Posts by Oscar

  • Old Timer stories, adventures, scares, etc.

    Son's Soccer game was canceled this rainy wet Sunday morning, newspaper is read, 2nd coffee is next to me so thought I would describe something I hope none of you needs to experience - being hit by a hurricane at sea on a sailboat.


    As I said in first post, the trip was uneventful for the most part - Cutter Rigged Sailboat pointed well, we had good working sails and until we were approaching Acapulco - a good auxiliary diesel engine. We only stopped a few times prior to Acapulco - Coiba Island for me to spearfish for fresh food, Punta Arenas in Costa Rica, then nothing until we were in Mexican waters. In 1961 the political and security issues in Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala were a concern so we sailed past these countries. I do fondly recall seeing hundreds, if not more, of migrating Whale Sharks off the coast of Guatemala heading north. For those unfamiliar with the Pacific along Central and lower north America - strong off shore winds blow off the mountains providing excellent winds off the starboard beam for our trip north. We had little need for the engine until we were on the approach to Acapulco and started having problems. Expecting to need lots of diesel fuel for the long stretches without ports north of Acapulco - we bought 2-3 55 gallon barrels of diesel fuel and stored them on deck - a major mistake as we would learn later.


    We had no electronics outside of a directional marine radio and carried a sexton and decent coastal charts. That's it. Storm/hurricane warnings and tracking in the early 60's was nonexistent. After 2 weeks in Acapulco we headed north with our auxiliary diesel engine "fixed" to Puerto Valarta - puerto Vallarta was just a small town in 1961 and we were just there to get fresh water since we were running behind schedule to take advantage of good winds and currents for the run up Baja. Unfortunately our engine gave out again and we had to sail into Mazatlan and through the breakwater without an engine. We spent a week in Mazatlan and provisioned the boat for the long haul to Southern Califorinia and again"fixed" the auxiliary engine and set sail for Cabo San Lucas and then north to SoCal. There were four of us on board but we lost one more crew on arrival in Cabo who had to return to school leaving three of us on board.


    As stated previously in last post - we ended up anchored in Cabo for three weeks with broken engine and missed the ideal conditions for the run north. We tried numerous times to leave Cabo but ended up having to return for lack of wind. All attempts to reach the owner of the sailboat (Duet) were for naught. He apparently got into financial difficulties and essentially abandoned us and the boat. We even made a run to La Paz looking for engine parts to no avail. After three weeks in Cabo we get word from fishermen that a strong storm/huuricane/Tabasco was headed north and we should leave Cabo for safety. We decided to return to Mazatlan where the harbor was protected. We sailed out and headed East by Southeast and were quickly becalmed in huge swells coming from the south. We floated up and down and we had our mainsail and two jibs up flopping in the wind (another big mistake) when I was relieved of my watch at midnight and went forward and crashed on the fore port bunk falling asleep immediately.


    Not sure of the time - but I was thrown from the bunk onto the port side where there was a port hole - the sounds, fury, and angle of the boat, me coming from a deep sleep - all I could think was we're we're going under. I crawled through the bat to the cockpit and found the captain, his girlfriend, trying to reef the mainsail, while the boat was keeled heavily to port with a wall of water flying over our heads and the wind howling through the rigging. We quickly tied our selfs to the boat with a line (there are no ropes on a sailboat - only lines) and gave up trying to reef the mainsail - impossible anyway, and just try to steer the boat quartering into the waves.


    It was surreal - the wind was so strong that it was whipping the top of the swells/waves throwing a layer of water above our heads as if we were underwater, we were now very worried about the 55 gallon barrels full of diesel fuel tied along the starboard and port stanchions forward of the cabin so the captain tied himself to a long line and attempted to crawl forward to cut them loose. He failed - too rough, too windy, too much water, too dangerous.


    Too much was happening to feel fear but I was sure the boat would sink and I started to question how I could survive in water that rough. We did put on life jackets but they would not of helped much in those conditions.


    I have no sense of time but it wasn't long that things started to come apart. First the main sail shredded starting on the roach - as one of the lines holding the outer jib broke taking the jib away. This was followed by the 55 gallon fuel barrels tearing across the deck taking the stanchions along with them. Fortunately the mainsail lines held leaving the heavy dangerous Boom secure and with sails being shredded, the pressure on the mast reduced - fortunately becasuse our mast held.


    The night passed slowly with the three of us in our underwear (roused from our bunks) huddled together, cold,, wet, scared tied together and to the boat wondering if we would survive the night.


