More Trouble With The U.S. Border!
By Claire Damecour and Carl Carlson ( of Speed Triple)
This is a warning to all who try to cross the border from Mexico into the U.S.A. My husband and I and two friends were coming back from a wonderful two week sail in the Sea of Cortez last week. We had already received notice about the agricultural restrictions and were certain to have nothing on the lengthy list in the back of our pickup truck. However, we did have 3 containers of gas, one that is specific to our Yamaha 8 horsepower engine and two 5 gallon jerry cans. As we had had quite a bit of nice sailing (and almost no motoring) we were coming home with lots of extra gas, which we couldn’t use in our diesel truck. We didn’t want to leave it in the boat in storage for 6 months.
Well, we were quite rudely told by the border crossing supervisor that we had to return to Mexico as our gas tanks could not stay in the U.S.!! For every gallon of gas there was a 26 cent tax, in addition there was a 25$ administration fee and, since we could not produce receipts of purchase for the gas, a 100$ fine. Worse, they could not do the paperwork at that border crossing, we had to go back into Mexico and go to through the commercial trucking line and through that border crossing, which by the way had closed at 5 p.m. ( it was now 5:15 P.M.) and would not reopen until Monday morning (two days later!).
As we had work engagements Monday morning, spending an extra three days in Nogales was not an option.
There was no reasoning with this badge heavy officer, who insisted it had been the law for many years. This coming after another officer explained that the 25$ fee had just been created that week.
Our only option was to walk across to the Mexican side, carrying our gas and try to dispose of it in Mexico. Not having a way to pour out of the Yamaha motor container, we hunted for someone in line with a funnel. (I really didn’t want to pour gas out onto the ground.) It was a humiliating site to find myself with beggars and vendors on the side of the road pleading with Mexican-Americans in their cars to allow me to pour gas into their tanks. No one believed us as we were calling out “free gas”. We could not leave the container there as we would need it for our next trip.
Finally, someone helped us out by removing us of over 50$ worth of fuel (for free) so that we would walk back across the border, dirty and dusty, heads down, beaten by the system that protects the oil companies profits.
Coming back from a great sailing vacation is always a downer, but coming home to the U.S. has been one of the worst experiences of my life. Every car was pulled over and gone through. Fines were being levied on everyone there, and people were standing in disbelief as they were being treated like criminals for possession of an apple, a can of Pork and Beans, a seashell, or in our case, for containers with gas in them.
What used to be a formality, or at the most an inconvenience, is now a humiliating, degrading and frustrating experience that transforms law abiding citizens into criminals.
Is this the consequence of 9/11? The defensive reaction of a paranoid country? The results of special interests groups lobbying our Congress to protect their profits by terrorizing the people? The blind interpretation of rules by people with more power than intelligence or education? (Reminiscent of Nazi Germany in which the officers were just doing as they were told.) Is the whole concept to keep Americans from leaving the country completely, for fear of retribution on the way back in, thereby cutting ourselves off from the rest of the world?
Can one protect oneself from this interrogation and harassment? If they are going to pass new laws every week, I don’t see how you can. Because no matter how you try you will be in infraction of something, somewhere, sometime.
Perhaps the only solution is to get in that sailboat and keep going, never to return.
For the first time in my life I am ashamed to be an American.
Gastronomic San Carlos
By Chris Edmonson
On a recent trip to San Carlos Rex and I had the usual discussions every day about where we were going to eat for each meal. Ever since I can recall this ritual involves surprises and wishful thinking but primarily it is about the mood of the day. Many of the places I am about to bring up are places I won’t go back to (as you will see) but I keep them in the lexicon because it’s part of the art form to, “Never say never”.
