Sailors Run Alive and Well In Ecuador. June 28 2015
I promised to let you know how the 6-k race went with Chino the 25 year old employee at Puerto Amistad.
Chino stretching out!
Note: the motorcycle in the background,Chino’s Secret Weapon
This time Chino showed up as he had ducked me once before. The race started at 5pm in front of the yacht club. Other employees seen us off and we were close together for the first hundred yards, then I realized I was over my head and backed off to a sustainable pace. Chino kept up the rapid pace and had about 100 yards on me by the time we went under the bridge. I arrived under the bridge expecting to see Chino on the ramp going up to the bridge, but NO Chino!
I ran on looking far out on to the bridge and no Chino; something was up. I ran on with the pedal down just in case he was still in the race. 2-k later as I was exiting the bridge, here come’s Chino, and he was indicating to me that I needed to run another 2-k before turning around I said “No Way”.
I knew he had cheated somehow, I was very much discouraged and ran on to complete the course but my heart was no longer in it. When I returned to the yacht club the employees thought I had lost and I said no way! he cheated! Luckily another cruiser had taken an interest in the competition and he said that he watched both of us go under the bridge but only I ran up the ramp and Chino disappeared. It turned out Chino had his motorcycle stashed under the bridge and jumped on it to race across the bridge and dump it off, and come running back when he seen me. He finally admitted it and all is “cool with Chino” now.
You might wonder what this has to do with cruising. The answer would be that it is important to be strong and have good endurance if you should think you might want to take on the Southern Ocean alone.
I recently ran a 10-K here in Bahia Caraquez, and finished in the middle of the pack and felt pretty good about it.
Me,getting ready for the 10k which started at 5pm
Me,Chino & Oscar in front of Puerto Amistad for start of race
On a more serious note I’m sadden to say that the sailing vessel Sailfisher that left from Bahia in June headed for the Marquesas was dismasted some 700 miles SW of the Galapagos Islands, and was abandoned when Ale and Yvette were rescued by a cargo ship headed to Brazil via the “Horn”.
The Sailing Vessel of Al & Yevette Briggs- SV Sailfisher that was lost at sea
I want to mention that I will be a guest speaker in San Francisco the evening of (August 5th) at the CYC Yacht Club at Tiburon,
Here is the description and location address, and if any of you can make it Debbie and I would love seeing you.
Corinthian Yacht club of San Francisco
43 Main Street Tiburon, California
Office- 415 435 4771
If coming by car it is located at the south tip of Corinthian Island on the border between Tiburon and Belvedere in Marin County
By Boat vhf channel 68 or Harbor master 415 302 5083
For any information or map go to WWW.CYC.ORG/HOME
Solo (Truly Alone) Around the Horn
If you’re in need of inspiration or maybe an awesome story or two, come hear Jeff Hartjoy speak on Wednesday August 5.
At age 69 Jeff has logged 85,000 ocean miles, and cruised with his wife Debbie for 16 years on their 1980 Baba 40 ketch, Sailor’s Run. In 2009 he single-handed around Cape Horn, not without “attendant difficulties.” Let’s not forget that he also wrote a book in his spare time: Cape Horn: Ahead or Behind Forever on My Mind. Never one to rest on his laurels, Jeff is now preparing to leave Ecuador this fall for a solo nonstop circumnavigation of the Southern Oceans.
Introduced to us by Staff Commodore Bruce Powell, Jeff will, no doubt, have many entertaining (!) stories to tell. Don’t miss Jeff on August 5.
To study up on Jeff please check out WWW.Sailorsrun.com.
Free and open to all, Sailors Loft Bar opens at 6:30 and Jeff will start at 7 pm. invite your friends… and start preparing for your own southern oceans run.
(Be sure and check out blog site for New Photos)
Let me wrap this up with a little poem I have written: Your Amigos Jeff& Debbie
Sailing Free
It is the freedom of the wind that truly makes sailing great!
Time is short so one must not wait!
The wind is free upon that we must agree!
So hoist that sail and bury that starboard rail!
As life upon the sea is far greater than you or me!
By Jeffrey R. Hartjoy
Picture’s of Carts and Motos of how the people get around in the quiet town of Bahia
