Leon demonstrated that he could have made it without Beth's help and they arrived back in Cancun around 1am.
The crew at Gringo's Cantina, Puerto Aventuras Mexico
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Sunday
I slept in till all of about 7 am and J and I contemplated our next move. We started working on the steering issue trying to figure out a workaround for a part that we were told doesn't exist in Mexico. This was one of the hotter days so most of our contemplations took place in the air conditioning. Beth called and let us know that she, Brenda and Leon were leaving Cancun headed to us via local buses. J and Jerr went around the marina looking for a pipe to extend the emergency tiller in the event we couldn't get the steering issue solved. After my previous evening/morning adventure, I pretty much relaxed on the boat until Beth arrived. Beth, Leon, Brenda and I all went for a snorkel in the beach area where Mahalo Nui was stuck for a week. The snorkeling isn't bad there but not great either. About dark we all showered and headed up to Gringo's for dinner. Dinner and the company was excellent. The plan was for Leon and Brenda to head back to Cancun and Beth stay here. At about 9:30pm it was decided that Beth should guide them back through the three bus transfers given their unfamiliarity and the late hour. Donnie, the owner of Gringo's was nice enough to give them a ride to the entrance of Puerto Aventuras where they caught the local collectivo to Playa Del Carmen.
Leon demonstrated that he could have made it without Beth's help and they arrived back in Cancun around 1am.
Leon demonstrated that he could have made it without Beth's help and they arrived back in Cancun around 1am.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
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Second Chance
Latitude:20.49898
Longitude:-87.22482
GPS location Date/Time:09/25/2011 18:41:06 EDT
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Longitude:-87.22482
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Saturday - Brenda and Leon Arrive !!
J and I were up before 6 am to install the starter and alternator. I was working on the rudder still getting it secured and re-installing the steering points. J was working on the engine. J hit a snag and couldn't get the bolts in and I hit a spot where it would require me to fit into a really tight spot to get the last bolts in place so we traded. J got the bolts on the steering tight while I got the starter installed. J proceeded to reconnect all the wires but one had broken. I searched Second Chance for the right replacement connector and luckily I had one.
The starter was installed and I wanted to test it before installing the alternator. A quick test revealed success !
Between both of us we got the alternator installed, belt tightened, all hoses reconnected, wires tight and we were ready to start her. We bled the fuel system we had rigged and turned the key. She sputtered, spat but was running. The voltmeter showed that the alternator was producing 14 volts but she quickly cut back off. We raised the fuel tank to the counter so gravity could help with fuel flow as the tank and fittings are minimal for this size engine and restarted her. She roared to life, idled smoothly and even the RPM gauge was working. Jerr had joined the work crew by this point and Beth had gotten up to enjoy the success. Jerr put her in gear and everything sounded smooth with the exception of a warning buzzer. Everything appeared normal except for the buzzer which indicated water pressure/flow. I was sure we had knocked off a wire to the sensor but it wasn't readily apparent which wire. As it was 10am, Beth and I had to get ready to head to Cancun to meet Brenda and Leon. Jerr and J drove us up to the bus stop at 10:30 and we were off.
It took 3 buses and about 10 blocks of walking to get to the resort in Cancun. We arrived at 1:10 pm. Brenda and Leon arrived at 1:30 at the Royal Caribbean.
We got the room sorted out and apparently drew the lucky straw as the room is a 2 bedroom, 2 bath villa complete with kitchen on the second floor ON the beach. The room and resort are fantastic. We relaxed a little while and Beth insisted on showing them a few, quick, local sights. We walked over to the Royal Islander, a sister resort next door checking out the beach and amenities and had lunch at Paco's Taco's. Brenda tried a Grande Margarita and enjoyed it immensely. We walked along the back street and checked out the single mayan home in between all the resorts and a few iguanas. We then got on the local bus aka "collectivo". This is the bus the local workers use and a few savvy tourists. It costs $ 8.5 pesos for a trip within the hotel zone and into centro Cancun. This particular bus was a newer one and very nice. We went to Wal-Mart to stock up on a few accessories and see how the locals shop. The attitude of the locals is very different from the workers at the resort. It is just an interesting contrast. The bus trip back was more usual. A beat up bus, no air conditioning and a driver that was hell bent on making time. I am pretty sure we made record time back to the resort.
We returned to the room and Beth wanted to stay and catch up while I needed to get back to the boat to get things ready to move Mahalo Nui and Second Chance north. It was a good thing that Beth stayed in Cancun.
The trip back was uneventful but very long. Buses don't run quite the same schedule. I discovered that the bus from the hotel zone doesn't go to the ADO station, its a 6 block walk from the closest stop. Instead of taking the ADO to Playa Del Carmen and switching to the local like we did when we went to Cancun, I chose the Mayab bus which went all the way to Puerto Aventuras. It didn't leave until 11pm, so I waited around the station till 11, about an hour. Nice bus about 1/2 full. What I didn't realize it that they pick people up along the way, not at stations, just on the side of the road. By the time we passed Playa Del Carmen, it was standing room only. The next problem was that the bus stop in Puerto Aventuras is about 2 miles from the marina and now it was 1 am. So after a nice dark walk, I arrived at the marina, woke up J and Jerr and made it to bed.
I will add some pictures later but everyone is safe and sound.
The starter was installed and I wanted to test it before installing the alternator. A quick test revealed success !
Between both of us we got the alternator installed, belt tightened, all hoses reconnected, wires tight and we were ready to start her. We bled the fuel system we had rigged and turned the key. She sputtered, spat but was running. The voltmeter showed that the alternator was producing 14 volts but she quickly cut back off. We raised the fuel tank to the counter so gravity could help with fuel flow as the tank and fittings are minimal for this size engine and restarted her. She roared to life, idled smoothly and even the RPM gauge was working. Jerr had joined the work crew by this point and Beth had gotten up to enjoy the success. Jerr put her in gear and everything sounded smooth with the exception of a warning buzzer. Everything appeared normal except for the buzzer which indicated water pressure/flow. I was sure we had knocked off a wire to the sensor but it wasn't readily apparent which wire. As it was 10am, Beth and I had to get ready to head to Cancun to meet Brenda and Leon. Jerr and J drove us up to the bus stop at 10:30 and we were off.
It took 3 buses and about 10 blocks of walking to get to the resort in Cancun. We arrived at 1:10 pm. Brenda and Leon arrived at 1:30 at the Royal Caribbean.
 |
| Almost to the Villa |
 |
| The view from the villa |
 |
| Southern view from the villa |
We got the room sorted out and apparently drew the lucky straw as the room is a 2 bedroom, 2 bath villa complete with kitchen on the second floor ON the beach. The room and resort are fantastic. We relaxed a little while and Beth insisted on showing them a few, quick, local sights. We walked over to the Royal Islander, a sister resort next door checking out the beach and amenities and had lunch at Paco's Taco's. Brenda tried a Grande Margarita and enjoyed it immensely. We walked along the back street and checked out the single mayan home in between all the resorts and a few iguanas. We then got on the local bus aka "collectivo". This is the bus the local workers use and a few savvy tourists. It costs $ 8.5 pesos for a trip within the hotel zone and into centro Cancun. This particular bus was a newer one and very nice. We went to Wal-Mart to stock up on a few accessories and see how the locals shop. The attitude of the locals is very different from the workers at the resort. It is just an interesting contrast. The bus trip back was more usual. A beat up bus, no air conditioning and a driver that was hell bent on making time. I am pretty sure we made record time back to the resort.
We returned to the room and Beth wanted to stay and catch up while I needed to get back to the boat to get things ready to move Mahalo Nui and Second Chance north. It was a good thing that Beth stayed in Cancun.
