SV Voyager
Jan 4-5 voyage from Puerto de Vita to Baracoa
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Our first order of business after arriving in Holguin, Cuba, was to join the 100-foot schooner Voyager, sitting at the dock in nearby Puerto de Vita. The Voyager had departed St. Augustine a couple weeks earlier, loaded with 3000 lbs of humanitarian supplies for Baracoa. The supplies consisted of clothing, wheelchairs, school supplies, medical packs, and other items destined for the various projects that the St. Augustine Baracoa Friendship Association is sponsoring in Baracoa. The sail from Puerto de Vita to Baracoa was estimated to be 16 hours, but that was not to be... |
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We departed Puerto de Vita at about 10:00 a.m. The marina was nestled tightly in a bay. It took about 20 minutes to motor out into open ocean and set the sails, and it immediately became clear that conditions were rough and unfavorable. The wind was nearly east and blowing 25-30 knots, right on the nose. We would have to beat directly into the wind to get to our destination. The Captain opted to motor-sail, using the vessel's Detroit 4-71 to help us along and make our schedule. So diesel fumes added to the misery of tacking into 10- to 15-foot waves! The night was interminable, with winds were in the 35-knot range and regular 15-foot waves and constant rain. Below deck was hellish - suffocating, hot and loud. Above deck was cold, with constant rain and crashing waves threatening to wash people over board. At one point, several large boxes of aid that were lashed to a mast broke loose and slammed around dangerously - terrifying. Grown men were puking their guts out, so a skeleton screw did the lion's share of the work throughout the long, sleepless night. Maria neither puked nor cried, though she did find religion sometime around four in the morning... We were very relieved to see the sun rise on the morning of the 5th. By now we were within 20 miles of Baracoa and the wind and seas had moderated. The biggest problem remaining was our diesel engine, which had quit for good around 4:00 am. This left us on sail power alone for the most critical part of our voyage, the approach to Baracoa and docking in the harbor. We were still beating, and tacking the ship was difficult without engine power in the slopply waves left over from the night. ETA's came and went, we did not enter Baracoa harbor until well past noon. |
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We sailed under the direction of Captain Jay into the harbor and anchored easily. Since our engine was still not working, a fishing boat came out and towed us to the small dock on one side of the harbor where our supplies were unloaded. The ship spent a couple of days on the dock but then was required to go back to anchor. Here is how the Voyager looked sitting in the harbor, just a few hours before departing. Our sincere thanks goes to Captain Jay, Chief Mate Rich, Tyler, Eric, Morgan, Troy, and Jonathon, whose gave us all an unforgettable experience. |
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Precious supplies of humanitarian aid as it is unloaded from the vessel and inventoried. The use of the Voyager allowed a great deal of aid to be delivered directly to the people of Baracoa. None of the group's aid goes through the Cuban government; it directly benefits the people of Baracoa through the many programs of the St. Augustine-Baracoa Friendship Association. For more information about the Humanitarian Aid the Association provides, visit their website . |
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