I found this blog:
levoyagedephileas
and the final
passage copied and pasted below, thanks to
google translate, it is a bit rough, but one can get the idea. Another confirmation of doubtful decision making after a rough passsage, and trying to approach land during night time. ..
Very sorry to hear about this ending, the only good thing is that no one was injured and no lives were
lost.
The final blog entry:
Hello everyone,
After leaving the Roques, I could tell you about the birds aves, Tuna 25kg we fished during the crossing to
bonaire, our reunion with Julie, Fred, Louise and Romeo Datura who presented Laetitia and Matthew, friends who live in
Bonaire, Jean-Mathieu's brother, Julie, and fabulous Serge and Nadine, Laetitia's parents.
The great week we spent, starting with a great
barbecue prepared by Laetitia and Matthew, Camille jumps from a cliff of 5 meters, we visited Bonaire with Serge and Nadine, Jibe City, the realm of windsurfing, our trip to Klein Bonaire on Datura, our evening in the beautiful house of Laetitia and Matthew, the clarity of the
water, turtles, Timothy who still do not want to walk and "penalinges" Camille trying windsurfing, my love ... .Pascale.
Our
navigation to
Curacao with onboard Serge and Nadine, our evening
barbecue on Klein Curaçao, the meeting Andy, the bonfire.
The
customs entry in
Curacao, we return to the consumer society, the children's hairdresser meeting, the visit of the slavery museum with
children, Louise and Romeo.
Unfortunately I can not tell you how the travel phileas crashes.
This will allow me perhaps vent my rage, my disappointment and sadness.
We therefore expect to Curacao and a favorable
weather window to get to the marina red frog in boca del toro, north of
PANAMA, distant about 800 miles, about 5 days sailing.
Our
forecast route you can check on the blog's home page included a stop at
Cartagena in
Colombia, which had three advantages: first, that of visiting a beautiful city, a little Colombian Nice, the second, to have an inexpensive flight to Camille returned to
France to spend a few days with his Father Arnaud, the third cut this journey in two, which is a bit long, and makes us go through the cabo de la vela, the "Cape Horn" of the Antilles.
Unfortunately we can not go there having learned the day before we left the
boat insurance excluded
Colombia.
Ideally, we should not pass the cabo de la vela off british by more than 15 knots of
wind announced.
Beyond 25 knots the sea is dangerous at this point, where the funds go way quicker.
The
wind announced until 26 is 30 knots and 20 knots decreasing to 28 date at which we find ourselves in the area that can hold surprises. The trend is down to 30 and the wind increased again in the area as of November 30 with 30-35 knots announced.
We must pass this course before the establishment of the
trade, because after the 25 nodes are established and then this is the assured brewing.
My name is Paul Punch to ensure that we share the same opinion, it is checked one last time with Fred, and we leave our friends Datura, which start on the same day in
Jamaica. We know we'll meet again, either in Paris or Bordeaux, maybe both, but we carry them in our heart forever.
We leave the
mooring spanish
water in Curaçao on November 26 at 12 am, arrival at Boca del Toro on the morning of Monday, December 1.
At dusk we reach the southern
Aruba.
We Pascale shifts of two hours.
The conditions are good, the
boat sails well, we are a south wind is 20 knots, we make an average of 7.5 knots with peaks of 11 knots.
We meet a lot of cargo during the night and we have to be vigilant.
The sea is rough and Camille is a bit sick, he sleeps in the square outside.
Timothy is not very good either, but he sleeps in our
cabin.
Pascale takes his shift to 1 hour.
At 2:00, we meet a
fishing boat that has no
AIS and no
navigation light, however it is turned on.
Camille just wake up and we déroutons us to prevent a
collision course.
A helping of stress for everyone.
I go back to
bed and take my shift at 4:00.
The 27th is going well but the sea begins to form as and as we move forward.
The
weather forecast is confirmed, the wind rarely exceeds 25 knots, and as we are downwind we are between 10 and 15 knots of true wind, all is well.
Camille is still a bit sick but that's okay. He spends his day lying because as soon as he gets up, he vomited. We
fish a small baracuda that we will do our evening meal.
We start the night with the satisfaction of seeing the wind down, the sea is always a little
training, but rarely waves of more than 2 or 3 meters.
Our average was down slightly but remained at 6.5 knots on the day of 27.
For our first 24 hours we traveled 180 miles, which is a very good average.
When the night comes we exceeded Puerto Bolivar Peninsula Guajira. We stay on the line of the 1000 meters of water to a minimum.
The wind is stronger and we often surpass 25 knots but ok, the sea is rough but rarely waves more than three meters.
We attack hard in the morning of 28. Yet we are on a course of 3000 meters of water. The sea waves are formed over 4 meters, and we begin the rollercoaster.
The waves begin to break, but Phileas is valiant and it performs well, even if its central roof tape regularly.
Some surfboards are awesome, some almost 20 knots.
We sail with one reef in the
mainsail and the
genoa 1 turn.