The trip back was uneventful but very long. Buses don't run quite the same schedule. I discovered that the bus from the hotel zone doesn't go to the ADO station, its a 6 block walk from the closest stop. Instead of taking the ADO to Playa Del Carmen and switching to the local like we did when we went to Cancun, I chose the Mayab bus which went all the way to Puerto Aventuras. It didn't leave until 11pm, so I waited around the station till 11, about an hour. Nice bus about 1/2 full. What I didn't realize it that they pick people up along the way, not at stations, just on the side of the road. By the time we passed Playa Del Carmen, it was standing room only. The next problem was that the bus stop in Puerto Aventuras is about 2 miles from the marina and now it was 1 am. So after a nice dark walk, I arrived at the marina, woke up J and Jerr and made it to bed.
I will add some pictures later but everyone is safe and sound.
Friday 9/23
J, Jerr and I were up early to sort out the starter and alternator issue. Beth was still asleep when we left and as it should be a quick trip, I figured she could relax and enjoy the boat and the babies for a bit. We drove to Cancun to the Yanmar dealer. Yanmar is the maker of the engine on Mahalo Nui. We made good time and found the dealer easily. They had a starter in stock but would have to order the alternator. As with everything you need in Mexico, two weeks. Two weeks is a lot like maybe two weeks, could be four, six, or never. The other thing was apparently the parts were made of gold. He wanted $484 USD for the starter and $1300 US for the alternator. I have heard of robbery but this was just absurd. Even with the insurance company supposedly reimbursing expenses, this was just too far outside of reality. We didn't buy the starter and went to another marine supply store, not with the hopes that they would have the part but know where to go to get parts at a reasonable price. We were told two places to check. The first one had some ideas but didn't really offer any immediate help. On the way to the second place, I spotted a shop that rebuilds starters and alternators. We met Mario who disassembled both units and claimed he could rebuild them. We figured rebuilding and working was MUCH better than shelling out $1700+. We were concerned that it would be a few days as his shop was pretty busy but he offered to clean and rebuild both for $ 800 pesos ( about $75 US dollars ) We agreed on the price and were overjoyed when he asked us if 2 hours would be Ok to pick them up. We eagerly agreed and headed to McDonald's for lunch. After lunch we hit a grocery store to pick up some flavored water that Beth can't live without and then just killed time. We returned to Mario 2 hours later and he had finished the alternator and was just finishing the starter. I asked him if he had tested the alternator and he hadn't but said he would. We waited about 15 minutes for him to finish. The alternator didn't test well but he wasn't sure of all the connections but his opinion was that it wouldn't work. The starter which he tested in front of us, worked perfectly. We headed back to Puerto Aventuras with at least a good starter.
It was well after dark when we got back to the marina and Beth was bored. We all went to Subway for dinner and relaxed. Tomorrow would be a busy day with Brenda and Leon arriving.
It was well after dark when we got back to the marina and Beth was bored. We all went to Subway for dinner and relaxed. Tomorrow would be a busy day with Brenda and Leon arriving.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Tuesday ~ Thursday
Thursday : J and I were working on Mahalo Nui bright and early. It was time to get the fuel sorted out as we hoped to leave tomorrow. The last of the onboard fuel was drained as it had been contaminated with sea water. We didn't want to chance filling the onboard tank with new fuel until it was dry and had been allowed to dry to get the crud out. We adapted my generator diesel tank to feed, and accept the return line to his engine. It only holds 6 gallons but with an extra 5 gallons onboard, that should be plenty to get to Isla Mujeres. Once everything was all hooked up, we bled the fuel system and turned the key. Nothing. The engine wouldn't turn over. The starter is located on the port side of the engine and after being submersed for a week, it finally gave up the ghost and locked up. All attempts failed to get it going. Victor, one of the local guys came over and helped J remove the alternator and starter while Jerr and I started getting the rudder that was returned this morning ready to install. Victor and J were successful in removing the parts and they were rusty. The alternator still spun freely but didn't produce power when tested. The starter was locked down solid. Victor knows someone who may be able to rebuild it locally but we are attempting to source a "new" replacement. J joined me in the water while Victor and J worked topside to get the rudder installed. The shop said it was straight but after installing it, it shows a slight bend to port which makes it quite hard to turn but not un-usuable. The bad news is that without a running engine, Mahalo Nui wasn't going anywhere. With that done, we all cleaned up, J and Jerr spent some time in the office ( Gringo's Cantina ) and Beth and I joined them there for dinner. Tonight was Karoke night and Beth sang Barbie Girl in her chipmunk voice. They didn't have her normal chipmunk song. The knee has been feeling pretty good this week with only the occasional twinge. One of the songs they played when no one was singing was one of the songs from our wedding and I was able to dance with Beth, something I have not done in quite awhile. No pain while dancing nor after.
Wednesday : As we are supposed to be departing Friday, I spent the day getting Second Chance ready to go. I fixed the external VHF speaker that I accidentally broke whilst in El Cid. I made the starboard bilge pump better. Installed the new weatherstripping on the forward sail locker so it won't fill with water every time a wave comes over the bow and some general straightening and cleaning. There wasn't much we could do on Mahalo Nui until we got the rudder back which was now supposed to be tomorrow. We started getting the fuel off the boat as the onboard fuel was contaminated. J and Jerr took the bikes up to the grocery store and when they came back, Jerr prepared a great dinner. We spent a quiet evening on the boat watching DVD's.
Tuesday:
So much for getting the rudder fixed and returned. It looks like Tomorrow which is still pretty quick considering we are in Mexico. It was brutally hot today, no shade, little breeze. We did little things but just couldn't muster much energy during the heat of the day. We had taken the laundry in on Monday and J and Jerr managed to pick that up. Spent a little time in the morning in the office. Just tried to stay cool on the boat most of the day. Once we got a little afternoon shade, J and I tried to get his dinghy motor running as it was locked up. Apparently it took a wave at some point. After much WD40 and a bit of elbow grease we got it free but she wouldn't start. No fire and we didn't have the tools to pull the flywheel. This would be a project for another day. We knocked off about dusk and just before a large thunderstorm hit. J and Jerr brought pizza back to the boat for dinner and we all relaxed.
Wednesday : As we are supposed to be departing Friday, I spent the day getting Second Chance ready to go. I fixed the external VHF speaker that I accidentally broke whilst in El Cid. I made the starboard bilge pump better. Installed the new weatherstripping on the forward sail locker so it won't fill with water every time a wave comes over the bow and some general straightening and cleaning. There wasn't much we could do on Mahalo Nui until we got the rudder back which was now supposed to be tomorrow. We started getting the fuel off the boat as the onboard fuel was contaminated. J and Jerr took the bikes up to the grocery store and when they came back, Jerr prepared a great dinner. We spent a quiet evening on the boat watching DVD's.