At the top of the list only because it is the first place you pass on the way into San Carlos and the last one on the way out is the restaurant at Pilar. It has been a while since I have eaten there primarily because it is out of the way and, frankly, doesn’t offer the ambiance that it should given the great location by the beach. The food was never as good as expected and although the wait staff is superb the place just never quite found a position in my regular haunts. A ways further on there is Champs and it has the spotty history of sometimes not existing. While I have had some great meals there that was quite a time ago and I haven’t been back to check for several years now. When I first encountered it Champs was the original Sports Book (back before that moved to the Fiesta) and the steak/shrimp dinner was incredible and inexpensive. The setting was very good since there was a large window facing the bay and the architecture was interesting in addition to being a nice walk from the Fiesta which is where I used to stay most of the time.
That brings us to what is now the Fiesta Real. For political reasons I have sworn off of the place due to having been abused by the new owners a few years ago when the club still had its Sunday dinner there for the regattas. The problem with that decision is that they have gotten a really good chef there and the meals are quite good now whereas they were previously just adequate. They also have better views there now with service and beach close at hand. A real dilemma, that!! Long live the revolution!!
One of the newer places just a little further in is the Mexico Gormet. This is a school created to teach kids from Guaymas a little something about the tourist industry. The fun thing here is that they follow a very different serving pattern and have dishes that are prepared at the table and flammable. It’s a lot of fun to interact with the young staff and their enthusiasm is infectious. The service is sometimes a little slow but the dishes are interesting and despite the small size of the venue it is well worth a visit. Just a few steps away is the place I have not figured out if it is called the Tetakawi, the Best Western restaurant or what? There is not too much I can say because I have yet to eat there and I see it with people in it much of the time so have assumed it had some sort of attraction even if it is only that it is next to the hotel. One good thing is that it is a few paces closer to the Thrifty where you can pick up a good helado (ice cream) after dinner. Then pop across the street and you find Charlie’s Rock. This is beyond a doubt one of the best sunset views anywhere in town. Often times I have started my evening there with a shrimp cocktail and drink at the long bar facing seaward. The one problem unsolved here is that this is among the picks for worst parking arrangement. It is hard to enjoy a place if you can’t get to it.
Crossing back to the north side of the street (Manlio Fabio Beltrones Blvd) is the inevitable and unavoidable Froggy’s. If you spend any time in S.C. you will wander into Froggy’s because that is where the music is. This is not, strictly speaking, a restaurant but I have had a pizza or burger there many times while I am pummeled by the karaoke or a local band (one of the places you will occasionally see Mark Mulligan). Usually crowded and noisy it’s just what the doctor ordered if you want to get in the middle of it all. Cross the street again and you are at Picalo. This is one of the places that you can instantly be abused if that is to your liking. It is Italian food with an attitude. The owner’s disdain for many things, including lesser attire, moving her tables around or laughter have put it off my list for a bit but the food is usually quite good and the staff is very solicitous once you run the gamut of the owner’s mood swings. I can only shudder thinking of the time I got off the boat after a race day and went there quickly to find that owner was not going to seat me because I was wearing sandals, shorts and a T-shirt. I believe Rex has a similar story of curtailed jocularity.
Just a little further on you come to Rosas. This is standard Mexican fare in a sterile environment. The best meal you can do here is probably breakfast but I have to add that this a very clean place where I have no issues with what can be eaten. It’s a little confusing in that this place is not totally certain if it’s fast food or what. I like the place but don’t eat there often… others have objections for a variety of reasons but most agree it’s just plain and that keeps it off the most likely for dinner list. Back to the north side and you will encounter Jax Snax. Here is a restaurant that is very straight forward as a semi-fast food Americanized source of grits and the best parking is around the rear rather than off the street front. It must be said too that in summer the air conditioning is sub-zero quality! Going back across the street to Bananas has become a favored stop in the last few years. By diligent comparison it has become known that Bananas has the best flan in town. It used to be that I would drop my kids off there in the afternoons and come back later to pick them up none the worse for wear. Since then the ownership changed and the additions of music and excellent wait staff has made this a good place to find a meal or just drink while watching the panoply of S.C. life play out for an evening or two. It has been said that the last time Rex and I were there we drank them out of Bohemia’s and Doris (the very animated bar maid/waitress) couldn’t find another for us anywhere in San Carlos. In our defense it did take us three days to accomplish such a feat.
