Update 2 on Tony Pozun’s Humanitarian Mission to the Bahamas
Reading like an old salt thriller, Tony brings us up to date on this unintentionally exciting portion of his voyage. See Update for his December report.
AGAINST ALL ODDS
By Anthony Pozun RN NYC member, ad hoc training committee
I was travelling to Grand Bahamas island via my sailboat Mystical Paradise on a humanitarian mission to donate medical supplies food, clothing and teaching Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, CPR to park Rangers in the Exumas land and sea Park, Exumas, Bahamas. Over the summer, friend’s family and associates on Facebook had donated close to 1000 dollars to my request. I had purchased on eBay and purchases from many medical supply houses on Long Island at discounted or donated price some 2000 dollars of supplies. I was carrying medical supplies tools donated clothing and food. On 10/30/19 2200 I was anchored on my sailboat Near Atlantic City, Brigantine Bay NJ. I Was anchored side rafted with another boat, Shore Looser owner Randy Owen Northport Ny. My wife Barbara had insisted I traveled with somebody else on this, my 11th trip to Florida and the Bahamas. So randy was my buddy boat.
We had left Northport October 27th and sailed for 3 days, making Atlantic City. At 10:00 o’clock at night I was sitting on settee below. I heard a loud engine noise and then felt and heard a loud crash, something hitting my boat hard, knocking me out of my chair. I felt my boat spinning counterclockwise and I felt a second hit on my boat. Going topside I observed an old white cuddly cabin runabout, wedged next to Shore loser. I had been hit.!!!!! My boat had been separated by the impact and was now floating away.
I reattached my boat to Shore loser and went forward to speak to the operator and get Identification, The Operator was incoherent, was raging widely about his not seeing us as the reason he hit us. I smelled the odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath and observed his eyes to be bloodshot . As a former Police officer of 36 years with Driving while intoxicated expertise and specialties, I deducted he was impaired by alcohol…and or drugs
I asked him why he hit us to which he replied to Us, that he, was watching his GPS and radar screens and not looking forward through the windshield. He stated He never saw us on the two screens and never looked up from the screens through the windshield. I immediately called the local Coast Guard and NJ Marine police to report his impairment and investigate the accident.
At approximately 3 am the NJ State Police marine division boat arrived at the scene and pulled next to the white cuddy motor vessel. I responded to the police boat and gave all my papers to the operators of the police boat…I conferred with the two Sergeants on the Police BOAT . I advised them of that I believed the operator was impaired by alcohol. The Sergeant stated he would investigate.
At approximately 0330 hrs. the Sergeant finished his investigation advised Randy and Myself he would be back in the morning to finish the report. Then the Sergeant SPOKE BRIEFLY TO THE OTHER OPERATOR who was released at scene. No arrest was made at the scene, I made my protest known to the Sergeant of the non-arrest of the other operator, whom I assessed to be impaired by alcohol. The officer said nothing in reply. Thereafter the Police boat promptly left the scene.
We moved our boats to another location and in the morning, we sailed South again. We sailed 3 days making Norfolk and the Intracoastal Waterway, anchored at mile marker number one. We then continue motoring South on the icw all the way down the next few days making transit to an area called Belhaven, North Carolina. As a result of the accident nov 7, I broke down in Belhaven N Carolina, due to a broken driveshaft caused by a bent driveshaft strut hitting something on the bottom during the accident
I was towed into River Forest Marina in Belhaven and shortly thereafter pulled out of the water. Mechanics there discovered a broken drive shaft and bent drive shaft Strut. The Marina was old and in bad shape and mechanics there only started work a month later. The day after Thanksgiving, I myself helped them removed the damage drive shaft. I remained on the boat for a total of 2 months for the repairs to be completed. I flew home For Christmas rather than stay on the boat and freeze. The boatyard didn’t have a fiberglass repair mechanic, so my fiberglass repair was never done while I was gone. Mechanics replaced the broken drive shaft the bent strut and replaced 4 dead motor mounts. They assured me they realigned the engine and transmission to the new driveshaft and strut assembly, a serious task.
