The Saga of Yaga by Mickey McHugh We made plans and began preparations for our winter cruise from Kemah to Baltimore. The first leg was to be from Kemah, Texas to Jacksonville, Florida with a direct Gulf of Mexico crossing from Galveston, Texas to the Dry Tortugas, Florida and then with a 2-week layover in Jacksonville while I had to go work in Columbia, Maryland. Grady Simmons, good friend and experienced sailor with many Gulf crossings, signed on as crew for this first leg. Then I was to return for the final leg up to Baltimore, Maryland in January. We had recently added Raytheon Radar, Chartplotter / Fishfinder and Autopilot, an Interphase Twinscope Sonar and a Globalstar Sat phone. Yaga was well equipped for the voyage except for a life raft, so we carried our 9’ Caribe tender inflated on the foredeck held down with quick release straps. A fully equipped Ditchbag was in the cockpit locker. We headed out at 1000 Dec 15th 2001, but we only made it to the fuel dock before heavy fog set in. While sitting there, one of two Raytheon 5200 VHF radios died. Everyone told me not to leave on a cruise on a Friday. Debbie went to West Marine and exchanged it. We went back to the slip at 1600 to get a good night’s sleep. Debbie, Grady and I went up to the marina restaurant for some more final good-byes. I had a beer and ate dinner at the bar talking to Mike and Linda Hill who plan to do the same trip in the spring. Debbie and Grady milled around and let their friends buy them a last round or two. I finally went to sleep. I stuck my head out of the companionway at midnight and the fog had lifted, so we were underway at 0100. By 0430 we had cleared the Galveston jetties and set a course of 110 for the Dry Tortugas. A Texas Northern (cold front) was bearing down on us, but the 20 knots of SSW winds, proceeding the front, had us moving at hull speed (8.0 knots). Grady and I were in a 4-hour watch rotation with Debbie filling in as needed. Grady and Debbie were feeling the affects of the night before. Debbie was able to sleep some, down in the aft cabin and Grady snoozed in the cockpit. Even with the strong wind, the fog settled in around 1000 and gave the radar its first real test. We passed many platforms, some within a quarter mile, that we never saw. We preferred to stay out of the fairways to avoid the merchant ships. Debbie and Grady had just began to feel better when the front arrived at 1730 Dec 16th with N winds at 35 and gusts to 45, but it also blew away the fog. We dropped the main and ran with the 155 Genoa reefed to 80%. We decided to start the engine to top off the batteries since we wanted to use the radar continually though out the night. It turned over just fine, but wouldn’t start. Fuel problem, so down I went to bleed the fuel system. It didn’t take long to get her running or to get me feeling sick from the fumes. Seas were 12’ and very rough. I made a bee line for the cockpit and felt fine in a few minutes of fresh air. It was the first time I had experienced air in the fuel lines and I haven’t since then. It was most likely air in the system from all the rolling around or Murphy was just showing us who is the boss. At 1900 we gave our shore-based weather guy, Rus Records in League City, Texas, a call on the Sat phone to tell him our position and get a weather update. By 0100 Dec 17th we had covered 175 NM in 24 hours. We called this front ‘Perfect Storm 1’. That night the seas built to 15’, the wind steadied at 30 knots and began to shift to the NE making us constantly trim the Genoa, now at 100%. Yaga was racing along at 8 knots and since the autopilot was new, we did a lot of hand steering. I, for one, really enjoyed that a lot. We were sailing from lighted platform to lighted platform because it gave us an easy reference to sail by, plus it made me feel a little closer to help if the need arose. “God Forbid”. By 0100 Dec 18th, we had covered 188 NM in 24 hours. It continued to blow until 0400 with a steady decrease in velocity to 25 knots out of the E, so we unfurled the Genoa to 130%, raised the main with two reefs in and sailed close hauled on port tack. We decided to keep the main fully reefed while sailing at night. Following a fantastic sunrise at sea, the wind dropped to 15 and shifted to the S, so we shook out both reefs, unfurled the Genoa to 155%, and changed to a starboard tack. We were all stressed by the many hours of bad weather and lack of quality sleep, but the worst was over. OR was it? The 0700 weather report from Rus was not good. He said a strong front was pushing through Kansas heading SE. He predicted 24 hours before it reached us. Grady