44 passagemaker.com April 2014
Seamanship BY GEORGE SASS JR.
Wham! The stacked swell greets us quare on the nose as we creep beyond Port Everglades
Inlet into the Atlantic. The boat dips her
bow into the large seas and shudders as
she shakes off the salt water like a wet
dog after a bath.
“Geez, it’s a little rougher out here
than I thought,” I mumble while trying
to gain my bearings. The night beyond
our bow is black as oil and my eyes have
trouble transitioning from the lights
of Ft. Lauderdale astern. Belowdecks
loose items slide across counter tops
and rattle around in lockers. Gear
perfectly secure the previous weeks,
while cruising the sheltered Intracoastal
Waterway, now breaks free.
Thonk! This time my stomach drops
as we land in a deep trough. Life Is Short
rises over the next crest and an entirely
new set of noises makes an appearance.
“What the hell?” Peter Rothwell asks
upon discovering that the contents of the
side-by-side door fridge are jettisoning
with every swell. In seconds I’m on the
sole with one foot reaching from the
galley toward the bottom edge of the
freezer door to keep it closed, stretching
like John Heisman—albeit an older and
plumper version of the college football
great—to catch a stray cantaloupe and
rolling jar of mayo. I break my pose to
chomp on a stray peanut. (Hey, boating
makes me hungry.)
In aviation and in boating, takeoffs
and landings are the most critical phases
of flight. I believe the same can more
specifically be said of passagemaking.
Add a dose of nighttime into the
equation and even the most seasoned
cruiser may bumble over himself if
not properly prepared. On this cruise
between Ft. Lauderdale and the Turks
and Caicos, I’m reminded about the
importance of key seamanship skills such
as preparation and communication—and
how good people can make even a
rough trip a fun endeavor.
“Guys, what’s going on down
there?” asks Bob Short, the Fleming
55’s owner. “I need to know where I’m
going.” Indeed, what is going on? I’ve
been through this inlet countless times,
usually departing at night so I’m cruising
across the shallow Great Bahama Bank
as the sun rises. Yet here I am tussling
around the saloon sole with a darn nice
assortment of specialty cheeses and fresh
fruits while the chart plotter beeps away
Practice Makes Perfect
Lessons Learned From an Offshore Passage
From Florida to the Turks and Caicos.
Ge
or
ge
Sa
s
s
J
r.
Life is Short ties up at Exuma Docking
Service in George Town for fuel and
customs. Charlie enjoys the view from the
Fleming 55’s pilothouse.
TAG ALONG WITH LIFE IS SHORT
Scan the QR code here to see the image gallery from
Life is Short’s passage to the Turks and Caicos or visit
www.passagemaker.com and search “Web Extra.”
