News

Saturday May 29, 2004
Spent the morning visiting stores, looking for Sperry Topsiders, but could not find any. Found some canvas shoes similar to them but alas all were too small.
Welded the used anchor that I bought from Cliff and Karyn. Richard was kind enough to let me use his little welding machine. He later presented me with a better used anchor. Thanks Richard.
Paddled around IT getting ready to set sail again. All I need now is to top up my diesel tank.
Bought a new 10 amp battery charger and tested it overnight with shore power. All my batteries are fully charged again.
At 1830 Marine officer Michael Nix came over and he escorted us (myself, Karyn, Cliff, Eric and Ann) to a small nearby hotel where we sat sipping on red wine. The Governor and First Lady soon showed up and we introduced ourselves. The police chief and his wife also joined us, as well as all the detectives involved in IT's burglary case. We all chatted about everything and everybody was very nice! The food came, first raw fish with fried, flame broiled and raw shrimp. Tasted very good! I decided, for the main dish to have a mixed plate of seafood. Lobster, shrimp, crab et al!
I gave a short speech thanking the governor, police chief and the detectives and also Michael Nix for their assistance in finding and retrieving my communicating equipment. The Governor and First Lady also gave a short speech and then presented me with a handwoven carry case, a centenary book of American Samoa and a sterling silver Centenary medal. I was taken aback! After having ice cream and coffee we said our goodbyes and we all parted with Michael escorting us back to our yachts.
Slept like a baby!

Friday May 28, 2004
As soon as the stores opened, I went franticly looking for a part for the generator, but to no avail. They would have to order it and told me it would take up to 4 weeks.
Ana gave me a ride to a wholesale food store near the airport, where I bought the necessary food supplies for my next trip.
The Samoan News newspaper asked me to come over to their offices where they took pictures of me and handed me a check which was donated by Mr. Lauli and Mrs. Wanda Alofa. It was very generous of them. I went to buy a thank you card so that I could mail it to them. Hopefully I will have the privilege to meet them personally.
I spent the rest of the day paddling around IT and installed the repaired # 3 genoa back into the roller furling system.
42 year old Marine patrol officer Michael Nix came over and he discussed details with me. He showed me more recovered items, which I had to identify as mine. There was a camera, but it was crushed and the film ripped out. Some flares were also recovered and also some ditch bag contents. Man, what a mess. I am so disappointed about the missing photographs. Michael Nix and I have been becoming close friends and wherever I go, if the higher officials want to see me, he acts as my interpreter. He speaks so well and I read his lips almost 100%. His 6 foot something muscular build tells me he must have been a superb flanker in his heyday. Yes, rugby is a popular sport here.
Spent the evening on board Temerarius with Eric, Ann, Cliff and Karyn snacking on finger dishes and enjoying some cold ones and finally a shot of Tequila !!!

A Summary of days starting with Monday May 24, 2004
Forgot to add that all my shoes were stolen. My topsiders and my sneakers!

On Monday, Customs came over and cleared me. Took the Q flag down. The harbor master tried to call me on the radio and Eric passed the message on to me. He also explained to the harbormaster that I am deaf. Went over to the harbor master's office and filled out the necessary papers. Then it was off to the Agricultural Dept, more papers and another inspection of IT. Then took the two mile walk to the immigration office and got my passport stamped, more papers! The man there was extremely nice to me, writing down almost everything that I needed to know to comply with their laws and welcomed me to American Samoa.
Then back to IT, taking one of those funny looking buses (it is actually a Toyota pickup that has been modified with 2 by fours and plywood )
Ana was already stitching up my sails. Most of the batten pockets and loose seams had to be restitched on the main sail. The headsail's bottom seam had to have a patch. Ana also helped modify the torn up genoa into a small storm sail. Took her three days to do it all. Went to eat Chinese food at a small restaurant nearby.
The police come over to tell me I had to identify my laptop and camcorder that they had retrieved! They had to keep it in possession for a while longer.

On Tuesday I checked out my website while Ana kept watch over IT, working on the sails at the wharf.
I want to thank everybody for your incredible support. I will try to thank each one individually as soon as possible.
I took a little bus to the industrial complex near the airport (a 15 min ride) and tried to find a place that was willing to repair my alternator or trade it in for a new one. Was unsuccessful, no marine alternators here. Took me two hours to get back, all buses were full.
Got back to IT and helped Ana with repairing the sails. Got a message that the newspaper here wanted to see me. I got there and golly they had somehow found out that there was an article in the Victoria Advocate about the theft and it was national headlines for them.

On Wednesday Eric, Ann, Cliff, Karyn and myself went and had breakfast together. Got hold of the local paper and the break-in of IT made front page news. Tried all day to get my generator going again and with Eric's help we managed to find the fault. We suspect the coil and I will try later to see if I can get hold of a part here.
Had supper on Temerarius, red lobster stew cooked by Karyn. The police returned my retrieved items to me and I had a hard time getting the laptop working again. Took 6 reboots and is working perfectly for now.

On Thursday more front page news in the paper. A local lady has started a fund raiser for me. How nice of her !!
The police came to pick me up and took me to the station where the police chief and the commissioner had a word with me. They are all very sympathetic about what happened and will do everything to get me the necessary emergency flares etc before I leave. They told me to stick around the boat for the afternoon as they would come and pick me up again as the Governor wanted to meet me. They never showed up ?
Also met Corky and Maggie Decker from Alaska on Jack of Hearts. They are anchored a little further down. They came over and gave me a bowl of soup which was very tasty! The also heard about my missing flares and donated two handheld flares to me. Thank you very much Corky and Maggie !
Replaced the mainsail on the boom. Inspected both spinnakers and added a patch here and there.
Had supper on board Richard's and Ana's boat.
Richard has been very helpful too, letting me use his 100 ft extension cord so that I can use the laptop on board. I can also use my bright worklight at night, dangling on the mast. He has also given me a few rides around town.

