Solo Sailor Overdue in S. Pacific!

[hollyjb]

We need your help. Jim Cheshire (age 63) left Manta, Ecuador on July 7, 2009 for the Marquesas. He is sailing a Pearson built, Alberg 35 sloop, white hull & sail #153. There is no name on the boat.

If anyone has any information or sitings, we would be eternally grateful if you could contact us. +1 860-304-5733 (US mobile) or holly@bogo2.com

Also, please let me know if you think of other sailing sites that I can post to.

[John A]

Go to the latitude38 website www.latitude38.com and contact Richard the owner/publisher. This magazine keeps in contact with a large readership, both online and thru the magazine, of boats doing the puddle-jump to the South Pacific.
Also contact the US Coast Guard, who will broadcast an alert that will be relayed over numerious ham/ssb radio nets thruout the area.
best wishes and good luck John

[roverhi]

Second the above reccomendations. It's small consolation, but it's not unheard of for people to take longer than 60 days to make that passage. Winds off the Ecuador coast are notoriously fickle. From personal experience, the SW tradewinds can be absent for weeks to a month at a time and/or blow on the nose for that passage.

[James S]

Try Sailnet as well.

[fishwife]

and Noonsite.com

[hollyjb]

John A: USCG (Pacific SAR, Alameda CA) was contacted on day 41. They are also helping with the language barriers with the Ecuadorian and Polynesian governments. Jim's girlfriend has keep a daily log from her home base in FL of all wind and wave conditions for Jim's proposed route, along with estimated positions. She has relayed all of this info to our USCG contact.

roverhi: Thank you for reminding us of the sea's fickle ways. The winds have been very light during the course of his crossing (max 17k). That is why we waited 10 extra days before notifying the CG.

Thank you all for your recommendations and positive thoughts. I will keep you posted on any developments.

[hollyjb]

UPDATE Aug 30 16:15 EDT
USCG has notified all commercial mariners, boatwatchnet.org, and Ham radio operators. They have also contacted French Polynesia, who have made VHF broadcasts to look out for Jim's boat.

The onboard EPIRB has not been activated, so that is good news. The family feels Jim will make it and that he is probably very frustrated with the light winds during his passage.

[hollyjb]

CORRECTION 30-AUG-09 16:20 EDT
Jim left Ecuador on July 21, 2009, not the 7th as noted in the original post. The USCG was first notified on 29-Aug-09.

[MarkJ]

Left July 21st?

He shouldnt be listed as overdue yet.

Its a slow old boat.

Its takes many boats over 1 month and thats leaving from Galapagos... Equadore to Galapagos could take 3 weeks easily......

I think Panama - Galapagos took 10 days for us... the squally crappy non-weather was abummer for slowness. Still loved the trip though!!!!!!!!

I thought there was some 'rule' about 2kts being the speed of a boat before being overdue?

Mark

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Left July 21st?

He shouldnt be listed as overdue yet.

I agree completely.

It's 3525nm from Manta to Hivo Oa and sections of that passage can be extremely slow. We were once absolutely becalmed for 10 days along that route.

I would not have ever expected him in before August 25th (100nm/day) and I would not think to call him 'overdue' until after 70days (50miles/day) is up.

If the Eprib has not gone off, I would not be worried at all yet.

Just so you know, the bad news is that without an EPIRB signal, there is really pretty much nothing the USCG or anyone else can do. That's a big piece of ocean and there is not that much ship traffic, so without an EPIRB location its really unlikely anyone is going to see him.

The good news is that there is an extremely high likelihood nothing is wrong, and he will come sailing into Hiva Oa one of these days.

Did he have any sort of long range radio (Ham or SSB)?

When he does arrived and get all settled in Hiva Oa, you (the family) should probably have a discussion and agreement with him about realistic passage times and ETA's, and overdue calls. Or you should buy him an Iridium phone, so he can call home if he is going to miss his ETA.

[estarzinger]

If you want to contact them, these folks appear to be in the Marquesas right now (and there is an e-mail contact addres on the blog):

Fishing | Cruising to Calm

And these folks are in the Society Islands (Polynesia beyond the Marquesas).
SV Carina - Philip & Leslie's Home Page

[LeeSailor]

I found this on Sailnet.com.

Originally Posted by lapwing
According to a Latitude 38 posting on facebook Jim arrived September 8. I have no other details.
Alice

Is there any other news?

[MarkJ]

Good to see he is oK.

Overdue dates given out should be calculated better. Its a waste of money getting the authorities starting searches and numerous grey hairs for family!