Upstairs from there is the Paradise Bar which has a couple of pool tables if you are a refugee from Froggy’s one table and later at night has a band. This is just a bar but it does have a plus by having a balcony to watch life go by on the street below and adjust your attitude for a spell. Below that is Pasta Fasta. This has recently turned out to be a personal favorite for a couple of reasons. It is where to get take out pizza and the Italian dishes rival the Other Italian place. It’s definitely not fancy but when I am down there for longer periods I find myself drawn back almost once a week to retreat momentarily from stock Mexican food. El Gallo is an interesting place that the club may be introduced to soon depending on Len’s negotiations. With its artsy ambiance and outdoor venue the good food just tops it off. It is under new management and has a history of being a nice place with sometimes music. Across the way there is the Pollo Feliz (Happy Chicken) and it has what any franchise in Tucson has and no beer. That’s a plus and a minus. You can bring in your own drink if you like but it’s really a fast food chicken place with a good dinner for less.
Crossing to the playa side again you will come to La Gran Torta. Here is a good burger (usually) and an established barbeque for tacos. It’s okay but now that JJ moved in next door I don’t think I will frequent it as often. JJ’s is my ultimate place in San Carlos because over the years I have become good friends with JJ. He used to be a waiter at the Fiesta and then later at Pilar. I have watched his family grow up and he mine. He’s a friend to everyone who ever came in there and his latest iteration is the best so far (yes, he has moved again). He has Tacos, Hot Dogs and an expanded menu (try the Shrimp Ball soup!!) and you just cannot do better than this open air restaurant with rude T-shirts and tobacco sales!! The prices are Cruiser’s Budget low so you just can’t go wrong here. JJ (Juan Jose) is a treat as a human being and no trip to S.C. is complete for me without at least one stop there. He currently does not have a liquor license (again) but the Extra deposito is just a short walk down the street. If you ask nicely JJ will provide a cup for your beer and, if you invite him, will sometimes bring a glass for himself (leche de madre, as he sometimes says). It’s easy to identify JJ by following the, “Who cares? Nobody!”
Once again crossing the street you will come to a well known and established place… Blackies. Here is where the wait staff from the former Fiesta has migrated so if you have been coming down for a while you will see familiar faces. The menu is excellent although a bit pricy it offers ambiance, very competent staff and good food. The guy behind the bar, Armando, is a long time friend as well as my wife’s S.C. boyfriend and they threaten to elope each time we go down. Even if we don’t have dinner there it is one stop we make if we are there to get the latest on Armando’s sense of humor. You may notice that I skipped a couple of places in getting to Blackies. One is the new Pizza place behind the older Pemex that I have yet to hear much good about but have not tried and the other is a place with a cleaver sign that is clearly a breakfast internet café. Next trip or so I intend to try the café and see if the scones live up to the sign (@ & picture of mug).
Somewhere in here I believe is the Heaven’s Door. This upscale restaurant has had very good comments from everyone I know who has gone in. My issue here is that I need to remember to pack better clothes to pop in and test the place for myself. My standard wrinkled t-shirt and shorts just won’t do. When I have looked inside as I pass at night it is clear that the clientele dress for dinner. I will pass over all the stuff that may have found a home in the plaza with the 1910 Club and bowling alley because there has been a rapid fire turn over there and it seems to be a jinxed location for now.
One place I would skip if it didn’t merit a warning label would be the one I call Diner Food (I don’t know what the name actually is). It is where you can find Grandpa wandering through in his pajamas and sometimes a challenge to find a seat when the tourist bus offloads. It’s a sloppy Joe/white bread sort of affair that I can only describe as 1950’s diner food. It’s a gamble at best and while I have had a few good meals there you just never know what you’re going to run into.
