Island People: Deep Water Dreams

Crossing the Seas

De: Henry R. Danielson

Narrado por: Henry R. Danielson

Two retired schoolteachers, former Peace Corps volunteers, have finished their careers in Western New York public schools, and after having explored the Great Lakes and Eastern Seaboard, they have sailed to the Caribbean. It is in the British Virgin Islands, at Nanny Cay, where they are challenged with the idea of an Atlantic crossing. Their boat, Tapestry, is a nine-year-old Nauticat from Finland that they had bought used and had fixed up to meet the surveyor’s demands for insurance. In Florida, they added dinghy davits and did what they could. They contacted Herb for weather help, and made the plunge, not the Gentleman’s Passage, but right off shore from Staniel Cay in the Bahamas, bound for Saint John in the US Virgin Islands.

It is here in the Virgin Islands that our story begins. “A sequel?” I hear you ask. It is, really. Island People: Finding Our Way is the title of the first book. Deep Water Dreams picks up with Hank and Julie as they, after sailing briefly in the Caribbean, prepare their boat for an Atlantic crossing with the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, or ARC. What would they need? Who would go with them? Would they do it by themselves? Was their boat adequate? Was it ready? Were they ready. What if the GPS failed? They had a sextant, but could they use it at sea on a rolling boat? These were all very real questions upon which their lives would depend.

Imagine a marina with a bar at the foot of the dock, where these two intrepid Americans would prepare their boat, try to install a generator and water maker as curious patrons looked on. Imagine finding capable help, people who knew electricity and plumbing, in this land of sweltering heat; this place where most folks come to relax.

Suppose on the shake down cruise, things don't quite seem up to par. What then? Whom could they trust? If repairs were inadequate, they might die. Suppose those they chose to do the work didn’t speak English well?

The Rally, actually a race, begins in Antigua. Picture a perfect night at sea, the constant lookout for ships, three hour watches, routing, checking, cooking and eating. See beautiful Bermuda! Imagine sailing for eight hours in winds approaching 50 knots, then come the Azores, and finally, after crossing the Continental Shelf, destination England! Sail the south coast of England: Plymouth, Dartmouth, Weymouth, The Isle of Wight. Explore the Sillies, cross Biscay to La Coruna. Round Cape Finnistere, and sail the Portuguese Coast to Rota Spain.

With the boat "on the hard" in Rota, Spain, back in the US, Julie is diagnosed for a second time with breast cancer. Surgery, discomfort, but courage is here. Could they?

Back on board, Gibraltar, the Mediterranean, and Morocco in Northern Africa are calling. The Costa del Sol is followed by the Balearic Islands. Stunning beauty, raging wildfires, screaming winds embrace them in Sardinia, and, unlike Homer, they went way in to the harbor on Corsica, somewhat to their peril.

Rome, Siena, Florence, and Venice come before returning to Tapestry, year three. The south of Italy calls with volcanos and the Isle of Sicily offers magical Taormina, Siracusa and Etna, the one eyed monster that hurled rocks at Odysseus.

Bounce off the boot to Greece. Island hop: the Corinth Canal, Delphi, lovely ancient and not so ancient islands.

Sail on to Turkey. Marmaris, a medieval city, a modern marina, powerboat races, tasteful restaurants, reasonable prices, myriad islands and coves. Explore magical Istanbul, and home.

Year four is the Eastern Mediterranean Yacht Rally, a tour of the Middle East, but wait. Health issues call again. Ambulance, sirens, hospital, surgery. A hospital deep in Alanya, Turkey. Is this a dream or a nightmare?

Listen to this memoir and experience the world of two retired Americans.

©2018 Henry R. Danielson (P)2018 Henry R. Danielson