    Dawn broke grey, cold, with rough seas with diminished but still strong winds and fortunately no shore to run aground on - with the realization that we're probably not going to sink. As it got a little lighter we saw the decks were cleared, only a small jib was left and main jib was gone and mainsail was mostly gone with strips left on the mast and boom. We stayed huddled until the winds died down enough and waves diminished enough to allow us to cut away and clear the stanchions and tattered sails and lines and clear the deck of dangerous loose stuff that could hurt us.


    We hove to with a jury rigged sea anchor as evening fell and started preparing to jury rig the sails to make it into Mazatlan the next day. We jury rigged a big jib at daybreak the following day. We had no idea were were were and it was dark grey ugly day as we lifted the sea anchor and made our way east until we saw shore line then turned south knowing we were blown far north into the Sea of Cortez by the storm.


    It was late in the afternoon under dark stormy clouds when we saw the breakwater and port of Mazatlan and limped in under stormy seas/skies and anchored in the bay under unbelieving stares and looks from other boats and ships in port for safety.


    To be continued ..........

  • Old Timer stories, adventures, scares, etc.

    Scary situation ESPECIALLY with Willy on board (age 3) who had no control over the situation. I know I fear for others, especially kids, over myself. I came within a millimeter of drowning off the coast of Colombia but that is in part 3 or 4 or maybe 5 my sailing stories/saga (pure undulated luck to survive)


    Gotta run to son's soccer game but next part of my story on sailboat trip from Panama to California was surviving a hurricane on a sailboat - didn't think we were going to make it. Up next. :@

  • Old Timer stories, adventures, scares, etc.

    Moved here to not hijack the other thread.


    Hope many of you can tell us some old adventures - Looking at YOU Don Paul!


    This thread (Sailing and Diving around the World on-going thread) brings back a lot of memories when I was a kid living in the Canal Zone. Accepted as a crew member on a 55 foot Cutter Rigged Sailboat (metal hull) going to be delivered to the owner in Southern California with a young Captain and his girlfriends plus 3 other crews members. Boat was bought in Florida and we were going to sail her to the owner in L.A. Must have been 1962 just out of High School. Note: My Mom who is 99 said it wasn't 1962 it was 1961 right after you graduated from H.S.


    Went pretty well until we got to Acapulco when we lost the small auxiliary diesel engine. Made it to Mazatlan where two crew left us to return to the U.S. and the 4 of us sailed to Cabo San Lucas where we anchored in front of the long pier that was used to unload sardines used by the fertilizer plant that was next to the pier. There was nothing else in the small fishing village. I was the sole diver and provided food by spearing fish and catching lobsters that I traded in town for rice and eggs. There were no hotels or stores other than small Mom & Pop grocery stores. I used to body surf with sea lions on the little tiny beach on the Pacific side of the now famous rocky point. There was NOTHING else in Cabo then. I had the entire bay to myself for spearfishing and catching lobsters.


    We were in Cabo for three weeks with no aux engine and all attempts to leave and sail north were unsuccessful due to winds and currents. This was late August/September (Corrected to 1961). One more crew had to leave to return to school leaving the Captain (young man in his 20's) and his girlfriend - both from SoCal and me. I kept us fed with my French Arbalete speargun diving the pier and shore out to the famous (now) point/end of Baja.


    All was well until a hurricane was making its way up the coast and we decided to return to Mazatlan where there was a safe harbor since Cabo's harbor was unprotected and faced south were the hurricane was storming up the coast. We left in good conditions with swells growing by the hour and made it out a few miles before getting becalmed. We moved up and down in the gradually getting larger swells to where the swells would raisel over us when we were in the trough. With three of us we of course took turns on watch/wheel.


    I had the evening watch and had just been relieved and crashed in the forward port side bunk in my shorts ...........


    TBC gotta run to see my neurologist for my back.

  • Hi from Jalisco, Mexico

    No te preoccupies del ingles - hay muchos aqui que no pueden escritoire ingles Tampico y son gringos :laughing3:


    No worry just send pics and good Jalisco Tequila :thumbsup2:

  • Vintage 1950s Haiti Spearfishing Film


    Guilty on the Jewfish - we did take a lot of them in the early days but none of them was wasted. I enjoy looking at them now and wouldn't consider shooting one now ; but in the old days shooting a huge jewfish with a spring gun or French Arbalete tied to a nylon ski rope with a Clorox bottle to old the line up - was sporting - freediving of course.


