sv evi

11/13/2006

Approx 300nm from mainland

With all systems go after the repairs and preparations in Puntarenas, Costa Rica Guava is anxious to have water moving under her keel. Our plan is to anchor at Isla Jesusita (N 9 50.47 W 84 53.12) about 16 nm sw of Puntarenas. Then directly to Isla Del Coco for the shakedown cruise to really test all the work.

After one night we are itching to go so weighing the anchor we hand steer, motoring thru all the debris in the ocean. After heavy rains, logs and even complete trees pepper the path in the Golfo de Nicoya as we pass the last islands and reach the open Pacific. Greeted with 20kts of wind and ominous clouds we double reef the main and decide to stick our nose in it and take a look. We have found many times the coastal weather to be uglier than what you get out in the open ocean……plus we can always turn back with many personally charted options for refuge nearby.

We were right. A few hours later we are running the full main and working jib, 40nm offshore sailing at 5+kts under partly cloudy skies. The motion of Guava is sooo sweet with her modified full keel effortlessly slicing thru the rollers off our quarter. This carries on for the next 48 hours with a couple of hours motorsailing in between. Also during this passage we hooked and lost 2 large dorados and landed a 20lb bonito. While under sail Cort made a delicious marinade (orange, ginger, soy, garlic) as well as garlic edam mashed potatos and salad served up with a nice cabernet. By the way…..we eat like this all the time. As mentioned before Cort is a fabulous cook. I still make some meals but she has a way around the galley, constantly surprising me with unique creations with local foods and ingrediants. Mostly i stay outta her way until its time to eat.

We also had another animal incident on the passage. A tiny goldfinch(?) came onboard while we were offshore. Stowie (yep, we named him) hung out for a few hours flying around the cockpit and cabin, walking on us and eating insects. All was great until he was out on the lifeline and a gust blew him away. Of course we couldn’t leave crew at sea so we turned around and performed a textbook bird-overboard rescue. Crazy what will entertain you at sea.

Isla del Coco proved to be everything promised and more. Upon arrival at sunrise we were happy to be the only sailboat. 2 dive boats from Costa Rica continually bring scuba nuts out for a week long live-abord experience and one was in the bay. During the approach the gray mass enshrouded in dark clouds gave way to steep, lush green slopes spitting out various waterfalls cascading inland as well as directly into the Pacific. This looks great so grabing a mooring-ball (coral bottom) i jumped in to check the anchoring. Immediately i saw 2 white-tip sharks directly below me as well as a plethora of fish. I summoned Cort to hurry-up with mask and fins. She stalled long enough that the sharks had gone but we still managed to free dive for over an hour under Guava’s belly. This all immediately upon arrival.

After rest and organizing Guava we need to dive. Without any books or guides to divesites I had been watching where the dive boats had been taking people around the bay. It was important to get the best we could on our first dive for we had only 2 tanks and no compressor to fill em. So off to Isla Manualita, a short dinghy trip from Guava. The 2 dive boats there should be about finished and we would have it to ourselves. Passing one on the way in, Luis, the capitan of the live-aboard, Sea Hunter, gave us advice on where to anchor, currents, depths and most importantly offered to fill our tanks afterwards.

Anchoring the dinghy in 20ft we dropped in and were surrounded by various corals and large schools of reef fish. Continuing to descend to 50 ft, where the coral edge meets the sandy bottom we saw the first few of hundreds of white-tip sharks we would see over the next 6 dives. Ranging from 3-6 ft they were indifferent to our presence, slipping silently over the coral tops or resting on the sandy bottom, only non-chalantly moving when i would come too close (within 4ft). First time shark experience can be unnerving and it was no different for Cort. No matter how much i said not to worry, all you can think about is all the movies, stories and tales of these undersea preadators. Doesn’t help that a friend of ours from Ranchomastatal, Tom (AKA Tiberon), has the hole in his arm from an attack, to disprove my “friendly shark” theory. Anyway, she did great and noone was eaten.

The remainder of the dive was filled with more lobsters than i have seen in all my previous dives combined. Virtually under every rock an entire family existed. Often walking in the open (Coco is a protected marine sanctuary). Different varieties of eels, urchins, corals as well as all the usual suspect reef fish including but not limited to angels, parrots, trumpet, needle, scorpion, butterfly, puffer, balloon, grunts, wrasses, porgies, jacks and giant yellowfin tunas. Also our favorite, spotted-eagle rays and sea turtles. This was all on the first dive, near Guava.