said “That sucker is really moving.” We turned on the engine to charge batteries and maintain 7.5 knots as the wind dropped to 10 knots. We motor sailed along at our base course of 110, trying to put some distance between Yaga and the front. “Thar she bloooows!” I shouted. At 0835 there were large spouts dead head in the rising sun. I keep seeing regular spouts that don’t seem to move. It was a sperm whale sleeping on the surface facing west. We rolled up the Genoa, ease the main to slow down. I grabbed the camera, hooked my harness to the jackline and went to the bow for a photo opportunity. We drifted up to the 35’ whale and snapped pictures as fast as possible. Our approach woke up the slumbering giant who took 3 deep breaths and dove straight down. Awesome sight! Debbie wondered how deep the Gulf of Mexico was here. I checked the chart. It was 9,480 feet. Debbie was really feeling great and prepared a super lunch of beef stew and a full course Italian dinner later that night. We were all getting lots of quality sleep. I had the 0200 to 0600 watch. The wind began to increase and move to the SW and the barometer began to fall. I looked NW just before sunrise and could not see any stars. These were NOT good signs! With the first rays of sunlight, Grady came topside to take the watch. The morning sky to the east was bright red. There is an old saying, “Red sky in the morning, saiIor take warning”. I looked behind us and saw a low black wall of clouds that appeared to roll across the gulf. We stared at it for awhile and realized how fast it was moving toward us. We quickly lower the main, furled the Genoa and started the engine. As the first big gusts hit, I turned Yaga NW into the raging storm. Winds were 50 with the highest at 57 knots, with Yaga moving at 2 knots, just enough for steerage. Seas built quickly and soon were 4’ and breaking. It was time to turn downwind. We shut down the engine and unfurled about 3’ of Genoa. Yaga accelerated to 8.5 knots! I called Rus to tell him his forecast was right on and give him an updated position. We were 180 NM from the Dry Tortugas, so we had a long day and a longer night in ‘Perfect Storm 2’. It had indeed gotten worst than number 1. By noon the NNW winds were down to 40 and 15’ swells had developed making steering difficult. At least they were from off the portside of the stern and moving faster than Yaga. Grady and I steered in shifts lasting 1 to 2 hours. I caught one wave, much like a surfer would, and as Yaga sped down the face, I watch the knot meter go to 16.2 knots! A new record! We had once seen 10.4 surfing down a swell during a gale in the Pacific. Yaga was being pounded by breaking seas coming from just port of the stern. The sites and sounds of the storm scared the hell out me, but being the skipper, I tried not to show it. We were lucky we had our sea legs and were in such great shape. If we had been tired and/or seasick, it would have made the situation dangerous. It wasn’t Yaga who might let us down; it was ourselves that might. Debbie, Grady and I did not discuss the possibility of something going wrong, but reviewed emergency abandon ship procedures, such as launching the inflatable on the foredeck and where everything was in case we had to make a quick exit. I called the Coast Guard at Key West and talked to a really helpful Lieutenant who took all of our information and said to just call if things went bad. It was reassuring. But we all three felt that the most reassuring thing was that Yaga was a well-built sailboat designed to easily handle these terrible conditions. That night the winds had dropped to 35 but the seas began to break in the really big ‘sets’. A set was 3 waves much larger, like 18 to 20 feet, than the other waves around them. During the day, we could see them coming and could maneuver away most of the time. In the dark, Yaga was pooped several times with 2 feet of water pouring over the stern and turning the cockpit into a swimming pool! The water rushed out the walk-thru in the transom in just seconds. By 0100 Dec 19 we had covered 204 NM in 24 hours. At sunrise, it was down to 25 out of the north, so we raised the main with 2 reefs in and unfurled the Genoa to 100%, still racing along at 8 knots. Spotted dolphins came over to Yaga to play in her bow wave. We quickly forgot our hardships as we watched them dance in the very clear Gulf waters. Then sea turtles and gulls began to show up. All good signs! By 0900 we were tied up to the pier at Fort Jefferson drinking a Champagne toast to Yaga (and Hunter Marine) for getting us safely across the Gulf of Mexico in the middle of