Some waves surging more than others, Pascale starts to stress, and do not want to watch.
I do not lead off either.
My name is Paul with
iridium whether the weather has changed, we gusting to 35 knots, which brings us to 25 knots of apparent wind.
He said no, we discuss the size of the waves, I have difficulty assessing their height.
My feet are approximately 1.80 meters of water, I'm 1.75 meters and are beyond me at least once my waist.
We are 4 or 5 meters.
In the night the pilot landed twice and we both departures luff.
I bar well into the night, and the conditions are that no one sleeps.
I look at the map, because it is not seen even spend two nights like that then we will enter an area where the number of cargo is important.
I called Paul to tell him that we think go for a
mooring at the eastern end of the archipelago of San Blas for a night southeast of cayos diablo.
Considering the distance we arrive no earlier than 22 hours.
There is obviously no question for me to sail at night in this archipelago, but the arrival of the sea is clear, the
anchor and sleeping are planted.
I leave a message and ask him to call me if there is an indication against.
We have the
phone and told him of my concern about the size of the waves.
It checks and told me that the waves will stop at 15 miles odds of our
destination.
We Pascale and I tired, Camille is slumped, Timothy is not much better and it is time we arrived.
The waves will decline only 7 miles from the coast, but still important and I really realize when we are putting into the wind to lower the main sail. It was about midnight.
The moon gives a correct visibility.
We come from the west of the islet to the
engine, because the wind is from the northeast is (10.15 kts) and north of waves is (still 1.50 meters), I think we will be more protected west of the islet.
When we get a little grain and clouds hide the moon.
I changed my mind because the swell is too strong west of the islet, and I see before me the mottled sea, which indicates to me that there was a quail which is also reported, but I estimate harm its distance, the moon is hidden at the time.
Our electronic chart indicating the anchorage on the west, and the paper chart indicating no quail reported to the west, I decided to get around the islet, to
anchor where we had initially decided.
Fatal decision.
I walk around the islet from the north at speed (6-7 knots) because there are waves through port side.
I make sure to stay on the line twelve meters and controls the
depth. Pollster says good twelve meters.
I rounded to stay on the line of 12 meters.
We touch the starboard
hull violently.
I try reversing immediately without success. The port side
engine still seems to get us out of there but not the starboard engine's on quail.
I am a new unsuccessfully tested a surf still pushing us on quail
The two shells are placed on quail.
I spend a
distress call on channel 16 without success.
Pascale
satellite phone calls with our cross-gray nose.
We ask help hoping a boat on area.
Violent waves struck the port side
hull and the boat skidded violently to starboard, across the waves.
Our interlocutor tells us remember in 1 hour.
I try several calls on
VHF 16 for if a
motor boat on channel area can possibly help us.
No one answers.
We set the
children with vest in the square and collect the bulk of our business in two bags.
I make a call to Paul colin
cruise punch and certainly leaves a panicked message.
There are no more moon, we no longer have any visibility.
I do not know if we're set on an isolated quail surrounded by background, or if we are on the coast because the
GPs much we located 150 meters from the coast, on a background of 12 meters.
The shocks are violent when the boat is hit by a big wave that is sweeping.
I begin to fear that the boat can not resist.
We
recall the cross announces us that a boat moves on area.
We wait in the square, helpless.
We see the lights outside.
These are Kuna Indians who come to help carry us with their canoes and offer to bring us to their village.
The starboard hull is leaking.
I make a new call on
VHF channel 16 to see if the boat that is supposed to come to take us help arrives or not. No answer.
We make the decision to accept the help of Indian because I can not do anything in the state before the sun rises.
Indians ask me to pick Annex we do not without difficulty because of the waves breaking over the boat, from the rear starboard.
We leave the board around 4:00, I think, but I do not know exactly.
I close the boat and we leave with two bags containing some clothes our papers,
computers, cameras.
We sat in the hut of the village of TIKANTIKI leader.
I got our hammock bought in Curacao I install with the
head in his hut.
Camille moved to, Timothy sleeps on my quarter-jacket, and Pascale sits on the floor, the hut is full of children watching.
I have in mind the image of Camille lying in the hammock surrounded by twenty child who looks at it.
At dawn, I leave with Indian and finds that there is already many people around the boat and a dozen people on the boat.
I open the boat and tries to understand that we must not go on board.
I do not speak Spanish and obviously does not understand me. They all seem to want to help and are very nice, but very intrusive.
The starboard hull of the water above the floor now floating.
I filled two new bags because I feel that everyone starts to use.
To calm everyone, I distribute
food, give a computer
screen, having already offered my guitar to the son of the village chief.
This is a mistake because everyone is excited to have something but giving hope they make the difference between giving and taking possession. I think I am wrong.
I manage to make them understand that it is my ship and they can not be used.
It is too early to try to move the ship.
The tide is high at ten.
I ask everyone to come out but it's difficult because I need their help.
I manage to close the boat but can not help them to stay on board.