Tuesday:
So much for getting the rudder fixed and returned. It looks like Tomorrow which is still pretty quick considering we are in Mexico. It was brutally hot today, no shade, little breeze. We did little things but just couldn't muster much energy during the heat of the day. We had taken the laundry in on Monday and J and Jerr managed to pick that up. Spent a little time in the morning in the office. Just tried to stay cool on the boat most of the day. Once we got a little afternoon shade, J and I tried to get his dinghy motor running as it was locked up. Apparently it took a wave at some point. After much WD40 and a bit of elbow grease we got it free but she wouldn't start. No fire and we didn't have the tools to pull the flywheel. This would be a project for another day. We knocked off about dusk and just before a large thunderstorm hit. J and Jerr brought pizza back to the boat for dinner and we all relaxed.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Monday - Recon Trip
Monday everyone was up early, even Beth and ready to head to Cancun and Isla Mujeres to check out the possible marinas and boatyards. Jerr rented a car and we headed north, without the advantage of a map to La Amada marina. Fortunately we knew our way around Cancun enough and a general location, and with a bit of luck, we found it pretty easily. La Amada Marina and Resort is very nice. The docks are high concrete platforms instead of preferred floating docks and they are very proud of them charging almost US rates. The marina was pretty empty but they didn't seem willing to negotiate the rate. Their repair yard only had two boats in it and their rates were equally high. While the area is very nice, it is also quite removed from Cancun and the local bus stop is about 2 miles away. Overall, a month at La Amada would be equally expensive as a month in Key West. From there we took the ferry to Isla and got a golf cart to get around. We stopped in to see our friends at El Milagro and gain some local knowledge about boat repair on the island. We also stopped in Marina Paraiso to check on their progress. The south dock has been finished but not cleaned up, the pool is done, but the area around it hasn't been cleaned up. The bar is finished and should be open later this month. They have made great progress but it still isn't done. From there we headed to the only boat yard with the capability to haul the boat out of the water. Their initial rates seemed high but some local knowledge told us how to bring that down. The decision still hasn't been made on where to go as alot of that depends on the insurance company which has been oddly silent. We headed back to Cancun and stopped at Sams Club and then made our way back to the marina. Dinner was take out from the local pizza joint and movies aboards Second Chance. The good news is that both our anchors have been repaired and returned and we got word that the rudder had been straightened and could be installed tomorrow.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Sunday
A nice lazy day starting off with rain in the morning and hot sunshine in the afternoon. We all lazed around today. J and Jerr went to Gringo's Cantina around noon to watch the Saints game. Beth and I worked on the starboard bilge pump unsuccessfully and then went to Paparazzi Pizza for lunch. We all met back at the boat late in the afternoon and watched DVD's. Tomorrow we head to Cancun to check out the new Marina ( La Amada ) where we will might be staying when Brenda and Leon join us next Saturday. J and Jerr are looking to get an apartment while Mahalo Nui undergoes surgery and recuperation. Hopefully the rudder for Mahalo Nui will be done and returned to us on Tuesday and we may head north on Wednesday.
Beth, Catie and Cocoa have been investigating the local wildlife. Apparently just down the dock lives a family of Mexican Agouti. They seem nice at a distance but get very protective when approached. Fortunately the dogs have not gotten too close. Beth keeps trying to get a decent picture and I will post it if she ever gets one.
Beth, Catie and Cocoa have been investigating the local wildlife. Apparently just down the dock lives a family of Mexican Agouti. They seem nice at a distance but get very protective when approached. Fortunately the dogs have not gotten too close. Beth keeps trying to get a decent picture and I will post it if she ever gets one.
Saturday 9/18
J decided this was the day the rudder would be coming off Mahalo Nui. The rudder was slightly bent during the rescue from the beach and was unusable in its current condition. We researched how the rudder should come off but were having trouble with access and one of the thru bolts just wouldn't come out. After working on it the previous day we knew we had to approach it differently. Finally, brute force won out and the bolt was free but because of the bent, the rudder still did not want to come out. J and I did our best to free it while Jerr offered direction from the cockpit. Again, a bit of brute force smoothed the way to getting it out. With the engine operational and the rudder being sent to a local shop to be straightened, Mahalo Nui was looking good to proceed toward Cancun under her own power.
The heat during the day is quite brutal although it isn't the temperature. The direct sun is the bad part. In the shade and with a breeze its generally quite pleasant so some of the afternoon was spent in the boat, in the air conditioning, watching DVD's. After we finished the rudder, we all cleaned up and after checking out several restaurants around the compound, we wound up at Gringo's Cantina for the special of the day.
After our late lunch, Beth and I worked on the forward locker and located its "leak" and I fixed the spotlight on the front of the boat. The leak was simply the hatch not sealing when closed and while a gentle rain wouldn't let water in, burying the bow in waves would. We rinsed off and cleaned the gear in the locker and once dry, repacked it. We will be looking for some new weather stripping when we head into town next week.
For dinner we tried a sushi restaurant and returned to the boat.
The heat during the day is quite brutal although it isn't the temperature. The direct sun is the bad part. In the shade and with a breeze its generally quite pleasant so some of the afternoon was spent in the boat, in the air conditioning, watching DVD's. After we finished the rudder, we all cleaned up and after checking out several restaurants around the compound, we wound up at Gringo's Cantina for the special of the day.
After our late lunch, Beth and I worked on the forward locker and located its "leak" and I fixed the spotlight on the front of the boat. The leak was simply the hatch not sealing when closed and while a gentle rain wouldn't let water in, burying the bow in waves would. We rinsed off and cleaned the gear in the locker and once dry, repacked it. We will be looking for some new weather stripping when we head into town next week.
For dinner we tried a sushi restaurant and returned to the boat.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Friday - Small steps towards success
I spent the morning up at Gringo's Cantina, aka the office catching up on some computer work. Beth worked on cleaning the boat and straightening out the foward locker while I worked a MacGyver to install a new bilge pump in Mahalo Nui. It looks like the main leak has been stopped but there is still a little leak but the frequency that the pump runs is much less than before. J and Jerr continued working on things but as today is Mexico Independence day, very few people were working on anything. I got the aft locker put back together and checked the rudder operation as well as greasing the Honda. J, Jerr, and I attempted to start the engine on Mahalo Nui but were not meeting with success. It wasn't until I was bleeding the fuel system that I noticed the fuel was cloudy. We pumped some into a clear bottle and it appeared to be about 60% water. I disconnected the inlet and return lines and bled the system dry. We then used known good fuel in a bottle as the "tank", bled the fuel system until proper fuel was returning and then attempted a restart. The engine on Mahalo Nui roared to life and was running perfectly. The next task will be to either drain the tank and replace the fuel or to rig some type of temporary tank for the run up to the repair yard. We still have the task of removing the rudder to straighten so she can steer but with a solid engine, the outlook is much more positive.
We grilled steaks and enjoyed a nice quiet evening.
We grilled steaks and enjoyed a nice quiet evening.
Tuesday ~ Thursday
Tuesday:
The insurance rep was at the dock on time and was told the tale of how Mahalo Nui came to be on the bottom and how she is now at the dock. He spoke english about as well as we speak spanish so Maryella helped translate. He took pictures and looked around the boat. He left us with no conclusions only to forward additional documents and pictures. J, Jerr, and I worked on the boat and I actually got to use my scuba gear.
I dove the hull of Second Chance to check on the damage of what we had hit and the rudder situation. There are a few scratches in the bottom paint and probably into the hull but nothing major. The rudders are in pretty good shape. The remainder of the repair to the rudders would be done topside. Diving Mahalo Nui was a different type of dive. There is a gouge in the fiberglass at least 3/4 inch deep and about a 6 inch circle as well as a few radiating cracks and numerous other questionable spots. J had gotten some lifeline underwater patch and I applied it everywhere I suspected water could be getting into the hull. By the time I was done, the bilge pump was pumping about every 5 to 6 minutes opposed to every 27 seconds. While the water intrusion wasn't completely stopped, it was much better. J and Jerr continued to take stuff off the boat to clean and see what is salvageable.
Wednesday: I was up way too early again and started working on Mahalo Nui. I rerouted the bilge pump power connection so it wouldn't be in J's way to continue working on the boat. I worked on Second Chance and fixed the water heater, starboard rudder, generator bilge pump, and fixed the Honda idle issue as well as cleaning the carbs and fuel/water separators. There was a good amount of water in the fuel/water separators so I am sure somewhere between Key West and Mexico I picked up some questionable fuel. After Beth cleaned out the port aft locker, I got into why the rudder wasn't working. It was a linkage bolt that had come loose and fallen out when we hit the rock around Punta Allen. The repair was pretty simple. I replaced the rudder lines and searched for the proper nut but was unable to locate one. J drained the oil on Mahalo Nui and didn't find any water in the engine oil, unfortunately water was found in the transmission. We rinsed the transmission and refilled it with oil. J didn't have another oil filter for the engine so it would have to wait until tomorrow to source a filter and attempt an engine start.
We all went to Latitude 20 for another excellent meal and good company. If you are ever in Puerto Aventuras, be sure to get at least one meal here.