January 12th, I flew back to the boat had them launch me to get the hell out of the damn yard. I motored the 40 miles to my regular yard Sailcraft in Oriental North Carolina. there I hired a fiberglass repairman I had known from before name turtle, who repaired all my fiberglass damage from the accident. I then left Oriental motorized to Buford inlet North Carolina and sailed South in the ocean for 3 days. On my sail I encountered 3 storms during which I encountered winds of 60 miles an hour plus. after 3 days I arrived in Charleston South Carolina tired wet and bedraggled I anchored by Fort Sumter and rested for 2 days. While there I discovered a broken goose neck which holds my boom to the mast. I managed to find a local repairman who placed a brand-new stainless-steel goose neck on the boat. My third breakdown, I was Beginning 2 wonder if I had a target on my back.
Next day I motored continuing South on the intra-coastal waterway until I reached Beufort South Carolina. Being tired of motoring I exited into the ocean and sailed 3 more days day and night and reached Saint Augustine Florida and felt the first warm Rays of sunshine on my trip. relaxing a bit at a friend’s house it was good to get off the boat and sleep in a real bed.
Leaving Saint Augustine in the morning I motor sailed South again on the icw for 3 days as winds on the ocean we’re coming from the South at 45 miles an hour creating waves from 10 12 feet. trying to sail into the wind coming directly at you and encountering waves that big would slow my progress and speed to 2 miles an hour and be very dangerous and unsafe. At least on the icw I was making good time and relatively safe. After my 3 breakdowns already, I was in no hurry to wreck myself or my boat. I continued motoring until I reached Vero beach and treated myself by picking up a mooring instead of anchoring. Next morning, I visited the quaint town a Vero beach and spent the first time in about 3 months being a tourist on foot.
Returning to my boat a day later with fresh provisions and energy I continued motoring south. I motored for 2 more days reaching Stuart Florida where I intended to leave the Inlet there and cross The Gulf stream and hopefully reach Freeport Grand Bahama. I would stay a few days and make my donations to the Rand hospital and churches.
But life has a way throwing curveballs at you and once again I was to be thwarted in realizing my goal in making free port Grand Bahama. halfway out the inlet I noticed my speed was decreasing And I was losing headway. I was losing propulsion and in real trouble. I managed to turn around and motor back to Stuart, I quickly got on my cell Phone and started looking for repair yards. I finally caught a break and found a major dependable repair yard named Hinckley yacht nearby. I called the yard explained my situation and started motoring to them. the boat jumped out of gear several times losing propulsion and steering, causing me much havoc\ and stress. The yard realized the gravity of the situation made an open well and haul out crane immediately available to me. Within the last mile traveling I lost propulsion several times. I spotted yard and noticed several million-dollar yachts on both sides of the approach to the open well. I prayed to God my boat would not lose propulsion as I was afraid of hitting those expensive yachts.
As I approached the 2 million-dollar yachts I lost propulsion once again. As I started losing control on my sailboat and drifting towards one of the boats, I went into a real panic. As fate and Providence and someone watching over me would have it, a gentle breeze from behind pushed me between the two yachts in an opening no more than 50 feet wide. Mystical paradise with grace and poise gently slipped into the open well and the haul out crane as if it was planned. I know I was in a professional yard as 4 employees and service manager gently lifted my boat from the water. I was hoping the loss of propulsion problem was something small so I could continue my journey.
A mechanic entered inside the boat while still in the crane to look at the problem. I joined him on the boat. He Inspected the engine and transmission and adjusted linkage to the transmission. He suddenly calls me over show me what had happened. There was a large amount of oil at the bottom the transmission pan and there was a large hole in the side of the transmission. I could see inside the transmission and the gears was stripped. I felt a pit in my stomach as I knew this was a major Repair. the service manager had the boat placed in the repair yard. I stayed There a few days until they told me getting a new transmission would take 2 weeks to 2 months.
As this would be a long repair, I decided fly home once again. I arrived home on a cold wet rainy day In New York at JFK airport, greeted by my wife’s warm smile and affectionate demeanor. She gently Kissed Me And assured me everything would be OK. I am at home now, a little disappointed then I could not complete my mission, but nevertheless enthusiastic. I am very grateful and thank God that the four breakdowns did not cause any injury to myself. I will continue my journey of humanitarian assistance to the people of the Grand Bahama island and my teaching rangers in the Exumas… When the boat repairs are complete, I will fly down to Stuart and to the islands and complete my mission.
To be finished!!!!!!!!!
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