Before I start down this road or in nautical terms "steer this course", I should introduce myself and explain why I feel the need to share these ruminations.
I am Reg Hutcherson, formerly master of the sailing vessel BlueTopaz. A couple years ago, I passed my three-quarter-centruy mark. Those of you who have been following our adventures know that in 1998, my wife Teri and I closed our businesses and set off to see the world. We sailed away on our traditional gaff-rigged schooner, BlueTopaz, that over the previous four years, we fitted for remote location and offshore sailing. She was our "home base, magic carpet and safe haven" for almost twenty years. |
The following are stories from some of our travels. While not all of our experiences were palm frond beaches and cocktails in the cockpit, my time on board and traveling the world were some of the most rewarding and fulfilling times of my life.
My objective is to encourage those of you who are inclined to pack a bag, in some cases a seabag, to go and see what’s over the horizon. For the armchair adventurers out there, I want to provide a glimpse of the world, off-the-beaten-path. By sharing our adventures, I want to highlight the rewards of exploring the world’s out-of-the-way places and encourage my readers to consider the roads less traveled. |
The Roads Less Traveled
Social Connections:
We've met some of the most interesting people and developed meaningful, long-term relationships with travelers met in the world’s out-of-the-way places. On meeting, even before the first words are spoken, you know that these travelers share a spirit of adventure and the willingness to exert the considerable effort required to get there.
For example:
We've met some of the most interesting people and developed meaningful, long-term relationships with travelers met in the world’s out-of-the-way places. On meeting, even before the first words are spoken, you know that these travelers share a spirit of adventure and the willingness to exert the considerable effort required to get there.
For example:
In a quiet cove off an uninhabited island, a single boat shared our anchorage. Over drinks in the cockpit, we discovered the single-hander sailing the French-flagged catamaran is a world-renowned artist who, after retiring from the French Foreign Legion, took up painting. He told us that after years of protecting France’s interest in outposts scattered over much of the globe, his passion now is painting unspoiled, tropical landscapes.
Breakfasting in the rustic dining room of the Albabinshal Lodge in the Siwa Oasis, we met an Italian archeologist. He regaled us with tales of digs and finds at sights in the deserts across Egypt.
He was taking a break from the rigors of digging in the desert to write a book about this seven hundred-year-old, Shali, mud-brick fortress, grounded in Egyptian history, that housed our hotel. Yes, that was our hotel The Albabinshal in the Shali fortress!
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One afternoon, while anchored in the caldera on Isla Genovesa, a newlywed, Dutch, couple we met onboard the SV Beagle (a fourteen-passenger sailing vessel in the Galapagos) related their adventures of the first two weeks of their honeymoon at a remote camp in the Amazon rainforest. Teri and I, as well as the other passengers, sat transfixed by their stories of howler monkeys at dawn and their time deep in Amazonia.
Even in a tourist mecca like Hawaii, unique experiences can be had. A conversation with a Tahitian dancer we met while walking on an isolated beach, at the eastern tip of Maui, resulted in an invitation to a "locals only" performance.
She was a member of a visiting dance troupe from Tahiti. In one of the greatest feats of ancient seamanship, over a thousand years ago, her ancestors sailed 2,600 miles of open ocean, in out-rigger canoes, from Polynesia to populate the Hawaiian Islands. Their performance was a thank you to the people of Hana for hosting them. It was an evening we will not forget. We felt honored to be there. Travel off-the-beaten-path requires planning and effort.
Recalling some situations still warms my heart. |
Food shopping in the Out-Islands:
Living in the first world, we take the basics of life for granted. For example, we assume that food will be available at the local supermarket, neighborhood grocery store, Costco or Walmart. We expect to be able to find a variety of fresh, frozen and canned foods in abundance any day, every day.
Sailing off-shore or in remote locations, you only have the provisions onboard. The prudent sailor carries provisions for the time they plan to be at sea, additional supplies to cover any delays and anything that may not be available in their target cruising grounds. Planning for what may not be available at your planned destination is a crucial factor in making life aboard comfortable. For example, in the “Out-Islands of the Bahamas,” your selection of groceries and everyday foodstuffs can be limited. Commonly stocked items in North America are frequently not available and, unless you’re at the store the day the mailboat arrives, you may find sparsely stocked shelves. |
We’d been sailing the Exumas for over a month when we anchored off Staniel Cay. The preceding two weeks were spent in the extraordinary 176 square mile Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park, where there are no stores and no trash disposal. “You bring everything you need and take all your refuse with you.”
While there are no stores and you must collect your own trash, the payoff is an opportunity to spend time in one of Mother Nature’s most pristine environments. Within the park limits, visitors are not allowed to harass the animals or disturb the environment. There is no fishing and no hunting. Visitors are not allowed to even collect shells from the beach. The idea is to leave the park as Mother Nature intended it. Fish, in the park, swim right up to you and look at you eye to eye right through your mask. |
The Exumas Land & Sea Park Motto
On the Cays: Take Only Photos – Leave Only Footprints
In the Sea: Take Only Photos – Leave Only Bubbles
On the Cays: Take Only Photos – Leave Only Footprints
In the Sea: Take Only Photos – Leave Only Bubbles
Staniel Cay was made famous by the 1965 James Bond movie Thunder Ball. Thunder Ball Grotto is just northwest of the Cay. Despite being made famous by a Bond film, Staniel Cay is far from a bustling metropolis. Its resident population consists of about eighty souls.