Thursday:
J and I started on Mahalo Nui early and energized the secondary DC panel so we could add a few systems to the batteries as well as have control. We added the VHF, cockpit Nav, water pump and the bilge pump to the panel. We isolated the generator and engine main wires. Attempts to start the generator failed due to a faulty water pump. We were still waiting on an oil filter to try the engine. Around 1pm we all headed to Playa Del Carmen to try to source parts. We took the Collectivo bus which dropped us off in the centro. Instead of taking another bus or cab, we walked about 2 miles. My knee wasn't hurting until near the end when I stepped onto a curb that wasn't level. There is not a lot of level sidewalks here and much of them are torn up or in disrepair so walking around, it was inevitable. We got the oil filter and a couple other necessities but were having a problem finding the nut needed for Second Chance. We finally found it about 4:30pm for a total cost of 15 pesos for two. ( always buy a spare ). We took the collectivo back to Puerto Aventuras and hit the grocery store on the way back. Once back, J and I worked on the engine. Oil filter installed and filled with oil she was ready to test. We drained the fuel filter which contained a few ounces of water. Turning the key, Mahalo Nui belched and started. It was a little rough at first but smoothed out until she ran out of fuel. We had neglected to bleed the fuel line and as it was dark thirty, it would have to wait until tomorrow.
Beth made sloppy joes and we relaxed for the evening.
The insurance rep was at the dock on time and was told the tale of how Mahalo Nui came to be on the bottom and how she is now at the dock. He spoke english about as well as we speak spanish so Maryella helped translate. He took pictures and looked around the boat. He left us with no conclusions only to forward additional documents and pictures. J, Jerr, and I worked on the boat and I actually got to use my scuba gear.
I dove the hull of Second Chance to check on the damage of what we had hit and the rudder situation. There are a few scratches in the bottom paint and probably into the hull but nothing major. The rudders are in pretty good shape. The remainder of the repair to the rudders would be done topside. Diving Mahalo Nui was a different type of dive. There is a gouge in the fiberglass at least 3/4 inch deep and about a 6 inch circle as well as a few radiating cracks and numerous other questionable spots. J had gotten some lifeline underwater patch and I applied it everywhere I suspected water could be getting into the hull. By the time I was done, the bilge pump was pumping about every 5 to 6 minutes opposed to every 27 seconds. While the water intrusion wasn't completely stopped, it was much better. J and Jerr continued to take stuff off the boat to clean and see what is salvageable.
Wednesday: I was up way too early again and started working on Mahalo Nui. I rerouted the bilge pump power connection so it wouldn't be in J's way to continue working on the boat. I worked on Second Chance and fixed the water heater, starboard rudder, generator bilge pump, and fixed the Honda idle issue as well as cleaning the carbs and fuel/water separators. There was a good amount of water in the fuel/water separators so I am sure somewhere between Key West and Mexico I picked up some questionable fuel. After Beth cleaned out the port aft locker, I got into why the rudder wasn't working. It was a linkage bolt that had come loose and fallen out when we hit the rock around Punta Allen. The repair was pretty simple. I replaced the rudder lines and searched for the proper nut but was unable to locate one. J drained the oil on Mahalo Nui and didn't find any water in the engine oil, unfortunately water was found in the transmission. We rinsed the transmission and refilled it with oil. J didn't have another oil filter for the engine so it would have to wait until tomorrow to source a filter and attempt an engine start.
We all went to Latitude 20 for another excellent meal and good company. If you are ever in Puerto Aventuras, be sure to get at least one meal here.
Thursday:
J and I started on Mahalo Nui early and energized the secondary DC panel so we could add a few systems to the batteries as well as have control. We added the VHF, cockpit Nav, water pump and the bilge pump to the panel. We isolated the generator and engine main wires. Attempts to start the generator failed due to a faulty water pump. We were still waiting on an oil filter to try the engine. Around 1pm we all headed to Playa Del Carmen to try to source parts. We took the Collectivo bus which dropped us off in the centro. Instead of taking another bus or cab, we walked about 2 miles. My knee wasn't hurting until near the end when I stepped onto a curb that wasn't level. There is not a lot of level sidewalks here and much of them are torn up or in disrepair so walking around, it was inevitable. We got the oil filter and a couple other necessities but were having a problem finding the nut needed for Second Chance. We finally found it about 4:30pm for a total cost of 15 pesos for two. ( always buy a spare ). We took the collectivo back to Puerto Aventuras and hit the grocery store on the way back. Once back, J and I worked on the engine. Oil filter installed and filled with oil she was ready to test. We drained the fuel filter which contained a few ounces of water. Turning the key, Mahalo Nui belched and started. It was a little rough at first but smoothed out until she ran out of fuel. We had neglected to bleed the fuel line and as it was dark thirty, it would have to wait until tomorrow.
Beth made sloppy joes and we relaxed for the evening.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Check-in/OK message from Second Chance SPOT Messenger
Second Chance
Latitude:20.49893
Longitude:-87.22476
GPS location Date/Time:09/14/2011 19:15:55 EDT
Latitude:20.49893
Longitude:-87.22476
GPS location Date/Time:09/14/2011 19:15:55 EDT
Message:Living the dream !
All is well.
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Second Chance
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Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Monday
I was up at the crack of dawn for some reason. With the others asleep I headed to the car rental place to head into Cancun. The car rental place doesn't open until 9 so I had some time to kill. It was interesting being up that early and not on the Puerto Aventuras compound. It gave me a better view of the local life. I took the collectivo bus to Playa Del Carmen and walked around, hit the local internet cafe then took another collectivo to Puerto Morelos. By that time it was 9 am and my friend that runs the rental car agency there gave me a good deal and said there wouldn't be an issue returning it to Puerto Aventuras the next day.
Off to Cancun. I stopped at Wal Mart to get a few grocery items, then Home Depot which did not have anything I wanted, then to Nauticos. Nauticos is the "local" honda dealer and had been very helpful with the solenoid issue I had back in Isla. They had everything I needed at about 175% of the cost in the states. These were things needed so what choice did I have ? On the way back I decided to drive down the Hotel Zone to get a better idea of where things were for Beth's parents, Leon and Brenda, to stay. The Royal Caribbean is an excellent resort and centrally located. So, back to Puerto Aventuras. Apparently they are pretty strict on the speed in the Hotel Zone and they really don't like gringo's doing 70k in a 40kph zone. Apparently their procedure is to take your license and make you "appear" the next day in Cancun to pay a fine and get your license back. I didn't have time for this so 1000 pesos to the officer got me my license back and on my way.
Upon my return to the boat, My computer had developed issues. I spent the next couple of hours fixing that and then we watched Pirates of the Caribbean, On Strange Tides.
Ruben had worked on Mahalo Nui removing the floatation and lines. J and Jerr began assessing the actual damage. There are several deep gouges on the hull and one main impact point that has spider cracks emanating from it. The leak wasn't worse with the floatation removed but still needed to be addressed as the bilge pump continued to cycle. The rudder would not swing freely from side to side so it is possible that it was bent. Overall Mahalo Nui did pretty well considering the rocks, submersion and bouncing on the bottom for almost 6 days. The engine still has not been checked out but should be ok. The interior that was submerged is ruined and will have to be replaced as well as all of the electrical wiring and most of the electronic systems. The insurance company representative is supposed to be here tomorrow morning.
Off to Cancun. I stopped at Wal Mart to get a few grocery items, then Home Depot which did not have anything I wanted, then to Nauticos. Nauticos is the "local" honda dealer and had been very helpful with the solenoid issue I had back in Isla. They had everything I needed at about 175% of the cost in the states. These were things needed so what choice did I have ? On the way back I decided to drive down the Hotel Zone to get a better idea of where things were for Beth's parents, Leon and Brenda, to stay. The Royal Caribbean is an excellent resort and centrally located. So, back to Puerto Aventuras. Apparently they are pretty strict on the speed in the Hotel Zone and they really don't like gringo's doing 70k in a 40kph zone. Apparently their procedure is to take your license and make you "appear" the next day in Cancun to pay a fine and get your license back. I didn't have time for this so 1000 pesos to the officer got me my license back and on my way.
