Max and Elizabeth on board AQUARELLA in Greece

My husband and I sailed together for 24 years, half of which were in the Mediterranean with our 37 year old 31ft Hallberg Rassy. Max was a retired sea captain and marine pilot so he was used to giving orders on board which I obeyed without question.

Sadly he died earlier this year and his very last voyage was when his ashes were spread at sea.
Needless to say I was devastated and faced with many challenges after his death.

Each day there was a new hurdle to get over and there were many difficult decisions to make. One big question was to decide what to do with the boat, which was standing on the hard in a boatyard in Greece.

I decided to take up the challenge of keeping the boat and sailing alone. I was very uncertain if I really could do it and afraid of crashing into something, falling overboard or ruining the boat etc. but at least I would give it a try.

I have now spent more than 3 months sailing around the Saronic islands and apart from a few mishaps it has been a great success. It has boosted my self confidence, doing things I never thought I could, and I don’t regret for a minute that I decided to keep the boat.

I have written many of my thoughts and experiences on my blog “Sailing on – single handed“.

Here is the entry I wrote on my blog after a rather eventful day sailing 30 miles from Poros to Porto Heli.

Alone at sea

I had been studying the weather forecast intensely for about a week and after 10 days of strong Meltemi winds it seemed Saturday was the best time to embark on the 30 mile solo sail back southeast to Porto Heli.

I left the anchorage of Neorion at 7 am, and after passing Poros town in the golden light of the morning I hoisted the mainsail. As there was hardly any wind it looked like it would be a motorsailing trip that day.

Any normal sailor hoists full sails in moderate winds and reefs the sails in strong winds but I did the opposite. I didn’t roll the whole mainsail out but left a few turns on the boom. This was only a reflection of my own uncertainty and lacking self confidence plus a little laziness and nothing to do with any advanced sailing technique. I just wanted to be prepared if any strong winds got up on the way.

Navigating round the islands

I chugged along happily with the autopilot on and camera in hand. I ate breakfast, drank coffee and relaxed, enjoying the changing view. I checked, double checked and triple checked my waypoints on the chart and the ipad, all was well.

Eating breakfast while the autopilot steers.

About half way along I heard the dreaded sound of the engine going right down in revs.The boat came to a standstill ! Instinct told me there was something in the prop. I put the engine into neutral straight way and then eased the gear slowly astern hoping whatever it was would unravel and loosen. However when I tried to engage the gear forward again it was very sluggish and I was afraid of doing any damage to the shaft or the engine. I turned the engine off.

With no wind to speak of, my options were few. I nevertheless hoisted the rest of the mainsail and unfurled the genua in the hope I could get some sort of speed.

1.8 knots was all the wind could give me. This would mean another 8 hours at least, but the worst thing was I could hardly steer and I was right in the middle of the fairway between the islands with high speed ferries charging past on both sides !

I tried to rig my Gopro camera to a boat hook in order to sink it down and inspect the prop. In theory it should be able to connect to my ipad by wifi so I could use the ipad as a monitor and see what was going on. But I couldn’t get them to connect so I gave up that idea. I was unwilling to go overboard and dive under the boat in the middle of a shipping lane. With 104 meters under the keel, anchoring wasn’t an option either.

Fortunately the wind started picking up then and I was under way again. I didn’t enjoy the rest of the trip though as I was worrying about how to anchor in a strong wind under sail. I’d never tried that, not even with Max.

Fortunately Porto Heli is a very big bay so there would be lots of room for mistakes. When I turned into the bay I thought I would try my luck and start the engine and gingerly shift into forward gear. It responded, although still sluggish. It gave me just enough propulsion to turn Aquarella into the wind and get the sails down. Then I dropped the anchor and let out a sigh of relief. My next reaction was to triumphantly throw my arms in the air, YESSSSS – I made it!

After a short rest I donned snorkel and fins to get down to the work of freeing the prop. I’m fully aware I walk like a duck on deck but I do wish I could dive like a duck in water – I can’t. Even my 7 year old grand daughter Olivia laughed when she saw me trying a couple of weeks ago “You forgot to take your bottom with you” she said.

Well at least I could see under water with my snorkel. There was a large strong plastic sack entwined around the prop. I couldn’t reach it with the knife in my hands so I used my feet and toes like a pair of clumsy pincers or plyers. Bit by bit I could loosen and remove the torn plastic and after an hour the prop was free. I had cramp in my feet and antifouling on my toes and in my nails but I was over yet another hurdle I didn’t think I could manage.

The last bit of plastic finally out of the prop.

About Elizabeth Tyler

Elizabeth was born in 1946 in England but has lived most of her life in Scandinavia. As a visual artist by profession she spends most of her time painting and exhibiting her works at galleries and museums in northern Europe. Since it’s the sea, the beach and marine life that inspires her most, she combines business with pleasure by painting on either on board her boat in the Mediterranean or in her studio in Sweden.