The compassion and support shown to me has been overwhelming. I was so very distressed last Saturday morning, but everyone's kindness has helped me relax and start to focus on the job at hand again! Thank you.

Friday May 28, 2004
Burglary aboard IT

I woke up with a jolt and saw that the bottom washboards were missing. Oh man Oh man, I was thinking, this only happens to other people. Surely not to me right under my nose while I was asleep!

I first checked on my wallet, which I had hidden well, and let out a huge sigh of relief to see it was still there. I then went back to the navigation station looking for my passport. It was gone. After checking quickly to see what important things were missing, I ran over to the nearest store and asked them to call the police. Just then a police officer walked into the store to buy coffee. I explained to him what had happened and he told me to slow down! I must have been babbling too fast. He then gave me a ride to the police station and another officer took over. I then had to fill out a formal complaint and a list of things stolen. They then took me back to IT where they inspected her on the inside and wrote a report. No fingerprints were taken. Checking on the other fishing boats, we found my air horn and emergency water maker.

The liferaft was ripped out of its holding bolts and the step-on board was also ripped out. I suspect they had to do that to get to the bottom washboard. The ditchback contents were strewn everywhere. My laptop was missing, also the data kit and my camcorder. The 7 full cameras were missing. All my distress flares, parachute flares and flare guns were gone.

They took some canned food too. Also my DVD player was gone. Even my shoes!

Thank goodness they did not rip out the radar and GPS. Will have to test to see if they are OK. The weather fax seems OK.

The liferaft was probably too heavy for them to get it off the boat. It appears to be good.

Found the two bottom washboards floating in the west side of the harbor. Also found the empty orange emergency flare containers drifting in the water.

I then started to clean up the mess inside IT and at the bottom of all the mess found my passport. WHEW !!

All my charts are intact as is all the other stuff. I guess I will discover what else is missing when I need it!

I then got everything organized before I left to meet the other yachties and make plans to move IT over to them.

Thursday May 27, 2004
It is now Thursday May 27 and the good news is that my laptop was found and it is working! Have not received everything yet, but some things have been found. Here are Logs from Saturday and Sunday:

Saturday May 22
After dealing with the police I went over to the other yachties and befriended Karyn Owebridge, from Australia and Cliff Cummings, from Texas onboard Odessy. Also met Eric and Ann Nesbitt from Michigan onboard Temerarius. Eric helped me get IT over to where they were rafted up. With the help from everyone we tied IT up just in front of Odessey. Also met Josh and Suzy onboard Suela. Cruising with them were Hank and Nicole. All of them from California. Hank and Nicole have since immigrated to New Zealand. Spent the rest of the day filling up the water tanks, cleaning out the slime in the bilges, taking down the sails, inspecting the damage caused by chafing of the shrouds.
In the evening Josh, Suzy, Hank, Nicole and myself went to dine out. Ate my first real food in 6 weeks. I was still very tensed up and they all tried their best to get me relaxed. Went back to our boats where we all joined Eric, Ann, Karyn and Cliff on board Temerarius.
Eric, seeing how tensed up I was, offered me a shot of Tequila and it was not long before it took effect and I crawled, stumbled my way back to IT where I passed out cold!

Sunday May 23
Traded books with Suela and while Suela's crew went hiking I got the engine starting batteries out. One was "cooking" and I tested them trying to find out which one was no good anymore.
Met Ana, a Samoan woman and Richard. They live aboard here. Richard is an accountant. Ana offered to help me repair the sails as she had a sewing machine. Went to buy some lamb ribs and steak and BBQ'd right on the wharf. I invited all the yachties around me and we braaied the South African way. Suela's crew had since returned from their hike. As it was very hot here I decided to shave off all my hair like Josh and Hank. Suzy had the honors and she cut it mohawk style first and took pictures of me. The food was ready and we all ate together here on the wharf. Everybody brought a side dish! They all loved the BBQ, especially the lamb ribs.
After we had eaten, Suzy shaved the rest of my hair off.
As Suela and her crew planned to leave, we said our goodbyes and they departed for Western Samoa.
So, It was just Karyn, Cliff, Eric, Ann and myself left.
Went to sleep very early.

Wednesday May 26, 2004
News is sketchy out of Pago Pago, but Charl is safe, trying to deal with police, cultural differences and wondering what drama will be played out next.

Exhausted from days alone at sea, on one of the stormiest passages of his journey so far, he faced his greatest challenge when he thought he was in safe harbor.

Those of us who eagerly follow his progress each day can only imagine the disappointment and discouragement he must feel - he dared to undertake this magical quest, knowing his precious communications equipment would be his ears on the journey. Only to have it stolen while he had his first real night's sleep in 14 days.

Because he lost his computer and ability to receive e-mail, he doesn't know yet that round the world people are ready to help him continue his dream and reach his goal - a world record solo voyage. The generous response to the fund raising activity will get him on his way again soon, ready to face the next passage, the next ocean and the next adventure. And Charl never fails to deliver!

Sharon Ragle

Tuesday May 25, 2004
Dear All
Thank you for your tremendous support!
I still have no details from Charl regarding all items stolen. Hopefully I will hear something soon. It would seem however that he is safe and among friends. Please keep him in your prayers.

God Bless
Bev

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