Upon my return to the boat, My computer had developed issues. I spent the next couple of hours fixing that and then we watched Pirates of the Caribbean, On Strange Tides.
Ruben had worked on Mahalo Nui removing the floatation and lines. J and Jerr began assessing the actual damage. There are several deep gouges on the hull and one main impact point that has spider cracks emanating from it. The leak wasn't worse with the floatation removed but still needed to be addressed as the bilge pump continued to cycle. The rudder would not swing freely from side to side so it is possible that it was bent. Overall Mahalo Nui did pretty well considering the rocks, submersion and bouncing on the bottom for almost 6 days. The engine still has not been checked out but should be ok. The interior that was submerged is ruined and will have to be replaced as well as all of the electrical wiring and most of the electronic systems. The insurance company representative is supposed to be here tomorrow morning.
Sunday
The overall mood was much better with Mahalo Nui at the dock. I spent a few hours in the morning before the others were up getting the batteries on Mahalo Nui straightened out and checking systems. I spent most of the day catching up on computer things utilizing Gringo's Cantina as my office. J and Jerr spent the day going through the boat, removing things that were ruined, setting things that might be saved aside and generally trying to clean things up.
Beth spent the day on the boat sleeping.
Sunday afternoon I started checking out the systems on Second Chance as the house battery bank was showing an error. It seems that one of the batteries had a dead cell and was dragging the entire system down. As Beth and Jerr prepared dinner, I isolated the battery and removed it from the circuit. I would have to go into Cancun to get a proper replacement tomorrow.
Mahalo Nui's onboard batteries were charging and keeping the bilge pump operational.
Beth spent the day on the boat sleeping.
Sunday afternoon I started checking out the systems on Second Chance as the house battery bank was showing an error. It seems that one of the batteries had a dead cell and was dragging the entire system down. As Beth and Jerr prepared dinner, I isolated the battery and removed it from the circuit. I would have to go into Cancun to get a proper replacement tomorrow.
Mahalo Nui's onboard batteries were charging and keeping the bilge pump operational.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Saturday - Success !!
It was a long night and a hard day but Mahalo Nui is safely docked in front of Second Chance. It was a very happy reunion of two ships that have traveled many miles together. Many people all over the marina came out to watch her return to the dock and a boisterous cheer went up as the dock lines were attached.
The long night began when J went out to check on her at 3 am and she was still taking on water. The patch was still in place but leaking. J was alone and managed to start the industrial pump and get enough water out of her until the pump quit working. I woke J back up at 6 am to get the day going. We went out to Mahalo Nui and she had taken on a good bit of water again and after a minor repair we pumped her almost dry. Ruben and his helper, Luis, were on the scene adding additional floatation. The plan was to get maximum floatation and take advantage of the high tide in the afternoon and get her out. Gerado, Jerr, and I went into Playa Del Carmen to purchase truck tire tubes to secure under the boat and over inflate to provide additional floatation. J, Eric, Ruben, Luis, Gerado, and a few others spent the day on the boat working toward the plan. We had a 55 gallon barrel tied to the main halyard to help keep her heeled over but the angle coming off the mast and the constant bouncing in the waves eventually sliced through the halyard and the barrel dropped. Another barrel was attached to the secondary mid mast halyard to keep her heeled.
At about 4:30pm, she started to move and was towed about 25 feet before one of the floatation barrels came off and jammed under the keel making for a quick stop to the progress. Ruben removed the barrel and she was gently guided around rocks in the shallow water.
Eventually it was a straight run to deep water but the waves and wind had their way with her and she stopped at another rock. She was stuck again but not for long and proceeded into deeper water.
She was guided to the entrance of Puerto Aventuras by Gerado and his guys towing her.
Fortunately the seas were much calmer, the wind light, northwesterly and, while not without drama, she was guided to the waiting spot in front of Second Chance. Dock lines were attached and J stepped on land.
We had a pump ready and a plan to get the on board bilge pumps working. I worked quickly and got the pumps running and she was empty within minutes. The aft bilge pump failed and the forward automatic bilge pump switch failed after about an hour. She was pumping about 20 gallons out every 30 seconds.
Eric, who is founder and CEO of Life 2.0, happened to have an extra bilge pump switch on hand. I installed it, checked its operation and went to bed.
The long night began when J went out to check on her at 3 am and she was still taking on water. The patch was still in place but leaking. J was alone and managed to start the industrial pump and get enough water out of her until the pump quit working. I woke J back up at 6 am to get the day going. We went out to Mahalo Nui and she had taken on a good bit of water again and after a minor repair we pumped her almost dry. Ruben and his helper, Luis, were on the scene adding additional floatation. The plan was to get maximum floatation and take advantage of the high tide in the afternoon and get her out. Gerado, Jerr, and I went into Playa Del Carmen to purchase truck tire tubes to secure under the boat and over inflate to provide additional floatation. J, Eric, Ruben, Luis, Gerado, and a few others spent the day on the boat working toward the plan. We had a 55 gallon barrel tied to the main halyard to help keep her heeled over but the angle coming off the mast and the constant bouncing in the waves eventually sliced through the halyard and the barrel dropped. Another barrel was attached to the secondary mid mast halyard to keep her heeled.
At about 4:30pm, she started to move and was towed about 25 feet before one of the floatation barrels came off and jammed under the keel making for a quick stop to the progress. Ruben removed the barrel and she was gently guided around rocks in the shallow water.
Eventually it was a straight run to deep water but the waves and wind had their way with her and she stopped at another rock. She was stuck again but not for long and proceeded into deeper water.
She was guided to the entrance of Puerto Aventuras by Gerado and his guys towing her.
Fortunately the seas were much calmer, the wind light, northwesterly and, while not without drama, she was guided to the waiting spot in front of Second Chance. Dock lines were attached and J stepped on land.
We had a pump ready and a plan to get the on board bilge pumps working. I worked quickly and got the pumps running and she was empty within minutes. The aft bilge pump failed and the forward automatic bilge pump switch failed after about an hour. She was pumping about 20 gallons out every 30 seconds.
Eric, who is founder and CEO of Life 2.0, happened to have an extra bilge pump switch on hand. I installed it, checked its operation and went to bed.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Friday - Progress ?
We coordinated early at the Gringo Cantina and got the day started off right.
Ruben and his helper were out early putting additional flotation on the keel. J and I joined the crew already in the water and got the water pumped out that had come in overnight. John and his wife Arlene, from Washington State, joined in to help as well as Eric and Gerado.
We worked all day getting additional flotation attached as well as haul lines. High tide was around 6pm and we were waiting for that to get moving. Gerado and his helper were on the boat while Ruben directed the effort. At about 5:30pm the effort was made to get Mahalo Nui moving.
She Moved ! A cheer was heard from the beach and she was in deeper water, not deep enough but deeper. This allowed Ruben to put the long awaited emergency patch on the "hole" in the hull near the base of the mast. The hole isn't an open hole but more of a split of fiberglass which allows water in. With the patch in place, J and I reconnected the bilge pump and got the remaining water out of the boat. As long as the patch holds and there are no other leaks she should be sitting exactly where we left her this evening. Ruben has inspected the hull and didn't find any additional suspect breaches so we are all hopeful. Ruben and his helper worked well into dark to be prepared in the morning. We plan on getting an early start ( 6:30 ) to take advantage of the high tide and with the added flotation, we should be able to get her moving and into deep enough water the sit upright and get towed to the marina. We need everyone to cross their fingers for a successful day tomorrow !!
Many suggestions have been made on how to get the boat moving but geographically speaking, Mahalo Nui is on a section of beach that can not be reached by a conventional vehicle such as a crane. The resort is too built up around the entire area to get any vehicle even close nor is there a section of the beach where we could pull her to and get a crane type truck. Because of the reef that is at the entrance of the "beach area" only very shallow draft boats can get in and then its a long path to where Mahalo Nui is around the various reef sections and coral heads. The path we must pull Mahalo Nui is exactly that path with the water depths averaging 3 to 4 feet for about 200 ft and then we should be in 5 to 6 feet of water where we can allow her to sit upright and be guided to the marina.