Finally we are to the best addition to the list in years!!! La Palapa is near the old La Posada that has recently undergone a renovation to luxury condos. La Palapa is comida Griega (Greek fare)!!! Aside from bringing the owner to tears if you ask for Retsina to go with your meal you will find excellent staff and awesome dinners. This is a fantastic sunset view across the bay toward Miramar and on our last visit Rex and I had roast lamb with a Greek salad that was superb. Yes, the lamb was prepared on a spit over an open barbeque!
Further along on this tour you will find the San Carlos Grill and my personal opinion leans toward risk avoidance due to the severe illnesses I have gotten into on more than one occasion there. The nickel-and-dime-you-to-death issues with the exchange rate and the lack of interesting menu keep me from going back. Besides there are such many much better places than this to spend your time. Toward the marina basin there is, of course, Barracuda Bob’s. This is a great place open until 2:00 p.m. every day. The owner, Jan, is just such great people. The place runs like a clock and has been a real supporter of the club’s activities over the long haul. Many of you already know Iram from his boat cleaning business or his sailing classes and his regular job at Barracuda Bob’s has this place at the top of the friendly list. Around the corner is the Marina Cantina now under new ownership. The menu has not changed and the same items you have always liked are still there. Some of the staff has changed but it’s still a preferred place to hang out. Walking around the basin you come to the restaurant that I tend associate with the Marina Terra hotel. The menu is pretty standard Mexican food and the sea based stuff is pretty good. I have gotten away from eating there mostly because I want to get out and see more than the marina but if you need a place to hang while you are waiting for the sun to go down you could certainly do worse than this. Up the hill and across the street is Evie’s which has really improved over the last few years. Mostly I attribute this to Martín (Marteen) taking over from the previous owners (Jack & Evie) and upgrading the services. It’s good for breakfast and lunch and they have an expanded dinner menu with a balcony view. The parking is limited unless you are already at the marina and walk across. New and soon (maybe) to open is the Captain's Club. Stopping in there this last trip we heard what we have heard for the last year... there is a problem with the permits. In any case, it is a nice looking interior and with luck they will navigate officialdom successfully and get the restaurant/bar open soon. The place everyone knows soon after they get to San Carlos is Tequilas. Here is a raucous bar at night that does very well for breakfast. It's not a swell place for dinner only because it can get pretty rowdy in there if you get a late start but it's close to the marina and you can't go too far wrong (if you don't have transportation) to just hang out and watch the proceedings.
Backing up a bit toward the San Carlos Grill you come to the small area between the Tienda (store) and the church. Here is the Buen Café and it is a great place for a burger or sandwich. Breakfasts are good too and the atmosphere can be just the thing for a lazy morning. Also you will find the Taco Stand in front of the deposito to be a staple if you are ever there for an extended time. The tacos are good and the price is right.
If you venture further west out toward the Bahia you will pass the Esterito (related to Esterito II back toward town but this is the place with the view). This is the restaurant that has the pangas parked out back on the estuary. They don't often have a big crowd which has been a real mystery to me for a long time. If you want Chocolates (clams) or Oysters here is the place. In fact, pretty much any sea food (dorado, cabrilla or whatever) they have will be fresh and well prepared. It has reasonably good parking and can accommodate a larger crowd. If you follow the Bahia toward the west you eventually come to the Marina Real which it has been said is opening a new place called the Oasis. That would be a welcomed addition to the list because there aren't as many hangouts on that side of the mountain.
Of course we are all familiar with the Plaza San Carlos. Definitely an upscale venue with a fantastic sunset view. Many of us recall the green flash a while ago for one of the regatta awards night parties. This can be a great beach to hang out on as well as the sunset view.