December. I called the Coast Guard to tell them we had made it. And Grady called his wife Kim and we called our parents and kids as well. Sat phones are so cool. A seaplane from Key West had crashed next to the fort on takeoff the day before and its wreckage stood as a grim reminder of the power of the storm. While at Garden Key the brand new Raytheon 5200 VHF radio died. We had made the crossing in just 4 days 7 hours, a record for Yaga that she may never beat. As Debbie now says “If you ever get asked to cross the Gulf of Mexico in December, just say NO!” We spent the day on Garden Key touring the fort. The storm waves had caused the water to become murky so our dive plans were off. After a grilled steak dinner, watching ‘Gladiator’ on DVD, and a really good night sleep at anchor, we had a wonderful sail to Key West. We could have stayed there a month if we had the time. We sailed past ‘The Quicksands’ and ‘Marquesas Key’, then turned north into the Key West channel and started the engine. Yaga developed a severe vibration. It had been slowly coming on since I had a dripless shaft seal installed in September. I had it checked out in Kemah right before we left and got a clean bill of health. It turned out the guy who installed the seal had damaged the coupling and shaft and did not tell me about it. Grady and I checked the engine and found the shaft key was missing. All the shops in Key West were closed for the holidays. Being the master mechanics we are, we installed another shaft key but failed to notice one motor mount was broken and another was very loose. It still vibrated, so we decided to get it fixed at the first marine service center that was open on our way north. Other than that, Yaga showed no effects of the crossing and the battering she took. I did go to West Marine and exchanged the bad radio for a new one. We spent 4 wonderful, fun filled days in Key West as Debbie’s parents met us there in their RV. We practically lived at Harpoon Harry’s and Sloppy Joe’s. We talked little about the crossing, and quickly became anxious to move on. We wanted to get to Jacksonville by New Year’s Eve. We re-fueled and left at noon Christmas day. The vibration was getting worst. I could only do 1200 RPM and was afraid to even use reverse. We anchored overnight off ‘Big Pine Key’. The cruising life was good and we enjoyed sailing up the Hawk Channel, dodging the many crab pot buoys. The water was beautiful but alas no time to stop and dive. We anchored for the night off ‘Boot Key’ and ran the tender into Marathon to find a yard. They said the service guys are all off on vacation and couldn’t look at Yaga until next year! (7 days) We decided to keep sailing north. We began to realize we could not make Jacksonville by Dec 31st due to head winds. Using the Gulf Stream was out of the question with the strong NE winds. While sailing, the brand new VHF radio died. I called around during the day on the cell phone and found that Chinnock Marine in Fort Lauderdale could do the work. We ran over a crap pot at sundown that pulled the shaft out of the coupling. I dove over the side to clear the prop and try to jam the shaft back into the coupling. Well at least I could say I have been diving in the Florida Keys. We kept sailing through the night, past Miami (scary at night) and pulled into the yard at 0830 Dec 28th. It was inland about 10 miles up the New River (lots of bridges) in downtown Fort Lauderdale. The drive train damage was bad; Yaga required a new motor mount, shaft and coupling. So they hauled her out. They were also worried about the transmission. They sent the transmission to a shop for a complete overhaul and no damage was found. Grady caught a flight from there back to Houston and we went to West Marine for a new radio. This time they gave us the Raytheon 53 DSC VHF radio. It’s still working perfect! Debbie and I had a really good time running around the town and to the beach in our rental car. Fort Lauderdale is a great cruising destination. We spent New Year’s Eve driving to Jacksonville to catch our flights. It was 27 degrees there (a record low) and our hotel room had NO heat or hot water! Shades of cold days to come. That morning I dropped Debbie off at the airport and went back to the hotel and made them give me a room someone had just checked out so I could take a hot shower. The movie “Message in a Bottle” was on the TV and I started to cry when Garrett (Kevin Cosner) drowned trying the save the lady from going down with her sailboat in another ‘Perfect Storm’. If you haven’t seen the movie and don’t want to know the ending, then don’t read the previous