Bechler was an enormous help encouraging us and several other yachts to make their way to Bolgatty Island through the Facebook private group: Red Sea Passage.

Nighil, Bolgatty Palace Marina Manager, tel: +91 97470 57015. He is available at the marina every day except Sunday between 10h00 – 18h00. His English is pretty good.

Immigration Entry Visas: Before visiting India – each person on board must obtain a tourist visitor’s visa. The easiest way to get a visa is online: http://indianvisaonline.gov.in. Each visa cost us US$75. Make sure to provide the right size photos and passport pdfs – don’t make any mistakes – check your work twice before submitting. When done, print out the final versions for immigration to present when you arrive.

Here are some more photos taken the last free tour day in Cochin including the celebrated old-fashioned fishing nets off the entrance of the natural Kochi bay, the incredibly huge monkey shrine, clothes hand-washing, spice galore, Indian children, our tour guide Nasam, and more.

Leslie, Nasam & Bryce pulling up the old-fashioned fish nets
Bryce Rigney on the fishnet apparatus
Indian fabrics
Indian pressing laundry
Indian handwashing laundry
Indian spices for sale
Indian spices
Processing spices
India’s children
Nasam
Cochin produce
Cochin traffic
Cochin Fisherman Boats
Women’s India High Fashion

RigneysKandu East Indian style on Happy Holi Day!

 

Bryce's Posts, Educational, Experiential, Gulf of Aden & Red Sea

Eritrean Coins by Bryce Rigney

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1991 was the end of Eritrea’s 30-year civil war with Ethiopia but it seems that 1997 marked the beginning of Eritrea’s printing and/or coinage of their own money. Over time, the government began to discourage private enterprise and travel, resulting in depreciation of their money, and the extinction of Eritrean coins. Today, 26 years later, the most commonly exchanged denomination are the 5 and 10 Nakfa bills. Sadly, the streets of Eritrea house large amounts of beggars. One of which was a skinny old man with a kind face, distinct jaw line, and a gruff white beard. He hobbled down the pedestrian sidewalk of Liberation Avenue in downtown Asmara, past a line of homeless, grasping tight his well-used yet sturdy cane and then he stopped. He had spotted a young Caucasian teenager and his mother, us, sitting in front of the towering Ave Maria Cathedral.

Bryce Rigney in front of Ave Maria Cathedral of Asmara, Eritrea.

Suddenly the man came alive, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a handful of coins, Eritrean and those from other countries in North Africa. “Hello, hello,” he said with his aged voice, trying to catch my attention. Interested and frankly board of sitting down in front of the cathedral waiting for Dad, I moved over to see what he had placed out for display. Unmasked from his chapped palms were a 1 and 5 Eritrean coins from 1997.

On one side, they displayed images of native animals that had once thrived amongst the lands. The other side depicted soldiers raising up the new national flag to mark their independence in 1991. I asked to borrow his treasures for a minute so I could interest my mom sitting a few steps above with what I had discovered. At the time I hadn’t a clue that they were of no value. In exchange for a couple of 1’s and 5’s I gave him a 10 Nakfa bill, which would most certainly be spent on his dinner that night. It was obvious from his big smile that he was delighted. Before continuing his walk, in broken English he informed me that the dates of the coins were manufactured in 1991 and tried to explain their original values. Then he proceeded down the sidewalk and blended in amongst the busy paths of other pedestrians.

For more information, I found a great short website about the printing of Eritrean money: http://africa.worldofcoins.eu/af-eri.htm