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The morning coordination meeting.
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We worked all day getting additional flotation attached as well as haul lines. High tide was around 6pm and we were waiting for that to get moving. Gerado and his helper were on the boat while Ruben directed the effort. At about 5:30pm the effort was made to get Mahalo Nui moving.
She Moved ! A cheer was heard from the beach and she was in deeper water, not deep enough but deeper. This allowed Ruben to put the long awaited emergency patch on the "hole" in the hull near the base of the mast. The hole isn't an open hole but more of a split of fiberglass which allows water in. With the patch in place, J and I reconnected the bilge pump and got the remaining water out of the boat. As long as the patch holds and there are no other leaks she should be sitting exactly where we left her this evening. Ruben has inspected the hull and didn't find any additional suspect breaches so we are all hopeful. Ruben and his helper worked well into dark to be prepared in the morning. We plan on getting an early start ( 6:30 ) to take advantage of the high tide and with the added flotation, we should be able to get her moving and into deep enough water the sit upright and get towed to the marina. We need everyone to cross their fingers for a successful day tomorrow !!
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| The sun setting over the resort |
Thursday
We were all up early trying to get something actually happening. I think we all lost our tempers just a bit with the frustration of things not getting done. This was a good day to attempt to get her out. The seas and winds were relatively calm. One of the contacts we made was Daniele, a local guy that had an industrial pump who would loan it to us Eric, J, and I took the pump and hoses out to Mahalo Nui using my dinghy. After figuring out how to actually work the pump, we emptied Mahalo Nui in about 15 min.
The onboard batteries were pretty dead but I was able to get the bilge pumps running enough to empty what the big pump couldn't. Unfortunately, there is a breach somewhere in the hull and while the water isn't rushing into the boat, water keeps coming back in and without enough battery power to keep the bilge pumps running, she eventually fills back up. Ruben brought 3 charged batteries so I could keep the interior emptied while he, J, Eric, one of his helpers and I attempted to float her using barrels.
At the end of the day, we just didn't have quite enough floatation to move her much. We might have made 5 feet of progress of the 50 feet we needed. We worked well past sunset and finally resigned ourselves to we have to finish tomorrow.
The onboard batteries were pretty dead but I was able to get the bilge pumps running enough to empty what the big pump couldn't. Unfortunately, there is a breach somewhere in the hull and while the water isn't rushing into the boat, water keeps coming back in and without enough battery power to keep the bilge pumps running, she eventually fills back up. Ruben brought 3 charged batteries so I could keep the interior emptied while he, J, Eric, one of his helpers and I attempted to float her using barrels.
At the end of the day, we just didn't have quite enough floatation to move her much. We might have made 5 feet of progress of the 50 feet we needed. We worked well past sunset and finally resigned ourselves to we have to finish tomorrow.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Wednesday - Frustration
No change on the state of Mahalo Nui. It seems getting things done in Mexico is harder that you would think. The local guys and salvage companies have never dealt with a sailboat beached like that or in this position, just powerboats. Powerboats have a flat bottom and can have air bags put under them and floated out, a sailboat like Mahalo Nui has a 5 ft draft and is 18,000 pounds, mostly keel. Many of the guys have theories of how it can get done but we are finding it very difficult to get anyone to commit. We are getting very frustrated trying to get this done. Jerr is about to pull her hair out because she wants things to happen now and in the states, it would have been done by now but this is Mexico and things just work differently. Hopefully today the seas will calm down and we can actually try to get something done.
Beth wasn't feeling well so she spent most of the day on the boat working on various things, J, Jerr and I talked with people to get the boat into the marina all day trying to get forward progress and while we have found several people that say they can help, its frustrating when nothing actually gets done.
Beth wasn't feeling well so she spent most of the day on the boat working on various things, J, Jerr and I talked with people to get the boat into the marina all day trying to get forward progress and while we have found several people that say they can help, its frustrating when nothing actually gets done.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Tuesday
J and Jerr were awake early and checked on Mahalo Nui. She was where she was the previous night and had not drifted. Unfortunately the rough weather wasn't ready to cooperate to attempt to get her off the beach and the forecast wasn't hopeful for anytime soon. J and I made numerous trips out to the boat attempting to retrieve things that were not ruined by the water already. It was a very sad thing to watch J going through things that were just ruined, it brought back memories of when I lost the house. Beth and Jerr made trips from the shore back to Second Chance organizing and storing things on the boat. Immigration came by about 5 to give us our official entry papers, at least we were in the country legally.
A few pictures of the interior of Mahalo Nui.
We all spent the afternoon moving, shifting, organizing things to fit everything onto the boat and still be able to move around. For dinner, we had all been invited to one of the restaurants on the Puerto Aventuras property called Latitude 20+|- by the owner Peter. Latitude 20 is a outdoor type restaurant serving really good food. We had the cheeseburgers and it was the best burger I have had since I have been in Mexico. That was followed by NY Cheesecake which was also excellent. We met Steve, a project director for Puerto Aventuras and he had heard the tale of the boat on the beach but wanted the full accounting. We relayed the story beginning with our departure from El Cid where he had worked about a month before. He commiserated with us and told us that he would be sure to get the correct story told and would put something in the local paper.
All the people here have just been so friendly and helpful. Where actual help isn't possible, sometimes its just nice to have others to talk to. It looks like we will be staying here for a bit. There is a new tropical depression headed this way but hopefully it will turn north soon and won't be an issue.
A few pictures of the interior of Mahalo Nui.
We all spent the afternoon moving, shifting, organizing things to fit everything onto the boat and still be able to move around. For dinner, we had all been invited to one of the restaurants on the Puerto Aventuras property called Latitude 20+|- by the owner Peter. Latitude 20 is a outdoor type restaurant serving really good food. We had the cheeseburgers and it was the best burger I have had since I have been in Mexico. That was followed by NY Cheesecake which was also excellent. We met Steve, a project director for Puerto Aventuras and he had heard the tale of the boat on the beach but wanted the full accounting. We relayed the story beginning with our departure from El Cid where he had worked about a month before. He commiserated with us and told us that he would be sure to get the correct story told and would put something in the local paper.
All the people here have just been so friendly and helpful. Where actual help isn't possible, sometimes its just nice to have others to talk to. It looks like we will be staying here for a bit. There is a new tropical depression headed this way but hopefully it will turn north soon and won't be an issue.
Monday - 9/5
During the night, Mahalo Nui had broken her anchor rode and was bounced further down the rocks and eventually about 75 feet off shore in the shallow beach area. The bottom was still rock and she was bobbing in the waves.
We coordinated with the dockmaster and a local dive master and salvage company. Ruben's plan was to further secure the boat by adding additional anchors to keep her from drifting anymore and place plywood and tires under the hull to prevent additional damage from bouncing on the bottom. The dockmaster, Gerardo, arranged to get immigration to come to us so we could check back into Mexico as it looked like we would be staying here awhile. Armondo, the dockmaster from El Cid, came over to bring the exit paperwork that was lost on the boat and commiserate with J and Jerr. The process of further securing the boat took quite a while as Ruben had to get the materials so nothing happened before noon. J and I made a few trips out to the boat and got the bilge pump working again but that was pretty futile as the water level inside the boat was equal to the water level outside which makes about 1/3 of the interior of the boat underwater. We made several trips to the boat removing personal items and trying to salvage what we could.