sentence. The crossing had made me an emotional guy! On Jan 11th, we got back and Yaga was in the water and ready to go. Chinnock Marine had done a super job. While Yaga was in the yard, we decided to add the Martec Autostream 18" 3-blade feathering prop. What a difference! She ran smooth as silk, better than new. Before at 2500 RPM, she would do 7.3 and now 7.6 and I expected better fuel economy as well. Yaga accelerated faster and backing down was great with less prop walk. Before we had to leave the transmission in reverse to prevent freewheeling but could not shift back to neutral without having to start the engine (not good). Now, no problem, it doesn't freewheel in neutral. We got under way 1300 Jan 12th heading for the Gulf Stream and points north. As we motored down the very narrow New River of downtown Fort Lauderdale, there was a lot of boat traffic since it was a Friday. Great test of the new shaft and prop right out of the gate. The railroad bridge did an automatic closing and we got stuck between 2 bridges with BIG powerboats, several sailboats and a strong current with no place to go or tie up. You get the picture. Control with the new prop was great. The bridge finally opened and we all got sucked through by the strong current. We then spotted ‘Little Mermaid’ who had left our marina just 2 weeks before us. We waved good morning and they said they were heading for the Bahamas the next week. The cruising world is quite small. Once out into the Atlantic we entered the Gulf Stream and felt great catching the 2.5 knots of current. That was until midnight, when the wind shifted to the north at 25 knots. It caused very steep seas which forced us into Fort Pierce at 0300 Jan 13th. Debbie refers to this as ‘Perfect Storm 3’, mainly because the Gulf Stream made the ride so rough. Our autopilot’s course computer must have gotten some water in it during the crossing. It failed due to corrosion on the terminals just as we headed into the jetties. Once inside we dropped sails and motored up the ICW through the night. The water got a little thin around Sebastian Inlet. We saw 7 feet mid channel for several miles. Our VHF antenna touched the bottom of several of the 65’ bridges along the waterway. Now that it was just the two of us and no autopilot, our plan was to motor against the north winds until midnight, then anchor and sleep until six and continue up the ICW. We each steered until tired which was about 3 hours or so. Debbie fixed really good meals that made the long hours easy on us. We anchored next to the tree lined shore of the Haulover Canal, north of Cape Canaveral, at about 0100 and we were underway again by 0700 Jan 14th. We ran up the ICW to St. Augustine, Florida where we stayed at the city marina due to very foggy conditions. When the fog cleared at noon Jan 15th, we headed back offshore where it again became very foggy. We were almost run down by a 25-foot fishing boat running at 20 knots in dense fog without radar! Debbie tracked him on our radar and realized he was moving fast and had a zero bearing rate. She used the air horn to warn him, which diverted certain disaster. You should have seen the look on those guy’s faces! It was the only radar contact we had for hours. Shows how small a huge ocean can be. A NOAA weather forecast of a gale off of Cape Fear NC, with NE winds, forced us into Charleston around 1600 Jan 16th. We decided to stay in the ICW the rest of the way to Norfolk. Cruising along the ICW was a treat because there are no ocean swells or seas and you can pull over and stop when you get tired. But especially from 1800 until around midnight because there was zero traffic, due to it being winter and no one was foolish enough to be out after dark. We therefore had no nighttime passing or meeting situations. We had the ICW all to ourselves but we never took our watch keeping lightly. We maintained a constant lookout. One day, we passed a large tree floating in the waterway that would have been difficult to spot at night and surly would have caused Yaga severe damage. That night we tied up at a fuel dock in McChellanville, SC and the owner got up at 0630 to sell us fuel at 95 cents a gallon. During the morning we saw a doe swimming across the ICW near Alligator Island. There was this one spot along the ICW that was being dredged due to some shoaling from a nearby inlet. While going around the dredge, we got struck for about 10 minutes. It was the only time we touched down on the 2100 miles voyage. Next stop was just west of Southport near Cape Fear. We found a new marina under construction right on the ICW and kept us from having to find an