Our
fishing equipment has already disappeared, the Legos for children, dishes, tools.
I bring our bags with the help of three Indian close to the
head.
I find Pascale and children in the hut of the village chief.
I leave immediately because the Coast Guard just arrived (I know after they were warned early on by the gray nose cross but do not do night shift having found that our life was not in
danger which is correct because we will see the day, the ship can not sink).
We take off and with fifty person we are trying to pull the boat.
He does not move.
You must wait 10 hours.
All people are now getting on, I no longer controls.
The coast guard asks me to show him my papers. They are down in the hut of the village chief.
We leave Earth.
I asked him to
monitor the vessel.
We return to 9 h30.
We make a new attempt the waves are strong. He moves but does not advance.
The two shells are now water.
I see that the boat was looted. Personal belongings we have not taken away disappeared.
I ask the assistance of the Coast Guard to tell everyone that we must stop.
I agree with the village chief to appoint three people who inspire me the confidence to keep the boat and gave him $ 150 and promised him the same amount if the looting stop. I then let the open boat to allow them to sleep on board.
The village chief was stored in a hut which was saved.
Coastguards lead us on Nargana late morning.
Pascale and children are very brave.
We retain Pascale and me not to crack.
We need to sleep, we're exhausted.
The Coast Guard put us in the only
hotel Nargana.
Erick Obaldia their leader was very nice. He wants to take a picture with us. It's stupid, we smile when we take a picture of us but it was anything but want to smile.
We take the only room with three beds, we want to stay together. It's very spartan, there are cockroaches, but we do not care. It collapses.
The next day I go to the owner of the
hotel, paco, because I have to go back up to check that what remains is always on board (electronic,
solar panels ....). We are 6 miles from the boat.
It takes me to see Paulo, which is on his boat.
This is the person that I had to encounter.
It is a French who lives on a
catamaran and making the
charter on the area he knows well since he has been there for 4 years, and it's an old friend of Eric Vasse.
Paulo said he would help me and we agree that picks me up at the
dock at 13:30 with his appendix.
We return all there with its annex. It brings me a great help.
PAULO helps me to understand and know the CACIQUE (leader of all the villages).
We do a "congresso" in the main hut village.
I leave the keys to the boat PAULO that will maintain the relationship with the head of TIKANTIKI village.
The next day the Coast Guard should take us to the isla porvenir located 20 miles west of Nargana to regularize our entrance.
Paulo finds me an
internet connection on the island which is very rare.
I am sending the photos, write my report and sea filled the claim.
We leave Nargana the next 11 hours.
Paulo is there, thank you for your help Paulo, you're a great guy.
Eric had no news of him for several years, when I got on the
phone and I told her that I had met a Paulo who knew him, he said, "this is my Paulo ? "And yes it was her Paulo.
Eric told me that he had no contact in the area, and although there is one now.
In our misfortune, it is certainly our greatest luck.
Eric is now in relation Paulo to manage the future or the end of Phileas.
The Coast Guard had to bring us on the isla porvenir to our input and then lead us on the continent, from which to
Panama City.
The team has changed, and they planted and led us directly to the continent.
We told them arriving, but argued that we could go to the
airport to our
customs entry.
I doubted but good.
So we went with a carrier for two hours drive or rather track.
After half an hour we came across a control.
We had to turn around, take a boat to get us on the isla porvenir, do our customs entry, go boat and take a transport to Panama city, all of it with the 4 bags we have left.
We arrived in Panama City in a pension hotel in which we were able to wash our clothes, take a little our brands, and especially rest.
It was possibly pay the happiness of the past three months, which were certainly among the happiest of my life.
The descent was very violent.
This is obviously not the damage, it's a dream come true and is suddenly not end the way we wanted, it is the fact of losing Phileas, of course for us and especially for its owner, c is the feeling of injustice that I feel because I have not err.
I had not prepared the san blas area because we had to go in a month.
I just did not know, nor Paul, the cards are not reliable, especially not here in this place.
Now that I have an
internet connection I just have to type the navigation san blas to be informed, which excludes any night arrival.
The looting of the boat was very demanding too.
Phileas review in this state with all the pictures of the three-month head was very difficult.
For now, Pascale and I can not see a boat at anchor without envi crying.
Of course, even if our life was never in
danger, the key is that no one was hurt.
Pascale was very brave and children too.
I'll repeat myself again do the film for many months.
The journey of Phileas is completed.
We remain on area pending the decision of the
insurance.
We planned to go ten days in
Costa Rica. We'll see.
We have already bought the ticket that Camille was to return to his father in
France from 21 December to 1 January, it had to come back with Pauline Manu and Stéphane Caro.
We're not sure we can change it ... it will not take it back to any event and it is probable that we rentions with him.
The urgency is to ask us about the last days have been stressful for children and for us too.
Clap end
The Different newspapers:
1. From Bordeaux to Saint Anne
Martinique .
2. De Ste Anne in Mayreau (Grenadines)
3. Mayreau in Granada
4. Blanquilla
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