Apart from painting, She does etching and engraving and produces art educational videos. She also illustrates and writes books about painting techniques.

Her website: www.elizabethtyler.com
Her art blog: elizabethtyler-artist.blogspot.se/
Her sailing blog: yachtswoman.blogspot.se/

More on this website

• Debbie Leisure learns to sail her boat single-handed: Debbie Leisure writes about how she learned to single-hand her boat after the death of her husband.
• On my own, but never alone, by Laura McCrossin
• All dressed up and too afraid to go: Rediscovering the courage to set out alone, by Laura McCrossin

As I prepare for a brief 4-day jaunt to Biscayne Bay with my ketch Annie Laurie, a trip I’ve been planning for weeks, I realize it’s been close to 3 years since I’ve taken the boat out sailing on my own.  I’ve decided it’s high time to try again, to remind myself that as much as I love sailing with others, there’s something to be said for the feeling of accomplishment that comes with doing it on your own.

I’ve always been one to be overly prepared when setting out alone, and this time has been no different. I’ve double and triple checked all the engine essentials and spares. I’ve carefully stowed everything below, checked the entire rig, top to bottom; shackles, blocks, lines… I have everything set and ready to go, so upon arriving at the bottom of the Miami River, I should be prepared to quickly and easily set sail on my own.

So, it’s 10:30 AM, and I’m finally ready to set out.

Wait, just let me put those books away.  Oh, and the anchor that’s lying loose on the deck. And the A/C unit. No use in carting that out to sea, without having the power to run it while I’m out there.

Ok, now I’m ready.  Oh wait, the boat on the outside dock is spidered-in for hurricane season. I’ll have to move a few of his lines if I want out. Hmmm.

Just a little bit of uncertainty is a powerful thing, especially when you’re already harboring a few doubts, even if they’re only minor.

Severe thunderstorm over Miami

It’s windy. Gusting to 25 knots at times, from the direction I need to go. Fifty percent chance of severe thunderstorms in the area, though I’m not seeing any indication on the current radar.  I’ve planned this for so long… am I just making excuses now? Or is my intuition rightly guiding me, ensuring my safety, until a more pleasurable weather window opens up?

I cant help but be hard on myself for the increased anxiety I feel building, to sail a mere 5 miles to No Name Harbor, a place I’ve been a dozen of times before.  It’s child’s play compared to the places I’ve taken Annie Laurie in the past.

It was just 4 years ago that I was thoroughly enjoying sailing throughout the Bahamas alone, aside from my cat Effie.  Sure, there were a few hairy moments, but in general, I didn’t think twice before hauling my anchor and getting underway to another new anchorage.  It was just what I did, it was a way of being, and while uncertainty was inherent with sailing to new places, it was rarely something I feared.

ANNIE LAURIE at anchor, No Name Harbor

Is it just a matter of pushing through the fear I feel today? Will I feel any less anxious on another sunny, 10-knot day? Is it the wind, the tight navigation getting out of the marina, the thunderstorms, and my never-ending engine concerns (rational or not) that is the root of my fear? Or have I simply softened, and am fearful of being out there alone again, with only myself to rely on?

As the clock approaches 4:00 PM, I realize that those questions likely won’t be answered today.  So I decide my plan of action (or inaction) must be patience. Another day, another set of weather circumstances, and perhaps words of encouragement from an as-of-yet unknown source, and maybe I’ll find that place inside myself, that I know couldn’t have disappeared completely in the last 3 years, that will have me leaving the dock full of excitement, and not trepidation.

To be continued.

About Laura McCrossin

Laura was born and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and began her sailing career on tall ships in 2001.

For the last 7 years, she has been the proud owner of Annie Laurie, and has sailed her from Canada to Cuba, Mexico, the Bahamas, and many ports in between.

She is the author of Written in Water: An Uncharted Life Aboard a Wooden Boat, available through visiting her website www.scotiansailor.com

More on this website

• On my own, but never alone, by Laura Mc Crossin
• Fighting Fears
  In this series experienced cruising women expose common fears that have nagged them and share ways they’ve found to keep fears from getting in their way.

When I first decided to set out to the Bahamas aboard my 40-foot wooden Rosborough ketch, I didn’t really contemplate the possibility that I would be wholly unsuccessful at finding crew interested in a free tropical vacation. But, alas, people have lives and responsibilities, and when Annie Laurie was prepared for sea, I found I was left with little choice other than to muster up the courage to set out on my own.

ANNIE LAURIE, off Bahia Honda, Cuba. Photo by Laura McCrossin

I had sailed south from Nova Scotia the winter before, with the help of my sister and a few good friends. I had experienced the allure of Cuba and Mexico, and spent many months anchored in Key West. As I planned to take Annie Laurie home to Canada for the upcoming summer, I decided a detour to the Bahamas was in order before the long slog home.

