玲子的航海日記

"Why do some people succeed far more than others? How can people live the life they want?" asked Yuuki when we were surrounded with hundreds of luxury ships in the yacht club. It was a good question.I didn't have a good answer.
Simpson Bay外停泊了許多帆船,基於經濟上的考量,許多船主會將船停在港外,需要補給水和油料時,才將船開進港內。 九點一到, Simpson Bay荷蘭區的閘橋緩緩升起,十幾艘的豪華大遊艇從海灣內魚貫而出,YAIMA一駛進Simpson Bay,兩旁豪華私人遊艇排排站,船上的水手忙上忙下,船身擦得潔白發亮,看來Saint Martin是一個"奢華"的度假勝地!Simpson Bay 裡有好幾個Yacht Club,我們正考慮要停靠哪一個遊艇俱樂部時,IGY Marina的工作人員駕著小艇"帥氣地"出現在我們面前,黝黑的臉龐帶著大大的笑容,揮揮手,緩緩的帶著我們往灣內最豪華的得Yacht Club前進。
一停好船,我們就開始準備辦理入境手續,這趟旅程我只辦了巴西簽證,出發前問過愚路號的船長阿亮關於加勒比海各島嶼簽證的問題,他說通常以觀光為主的國家(島嶼),台灣護照都可以拿到落地簽。出發前來不及申請所有可能到訪的島國簽證,也就硬著頭皮出發了!
在YAIMA號上遇過各式各樣的簽證問題,最後也都能順利過關,真該感謝幸運女神的眷顧,每當要入境一個新的國家時,就是面對台灣外交處境弱勢的時刻,有機會再來談簽證問題吧!

Saint Martin (French: Saint-Martin; Dutch: Sint Maarten) is a tropical island in the northeast Caribbean.It is the smallest inhabited sea island divided between two nations,France(north) and Netherlands(south).The official languages are French for Saint Martin, and Dutch and English for Sint Maarten.The border is almost imperceptible.You can cross back and forth without ever realizing you are entering a new country.
聖馬丁島是一座位於加勒比海東北方的熱帶島嶼,面積只有87平方公里的小島卻由法國與荷蘭共同擁有,南邊的荷蘭區以荷蘭語與英語為官方語言,北邊的法語區官方語言當然是法語囉!島上沒有明顯的邊界,開著車環島,只有看著地圖才知道自己已經到了另一個國家!在Saint Martin Island 我們修理船,看著最奢華的人生在眼前來去,逛了令人噴鼻血的裸體海灘,還有遇見熱情的阿德大哥一家人!
We arrived in Saint Martin island in the early morning.The sun just rose up.It took Yaima 18 days to travel from Recife to Saint Martin.Oh!I couldn't believe it.I made it.When we left Recife,I knew that it would take a while to our next stop.I couldn't help counting the landing date in my mind."hey,Rinko chan,don't count the days.Just take it easy!"Yuuki said all the time. He seemed to see through my weak mind.Time flew silently between sunrise and sunset day by day.I finally got Saint Martin.That night was a busy night.There were so many big traveling ships passing by.Before dawn,we could see lights glimmered on the island.It was Saint Martin.
我們在離開巴西Recife18天後,抵達Saint Martin(聖馬丁島)。老實說,剛開始離開巴西時,我老是在心中默默數著靠岸的日子,飛機一天內就可以抵達的距離,帆船卻要花上半個月,Yuuki看穿我的心思,總對我說"Hey,don't count the days!",不知不覺間,時間就在日出日落中悄悄流逝了。

Can you feel the "SEA" tonight?It is where we are.
Starry sky星空
We sailed from dawn to dusk day by day. Time flowed silently.We usually had dinner at sunset time. The sky changed from reddish orange to bluish purple,then the darkness fell.If the night was clear before the moon rising up,you could see the countless stars spread all over the dark sky.It was amazingly beautiful.One sleeplessnight,I climbed out of the cabin and sat on the cockpit.When I lifted my head to the sky,it was like a black silk carpet with countless pearls on it.I couldn't move my eyes away.It was Yuuki's night watch time.We didn't talk.He just left me a quiet time to enjoy the moment.

At the end of January,we crossed the Equator.It was a sunny morning.We were near the north coastline of Brazil.We drank beer for celebration this time.Max was so excited because of...the cold beer.He sipped his beer slowly with a satisfying smile."Oh,I miss this taste!" he said.

上一次穿越赤道,是半年前在印度洋上,從北半球的夏天進入南半球的冬天,這一次,是在大西洋上,從南半球的夏天進入北半球的冬天,由於航行的範圍都不出熱帶地區,所以氣溫感覺上沒有太大的差別。在海上,以前的水手是以星星的位置與海圖來推算船的位置,現在除了海圖,Goolge Earth再加上GPS,很容易就可以找到我們位於地球的哪一個點上。這是我第二次穿越赤道,這次輪到Max製作看板,他興奮的塗塗寫寫,從南半球畫到北半球!大家喝啤酒慶祝,平常只喝可樂的Yuuki與Max也人手一罐啤酒,Max可樂著了!因為航行時,船長是不准他喝酒的,他把啤酒喝得精光,一滴不剩還一邊嘟嚷著"這啤酒的滋味真令人懷念!"

