LE VOYAGE DE NAMASTEvideo
We're heading out to sea to escape Hurricane Beryl. S1/EP17
6 July 2024 · 14 min · 6K views · Grand Cayman
What this video covers
Max and Claire, sailing from Grand Cayman to the Rio Dulce in Guatemala, initiated an emergency passage to escape Hurricane Beryl.0:28 With their primary autopilot broken, the crew relied on a borrowed, undersized pilot and manual steering for the 3.5-day, 400-nautical-mile transit. They maintained communication via satellite phone to receive weather updates from friends, tracking the storm as it intensified from a tropical wave to a Category 5 hurricane.11:06 To manage fatigue and preserve the limited steering equipment, the crew alternated between hand-steering in heavy conditions and using the pilot during calmer periods, often reducing sail area at night to maintain control. Although they considered stopping at Roatán, Honduras, for shelter, they ultimately pushed through to the Rio Dulce, a river anchorage protected by jungle and mountains. The passage required nearly constant manual steering due to the failure of the main electronics and the inability of the backup pilot to handle rough seas. Relying on external weather routing and satellite communication proved essential for navigating safely ahead of the storm.
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