One evening we were given a trip from Port St Charles into the Atlantic Ocean.
Flanked by the lowering sun we then encountered Kilcullen towing New Horizons.
Quite why John Peck and Fraser Dodds, who manned the rowing boat New Horizons, needed the attentions of the support boat at this point, I am not sure, for they are given in the statistics of the Ocean Rowing Society as having completed the race. Kilcullen, you see, is one of a group of vessels deputed to be on hand in case of need by rowers in distress. I understand that, because they tended to stay behind the slowest competitors, these yachts would be a good 500 miles away from the leaders.
Very soon after this, we experienced one of the dramatic gold and indigo sunsets that Sam had enjoyed during his 59 days at sea.
By this time the crew of Kilcullen were relaxing in silhouette.
The next morning a cast of crabs danced the side shuffle on the rocks.
Sam, always having been one of the leaders, told us how the waves could toss his little boat considerable distances through the air.
The purpose built rowing boat was designed to keep upright. Provided. That the windows to the small cabin remained closed.
One morning my son was woken by the hailer of a cargo vessel asking whether he needed assistance. He informed them that he had no need of it. Off they sailed.
Then, out of the blue, the ship turned and sped back towards Pacific Pete.
Just imagine the bow wave. This didn’t send Sam’s boat any distance. Instead it sent it in a circular spin in which it rolled over twice.
Had the windows been open Sam and his boat would have joined his camera on the bed of the ocean into which it had slipped. He didn’t mention this on one of his weekly telephone calls to me.
Beautiful sunset. I am glad the windows were closed.
Dramatic photos. I learned a lot from this blog post. Sam did a heroic job.
Thank you very much, Pat
I feel sure there are some things you kept from your parents too. The main reason is to protect them from worrying too much about an issue they are truly unable to assist with. My parents only found out about some of my youthful escapades years later – when enough time has lapsed allowing one to laugh about potential disasters 🙂
Exactly. Thanks very much, Anne
Phew
Thanks very much, Flow
A close call! Beautiful sunset, Derrick.
Thank you very much, Barbara
Very cool post! love the sailboat, and the sunset shots are spectacular!
Thank you very much, Dwight
You are welcome!
Wow–those sunsets–but really all the shots. I love the dancing crabs, too. I’m glad Sam was OK, and I can understand why he didn’t tell you at the time.😏
Thank you so much, Merril
You’re welcome, Derrick.
Loved the sunset pics – spectacular! And those were some scary experiences at sea!
Thank you very much, Joycee
Why do you call it a pirate ship, Derrick? It looks just like our boat, with a main sail and a jib, a small cockpit with a bimini, and a smallish cabin. The sunset is stunning.
This is horrifying; so your son’s boat flipped over and then righted itself? Thank G-d!
The ports (“windows”) are always securely bolted when a boat is under way, even in a safe Biscayne Bay, let alone the ocean.
Thanks very much, Dolly. Mention of the pirate ship was confusing – pirates were a tourist attraction in Barbados – I had photographed them earlier. I will take that out of this Knight’s Tale episode. Thank you for alerting me.
My pleasure, Derrick.
What an adventure for Sam!
Thank you do much, Rosaliene
The sunsets are spectacular! Glad all the windows were closed!
Thanks very much, Aletta
It sounds a real adventure…..and a lucky escape!
Thanks very much, John
That was a bit nerve wracking. Better not to have known at the time, I imagine. You’d think the bigger ship might have thought of the likely effect, or at least looked back to check!
Yes. Completely daft. Thanks very much, Susan
Those sunsets really were fabulous
Thank you very much, Sheree
Always a pleasure Derrick
That must have been quite something to see those sunsets with no land in sight. Rolling over in a small boat like that much have been terrifying.
Thanks very much, Liz.
You’re welcome, Derrick.
Yes, there are those things we don’t tell our parents until years later…if ever. 😉
OH MY GOSH! what scary happenings for Sam and his boat! I’m so glad he was safe!
What adventures for Sam and everyone who cared about him! 🙂
Beautiful breathtaking sunsets! And the photos of the crabs are fun and so is your description of them! 🦀 🦀
(((HUGS))) 🙂
Thank you so much, Carolyn X
Some things are best not shared with our parents. I might have named my book, ‘Things I Never Told My Mother’. Sam must have been terrified, but at the same time, too busy to dwell on the danger he was in at that moment. Just as well he had not taken any short cuts on marine safety measures.
Thanks very much, Gwen
59 days of Sam at sea in that rowboat must have been hard ones for you and Jessica. It was probably a good thing Sam saved the horror stories for later. Those sunsets were beautiful, but Nature charges an admission for seeing such sights.
Thank you so much, Lavinia. Sam phoned from a satellite phone every week, and we could track his progress nightly on line – that helped 🙂
Phew, scary stuff.
Thanks a lot, Lindsey
That is really a dramatic gold and indigo sunset!
Thank you so much, Ribana
Oh, Derrick. What a story. SO glad you didn’t know it at the time. Sam must have been furious.
Thanks very much, Jodie. He was remarkably calm about it.
<3
Holy Moly!! That’s terrifying. Sounds like Sam is made of sturdy stuff, if he remained remarkably calm about it. I envy people who can reason: Well, it happened. Nothing I can do about it now. The sunset photos are stunning. I wonder if you could add a unique tag to the posts that mention Sam’s Ocean Rowing Society race. This is for selfish reasons, of course, so I can click one tag and then read the whole story.
I had hoped I was doing that. If not just look at the previous one each time until you come to the beginning. Thanks very much, Crystal