While in Nova Scotia, I had sailed many times alone, but never more than the 60-mile passage between my hometown of Halifax and the nearby town of Lunenburg.

I knew my boat, and was confident and comfortable doing everything aboard, engine-wise and otherwise. I only really sought-out crew when I knew there would be overnight trips involved with a passage, as I didn’t have a working autopilot aboard.

After looking over the charts of the Abacos, Eleuthera, and the Exumas, I knew I could make my way around without the necessity of an over-nighter, so with that excuse for crew no longer valid, I began to convince myself it was high time I challenged myself with an extended solo trip.

As I made final preparations, many people (who’d never sailed a 6-foot draft boat) readily assured me I drew too much to cruise the Bahamas, and would have to choose an alternate destination. In addition, I was informed toredo worms were rampant, and my mahogany-on-oak boat would look like a sponge by the time I was ready to sail back to the United States. As doubts compounded, I fortunately met a sailing couple that had cruised the Bahamas with their wooden boat years earlier without an issue, and now cruised the same waters aboard their 9-foot draft steel schooner.

As I got underway, I was greeted with repeated doses of surprise by many sailing couples, as well as men sailing solo. I began to feel I carried a certain responsibility to spread the understanding that women are just as capable as men of cruising alone.

My first, and only, Cuban cigar, following a stressful reef crossing in 25 knots and no charts

Many didn’t understand how a woman was up to the physical challenges, to which I could only respond that that is the least of one’s challenges when cruising. On a 40-foot boat, Marconi-rigged and with a roller-furled Genoa, the sails were not the least bit heavy, or difficult to raise or trim. The most physically demanding aspect of handling Annie Laurie was hauling the 33-lb Bruce anchor and 30 feet of chain without the convenience of a windlass (I know I have carried heavier boxes of groceries into the house from the car). Sometimes I wish sailing was more physically demanding, as whenever I’m underway for any length of time, I usually find myself rooting through cubbies to dig out my my fat pants.

Another one of my favorite reactions I received was “Aren’t you scared?” Sure I was scared. Most of the time, might I add. I think every careful sailor, who is in constant mind of the possible worst-case scenario, will carry a certain amount of fear and concern at any given moment. It’s what keeps you safe. Couples may handle that fear by having each other, and men sailing alone might handle it by quietly telling themselves that everything will be okay, and that things aren’t as bad as they seem, and by reminding themselves they made every prudent preparation before ever leaving the dock. That is human, and that’s what I did.

Sure I was scared. Most of the time, might I add. Photo by Laura McCrossin

There is a certain amount of mental stamina required, mostly to deal with the monotony of ones self during those days when other cruisers are scarce. Having a best friend aboard of the canine or feline variety can provide a sense of calm in any situation, and can even provide occasional on-board entertainment when they inadvertently fall overboard, or seek attention by posing for a picture.

Cabin Girl, Effie McCrossin. Photo by Laura McCrossin

Effie, named for the oldest Grand Banks schooner still afloat (Effie M. Morrissey, now known as Ernestina) continues to be my loyal companion, and was with me through some of the most difficult challenges of my life. Through stormy seas, and turbulent relationships, she never left my side.

Finally, it is human nature to help other people, especially if you see them facing a challenge alone. I was the grateful recipient of many acts of kindness during my voyage, whether by receiving help setting a second anchor in a gale, getting my engine started after a filter change and I’d allowed too much air through the system for the umpteenth time, or when I met an electronics expert from South Africa who fixed my autopilot and had it working for the first time in years.

People were always coming out of the woodwork, without solicitation, to lend their assistance. And there is something about eating dinner alone that seems to tug on heartstrings of sailing couples, and when anchored amongst other boats, I rarely ate dinner without good company.

So if my experiences are any example, then I find it increasingly difficult to claim I sailed the Bahamas alone. If I had known the people I was about to meet, and the shared experiences and memories I was about to make, my worries before departure would have been greatly alleviated.

And if you’re single, you’ll undoubtedly meet a few admirers along the way, and you might just meet your soul mate. I did.

Phil and I, No Name Harbor, Key Biscayne, FL. Photo by Ann Spencer

About Laura McCrossin

Laura was born and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and began her sailing career on tall ships in 2001.

For the last 6 years, she has enjoyed the freedom of sailing her own wooden ketch from Canada to Cuba, Mexico, the Bahamas, and many ports in between.

She has just published her book based on her experiences “Written in Water: An Uncharted Life Aboard a Wooden Boat”, available now on Amazon, or through her website www.scotiansailor.com

A Kindle version is available on Amazon.