After a brief walkabout, to get the lay of the land, Teri and I headed off to top-up our stores. There were three grocery stores on Staniel Cay; The Blue Store, The Pink Store and Isles General Store. The Blue Store and The Pink Store are both one-room operations, each about 12' by 15', and directly across the path from each other. . Like most out-island stores, since this was not the day the mailboat arrived, there was just a smattering of items on the shelves scattered around the stores. Their supply of fresh produce was non existent. We decided to try the Isles General.
When the mail boat does arrive it's best to be at the store to get the first pick, because in the out islands new groceries disappear quickly and the next boat may not arrive for a week or more.
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The Isles General Store is about a ten-minute walk across the island. The Isles General is larger than the Blue or the Pink. It’s still basically, a one-room affair, with more space and more shelves but not much more inventory.
While walking around, we were surprised to see a large chest freezer in the back of the store marked - MEAT -. Teri gave me her famous, “What the?”, expression. We walked back to take a look. On opening the freezer, we found neatly stacked packages wrapped in brown butcher paper. Each package was taped closed and had a handwritten price on it. However, there was no indication of what they contained. After searching through about a dozen packages, I took one to the cashier and asked, “What’s in here?” She looked at it and said, "It's meat, $22.50.” I said, “I figured it was meat because it was in the meat freezer. I’d like to know what kind of meat.” She took the package, turned it over, raised one eyebrow, shrugged, handed it back to me and said, "It's Meat and it cost twenty-two dollars and fifty cents!" Smiling, I thanked her, walked to the back of the store and put the package of “MEAT” back in the freezer. Teri and I headed back to BlueTopaz. Note: The Bahamas extends for approximately 760 miles from, off the southeast coast of Florida, almost to Haiti. The Bahamas consists of more than 700 islands and 2,400 cays. The Out-Islands are the islands that make up the Bahamas with the exception of two islands; New Providence with the capital and largest city, Nassau and Grand Bahama Island where Freeport, the second largest city, is located. There are approximately 700 Out-Islands, of which only a small number are inhabited. Our cruising grounds were the Out-Islands. |
Monsieur Bagáges:
Teri and I flew back to Florida, several times a year, to pick up our van for our drive to Canada to visit friends and family. We used these trips to stock up on items that weren’t available or difficult to get off-shore.
There’s a nautical axiom that says: “A happy cook makes for a happy crew”. BlueTopaz was fortunate to have a gourmet cook in her galley. One of my mandates, as captain, was to keep the cook happy. For Teri, there are some things for which there are no substitutes. Those items, we would stock up on and fly back with us. We frequently flew back with several cases of:
Most often, we flew a local island airline, Yellow Air Taxi. Yellow Air Taxi typically flew six passenger Cessna 402Cs. Initially, we purchased two passenger seats and booked our stores as cargo. The cost per pound for cargo was exorbitant. One day, it occurred to me to check and see what it would cost to purchase a third seat. I called reservations and identified myself. The reservationist immediately recognized my voice and greeted me, “Oh yes, Mr. Hutcherson, how can I help you?” I asked, “What is the luggage allowance per passenger?” The reservationist informed me that each passenger was allowed fifty pounds of luggage. I then asked what the airline calculated as average weight per passenger.
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She said passenger weight varies but, the airline used an average of about two hundred pounds per passenger. I said that I weighed 225 pounds. She said that that was within their passenger weight allotment. I did a quick calculation of the weight we would be shipping via cargo versus the cost of booking a passenger seat at 275 lbs. of total onboard weight. It was immediately apparent that I could save money simply booking a third seat instead of shipping the supplies as cargo. I said that I would like to book passage for my brother. She said, “That would be great.” I said that I would like to clarify; his weight is 225 pounds, and he will be traveling with 50 pounds of luggage. So, the total weight allowance would be 275 pounds. She said, “That is correct, Mr. Hutcherson. Should I go ahead and book the seat?” I said, Yes and we verified the flight details. She asked, “What is your brother’s name?” I said, “Please book the seat for Monsieur Bagáges. He weighs 225 lbs. and he will be traveling with 50 lbs. of luggage.” She said, “Very good. Monsieur Bagáges is all booked for your flight on Tuesday morning. Have a great trip.” A few days later, when we were boarding the plane, I placed our bags on the tarmac, ready to go into the cargo compartment. I was strapping several cases in the seat behind us, in the last row of seats, when the pilot came onboard. He asked what I was doing. I informed him that the seat was reserved for Monsieur Bagáges. He raised on eyebrow, gave me a quizzical look, then went forward to check his manifest. A few minutes later, he returned smiling. He nodded and said, “Very good.” and walked away laughing. Several months later, when I called to book our flight back to the islands, I got the same reservationist. When I identified myself and told her where we were flying, she laughed and asked, “Oh yes, Mr. Hutcherson, will your brother Monsieur Bagáges be traveling with you?” Monsieur Bagáges regularly traveled with us, there after! |