接到八重山船長Hiroshi san 的來信,就在昨天船長Hiro和Yuuki通過了巴拿馬海峽,已經抵達太平洋沿岸了,而昨天恰巧是Yaima八重山號出航一週年!
一年前,八重山號在帆遊世界前曾航行到台灣來,受到許多熱情帆友的款待,當時,小女子我和歐俐文號的兩位幽默的無敵阿公(林桑+s)還一起到基隆去參加帆友舉辦的歡迎party!一年的時間咻~一下就過去了! 八重山號一路上困擾的引擎問題終於在加勒比海的Saint Thomas島上修好了,但一次一次的修理,花費不少銀兩!船長說他回日本後可得努力工作了!帆遊世界除了需要時間,金錢外,還需要很強的意志力!船上簡單的生活,一路上盡情享受大自然的豐富與最溫暖直接的友情,如此珍貴的人生經驗是無價的! 對了,船長和Yuuki的英語也從開始的不知所云到現在的溝通無礙!Yuuki也從秀氣的傑尼斯青年轉變成吃苦耐"操"的陽光青年,一年得確改變了不少事情!
船長Hiro說,今年年底航行回石垣島前,他們會再來拜訪台灣,見見最熱情的台灣帆友們,我期待和他們在我可愛的台灣島上再次相聚!願Yaima接下來的航程一切順利!

Sunrise, Sunset.Sunrise, Sunset.Swiftly fly days,years.One season following another.Laden with happiness and tears.(from Captain Hiro)
日出,日落!日出,日落!日日年年飛逝!一季接著一季,滿載著歡樂與淚水!
在Fernando de Noronha待了一晚後,隔天繼續往加勒比海前進。離開前,Captain Hiro和Yuuki潛水到船底再次檢查ballast(壓艙物),ballast是一種裝載在船上的重物,可以改善行船時的穩定和平衡, 保持水平。兩個多月前,他們通過南非好望角後,發現ballast下與keel的連接處出現一道大裂縫,還好當時已經進港,否則後果堪虞!船長是學造船的,他們將船上架後,當起木工和修船工人,把船底裂縫給補起來。現在每次長途航行前,一定會檢查ballast,船長說,上次的修補工作很完善,我們可以安心往加勒比海前進。
After one night in Fernando de Noronha,my seasickness got better.Before starting off to the Caribbean Sea,Captain Hiro and Yuuki dived to check the bottom of the boat.

Fernando de Noronha is an archipelago in Brazil and about 354 km offshore from the Brazilian coast.It took us two days sailing from Recife to Fernando de Noronha.A large part of the area is a National Marine Park."Atlantic Emerald" is its nickname.Wow,sounds great.
Fernando de Noronha是位於Recife東北方約三百多公里處,由許多小島所組成,其中有大部份的小島列入巴西海洋國家公園及聯合國教科文組織世界自然遺產,巴西人稱它為大西洋的綠寶石,由Recife出發,兩天內就到了!它藍綠色的海水,清澈見底,讓人忍不住就想跳下海去游泳! "Fernando de Noronha"is in the north-east of Recife.I knew it from the Brazilian trade center of Taiwan.The Brazilian officer told me it was a place worth visiting by sailing.Fernando de Noronha is not only a national park but also a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site.When Captain Hiro told me that it might take half month sailing to Caribbean Sea.I was a bit of stressed.Captain Hiro,Yuuki and Max had sailed through the Atlantic Ocean and it was a piece of cake for them.I couldn't imagine myself staying on the open sea for more than ten days.And I knew that if Captain said two weeks ,it might be more days.
"Don't worry,Rinko chan.We will stay in Fernando de Noronha for one or two days and maybe visit Tobago.You will be fine.By the way,we got a news from Seki san.He got huge wind when he sailed through the Mosambik canal.His boat overturned and got big damage.All the electricity equipments were broken.Luckily,he didn't get hurt and sailed the boat to South Africa.He is repairing his boat there."What a big news!Since we haven't had his news for a long while and were worried about him.We were happy that he was fine."Oh...that means his fancy Karaoke and movie theater equipments were all gone.What a pity!"said Yuuki.

Recife's name was derived from the Portuguese word for reef, referring simply to the city's situation behind a long and protective coastal reef. Often called the Venice of Brazil for its many canals, bridges, and tiny one-way streets.
步出Recife機場,遠遠的就看到Captain Hiro,Yuuki和Max在出境大廳揮著手,黝黑的臉上帶著大大的笑容,他們已經在Recife停留一段時間,就等著與我會合後,往加勒比海前進!還來不及看看巴西長的何許模樣,我們一行四人就直接到機場裡的移民局辦理出境手續,我秀出了在台灣辦的昂貴巴西簽證,一本暗紅色的小冊子,這是除了美簽外,這趟旅程我唯一辦的簽證,想不到就只用了短短幾分鐘,船長說他們到Recife沒有任何移民局人員過來辦理入境事宜,還是多方詢問下,才知道要到機場辦入境,現在到機場接我,順便辦理出境手續,但是我們還會在Recife停留幾天,帶我出去逛逛!

抵達巴西第一份工作便是採買到加勒比海這段航程的食物,大賣場裡密密麻麻的葡萄牙文,就像蝌蚪一樣,我們有邊讀邊,分頭尋找清單上的食材,跟一群男人一起購物最大的優點大概就是---省時又有效率吧!但是姊妹淘交待要的比基尼該到哪裡買才好?Max說這裡不是巴西,因為沙灘上沒有傳說中熱情火辣的巴西美女,走在Recife的街道上,大多是樸實的當地人,我們是少見的東方面孔,時常被猛盯著瞧!