Read also on this website

• Debbie Leisure: What I learned on my first solo trip to the Bahamas
• Debbie Leisure learns to sail her boat single-handed
• Getting started on tall-ships, by Stephanie Katz
• Single Women Sailing, by Gwen Hamlin (Admiral’s Angle column):
  Part 1 and Part 2
• The  Need to Know: Sheri Schneider is on her own in the Pacific after her husband is evacuated, by Gwen Hamlin  (Admiral’s Angle column)

Would you like to share your sailing story?

Let us know.

Email kathy@forcruisers.com or leave a comment below.

Ginni and a marine iguana in Galapagos

When I first became involved with boats around ‘96, many magazine articles focused around ‘pink’ roles, of cooking on board, decorating the boat, or managing children on boats (I have six children), as if that was all women ever did!

I also gained a lot of useful knowledge in other sections re boat maintenance and cruising tips. Nothing can stop a woman from reading! Reading served to fuel my determination that one day I would go cruising.

My wish finally came in 2006 after finally having a little space between children’s final exams. Our six children are spread over a large range, and for many years we were constantly preparing one of them for high school graduation. The break came and this was my opportunity.

My husband was unable to join me so I was without permanent human crew. I had an 18-month window and badly needed a radical change to re-charge my batteries.

18 months was much too short, but it was either achieve this or not try at all.

A factor dictating the route and timing was the avoidance of revolving tropical storms in both hemispheres. Previous years of boating practice and study such as RYA Yacht Master Offshore, basic engineering, celestial navigation and radio telephony were about to be tested offshore on a circumnavigation. It was now or never.

DAI LONG WAN going out through the tricky passout of Knysna in South Africa. Photo taken by a Knysna Yacht Club member

Our catamaran, named Dai Long Wan, was a 45-foot Robertson & Caine Leopard, built in South Africa, an ex-charter vessel we purchased in the Caribbean.

Although well-used she was a solid and seaworthy vessel which I had sailed on from the British Virgin Islands to Hong Kong in 2005. That trip was just the hors d’oeuvres.

Starting out in Hong Kong (my home then), I planned a route via SE Asia, across the Indian Ocean, around South Africa before crossing the Atlantic. I would go via the Panama Canal and then across the Pacific back to Hong Kong.

Capt’n Ginni and crew Dave leaving Seychelles

Permanent crew was my dog Henry, a large dog of indeterminate breed, but a lovable and constant companion. Various crew planned to join me on different legs of the journey, which was not ideal but which worked well.

Two ladies joined me for the first leg from Hong Kong to Phuket in Thailand, having a lot of laughs on that leg and surprising the officials in Singapore who found it difficult to believe Henry the Dog was the only male crew member.

A satellite telephone on board kept me in touch with family, friends, and potential crew around the world.

I began writing a daily journal to share the experience and my thoughts while on board, especially of what it is really like ‘out there’ on the big ocean. Unexpectedly I found a new love, writing, and kept at it almost daily unless conditions dictated otherwise.

The journey was extraordinary.

DAI LONG WAN in the ocean near the island of Nauru in the Pacific. Photo by RAAF pilot and crew on a search and rescue mission for missing fishermen

Crossing an ocean creates such a feeling of freedom, of joy in the environment, the extravagant night sky and delight in the surprise visit of whales, dolphins, the many different sea birds.

A busy life on land often precludes the in-depth enjoyment of our natural environment.  At last I had time to soak it up and the experience was life changing.

Favorite places visited included the Chagos Archipelago (a British Indian Ocean Territory), Isla Del Coco (a World Heritage site administered by Costa Rica), South Africa and Galapagos (administered by Ecuador).

- The Chagos Archipelago was like being anchored in a giant, tropical aquarium, with myriads of tropical fish, manta rays and sharks swimming right around the boat at anchor, and dainty terns performing aerial ballet in pairs over the lagoon.

African traffic jam

- Isla Del Coco is famous for its sharks, especially its large schools of hammerheads which can be seen even by snorkeling.

- South Africa’s landscape and wildlife is unrivalled and having to stop for real zebras crossing the road seemed unreal, and hippos roaming the local golf course were par for the course.

- Unusual animal and plant life of Galapagos was fascinating, with punk marine iguanas lying around the beaches and rocks, and giant tortoises grazing on the hills looking like slow moving rocks.

Meeting other cruisers is fun and there are so many interesting and inspiring people from all around the world and all walks of life mingling together.

Coco De Mer playing in the clear window above the driving station

People are willing to help one another and I received help from a few. Social gatherings were always a lively exchange.

A unique experience was single handing, and I did a couple of legs each over 1000 miles.

At first I talked constantly to Henry, the dog, and the cat, Coco. The realization that there is no help at hand was sometimes daunting and I often lit the boat like a Christmas tree, being afraid I might not be seen by ships despite the fact the boat carried two radar reflectors. On those legs I discovered the best crew ever, though a little shorthanded!