Ruben's plan was good but difficult to implement. Fortunately several guys vacationing at the resort swam out to help and we were able to get the boards under the boat and Ruben got the tires in place. Because of the angle and where we suspected the hull breach was he was unable to put an emergency patch in place. The seas were still pretty rough and he thought the weather might calm enough by Wednesday or Thursday to attempt to put air bags under her and float her off the beach. Part of the floating plan would be to use a gas powered pump to get most of the water out of the interior and keep it out until a patch could be put into place before allowing her to be uprighted. As dark approached, Ruben continued securing lines and the boat while we went back to Second Chance to clean up and have dinner. Nothing was done in the way of repairs on Second Chance as there were other higher priority projects and once things calm down, we will be ready to go with Mahalo Nui when she is ready to go to Isla Mujeres for haul out and repairs. Isla is the closest haul out port with the necessary equipment to make repairs. Mahalo Nui may have to be towed but all this is speculation at this point until we get her off the beach and can inspect the damage.
The news of the beaching had spread all over Puerto Aventuras and J and Jerr became celebrities. We went to dinner at Gringo's Cantina and had a good meal. We have run across a couple people from New Orleans and J and Jerr reminiscing about home made them feel better. Numerous rounds were bought for them and the story was retold many times. We have met some great people at Puerto Aventuras and if things had not transpired as they did, we might not have met them. Only time will tell what our destiny holds here. J and Jerr are currently riding a roller coaster of emotion and frustration but overall they are in good spirits and we do the best we can to help them.
We coordinated with the dockmaster and a local dive master and salvage company. Ruben's plan was to further secure the boat by adding additional anchors to keep her from drifting anymore and place plywood and tires under the hull to prevent additional damage from bouncing on the bottom. The dockmaster, Gerardo, arranged to get immigration to come to us so we could check back into Mexico as it looked like we would be staying here awhile. Armondo, the dockmaster from El Cid, came over to bring the exit paperwork that was lost on the boat and commiserate with J and Jerr. The process of further securing the boat took quite a while as Ruben had to get the materials so nothing happened before noon. J and I made a few trips out to the boat and got the bilge pump working again but that was pretty futile as the water level inside the boat was equal to the water level outside which makes about 1/3 of the interior of the boat underwater. We made several trips to the boat removing personal items and trying to salvage what we could.
Ruben's plan was good but difficult to implement. Fortunately several guys vacationing at the resort swam out to help and we were able to get the boards under the boat and Ruben got the tires in place. Because of the angle and where we suspected the hull breach was he was unable to put an emergency patch in place. The seas were still pretty rough and he thought the weather might calm enough by Wednesday or Thursday to attempt to put air bags under her and float her off the beach. Part of the floating plan would be to use a gas powered pump to get most of the water out of the interior and keep it out until a patch could be put into place before allowing her to be uprighted. As dark approached, Ruben continued securing lines and the boat while we went back to Second Chance to clean up and have dinner. Nothing was done in the way of repairs on Second Chance as there were other higher priority projects and once things calm down, we will be ready to go with Mahalo Nui when she is ready to go to Isla Mujeres for haul out and repairs. Isla is the closest haul out port with the necessary equipment to make repairs. Mahalo Nui may have to be towed but all this is speculation at this point until we get her off the beach and can inspect the damage.
The news of the beaching had spread all over Puerto Aventuras and J and Jerr became celebrities. We went to dinner at Gringo's Cantina and had a good meal. We have run across a couple people from New Orleans and J and Jerr reminiscing about home made them feel better. Numerous rounds were bought for them and the story was retold many times. We have met some great people at Puerto Aventuras and if things had not transpired as they did, we might not have met them. Only time will tell what our destiny holds here. J and Jerr are currently riding a roller coaster of emotion and frustration but overall they are in good spirits and we do the best we can to help them.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Saturday/Sunday - Heading south with an oops, followed by OS!
We departed Cozumel about 8 am and kept to the coast, passing the cruise ships and local excursion boats.
Clicking on a picture will give you a larger version.
The current didn't seem as strong this morning and we were able to get a decent sail with the wind.
Just before we took a heading toward Tulum, the reel started screaming and after a few minutes of fighting, a very nice Dolphin/Dorado was aboard. Catie and Cocoa went absolutely nuts having a fish bigger than them on the boat.
The decision to keep or release the fish was a tough one as this would be a really tasty fish. Unfortunately, we didn't have ice for the cooler, it was early in the morning and we had a long day of sailing to go. The fish seemed to enjoy his freedom when Beth released it back to the sea. Catie and Cocoa looked around the boat for the fish for at least the next half hour. We continued trolling but didn't catch anything else. Shortly after releasing the fish, we took a heading toward Tulum to cross the current and get near shore to stay out of the current and be closer to our proposed anchorage.
The day sailing was good and we were making decent time, we passed Tulum and continued heading south. As we were cruising we noticed the foresail Mahalo Nui was flapping. Apparently the port sheet had broken and J was quickly furling the sail. He examined the sheet and it was a clean break as if it had been cut. Because the seas were rough, trying to retie the sheet wasn't going to happen. We were still not progressing quick enough and the realization that we would be approaching Bahia Ascension in the dark set in. Everything we had read and heard advised against attempting the passage at night. We had the path on paper charts as well as the electronic charts but as you can see from the SPOT track, at 9:34 we made a sudden port turn as we struck something with the boat. Both rudders popped and steering got strange. In the pitch black darkness of the sea, we were unable to ascertain the actual damage. We headed east to deeper water and communicated our predicament to J and Jerr. We were all exhausted and tired of fighting the current but neither of us were willing to try the passage to protected anchorages. Beth was pretty freaked out by the incident and wanted to continue south to Bahia Santo. We attempted to head further south, slowly so we would get to Bahia Santo at sunrise. A few hours later, J decided to anchor while Beth decided to continue south, planning on rendezvousing with Mahalo Nui at Bahia Santo in the morning.
J and Jerr anchored just outside the reef and tried to get some sleep on a very rough anchorage. Beth and I attempted to head south to Bahia Santo but between the current, winds, and steering, we couldn't manage to actually make any progress south. It wasn't until about 5 am when we realized we were not making any progress and headed west back to Bahia Ascension. At 8am we radioed Mahalo Nui and were quite glad to find them anchored right where they were supposed to be. We made our way to them at anchor and we anchored nearby and attempted to get some sleep.
Back awake around 11am because of the rough seas at anchorage, I checked the boat for damage. The port rudder was flopping with the waves and the starboard rudder seemed operational but stuck in the up position which seriously limited our steering. The issue was also with the linkage as only turning the wheel full starboard or port would actually move the rudder. Repairs couldn't be attempted because of the rough seas and when we discussed it with J and Jerr, the decision was made to head to the nearest marina to make repairs which was north to Puerto Aventuras and at 1 pm, we hauled anchor and began motorsailing. The current was helpful and being pushed by the wind we saw speeds of 7~8 knots. The problem was keeping a true course and we wound up making a very long multiple S tracks back to Puerto Aventuras. While we were making good time, we would arrive at the marina about an hour past sunset.
We had the coordinates to the approach and the course to take and we stuck to it. The visibility was clear and the channel markers were lit as were the approach alignment lights. The seas were about 4 feet. We were leading and passed the first red maker on the north channel on the starboard side of the channel. We were hit broadside with at least a 2 meter wave. The wave broke over the side of the boat and the upper deck was awash instantly. This pushed the boat hard to port putting us dangerously close to the rocks but because of our shallow draft the wave also pushed us back into the channel and I powered through. Everything on the boat was tossed from one side to the other. We have been in some rough seas and have never seen this boat tossed like this before. Catie was on deck when the wave hit and was washed off the deck and into the lifeline netting. I was never so happy to see a wet dog on the boat. We powered toward the dock.