Last on the list and with recognition that I have skipped a few places is what we have come to call The Restaurant at the End of the World. There may even be a sign now but for the life of me I cannot remember what it says. To get there you drive out a lot of dirt road past the Paradiso Hotel through the fish camp called La Manga following the small bay. Here is where you will find a sunset view back toward the Tetas de Cabra and a restaurant that has a flavor to it that is pure Mexico. Great sea foods of all sorts along with a spontaneous owner make the place work. It's best not to overwhelm this one with a too huge crowd and you want to bring your drinks if you are inclined toward anything other than soda pop but if you can be there just before sunset you could be in for a real treat. Timing is everything and you want to be ready to leave when the generator comes on.
Like so many things in life there is more to discover when you are in San Carlos but this list will be a good starting point to that pre-meal discussion about where do YOU want to go?
The
Adventures of Sarken
NOVEMBER
2005 – JANUARY 2006
Len Molloy
Preface:
Larry and I met over 10 years ago, and have been co-workers, business partners
and more importantly friends for the entire time.
Every challenge we ever faced together, we considered an adventure (like
the time we both took up Ultralite flying, but that’s another story).
Every adversity we ever faced was always with humor and the November
cruise was no exception.
I hope that I can recount the adventure in such a way that you can enjoy
it as much as we did.
SUNKEN?
We arrived at San Carlos Marina on Wednesday afternoon after trailering “Sarken”,
my Catalina 25 from Tucson.
Larry started the preliminary boat preparation and believing that we
needed to check in with the Marina I headed to the office.
A polite young Mexican male was filling out my particulars, name, address, etc.,
when he asked the name of the boat – “Sarken” I replied.
“ Sunken?”, he asked.
I said “No, No, Sarken”.
“Sunken?” he asked again, I said “No” spelled out
“S-A-R-K-E-N” and told him it wasn’t “sunken” yet!
When I got back to the boat, two Mexican guys arrived to help Larry and I step
the mast (for a fee of course).
Once the mast was stepped, we discovered that the starboard side lower
aft shroud had a major ‘kink’ in it and the turnbuckle T-Bolt had sheared in
two. Now,
we had prepared well for the trip and had backup parts for most any situation,
except for a turnbuckle T-Bolt and a shroud!
COME
ON!
One of the Mexican guys that helped us with the mast felt that we could find a
replacement in one of the marine/ hardware stores in San Carlos.
Not convinced but “dead in the water”, we had no choice but to try.
I drove Matteo wherever he pointed while Larry optimistically continued
to prepare the boat.
In each of the five marine/ hardware stores I listened intently in
English while Matteo explained in Spanish what we were looking for.
After extended discussions with the store personnel in Spanish, he would
look at me and with a sidewise motion of his head would say “Come on” the
only two words of English he knew!
Then off we would go to the next store.
When we ran out of stores he suggested that his father would be able to
solder the bolt back together. I headed back to the Marina.
FRED
Getting desperate and knowing that our chances of going on
the cruise were quickly diminishing, we happened upon Rex Weedon and Chris
Edmonson. who had just put Rex’s boat in the water.
Chris suggested that we try and contact Fred, a local character who lives
aboard his boat in the Marina.
Fred apparently knows everybody that is anybody in San Carlos and over
the years has turned his boat into a floating used marine hardware store.
As luck would have it, we finally found Fred and explained our dilemma.
Fred, delving into his gold mine of used parts came up for air with a
couple of turnbuckles and T-Bolts but they were1/4”dia. instead of the
5/16”dia. we needed.
Fred is a thinker and recognizing this, we kept him talking and thinking
for another 20 minutes or so.
All of a sudden he disappeared back into his boat and emerged with a
throttle linkage mechanism that, you guessed it, had a left handed threaded
T-Bolt 5/16” dia. Ecstatic, we headed back to “Sarken” – we had
life again! On
the boat we switched a good turnbuckle assembly from the port side to the
starboard side so that our jury-rigged turnbuckle assembly would be on the
leeward side for the crossing.