“That was my best dive ever” Cort would subsequently repeat over the next few descents. We headed directly for Sea Hunter to drop off the tanks and they said pick em up in an hour so we went back to Guava to reflect. Paying for the fill with a cabernet they then offered whatever we needed. After another excellent dive we returned to Sea Hunter with empties and were beckoned aboard. Welcomed with ice-cold beers, a tour of the ship, a delicious fish dinner and great conversation with Luis, we left with our full tanks and full bellies happy to have made the long journey to Coco.

Two more equally stellar dives the next day from the dinghy. The first a deep dive on another islet after aborting our first attempt to dive the hammerhead shark sight on the outside of Isla Manualita. 100ft is very deep to anchor the dinghy but possible. The current and lack of support was what made us err on the side of caution and try another sight. Hammerheads would just have to wait. The second dive of the day was back to the location of our first dive. Two incredible experiences occured on this dive aside from the usual “rootsiness"of them. Just after entering the water we were greeted by a giant manta ray. Moving slowly right next to us i swam under him, literally close enough to touch. His "wing-span” was 12ft, over twice my lenght. As he hovered over me, remoras in tow, i looked back at smiling, wide eyed Cort and was happy for her to see this. A few minutes later he slowly moved on, with the current away from our planned dive. Later that dive we saw a couple of sea turtles. The second was a curious one who swam toward us casually turning away upon reaching us as if inviting a back massage. I approached and gently touched his shell and he responded by pushing back. Waving Cort over she placed her hand next to mine on his back and we three floated together for a few moments. These incidents are difficult to put into words but i hope you have a sense of the experience.

Back in the dinghy, giddy from the dive we did a fly-by of the 250+ft private yacht “M/V Lone Ranger” that arrived this day. I yelled up from the stern, to the crew lounging under the helipad “You guys need anything?” Their response was “Wanna cold beer?” and we were tied off and warmly greeted. Captain Marc was Kiwi as well as most of the 15 crew and they had left Palau a few weeks before and on their way to the Panama Canal to meet the owner (founder of Progressive Insurance) For the full report Google it. We had planned on leaving the next morning but they had convinced us (OK, bribe us with fresh water, diesel, ice, tank fills, dive support) to stay a couple more days.

Our next dive was to an outer island Isla Sucia (Dirty Rock). They took our gear on a jet drive 25ft inflatable, but we brought our own dinghy for the long hual out. It was a spectacular spot, deep, exposed but with support we could do a drift dive and not worry about finding the dinghy from the bottom as per usual. Descending we saw many large rays floating by at all different depths. The island walls dropped off to beyond visible depths and the layers of enormous rays reminded me of spaceships coming to land at some futuristic city. Many sharks swam about and rested in sandy patches built into shelves on the rocky wall. Deep and dark with cloudy skies the light was unusually eerie. Once again A+ dive.

The LR crew had to get back to shuttle more divers out so we did a tour on the long trip back to the main island and explored some waterfalls. Anchoring Tsssss and swimming ashore is not that easy in the middle of the Pacific. The swell brings in irregular surge and surf and the shore is extremely rocky but we managed. The island is where some scenes from Jurassic Park were filmed so you can imagine the beauty. Only a couple of ranger stations inhabit the island. It is remote, pristine and green. Approximately 300in rain per year. It managed to rain everyday we were there but it is welcomed. Keeps Guava and crew clean as well as cools things off a bit.

LR had a big BBQ that evening. We ate, drank, danced and even did our laundry. All the rangers from the island were invited. We also got a tour of the vessel. A converted North Seas tug it is about the same age as Guava (1973) and bought and refitted but an american millionaire for private use. Powered by 2 4500hp V-12, it has a helipad, pool, spa, weight room, 15 ton crane for the 35 ft “dinghy”, 28ft Corsair trimaran, Sea-Doo,the dive tender and little 18ft dinghy with a 27hp diesel. Of course all the other ammenities of any cruise ship. (see fotos) The best thing about it was the people. Everyone was so helpful and friendly and we cant thank then enough for all the help and support they generously gave Guava.

So the last dive with LR was to the one we aborted and famous for hammerheads. We we not down 5 minutes before reaching the feeding station and there were a few swimming around. Potentially an aggressive shark i somehow felt at ease after all the recent diving. They swam above and below and the surrounding waters but unlike the white-tips never settled down on the bottom. Rays and other sharks were present also.

The next morning as we prepared to leave we were showered with “gifts” from LR. Filled our water tanks, diesel tanks (we calculated they burn in 3 minutes want we got from them to last us the next couple of weeks) a big block of ice and a last deck shower. Thanks again Lone Ranger……….HI HO SILVER!!!!