Mahalo Nui was just a minute or two behind us and J had observed the wave hit us and corrected his course to the starboard side of the channel when he was hit with an even larger wave than the one that hit us broadside just before the port green marker. The wave pushed them at least 40 feet and onto the seawall. Mahalo Nui slid down the rocks and J attempted to power forward to get back to the channel and another wave hit pushing them onto the rocks. Then a third wave pushed them around the side of the seawall where the green maker was, then another wave pushed them past the green marker and put the bow firmly in the rocks. This was the culmination of the OS! moment. During all this, Jerr was on the radio to me requesting immediate help but there was nothing I could do. I attempted to radio for help calling everyone I could but got no reply. All of this transpired about 100 yards behind us as we were attempting to tie up to the dock at 9pm. People that had witnessed the incident from the condos had joined us on the dock whilst I was scrambling to find shoes and a flashlight because my first instinct was to rush out barefoot but the sharp rocks and darkness made me rethink that. The people that came out told Beth and I that they had seen the accident and had already called the harbormaster and navy while asking if there were people on the boat, how many, children, etc. 5 of us made it out to the point to find Mahalo Nui with the bow firmly caught inbetween the rocks on the south side of the jetty. J and Jerr were ok, very shaken but ok. The boat wasn't going anywhere and was bouncing up and down with the waves. They were quickly gathering essential things like passports and Sally before getting off the boat.
J, Jerr, and Sally were safely off the boat. It was actually an easy step onto the rocks in between waves. As the bow bounced with the waves, the rocks dug further and further into the fiberglass. J made several leaps back and forth collecting essential belongings, turn off systems, and securing the boat as best as he could. J attempted to minimize the damage by placing a fender between the rocks and the bow as well as anchoring so the boat wouldn't drift further out. On J's last trip aboard he noticed water entering the boat with each wave and the bilge pump doing the best it could to keep pumping water out. The residents of Puerto Aventuras came out and offered assistance and even offered to put J and Jerr up for the night. The outpouring of concern was a testament to sailors everywhere. While many offers of assistance were made, J and Jerr had a home on Second Chance. We were already exhausted and felt we had Mahalo Nui secured, we hosed off everything that had gotten soaked including ourselves, commiserated about the situation and made sleeping arrangements. We finally settled down just after midnight and slept as best we could.
Clicking on a picture will give you a larger version.
Just before we took a heading toward Tulum, the reel started screaming and after a few minutes of fighting, a very nice Dolphin/Dorado was aboard. Catie and Cocoa went absolutely nuts having a fish bigger than them on the boat.
The decision to keep or release the fish was a tough one as this would be a really tasty fish. Unfortunately, we didn't have ice for the cooler, it was early in the morning and we had a long day of sailing to go. The fish seemed to enjoy his freedom when Beth released it back to the sea. Catie and Cocoa looked around the boat for the fish for at least the next half hour. We continued trolling but didn't catch anything else. Shortly after releasing the fish, we took a heading toward Tulum to cross the current and get near shore to stay out of the current and be closer to our proposed anchorage.
The day sailing was good and we were making decent time, we passed Tulum and continued heading south. As we were cruising we noticed the foresail Mahalo Nui was flapping. Apparently the port sheet had broken and J was quickly furling the sail. He examined the sheet and it was a clean break as if it had been cut. Because the seas were rough, trying to retie the sheet wasn't going to happen. We were still not progressing quick enough and the realization that we would be approaching Bahia Ascension in the dark set in. Everything we had read and heard advised against attempting the passage at night. We had the path on paper charts as well as the electronic charts but as you can see from the SPOT track, at 9:34 we made a sudden port turn as we struck something with the boat. Both rudders popped and steering got strange. In the pitch black darkness of the sea, we were unable to ascertain the actual damage. We headed east to deeper water and communicated our predicament to J and Jerr. We were all exhausted and tired of fighting the current but neither of us were willing to try the passage to protected anchorages. Beth was pretty freaked out by the incident and wanted to continue south to Bahia Santo. We attempted to head further south, slowly so we would get to Bahia Santo at sunrise. A few hours later, J decided to anchor while Beth decided to continue south, planning on rendezvousing with Mahalo Nui at Bahia Santo in the morning.
J and Jerr anchored just outside the reef and tried to get some sleep on a very rough anchorage. Beth and I attempted to head south to Bahia Santo but between the current, winds, and steering, we couldn't manage to actually make any progress south. It wasn't until about 5 am when we realized we were not making any progress and headed west back to Bahia Ascension. At 8am we radioed Mahalo Nui and were quite glad to find them anchored right where they were supposed to be. We made our way to them at anchor and we anchored nearby and attempted to get some sleep.
Back awake around 11am because of the rough seas at anchorage, I checked the boat for damage. The port rudder was flopping with the waves and the starboard rudder seemed operational but stuck in the up position which seriously limited our steering. The issue was also with the linkage as only turning the wheel full starboard or port would actually move the rudder. Repairs couldn't be attempted because of the rough seas and when we discussed it with J and Jerr, the decision was made to head to the nearest marina to make repairs which was north to Puerto Aventuras and at 1 pm, we hauled anchor and began motorsailing. The current was helpful and being pushed by the wind we saw speeds of 7~8 knots. The problem was keeping a true course and we wound up making a very long multiple S tracks back to Puerto Aventuras. While we were making good time, we would arrive at the marina about an hour past sunset.
We had the coordinates to the approach and the course to take and we stuck to it. The visibility was clear and the channel markers were lit as were the approach alignment lights. The seas were about 4 feet. We were leading and passed the first red maker on the north channel on the starboard side of the channel. We were hit broadside with at least a 2 meter wave. The wave broke over the side of the boat and the upper deck was awash instantly. This pushed the boat hard to port putting us dangerously close to the rocks but because of our shallow draft the wave also pushed us back into the channel and I powered through. Everything on the boat was tossed from one side to the other. We have been in some rough seas and have never seen this boat tossed like this before. Catie was on deck when the wave hit and was washed off the deck and into the lifeline netting. I was never so happy to see a wet dog on the boat. We powered toward the dock.
Mahalo Nui was just a minute or two behind us and J had observed the wave hit us and corrected his course to the starboard side of the channel when he was hit with an even larger wave than the one that hit us broadside just before the port green marker. The wave pushed them at least 40 feet and onto the seawall. Mahalo Nui slid down the rocks and J attempted to power forward to get back to the channel and another wave hit pushing them onto the rocks. Then a third wave pushed them around the side of the seawall where the green maker was, then another wave pushed them past the green marker and put the bow firmly in the rocks. This was the culmination of the OS! moment. During all this, Jerr was on the radio to me requesting immediate help but there was nothing I could do. I attempted to radio for help calling everyone I could but got no reply. All of this transpired about 100 yards behind us as we were attempting to tie up to the dock at 9pm. People that had witnessed the incident from the condos had joined us on the dock whilst I was scrambling to find shoes and a flashlight because my first instinct was to rush out barefoot but the sharp rocks and darkness made me rethink that. The people that came out told Beth and I that they had seen the accident and had already called the harbormaster and navy while asking if there were people on the boat, how many, children, etc. 5 of us made it out to the point to find Mahalo Nui with the bow firmly caught inbetween the rocks on the south side of the jetty. J and Jerr were ok, very shaken but ok. The boat wasn't going anywhere and was bouncing up and down with the waves. They were quickly gathering essential things like passports and Sally before getting off the boat.
J, Jerr, and Sally were safely off the boat. It was actually an easy step onto the rocks in between waves. As the bow bounced with the waves, the rocks dug further and further into the fiberglass. J made several leaps back and forth collecting essential belongings, turn off systems, and securing the boat as best as he could. J attempted to minimize the damage by placing a fender between the rocks and the bow as well as anchoring so the boat wouldn't drift further out. On J's last trip aboard he noticed water entering the boat with each wave and the bilge pump doing the best it could to keep pumping water out. The residents of Puerto Aventuras came out and offered assistance and even offered to put J and Jerr up for the night. The outpouring of concern was a testament to sailors everywhere. While many offers of assistance were made, J and Jerr had a home on Second Chance. We were already exhausted and felt we had Mahalo Nui secured, we hosed off everything that had gotten soaked including ourselves, commiserated about the situation and made sleeping arrangements. We finally settled down just after midnight and slept as best we could.
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