Larry installed the throttle linkage only to find that it was an inch
short of reaching the turnbuckle.
Undaunted, we have to find a spacer. The spacer comes in the form of a
stainless steel Bimini bracket.
Larry performs his “McGuyver” magic – drills, files, bends,
stretches and somehow completes a turnbuckle assembly
we can rely on. We are back in the cruise.
DOLPHINS
We left San Carlos Marina on Friday Nov 4 at about 2pm for the crossing to Bahia
Conception and specifically to Sanispec. Once we cleared the headland we raised
the Mainsail and a 150% Genoa, set the autopilot and enjoyed a great sail. We
were sailing at 5.8 knots and heeled over about 20*, perfect. Everything was
very civilized so it was time to break out a new bottle of Bailey’s, which we
finished in short order. After 2.5 hours of sailing the wind started to diminish
and once we slowed down to 2 knots we started the motor (it did work at this
point) and motor-sailed the rest of the way.
Once it was dark, the moon lowering on the horizon cast a beam of light across
the water while the stars were so plentiful and bright it appeared as though you
could reach out and touch them. A pod of dolphins appeared out of nowhere and
began “playing” with the boat. The water glistened on their backs from the
light of the moon as they swam alongside. It was surreal, dolphins swimming with
us, shooting stars everywhere, the Sirius radio playing old country music, and,
we still had alcohol.“Does sailing get any better than this”?
Daylight arrived and we made our way into Bahia Conception and to the Sanispec
anchorage. Those of you that have been to Sanispec will know how
beautiful it is, those of you that have not been, should. It was an uneventful
crossing, we had taken 2 hour watches through the night and now that we were
anchored with the rest of the T.S.C. boats we relaxed for the afternoon. Besides
we were going to the Mulehe pig roast that night.
Next
month: Dinghy Dye – Mulehe Pig Roast – meeting a “Norther” – Old
Manatee
Three
Weeks before the Mast
Or
How I Stopped Worrying About Iraq
Part I
by
Terry Thure, Shellback
With
tears welling in my eyes, I strolled down the dock toward my ship with my sea
bag over my shoulder, just as sailors have done for hundreds of years.
Of course, mine were tears of excitement and anticipation, whereas most
of theirs were of fear and regret.
I was joining the Europa, a 185-foot square-rigged bark as a passenger
trainee for a sailing delivery from Las Palmas in the Grand Canary Islands to
Salvador, Brazil.
The crossing would take three weeks in October 2005 and include a visit
from King Neptune while crossing the equator.
We boarded the ship in the late afternoon of the day before we were
scheduled to sail. At a brief informal gathering with coffee and cookies, we met
our fellow trainees and the professional crew.
The Europa is a Dutch ship, so coffee and tea are available 24 hours a
day. I
later discovered that the bar is also open 24 hours a day, another advantage of
sailing on a Dutch ship.
The crew included 13 international professional sailors with members from
Holland, England, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Africa, South Africa, and the
U.S. Trainees
came from Holland, England, Belgium, Germany, Canada, and the U.S.
Our first night’s dinner consisted of a tasty fish-and-vegetable soup.
Afterward we shared several beers in the main cabin.
Throughout the trip, the meals were plain but usually very good and
plentiful.
In the morning, the crew separated us into small groups for a tour of the
ship and later training in climbing the rigging.
We were supposed to leave in the morning. However, the Captain was having
a difficult time with the Spanish authorities concerning one of his crew, so we
didn’t leave until about two o’clock.
The first mate broke us into three watches--the Red, White, and Blue.
He also assigned us to decks that we were to work when changing
sails--the foredeck, main, and the poop (called the quarterdeck on English or
U.S. ships). Fortunately,
he put me in the latter, so I had fewer ropes (called lines on English or U.S.
ships) to learn.
A total of 185 ropes control the 30 sails on the Europa through a
countless number of blocks tied off at 200 belaying pins.