    Times have changed. We never speared Parrot Fish - we considered them to be unsporting and unedible - now they are a popular target. Go figure.

  • Vintage 1950s Haiti Spearfishing Film

    I had two Spring Spearguns like his, same mask and similar fins back in the 50's and maybe into early 60's but thankfully never speared Angel fish or Nurse Sharks. Or Puffer fish :nono: He sure stayed shallow but maybe because of the camera housing. I've been to Port-Au-Prince a few times for work and sadly trees are all gone and reefs are pretty much destroyed. We had the same rich reefs on the Caribbean Side of the Isthmus of Panama and hopefully they remain.


    Interesting find though - thanks.

  • Poor man's spearfishing FAD Fish Aggregation Device

    I picked up some Dorados 2 weeks ago from a FAD that was in about 100 feet off the mainland north of La Paz. Not sure who put them in the water but they were clearly marked with white foam buoys on the surface. They certainly seem to work. Curious about them being illegal in the U.S. - is this because of a law preventing building structures in the water or perhaps something else? I think it is illegal to "build" lobster attracting structures in Florida. MayBe Dan can jump in and give us some insight on the legality of FADs in the U.S. or at least in Florida. Dan?

  • The Adventures of Thumper

    Don - I've been fighting lower back pain for years and it has been especially bad the last few months. I sent you a PM regarding back pain and steps I started lat week to try and alleviate the problem. Maybe it will help especially as you are sooooooooom Much younger than moi :laughing:

  • What I have learned

    All true - I grew up on/under the ocean spent all of my time from age 8 or so on the ocean and under it from age 11 until I went into the service, Navy of course, 4 years bouncing around on a Tin Can then back to Panama and my ocean. The Panama Canal treaty with the U.S. ended all that in late 1978 and I have since moved from place to place but every now and again the call beckons me back to the blue. It's in our DNA and those that aren't afflicted don't understand.


    I got an email about Rick, and even if I didn't know him personally I still felt like I knew him because of what his passion was. How an highly experienced and accomplished diver can lose his life is a reminder of the thin line we sometimes approach in our love of the ocean.


    I have come very very close to dying in the ocean myself - one of those times was nothing short of a miracle of me surviving. Simple truth is we Freediver's and spearo's dive alone even when diving with buddies. It s the nature of our sport and we assume the risks and mitigate them on our own terms.


    Old age and lack of capabilities that I once had is now my safety net.


    We will always be drawn to the ocean, most here are fortunate to live close to an ocean or sea - some of us are left wanting but the DNA is the same and we stop and reflect when one of us is taken - but it doesn't deter us from yearning to return to the ocean.


    Sorry my single malt isle of Islay 16 year old Lagavulin scotch put me in an introspective mood.


    RIP Rick and hope the family is able to cope with their loss.

  • Hardline's Dive Reports

    Quote from hank

    I really enjoyed that. Thanks.


    I didn't know guitar fish were in the Atlantic. I've never seen one of those here.


    That was my exact thought when I watched the video. I did a fair amount of diving in south Florida in 1998-2002 and never saw one. Interesting.

  • Guam spearfishing reports

    Quote


    The girls here are amazing also. Long straight hair, dark eyes, small stature and VERY friendly. :laughing:


    Sir - forget fish photos - we want photos of the local girls - PLEASE Sir! :thumbsup2:

  • Frickin' Jake.. spearfishing Belize

    I guess you know how fortunate you are to live where great diving is close by with an abundance of fish. Reminds me of Panama in the 50's-70's with the abundance and types of fish. Regarding the Parrot Fish - we had lots of big Blue Hump headed Parrotfish that were huge as well as numerous smaller ones - we didn't eat them, in fact, not sure how or why, but we considered them unedible and even poisonous. Now I've learned they are eaten all over the world.


    Keep the photos and stories coming.


    By the way, how are the giant shrimp you were trying to raise work out?

  • These Quiet Mornings...

    Beautiful - kudos for using small Aperature to highlight what you wanted to emphasize on the photos. Like the original - you are also a talented photographer. Your friend is fortunate.

  • Stop bashing México

    Quote from monster slayer

    Perfect Oscar, the Dinner will be in my place, with some nice Paella or Fish tacos. You´ll see. Tropical Storms and hurricanes bring some water but that´s it , we are use to them! Thanks for asking.


    See you soon bro.


    El gran matador de Pez Grandes - I sent you a pm.


    let me know if there is ANYTHING I can bring you, your wife or daughters from the E.E.U.U./U.S.A. In 2 weeks.