Finding treasure aboard the Conch Pearl

Art and the Conch Pearl

We recently had been invited to accompany Art, an older weather-worn sailor who we have befriended, in order to get out on the ocean and really get our bearings while at sea. He owns a beautiful 51-foot double masted boat named the Conch Pearl. Although we only went out about 10 or 15 miles from shore, I really got a chance to see how well our crew is able to come together to figure out things that need to be done and everyone is so willing and excited to learn knots and rigging lines and how to cleat off the boat as to pull it toward the dock using its existing momentum and how to compensate for tide and current. Even though it was only for a few days, this was one more time of many in which I gained even more confidence in our crews ability to work hard together on our voyage. Being out on the water was amazing! We had so much fun learning everything that we could from Art. I like to pick his brain sometimes since he has such a vast amount of knowledge about this subject to which I am being newly introduced. He has his own colorful way of explaining things, adopted from many years of sailing the oceans encompassing our world. I think it’s interesting and quite entertaining.

Since I offered to make the drive to St Augustine I definitely wanted to help pilot this 51 ft. beauty at least from the marina to meet up with the Southern Wind. We met Art at the marina at which his boat is docked, which is only about a mile (by land) away from where our house and the Southern Wind is located. When we met with him he walked us up to his boat and showed us generally what to do until later when he could show us more. We readied all that we could, un-cleated the lines and boarded, making our way slowly out of the marina, en route to pick up the crew from the backyard of our home where the Southern Wind is being rebuilt. Art showed us all the gadgets and things he has on his boat as we tread slowly through the channel. It didn’t take long to arrive at the entrance of the channel we live on and we guided the Conch Pearl upstream and as we approached our destination, Art took over, confidently swinging the aft of the boat around to meet with the Southern Wind and we proceeded to cleat the two vessels together and transfer our gear onto the Conch Pearl. We then proceeded to have some homemade beer battered fish and chips, compliments of Ben, then headed out. Little did anyone know what difficulty would befall them this evening…

We needed to have a car in St Augustine over the weekend since Ben and Sky both needed to be dropped off at the Jacksonville airport the next morning. I was willing to make the drive and let the others sail from Palm Coast to St Augustine, our rendezvous point. Maddy decided to ride with me and as we drove North to St Augustine, it wasn’t long until we received an alarming phone call from Sky, who informed us that they had gotten stuck on a shoal in the channel on the way up. Apparently the sand beds in the channels change frequently, so despite the boat being safely inside the navigation buoys, there was no forewarning of the shoal that had formed near the center of the channel. It stealthily surprised them in the dark night. Naturally, Maddy and I laughed heartily at their expense for some time. That is,  until we learned that they weren’t able to singlehandedly dislodge the vessel and that the situation would require some outside help. There was no way for us to help from St Augustine while the rest of our crew was on a boat somewhere near Palm Coast, and they had already contacted a tow company (ironically owned by none other than the mayor of Palm Coast.) So Maddy and I decided to bum around, relax and imagine stories of what was happening out there while the two of us did the only thing that we could do- keep our phones handy and wait for the boat over a couple of drinks in Old Town St Augustine… It was a Friday night after all. But by the time 3:30am rolled around and all was closed, we got word of the crew’s status and decided to leave after learning that although all was fine (except Jamie, who I later learned was hugging the mast for dear life as the Conch Pearl had been pulled back and forth almost completely sideways in a furious effort to dislodge it,) they would be another 4 or 5 hours and we had nowhere to go. Home it was.

This was many of the crew’s first time on a sailboat. The last time I was actually sailing I believe I was nine years old with my family and my Uncle Mike on Lake Michigan. I still remember it to this day: typical Lake Michigan weather- Sunny and calm for a short time, followed suddenly by cold weather and choppy waves that seemed massive to a nine year-old. It may not be the ocean, but Lake Michigan still is no joke. I have been addicted to sailing and boats ever since that first time, although I must admit it has taken me this long to rediscover the passion. There has always been a deep desire in me to be on the ocean, to learn its ways and to be humbled by its shear mass and power. I have always had such a respect for the ocean and I am so excited to learn anything that I can about it.

I also absolutely love St Augustine; it is the oldest city in our nation (founded 1565) and has so many old structures and amazing architecture (another of my passions.) Castillo de San Marcos, an old Spanish fort, is still intact and preserved as a museum now, along with many older houses from the mid 1700’s. There is simply so much history in that city I can’t wait to explore it further and learn of all the various merchant ships, Spanish galleons, pirates and others that have frequented the same port so many years ago.

While we were out sailing, no more than 10 miles off shore, a pod of about 30-40 bottle nose dolphins accompanied us for about an hour as we sliced through the surface of the water. Alone I stood up on the bow sprit and observed the gentle creatures as they swam back and forth directly underneath me.

Dolphins swimming alongside the Conch Pearl

A couple times I actually caught eyes with some of them and we stared at each other for a good few seconds. It was amazing to be recognized by something so wild and free in its own habitat. As I stood there 6 feet out of the water, the boat rising and falling with each wave, I couldn’t help but begin to once again unearth my passion for the sea. By the end of the day we had seen sea turtles, stingrays and jellyfish and also had caught two sand sharks as we trolled. We let them go and continued on our way back to shore so we could explore a little bit of St Augustine that evening, although once we docked, we found it quite enjoyable to sit around and play guitar and spend time. That’s something that I think is amazing about our group; we spend all day together every day and still in our free time we want to hang out and spend time with each other. I’m sure that will change and people will need their space eventually but I hope not any time soon.

After the second day of sailing we had caught wind of a concert locally where some of our favorite reggae bands were playing and we decided to make an appearance. We all had a great time and I couldn’t help but look at the members of our crew and think to myself what a wonderful experience it will be when we are able to sit down with natives and connect with them through music, yet another passion of mine. I have been playing guitar since the age of fourteen. I brought two and also brought a few harmonicas, an acoustic bass and a ukulele, all of which I intend on becoming somewhat proficient at over the course of our trip. I’m sure I’ll find the time while sailing between countries. I have found over the years that music is such a great way to connect with people, no matter what cultural or demographic background you are from. I love it so much. Jamie once suggested that I start collecting random native instruments as a hobby along the way and learn to play them. I may just take her up on it. I can’t imagine the different types of instruments we will encounter en route but I can’t wait to find out.