May 5, 2007

Off Course...

 Corinto to Astillero

The sail south from Corinto to Astillero was a 28 hour run without sleep. I left Corinto at 03:00 hrs in the morning to catch the ebb tide out the channel, but also to pick up the entry waypoint for CCA. By 04:00 a.m. full of coffee and content with the waypoint, I set a course of 120’ Magnetic south down the coast.

  I love sunrises.

Sun up at 05:15 hrs. I love sunrises. By mid day I was off Puerto Sandino with a stiff breeze out of the southwest. Close hauled.

At 15:00 hrs Vesper coasted by El Transito. The wind and sea was still southwest so I opted not to close the coast near sunset with a swell running. El Transito is okay to hook into during the windy season, but open to the west during unsettled weather. I continued along after sunset, tired but not much choice but to carry on through the night.

By 19:00 hrs Vesper was on Masachapa’s parallel. The wind dropped for a short bit then came up strong from the south east. Back in the wind belt. Bumpy seas for the next 4 hours.

At midnight I was about 15-20 miles from Astillero with wind clocking around to the east and picking up velocity.

 A mine field of pangas, trawlers and net

Had a near hit with a panga drifting without lights. With Chickadee’s steel hull, I never worried about mowing down a panga, but Vesper is fiberglass thin and no match for a 2 inch thick fishing boat. I ended up sailing for the next few hours through a mine field of pangas, trawlers and nets.

After 24 hours on watch and running the boat, sleep deprivation was getting to me, but the panga close encounter kept me in tune.

Once through the maze of fishing boats, I arrived too early 3 miles off the coast of Astillero. I prayed for daylight.

With hallucinations setting in and too close to the coast…I could not keep my eyes open. I looked at my watch, it was 03:22 hrs.

Dawn would not come before 05:15 a.m.

 All I ask for is 15 minutes rest.

In hindsight, what I should have done was head off shore and lay a hull. Fatigue is the single handed sailor’s worse enemy. 25 hours without sleep, hungry, sun burnt and super tired, my eyes closed. Not 10 minutes later the boats rhythm changed pitch causing me to stumble to attention. A silhouette of what appeared to be an island lay directly ahead. The binoculars confirmed it. A reef! @#$%!

I spun the boat around 180’ and cranked on the diesel full throttle. A laser beam of light stretched across the horizon; phosphoresce lit up by breaking surf…I’m not where I think I am.

Too be continued…

Eric Blackburn Managing Director www.worldkidsvoyage.org www.cruisingcentralamerica.com www.expeditionsailors.org
	Box 839, Dana Point Ca 92629
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