Monthly Archives: June 2022

Electronic failure while spending winter of 2022 in Mexico.

Yes things often fail while at sea and my radio communication with all of you went down when my sailmail modem conked out.

I’m currently back in New Mexico with Debbie planning summer bike trips and fixing what needs to be fixed or replaced aboard Sailors Run that fit with in my budget. Guess what the modem was repaired by Farallon electronics and guess what it was an internal NiCad battery that had just crapped out after 22years, Hmmmmm, not to bad after all the use it has seen.

I still have not gotten together all the info on my future record attempt the 2027 Sailors Run Global challenge to become the oldest person ever to solo circumnavigate non stop around the world unassisted via the 5-great capes. Stay tuned for an update on all of this.

Your Amigo El Jefe’  6/27/2022

A WHALE OF A TALE TO TELL YOU ALL

A WHALE OF A TAIL TO TELL YOU ‘ALL’.

2/20/2022

 

It looked to be another beautiful morning as I hoisted the anchor in Santiago Bay, Mexico on Sailors Run, The winds were very light as I sailed off the anchor slowly exciting this beautiful bay on my way back to Barra De Navidade, Mexico. I had just made a course correction heading out towards the Pacific Ocean now just east of the small group of rocks that I would soon be passing on my ports side, when something caught my eye coming towards me on my port side, suddenly there was a huge blast of air when a large humpback whale prepared to sub merge now just 100 yards away, arching its back and diving deep showing off its large tail as it slipped below the surface. I looked on once again with a great appreciation for the sailing life that allows these close encounters with these huge sea creatures. I also made a false assumption that this whale had seen me before diving deep, and nearly a half hour had passed and I had actually forgotten about the whale. I have to admit that I had pondered going below and turning on the stereo and playing music to be heard by this whale or any other whale in my near proximity. This is a trick that Debbie and I used in the Hawaiian waters when sailing through hundreds of whales on passage between the islands and we never had any problems with whales. I knew I had a cd in the stereo below, a Tahitian drumming one but being sure the whale had seen me I assumed I was already on the whale’s radar.

It was over thirty minutes since I had last seen the whale and me and the Sailors Run were just ghosting along at about 2.5 kts. when suddenly much to my surprise I was startled into survival mode by a blast of air as I twisted around shocked to see the huge whale 50 feet astern of me charging along at about 5kts closing on the stern of Sailors Run. I dove below cranking on the stereo and turning the volume to full blast expecting to feel an impact at any second. I climbed back into the cock pit as the Tahitian music blasted out below decks. I looked over the stern and was amazed at what I was witnessing. The whale was twisted hard to its right and was headed deep as its tail broke the surface just missing my monitor wind vane that hangs off the stern of Sailors Run. I can only be grateful for past experience’s that enabled me to avoid this collision and feel the story could save other sailors from dangerous encounters with whales while under sail in an area that is known to have whales present.

Your Amigo EL Jefe’.

Up Date EL Jefe’ in Barra De Mexico 1/15 22

      Happy new Year to all of you out there from your Amigos Debbie and Jeff S/V Sailors run!!
  First let me say the weather here in Mexico is typically “spectacular? as always. Every where I have been has seemed relatively safe. The one exception being the coved that seems to be about as common as the common cold and appears to be just slightly more dangerous. My perspective is that everyone is going to get it and some more than once but it appears to have weakened in severity and life marches on at least here in Mexico.
  I find my self pretty much marching in place surveying the battle field for the next big “2027” adventure, once again around the world solo aboard the  old war-horse Sailors Run. Can we do it as we will both be 10-years older me at 81 and Sailors Run a mere 47-years of age.
  I had recently sailed south to Santiago bay several weeks ago and upon my return to Barra while lifting the dowsed main off the deck to tie it on the boom I was alarmed to hear the sound of tearing sail cloth. A closer look at the sail revealed two 10-inch rips in the sail. I had anticipated in sailing in this years “Flamingo Regatta” during sail fest here in Barra, but the hour spent patching the main convinced me otherwise. yes its time to replace the sails on Sailors Run. I have been reluctant to do it because I don’t want to get them to far in advance of the “Global Challenge 2027”. Oh yes and then there is this new enemy called inflation that is trying to steal my dream of being the oldest person in the world to have sailed solo non-stop unassisted around the world. Well fear not because behind the mighty Sailors Run stands thousands of my fellow sailors that I’m sure will want to help make this happen and as usual the Jefe’ has an idea.
  I was going to wait until summer to put this out there but I just can’t keep my thoughts to myself, “dam it”. There are details to be worked out and if you were and early contributor to help make this one last great dream come true “fear not” as you will be credited and counted in.
  OK here is the “Deal” Debbie and I are going to raffle off the Sailors Run. The way it works is each 100 dollars that you contribute to the Sailors Run 2027 Global Challenge you will receive a raffle ticket. There will be 2000 tickets max available. You might ask are there risks and I can assure you there are and I take the biggest ones. Your risk is the boat never returns and is lost at sea along the way, pretty much ending the raffle. I plan to return as I have made a similar voyage before and know what needs to be done to the Sailors Run to be ready. This will take about 50,000 dollars just to hit the starting line on the Straits of Juan De Fuca. Of course for me I could loose my life and there is the possibility that I don’t sell but half the tickets meaning that I virtually give away the Sailors Run. The raffle will happen within 3-days of my return and there will be a new owner of Sailors Run. Yes this will be a very emotional time for me as it should be, but know body sails forever and I have lived my dreams and it will be best I quit a winner at 82- years of age.
  Now as you can well imagine I need to consult a lawyer to make sure all things are in order and this can actually happen as I have dreamed it can.
                          Love you all the Jefe’

Back aboard Sailors Run in Mexico 11/6/21

Sat, Nov 6, 2021 at 5:44 PM
Hola Amigos.
  Debbie and I have had an amazing summer traveling 4500 miles on our Yamaha FJR with a trailer in tow. Now if we did not show up at your house this year just know your not safe as next year might be the one. Debbie pretty much took over the planning on the trip and when she was done the trip was going to take three months, Whoops!! So we had to pass on some stops as there were just way to many but you can be assure all of you were thought about and talked about if you reside in the USA.
  Check out our blog at www.sailorsrun.com as we have posted some pictures of our trip. We are happy to report we only went down twice and no one was injured.
  As for now I’m preparing Sailors Run for the next great adventure. You might say “what” well don’t even think about it as it will happen. I’m currently 5 years out from being grown up enough to set the worlds record for the oldest person “Ever” to circumnavigate the world solo, non stop unassisted via the 5-“great capes”. So guess what I’m trying to get the Sailors Run back in top condition to do such a thing, and it looks like a long haul to accomplish all that must be done. As you all know I have tones of testosterone and not nearly the money that is needed. One of the problems is just trying to be recognized by the British that seem to control these records.
  Just a thought please share my two books with family and friends at Christmas as that is truly away to help keep the adventures coming.
Well just be assured I will do it and the boat will be ready. The plan is to sail out of Mexico in the spring of 2027 and arrive in Port Townsend Washington where I plan to haul the boat and do final preparations for the voyage. I will depart October of 2027 at ge 81 and hopefully return at age 82 back to Washington State, with the new record.
  Right now I’m working on the boat in all ports a long the Mexican gold coast and enjoying warm times in Mexico. All appears to be well here and I just installed 800 dollars worth of batteries to keep the house bank fired up and they are doing well.
  I could really use some sponsorship for sails, auto pilot and at least a rebuild on my Monitor wind vane, but rest assured this adventure will happen if Debbie and I have to cash in our “Beer Cans” and you are all invited to ride along.