Shambhala on her way to Australia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To facilitate the loading process, we decided to remove the running back-stays, also a good time to inspect some of the rigging. She won't have to do her own sailing but she will be in the wind and weather for about twelve thousand miles.

We are thinking this might be Jim's last trip up the mast in the Bosun's Chair so worth a photo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Australian regulations required "fumigation" for "Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs". Of all the types of bugs and critters one might find in Florida, we are not sure why they chose this one. We were not even sure we had EVER seen one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The approved treatment involves heating the interior of the boat to 120 F for twenty minutes. Take that you wily stink bugs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waiting for the bugs to heat up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here we are ready to leave. Mizzen and mainsail removed, headsail double lashed, hatches secured and taped.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Staysail and sail covers inside along with all the extra deck gear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Headed off for our last ride down the Intracoastal Waterway, about four miles to our destination at the Port of Palm Beach.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Approaching our last bridge, the only one in North Palm Beach that does not require opening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arriving at High Tide, clearance here was a bit short of the prescribed sixty-five feet. The sign boards on the bridge indicated about sixty-three feet of clearance which should leave us with about one and a half feet to spare. No matter how many times one passes under a bridge, It always looks like it won't be tall enough.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the other side of the bridge is West Palm Beach, sportfisherman's paradise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mega-mega yachts in the boatyard looking like small cruise ships.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Port of Palm Beach ahead. Pretty small port, but very busy this day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is our ship, the BBC Greenland, awaiting the arrival of eleven yachts bound for New Zealand and Australia. We were scheduled to be the first to load.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The instructions were, "Put out some fenders and raft up to the ship". As soon as that was accomplished, it was lunch time for the ship's crew, so we had about an hour to loosen the main mast back stays so that the rigging from the ship's crane could be lowered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taking down the American flag for the last time, Shambhala will soon be sporting an Australian ensign.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Divers getting ready. They will be in the water to arrange the placement of the straps that will lift Shambhala on to the deck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ship's crane lowering the cables and straps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lowering the cables, hardware made for lifting a much heavier load than a small sailboat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diver in the water to check the placement of the lifting straps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attaching the cables and straps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beginning the lift.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nearly even with the ship's deck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We climbed off when Shambhala was even with the ship's rails.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please don't drop her now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not a view you see very often.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coming aboard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regular freight or containers are loaded under the deck and boats are attached above. You can see the metal stands that are placed under the hull next to the forward deckhand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Placing wood braces under the keel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here the crew is about to remove the crane rigging and straps. Notice the forward bend in the mast because the backstays have been removed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a picture of the stands that are welded to the deck. The crew man is placing rings in the steel deck to hold the tie down straps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welding the stands to the deck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once secured, we climbed back aboard to re-attach all the rigging and place all the fenders and loose gear inside. The ship's crew had begun to load the rest of the boats that will be picked up in this location.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our last view as we are riding away on the water taxi. If all goes according to plan, we will get to see her again in a few weeks when she arrives in Port Alma, Australia.

 

Next we begin our trip to Australia.

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