It was not always roses however.

It was not always roses however, as we faced gales, frequent squalls and the edge of a cyclone near South Africa, with the occasional challenge of broken equipment at sea. Facing these events head on was not an option, and each successful crossing whether a few hundred, or a few thousand miles was very satisfying.

Some anchorages were not safe, twice boats beside us were robbed, but ours spared because of Henry the Dog’s vigilance. Henry also helped scare  three men in an open boat about 90 miles from Galapagos who came alongside and tried to board our vessel while we were under sail. We expected they might be asking for water but it became clear that their intentions were not friendly. The Ecuadorian Navy people told us they thought they were illegal shark fishermen.

The journey was a privilege and life changing.

I didn’t learn to sail until age 54 so it is never too late to go for it, and do something you would love to do. If you are reasonably strong and healthy and think you can, why not give it a go!

All the best to readers,

Ginni

About Virginia (Ginni) MacRobert

Virginia MacRobert was born in Australia and raised on a farm in New South Wales, which prepared her for a life of adventure.

A few careers and a few decades later she found herself in Hong Kong raising a large family, all of whom learned to sail.

As the members matured and left home to develop their own careers she decided that the family sailing catamaran ought not to be sitting at the dock collecting barnacles and so prepared herself, the dog Henry, and the boat for an extended cruise, right around the world.

The journey was life-changing and far more adventure was had than anticipated.

Gin’s Tonic, her daily log, records this.

Read also on this website

• Debbie Leisure learns to sail her boat single-handed.
• Single Women Sailing – Part 1 (Admiral’s Angle column #27)
  Ways to get into sailing when you are single
• Single Women Sailing – Part 2 (Admiral’s Angle column #28)
  Perspectives on owning and operating your own boat
• Books that Women Write about Cruising
  Our Cruising Women’s Bookstore lists books that women write about cruising that our contributors have found useful.

More information (external links)

• Virginia MacRobert’s book: Gin’s Tonic: Ocean Voyage, Inner Journey is available at amazon.com.

Do you have a story to share?

Let us know.

Email kathy@forcruisers.com or leave a comment below.

In September of 2009, Debbie Leisure wrote here on the Women and Cruising Blog about how she learned to single-hand her boat after the death of her husband. At the end of the post Debbie said that she planned to sail to the Bahamas this winter. So we recently asked Debbie to update readers – sharing what she has learned on this trip while it is fresh in her mind. Thanks, Debbie!

Yes, I’m sure I learned a lot his winter, my first solo trip to the Bahamas.

I’m also sure that I knew some of these things before setting out for the Bahamas, but I now REMEMBER that I knew them.

Lessons along the ICW

The learning experience did not take long to begin.

I left Oriental, North Carolina in October heading south along the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway) and on my second morning out I ran aground.

What did I learn?

That I have to pay very close attention to currents, and I learned that TowBoat US towing insurance is a wonderful thing to have.

Also, that I can call TowBoat US before I run aground when in unfamiliar waters, and they will advise me and give me the local knowledge that I need.

Day three and another lesson.

I’m still not real sure exactly what the lesson was that day. But I did learn that you can call TowBoat US two days in a row and they keep coming to help!

What actually happened was that my anchor became fouled on something on the bottom.

After much maneuvering on my part, and advice from my buddy boat that was circling around, I could not release the anchor from the bottom. Thus, Towboat US.

Unfortunately, they also couldn’t retrieve my anchor and I had to cut the anchor chain leaving behind 30 feet of chain and a perfectly good anchor.

The area I was in was not such that I could dive on the anchor, and the cost of hiring a diver would not have offset the loss of the chain and anchor.

So, I guess what I learned was: Always have a spare anchor, which I did have.

Most of the rest of the trip down the ICW from North Carolina to Florida was uneventful. I managed to anchor, pick up moorings and dock alone without mishap.

My new chartplotter

The entire trip taught me that the new chartplotter I had added last year was an excellent addition to the equipment.

The chartplotter made all navigation easier, both in the ICW and in the Bahamas.

It was especially useful in the ICW on the day I got caught in the fog.

In the Bahamas

I can navigate through the narrow passes in the cays of the Bahamas with confidence and the chartplotter makes it so much easier.

When the anchor chain was wrapped around a coral head in a beautiful anchorage, I learned that I needed assistance.

And that’s okay, because friends and fellow cruisers are always ready to help anyone in need.

It’s a comfortable feeling, knowing that that support group is always there should you ever need it.

I learned that I will run aground and, no, there may not be a towboat handy. I learned that I can get myself off the sand and handle the boat and myself in uncomfortable situations.

I have learned that I can evaluate the weather predictions and choose safe anchorages for the weather conditions.

Do I always get it perfect? No.

But I learn each time and survived the less than perfect anchorages and each time I get better at making those anchorage decisions.

