LORCHA

While waiting out the passage of Hurricane “Noel” at Great Bridge Landing, we were surprised to see the sailing vessel “Lorcha” tied up at the wall behind us. We wondered if this was the same boat that several years ago sailed into Toronto Harbour amid much acclaim and publicity after completing a circumnavigation. Its owners, Paul Howard and Fiona McCall, then went on to write the book “All in the Same Boat” describing their adventure as a family of liveaboards which was well received by the sailing community and Canadian public at large. Inspecting the “Lorcha” behind us, we were at first skeptical. This vessel had been stripped down to basic essentials and had obviously seen better days. But its present owner “Steve,” a charming 23 year old from Toronto assured us that it was indeed the “Lorcha” of circumnavigation fame.

During this past month we have encountered Steve at several anchorages and as we’ve gotten to know him have become increasingly impressed with his strength of character and courage in taking on this daunting adventure alone. He is sailing with no creature comforts or electronic supports. Lacking refrigeration he lives off peanut butter, tinned food and fresh supplies wherever he can find them. “Lorcha” is now outfitted with an outboard motor and when Steve needs fuel he is forced to load up his dinghy with jerry cans, row ashore and lug the heavy containers back to his boat. We have sometimes watched him doing this in several trips over several hours rowing against a strong current—a demanding and difficult feat!

The month of November was exceptionally cold and blustery. Steve in his open cockpit has no shelter from sun, wind or rain and when we’ve passed him in our boat, protected from the elements within our own canvas enclosure, I can’t help but wonder “How can he do it?” And Vince says, “Linda, he’s young”. On one particularly bitter day, we passed him alone in an anchorage waiting out the weather. Later that evening, enjoying hot coffee in the warmth of our cabin we heard a faint voice calling to us from the darkness outside. It was Steve. Apparently, after finally setting off later in the day, he had been forced to wait, enduring chilling winds over four hours for a bridge to open which was closed for repairs. He then motored on in the cold and dark until he reached the Wrightsville Beach anchorage and came over to tell us he had made it. We insisted that he come aboard and share our hot meal. Although cold and shivering, he was reluctant to do so as he did not want to impose on our hospitality. We assured him that he was no imposition as we sincerely enjoy his company and that he was welcome to come aboard anytime we shared the same anchorage. Since that time we have spent several enjoyable evenings together.

Virtually all boats cruising on the ICW have an electronic charting/navigation system and most have radar. Steve has neither. Using old, out-dated charts he plots his course with compass and handheld GPS. With “line-of-sight” he sails from marker to marker. When we all recently motored into that horrendous wall of fog in Georgia, Steve was caught out in Sapelo Sound. He couldn’t have found himself in a worse place! Currents in this inlet to the Atlantic can drag an unsuspecting vessel well out into the ocean and incoming container ships can plow a vulnerable boat under in seconds. When the fog hit Steve he had no way to electronically “see” his way out of it! Fortunately he was able to remember the number of the last marker he had been able to see and report his position and situation on Channel 16. Thankfully the sailboat “Hestia” was nearby and by sounding fog-horns at each other they were able to “close the gap” and eventually make visual contact with each other. “Lorcha” then pulled up behind “Hestia” and, following closely, was led through and out of the fog.

At another anchorage we met “Water Walker”—a home-built steel boat from Hamilton who had also befriended Steve. Both “Lorcha” and “Water Walker” are slower vessels traveling at the same speed, but since the latter has an electronic chart-plotter and the former does not, the two have become “buddy-boats” and we are both relieved and happy whenever we see them together.

As each day passes we wonder when or if we’ll encounter “Lorcha” again. We have asked Steve to keep in touch with us and, ten years from now, to track us down back home at “Weekswood”. We will be curious to know how his journey ended, what adventures he encountered along the way and what became of him in subsequent years. At twenty-three we found him to be a remarkable young man and an unforgettable character. As he matures over the next few years it will be interesting to see what he chooses to do with his life. As for the boat “Lorcha” although one adventure has ended, another has just begun.