anchorage. At 0030 Jan 19th we made an overnight stop in Cedar Creek right off of Adams Creek at ICW St mile marker (St M) 188. We ran into heavy fog right before getting there but it provided good protection so we went the last mile at dead slow. We both gained valuable experience maneuvering in the thick fog while setting the anchor. We got up early to more fog but headed out under radar and the fog quickly lifted. We entered the Neuse River and passed near Oriental NC at St M 178 at 0800. We were able to get to the Alligator River to anchor overnight by 2230 near Tuckahoe Pt that also provided good protection. We felt running the Alligator River - Pongo River Canal at night was safe and a good way to get north quick since another cold front was coming our way. We could have anchored in the Pongo River just before entering the canal if we had not wanted to motor that night. Next morning, just north of the Alligator River Bridge, we passed Long School Pt near St M 80. There the ICW 'jogged' to the east around shallow water off the point, so we slowed down and watched the markers very carefully. It would be easy to make a mistake there. We chose not to go the Dismal Swamp route and followed the ICW eastern route. We stopped at Coinjock NC at St M 50 for fuel and dinner. We really enjoyed the great scenery that included bald eagles and meeting the local people along the ICW. We were able to motorsail all the way to Norfolk that night and anchored at 2300 Jan 20th off the Portsmouth Navy Hospital at St M 0 in good water and bottom. By morning the cold front had arrived with 30 winds and it was really getting cold. We topped off the fuel tank at the marina in Portsmouth and sailed to the mouth of the Great Wicomico River just south of the Potomac and anchored just off the channel around 0130. On the way in, we also most ran into these fish traps that are a bunch of large poles in a long line sticking out of the water. Radar saved the day (night) for us since they are nearly invisible at night. For a while, we felt trapped. It was up at 0630 for a cold day of sailing up the Chesapeake to Baltimore. Ice covered the foredeck and lifelines. And Debbie looked like an Eskimo steering Yaga and wondering “What the hell am I doing here?” She made us hot soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. It was the best lunch I have ever had. The high temperature for the day was 33 degrees. We passed many popular landmarks like Bloody Point Light, Thomas Point Light and the great Chesapeake Bay Bridge but we hardly noticed. Our focus was staying out of the way of the many large merchant ships also heading for Baltimore. The freezing weather didn’t seem to bother them. They called us on channel 13 to make sure we knew they were there. We pulled into Baltimore that Monday night Jan 22nd at 2100 and it was 18 degrees. We had to push through slush ice all the way from Fort McHenry to the Harbor View Marina in the inner harbor of Baltimore, about 2 miles. Debbie and I took a hot shower and crashed. I had to be at work at 0715. Yikes! We both really enjoyed the cruise and have gained valuable experience in the process. One thing we learned was that we are capable sailors and will do well as cruisers onboard Yaga. We also learned how to stay warm in the middle of the night on a sailboat in January on the East Coast. Not an easy thing to do without an AC Generator or diesel / propane heater. We found night sailing Yaga on the ICW with her electronic charts, radar, 1,000,000-candle power spotlight and the best lookout/navigator/first mate any skipper could possibly have, was very exciting. It was the only way we could have made the trip from Fort Lauderdale to Baltimore in just 11 days without going offshore full time. After a 2100 nautical mile ‘move-our-home’ voyage, we were able to enjoy a warm spring and mild summer. Taking long weekends to explore the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Yaga took us to Annapolis, St Michaels, Botkin Creek on the Patapsco River for an Easter raft up, Oxford, Worton Creek and the Chester River. On one Tuesday in April we sat at anchor in the Inner Harbor of Baltimore, next to the 1854 Sloop-of-War ‘USS Constellation’, eating pizza and drinking wine with some of our new friends from the marina. The only other vessel out that day was the topsail schooner ‘Pride-of-Baltimore II’, which passed by just 50 feet away. We waved and her skipper just smiled and waved back. Don’t ya just love sailing
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To Henk Meuzelaar