I learned that the Bahamas are beautiful, that the weather is not always perfect, that cruisers everywhere are wonderful, and each successful day adds to my feeling of self-confidence.

See you next year in the Bahamas.

About Debbie Leisure

Debbie Leisure sails her 29′ Island Packet, Illusions single-handed. Originally from Missouri, she sailed the Eastern Caribbean for five years. The island of Carriacou holds a special place in her heart.

Recently, Oriental North Carolina has been her home base. She spent this winter in the Bahamas (Abacos, Exumas and Eleuthera), and when she leaves the Bahamas this Spring she plans to sail back to North Carolina for hurricane season.

Related articles (on this website)

• Debbie Leisure learns to sail her boat single-handed
• Single Women Sailing – Part 1 (Admiral’s Angle column #27)
• Single Women Sailing – Part 2 (Admiral’s Angle column #28)
• What Debbie Leisure likes most about cruising
• The Need to Know: Sheri Schneider is on her own in the Pacific after her husband is evacuated (Admiral’s Angle column #17)
• Doubt and the Thrill Zone (Admiral’s Angle column #7)

What have you learned lately?

Let us know. Email kathy@forcruisers.com or leave a comment below.

We took lessons together, chartered boats together, bought our first boat together, and then our next boat—the one in which to go cruising.

I learned my “things” and he learned his.  We tried to cross-train, and sometimes it worked.

It wasn’t until he died suddenly, a couple years into our cruise to the Caribbean, that I suddenly realized the many things I didn’t know how to do.

Several very important things.

I had never picked up a mooring single-handed, never sailed alone, never changed the oil or bled the fuel lines without supervision, and very importantly, I had never, no never, docked the boat.

I made the decision to keep the boat and single-hand, but I have to admit, did not take any real steps to make that a reality.

I was very good at sitting on the boat, attached to a mooring, in Carriacou, Grenada.

I was okay at sailing with friends on board to crew for me.

But most of the skills that I was not sure that I had and needed, I had to be FORCED to learn.

A step

The first time I went sailing alone, I was supposed to be in the company of two or three other boats.

I left earlier on the sail to Union Island, as I was the slowest boat and they would be right behind me. However, they were all delayed in their departure, and I was anchored for hours before anyone else arrived.

I had completed my first sail, with no major problems; I had anchored alone with no advice or assistance.

I would not have planned it that way, but it turned out well and gave me confidence.

Another step

Upon leaving the dock one day after taking on water, a friend came on board to assist me in picking up the mooring again.

However, after getting underway, he informed that I was never going to learn to pick up the mooring alone if everyone kept helping me. So being the good friend that he was, he was going “to do nothing” while I did it alone.  Of course, he was right. He offered a little advice and sat back to watch.

I picked up the mooring without his assistance, gained confidence and never asked anyone again to help me.

Again, I was “forced” into learning a skill and attempting a maneuver I was uncomfortable with, and came away feeling much better about my abilities.

And another step

It was about this same time, that Nolan, from the haul-out yard, came out one day in his dinghy to advise me that he was ready to install my new electric windlass if I would just move the boat to the dock.

As he started to motor away, I called him back and explained to him that I did not dock the boat alone, had never docked the boat alone, and he must come onboard to assist me.

Even with assistance, I was not confident in my ability to dock the boat, as I had never docked the boat when my husband was alive and had only docked it a few times since then with experienced people onboard telling me exactly what to do.

However, Nolan had other ideas.  He patiently explained that he was sure that I could dock the boat. He said he would go wait on the dock for me and if I needed assistance, he would “walk on water” to come help me. Since I have great faith in Nolan’s abilities (I firmly believed that I could not dock the boat, but Nolan COULD walk on water), I agreed to do it his way.

I approached the dock with trepidation, but there stood Nolan along with three others from the haul-out yard to help me. Of course, just as Nolan had said, I docked with no problems.

Again, I was forced to learn and acknowledge my abilities that I didn’t even know that I had.

It seems most of my learning has been that way.

Forced to do what has to be done, when it must be done.  I seem to learn best the hard way.

But with the help of many friends, sailors, workers and strangers, I continue to learn.

Heading North

I left Carriacou, Grenada, in January 2007, having made the decision that it was time for Illusions and I to return to the States.

I had a wonderful buddy boat to travel with, a boat as slow as I was. It took me six months to sail from Carriacou to Puerto Rico.  Some of the stops were just for fun; many were for working on the boat. Either working on things myself, or finding professionals along the way.

I had engine problems, blew out a sail, broke a dinghy davit, and on my one overnight sail the autopilot failed.

All these things happened under way and had to be dealt with alone until I could reach the next island and assistance.

I learned patience if nothing else.

