Evening star., 1953-08-11

thoughts turned to my voyage
meditating on whether there was
any sense in it and whether I
would be able to put my expert
enceS into a book.
AS the Deben Peace was buff
feted by the heavy seas on my
Third Of five articles by Colin Leslie
Fox, 3l-yeor-old EneIishmon who
crossed the AtIontic alone in 23-
foot cutter.
way to the Canary Islands, I had
to reef down and be constantly
busy with a bucket, for water
was sweeping over the deck. Sail
ing a small boat on the ocean
seemed to be pretty dishearten-
ing, for it was not long before
I had to heave to.
Sights, even if I could have
worked them out, were impossi-
BILE to get in such weather con-
ditionS. My boat was tossed about
by the biggest seas I had so far
encountered; there seemed to be
one wall of water after another
and I had my work cut out in
steering.
On the seventh day out, the
northwest gale moderated. Then
l spotted land and engaged in
frenzied speculation as to what
1t was.
To my disgust it was the At
rlcan mainland, which I had
hoped I had got away from, and.
to add to my evaporation, my
craft was becalmed. In despair. I
attempted to discover my posi-
ton by my wrist-watch chron-
ometer and navigational means.
but could not remember the
simple formula for obtaining NV
meridian.
Two nights later large Span
lsh fishing boat hove in sight and
after much shouting learned I
was of Cape Judy. Here was a
nice kettle of fish, had been
blown off my course, when I
should have been abreast of Las
Palmas. My ignorance had q
great deal to do with this.
Five days after rounding the
Islands of FuerteVentura and
Lanzorette, and coming north
east once again, was becalmed
Tor most of the day outside the
entrance to the harbor of Las
Palmas. Though weary and salt
stained, I had resisted the temp
tatlon to put in at the chief port
Of Feurteventura.
In Tranquil Las PaImas.
My feet were swollen, nv
hands cut and my eyes sore,
through exposure. When my boat
entered Las Palmas harbor. in
the Canary Islands, the TRANQUIL
lty there seemed to be hardly be-
llevable. I saw a group of fisher
men standing on the quay. Some
OF them shook their heads and
crossed themselves, which is one
OF the incest compliments could
have received.
With the distractions of terra
hrma, Seaborne resolutions van
1shed in that dreamy, yet impor-
tant. fueling port. Nevertheless,
l was giving heed to the idea that
my next '1eg" was the spanning
OF the Atlantic. During my stay
In Las Palmas I even made an
attempt to learn a new method
OF navigation which I had de-
clded to use in the future. also
acquired a Navy deck-watch to
help me.
At night I often awoke after
dreaming was dragging my an
chor. 1t was no little relief to
realize / was safe in port. NV
finances, after two weeks, became
alarmingly low.
l got hold of an English
speaking Spaniard. to do odd Jobs
on my boat. I gave him some of
my belongings, including sports
suit and one of my 15-gallon
tanks. which I decided 1 did not
need. Most of my actual cash
went to pay for paint and rope
Tor the Deben Peace, which. once
again. began to take on a smart
appearance. My helpers big COUP
was in disposing of my boats
White elephant-a folding can
vas dinghy, for a good price
DomingoS, my helper, pleaded
with me to take him across the
Atlantic, but I refused.
After rs days in Las Palmas. I
set sail across the 80 miles of
water to Santa Cruz, where I ar
rived three days after, having
made virtually every possible
wrong move. Santa Cruz's an
chorage was vile, like being at
anchor in the open sea.
Cash Not Forthcoming.
I don't know how I put up
with the 16 days I stayed there,
waiting for cash from a source
from which it was not forthcom-
ing and charts that failed to ar
rive. When I went aboard in
coming ships, was looked upon
with suspicion. though I offer i
ready money for any spare
charts or a pilot book concern
ing the Bahamas. I finally de-
cided that I could not stand my
foul berth any longer and that
If I was to be shaken up like a
Shuttlecock, it would be better
on the ocean and not in Santa
Cruz port.
/ expected the Atlantic cross
ing to take from IS to SO days,
and I had enough supplies for
that period. I spent two days
cleaning my engine.