Once I finish an oil pipeline job in Russia, Deb and I will go to the South Coast of Cuba for a couple of months in the spring. The name Yaga came from the Yaga sports/surfing clothing outlet in Galveston, Texas. They said it means 'Peace, Respect and Unity'. They also found out that in Jamaican dancehall slang, it means a friendly hello/goodbye greeting like Aloha. Here in Russia, they all think it means what you said about the old witch or Woman of Autumn 'Baba Yaga'. We checked the CG Database and currently ours is the only Yaga. Maybe some day we will meet up with Yaga II. On your comments, we only have 2 reefs and it was just too much sail in those winds. We have been in that situation before and would tend to round up too often. Our Bimini/dodger combo acts like a sail when the wind is astern. The H40.5 does have a split backstay plus a topping lift (Dutchman System) with a rigid vang. With 50% Genoa rolled out the rig seemed very stable and steering was balanced going downwind. In Texas, we do get a lot of very powerful fronts and thunderstorms with wall clouds that cause the wind to shift up to 180 and go from 10 to over 50 knots. But those first 10 to 20 minutes are when things usually happen and I like taken the big gusts head-on while I steer Yaga behind the comfort of the dodger. Not having to worry about sheets or reefing or having too much sail up, makes it less of a trying experience. We also get a lot of hail and I don't like getting smacked in the face. The hail also only lasts those first minutes. Then we raise back up the sails and turn off the engine. I also feel better starting the engine so I know its there for Debbie to use in case something happens to me. If an emergency does come along, we have plenty of power to maneuver and for pumps, lights, radios, radar and AP. I've followed all you posts over the years here on HOW. Thanks for your valuable contributions. Mickey and Debbie
Once I finish an oil pipeline job in Russia, Deb and I will go to the South Coast of Cuba for a couple of months in the spring. The name Yaga came from the Yaga sports/surfing clothing outlet in Galveston, Texas. They said it means 'Peace, Respect and Unity'. They also found out that in Jamaican dancehall slang, it means a friendly hello/goodbye greeting like Aloha. Here in Russia, they all think it means what you said about the old witch or Woman of Autumn 'Baba Yaga'. We checked the CG Database and currently ours is the only Yaga. Maybe some day we will meet up with Yaga II. On your comments, we only have 2 reefs and it was just too much sail in those winds. We have been in that situation before and would tend to round up too often. Our Bimini/dodger combo acts like a sail when the wind is astern. The H40.5 does have a split backstay plus a topping lift (Dutchman System) with a rigid vang. With 50% Genoa rolled out the rig seemed very stable and steering was balanced going downwind. In Texas, we do get a lot of very powerful fronts and thunderstorms with wall clouds that cause the wind to shift up to 180 and go from 10 to over 50 knots. But those first 10 to 20 minutes are when things usually happen and I like taken the big gusts head-on while I steer Yaga behind the comfort of the dodger. Not having to worry about sheets or reefing or having too much sail up, makes it less of a trying experience. We also get a lot of hail and I don't like getting smacked in the face. The hail also only lasts those first minutes. Then we raise back up the sails and turn off the engine. I also feel better starting the engine so I know its there for Debbie to use in case something happens to me. If an emergency does come along, we have plenty of power to maneuver and for pumps, lights, radios, radar and AP. I've followed all you posts over the years here on HOW. Thanks for your valuable contributions. Mickey and Debbie
Thanks
Hey, all I know to tell you is THANKS!!!! I really enjoyed your story. Reminded me of my trip from Nashville to the Gulf in 98. The ICW at night, the merchant ships. Thank you for sharing your trip with me I almost felt as I was there. I know not to buy the Raytheon 5200 <smile>. Best wishes to you and Debbie may you always find fair winds and calm sea's. Howard R. Misty Blue Nashville,TN.
Hey, all I know to tell you is THANKS!!!! I really enjoyed your story. Reminded me of my trip from Nashville to the Gulf in 98. The ICW at night, the merchant ships. Thank you for sharing your trip with me I almost felt as I was there. I know not to buy the Raytheon 5200 <smile>. Best wishes to you and Debbie may you always find fair winds and calm sea's. Howard R. Misty Blue Nashville,TN.
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