I stayed in Puerto Rico a year, then continued on to the U.S. I had a friend that crewed for me for the Puerto Rico to Charleston, SC part of the trip. I did my longest passages to date, only making about four stops between Old San Juan and Charleston.

Next Steps

I plan this winter to sail to the Bahamas for the winter.

I try not to think about the things I’ll be forced to learn along the way, but the cruising lifestyle thus far has made it all worthwhile.

About Debbie

Debbie Leisure sails her 29′ Island Packet, Illusions single-handed. Originally from Missouri, she sailed the Eastern Caribbean for five years. Recently, Oriental NC has been her home base, but she plans to sail to the Bahamas this winter.

Carriacou holds a special place in Debbie’s heart. She flew back this August for the annual Carriacou Regatta, saw old friends and had a great time racing.

Debbie helped out at last year’s Women and Cruising Seminar at the Annapolis Boat Show. She shared her experience when women asked about what you need to know in case something happens to your husband/partner. Debbie, along with several other Women and Cruising contributors, hopes to attend this year as well!

Related articles (on this website)

• Single Women Sailing – Part 1: Ways to get into sailing when you are single (Admiral’s Angle column #27)
• Single Women Sailing – Part 2: Perspectives on owning and operating your own boat (Admiral’s Angle column #28)
• What Debbie Leisure likes most about cruising
• The Need to Know: Sheri Schneider is on her own in the Pacific after her husband is evacuated (Admiral’s Angle column #17)
• Doubt and the Thrill Zone: Self-doubt doesn’t rule you out!  Anxieties are not a signal to stop but to proceed more slowly.  We each learn at different rates.(Admiral’s Angle column #7)

How did you learn your sailing/cruising skills?
Let us know. Email kathy@forcruisers.com or leave a comment below.

My plans were changed when I got very ill with gangrene of my small intestine and almost died.

While I spent 51 days in the hospital, 41 where I couldn’t eat, I decided that if I got out of this crazy health jam I was in I would sell everything and buy a bigger boat and just go sailing! Wasn’t sure if I would even live until 55 or be healthy enough to sail then.

In 1993 I sold my house, bought a bigger boat that I have now, and sold the smaller boat, a Hunter 27.

I began saving money and preparing to get totally debt free to go sailing.

Part of the process was to get to know my new boat, make modifications in preparations for cruising and learn all there was to know about diesel engines as I had only had experience with outboards in my previous two boats.

I also wanted to see if I would enjoy living on the boat. My parents and family thought I had lost my mind. I would take the boat out for long weekends and two or three week vacations to try and get the feel of what it might be like if I went cruising.

My friends at the marina where I lived, suggested that I put an SSB/HAM radio on the boat

…so that I could communicate and get weather while I was cruising. I bought the books to study and passed my General class HAM exam.

Then I bought an SSB/HAM radio and talked to a bunch of people about how to install it and then I put it in. There weren’t any books to teach me how to install it or how to use it for that matter so I asked a lot of questions and did a tremendous amount of searching to find information.

In one of the sailing rags, I read about a new technology that would allow you to send and receive emails through your SSB/HAM radio so I went ahead and bought a radio modem and tried to install it and use it. That was daunting and I didn’t figure it out by the time I left.

In November of 1997, I slipped the dock lines for the final time and went off into the sunset, solo and alone.

I was really nervous but very excited at the same time. I had anticipated all of the maintenance issues and the boat behaved very well as I day sailed down the coast of Florida.

I came into Boot Key Harbor the day after Thanksgiving and was so exhausted after dodging crab traps in the Florida Bay and seeing the harbor so full of boats at anchor that I wimped out and took a slip. I think I slept for about 14 hours I was so pooped. When I was scoping out the harbor I realized that I needed to set two anchors. Never in my cruising life to date did I ever have to set two anchors and I realized I needed to consult Chapman’s to read about how to do that.

I finally left the slip and went into the Harbor and then many things on the boat went bust. Batteries, depth sounder and so forth. I fixed all of that but the weather was pretty wicked and the windows to the Bahamas were pretty slim. I tried to leave for the Bahamas several times and just gave up as the actual sea state was too nutty and winds from the wrong direction.

In 1999 I was ready and left for the Bahamas.

I did have a crew member who had come highly recommended as she had soloed her boat down from the Carolinas and had been to the Bahamas with her boyfriend several times. Turned out she didn’t know jack shit about navigating or sailing and she probably was the deck lizard on the trips to the Bahamas.

My crew member and I made it to Bimini, then to Great Stirrup where I spun an outboard prop. Then on to Spanish Wells to try and buy a new outboard for the dinghy. We also went to Royal Island and goofed around there for a while. Then left for Abaco and entered North Bar biting our nails all the while as we entered the essentially unmarked inlet surrounded by reefs and rocks.