As soon as we cleared the harbor, we were put to work raising the sails.
At this point I discovered that it was nice to have some young strong
backs around while we were “bracing the main yard.”
A pod of dolphins joined us for about a half an hour, portending good
luck for our voyage.
At about four o’clock we settled into our watches, which would become
the routine for the rest of the voyage--four hours on, eight hours off.
There were also two dog watches (two-hour watches back to back) every
day, so no one had watch at the same time each day.
Sometimes the crew gave us very specific instructions, such as “coil
ropes like this” and “tie this rope to this pin”. At other times they were
rather vague, giving information such as “it’s your turn at the wheel, here
it is, your course is 210 degrees.”
During each watch, I spent two half hours at the helm and two or three
half hours on bow watch (bow watches are required by international law, at least
during the evening hours). The rest of the time on watch, I would help the crew
with sanding, painting, changing sails, splicing ropes, or even peeling
potatoes.
After my first night at the helm, I was relieved to discover that I could steer
the boat without tipping it over or running into anything.
Believe it or not, there are a lot of things you can run into out there,
including everything from huge tankers to 25-foot sailboats.
By the way, for those of you who intend crossing: If you can’t afford
to keep all of your running lights on all night, don’t go.
Sailboats just don’t show up on a lot of radars, including the one on
the Europa, and more than once we had to change course in the middle of the
night to avoid hitting someone.
Once we saw a sailboat running without lights, and if an experienced
crewman hadn’t seen its sails reflected in the moonlight, there could have
been a tragic sinking.
Speaking of night sailing, it’s impossible to describe the thrill of being
alone at the helm of a square rigger with the only other person on deck being
the bow watch, 185 feet away.
Although the sunrises and sunsets were usually not as spectacular as
those in Arizona, seeing the sun rise out of Africa, reflecting on the sails,
was another unforgettable experience.
Standing at the helm, steering the ship after a wind shift while the
entire crew of 34 men and women hustled about changing the sails was also very
exciting.
Standing at the helm in the middle of the night in the cold, wind, and rain, on
the other hand, was romantic for only about the first five minutes.
Then it became just cold and wet, and I couldn’t wait for my relief to
show up. Of
course, he or she would always oversleep in bad weather.
After a week, we made an unexpected stopover at Santa Maria on the island of Sal
in the Cape Verde Islands off the coast of Africa.
We did this because it was the home of one of the crew members whose time
was up, and the Captain decided to drop him off on our way to South America.
It meant that we all got a chance to be sailors going ashore in an exotic
foreign port.
Early
in the morning, the Captain smartly rounded the ship up in an open bay offshore,
dropped the anchor, and back winded the sails, setting the hook without starting
the motor--quite a feat with a 185-foot square rigger.
We went ashore for a land-cooked meal and some sightseeing.
I managed to get pictures of the surfers in the big waves, but my camera
ran out of memory when I tried to get pictures of the topless girls on the
beach.
This Cape Verde island was anything but green. Instead it was flat, black, and
barren. Once
a protectorate of Portugal, the islands operate as their own independent country
with their own currency.
Poverty was everywhere. On one side of the broken-down wooden dock, rows
of fancy European-style hotels lined the beach, while on the other, concrete
hovels housed the natives.
The Europa with her sails bunted up looked like a pirate ship anchored
off shore.
I had a few beers, bought some African souvenirs (an experience which somewhat
frightened me, since I was alone, and the peddlers were extremely aggressive). I
ran out of money, as sailors often do ashore, and chose to return to the ship
for dinner before we set sail. Back on board, I discovered that one of the
trainees got robbed while sitting on the beach, another unromantic event that
often plagued sailors of old.
We raised the anchor and set sail around midnight.
The captain gave the trainees the night off and let the auto helm steer
the boat until watches started at 8:00 AM. the next morning, a gesture that may
have had more to do with not wanting to have a bunch of drunken sailors steering
his ship than being generous to the night watches.
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