After we got to  Marsh Harbor, Hurricane Dennis was bearing down on us and my crew mate bailed which had been discussed prior to setting out.

So, I was alone during Dennis but not really. I had found new friends on the HAM radio and in the cruising community.

The boat and I weathered the storm well and then set out alone to Green Turtle Cay two weeks later.

The day I got to Green Turtle, I was delighted to see some friends I had met in Marathon. We got together for supper that night and I felt pretty darned good about life until I heard the weather report on the HAM radio the next morning.

Hurricane Floyd had formed and was making a bee line for my location.

The HAM mentors I had met on the radio warned that this one would be life threatening for anybody on land, let alone on a boat. So, I stripped the boat and prepped her hoping that she would survive and then called on the VHF to try and find somewhere on land to evacuate to.

I got an offer for shelter from a nice guy Jim and dragged all I could drag off the boat in the dinghy to the cottage. The hurricane was brutal with 155 mile an hour sustained winds and gusts to over 200 mph. Whew! My boat did great.

For the next two weeks I was on the HAM radio providing health and welfare traffic to and from the islands. I made many more friends in the Abacos from my efforts but in doing so I missed a lot of the good food that the restaurants were grilling as they had lost power! Rats!

Then I decided it was time to go back to the States for a while and I left with a couple of other boats I had met.
We all slowly made it to Old Bahama Bay and the weather was pretty crummy for a crossing. We even tried once and it was just too rough. So, we all came back to West End and just goofed off and snorkeled and had pot luck dinners waiting on the weather.

One morning the dockmaster came over and said, “Get tied up quick! Another hurricane is coming!“

“Oh shit” was the general sigh. We all made fast to four poster slips and spidered in after we had a look at the weather channel forecast. The marina was a great hurricane hole for this hurricane, Jeanne I think was the name and we all walked around during the storm taking pictures and shaking our heads about the trifecta of hurricanes we had all suffered through.

I guess I really liked Boot Key Harbor so I went back there to lick my wounds and try to beef up my cruising kitty. I found work at the local hospital and began working six months in the Fall and Winter and taking off the Spring and Summer months. In my off time from the hospital, I sailed back to the Abacos. It was easy solo sailing where I could run for 12 hours, anchor and sleep and get up and do it again.

I got the idea in the Abacos that I should write a book about Marine SSB radio

… how to use it as there were no books about it on the market. So, I started writing the first book. Then, in 2003 I finished the “green” book about radio email. In 2005 I revised the first Marine SSB book and in 2008 I published the The ICOM M802 Radio Manual for “Idi-Yachts”
and a murder mystery, Murder At Stacy’s Cove Marina.

I began doing seminars at the boat shows on Marine SSB radio to demystify the device and help folks learn to use it. People began calling on me when they came to Boot Key to assess their SSB installation and teach them how to use their SSB.

I’ve been caught in a few more hurricanes in the Abacos; in 2004 Frances and Jeanne and in 2005 in the Florida Keys; Dennis, Katrina, Rita and Wilma. The boat did well once again. Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.

Life is good!
Cheers
Marti B

How did you learn to sail and to handle and maintain your boat?

I took a sailing course that I won in an auction to benefit the Arthritis Foundation in Tampa, FL

To maintain my boat, I met a mentor who was my neighbor at my first marina when I bought my first sailboat, a 23′ Hunter. He was a retired fellow that was delighted to coach me through all of the things about sailing and boat upkeep and repair.

Did you start out with sailing/boating experience early in your life?

My father didn’t swim and was raised on a farm. He never had any interest in boating. My mother swam but also had interest in boating. My god parents liked to go out fishing in the Great Lakes in Michigan but they never took me out. Rats! I guess I got hooked on the water by watching Lloyd Bridges on TV.

What were the skills that you found hardest to learn? How did you tackle them?

Diesel repair and maintenance. It was a weird struggle to overcome some strange message in my head that told me I shouldn’t or couldn’t do this. Had to learn to take off my learned stupidity as a woman.

What advice do you have for other women who may be interested in doing what you have done?

Read, ask questions, take the risk and push the envelope. You’ll make mistakes but you’ll learn or you’ll sell the boat. It can be very empowering!

What kind of boat do you have?

I now have a 31′ Allmand sailboat, full masthead sloop with a three foot draft, 16hp diesel engine.

More info

• Marti Brown’s website with info on her SSB/HAM books and nautical fiction.
• Learning to Sail Resources (on this website)

Related articles (on this website)

• Debbie Leisure learns to sail her boat single-handed.
• Single Women Sailing – Part 1 and Part 2 (Admiral’s Angle columns #27 and #28)
• Peace of Mind—Emergency Skills (Admiral’s Angle column #4)
• Getting Started (Admiral’s Angle column #3)

How did you learn your sailing/cruising skills?
Let us know. Email kathy@forcruisers.com or leave a comment below.