S.V. Fantome

[Wentworth]

Hello all,
I am new to the site, but very happy to have found you. I have added my first album of pictures entitled S.V. Fantome on my profile page. I sailed in the Caribbean on this 282 foot four masted ship back in the mid-1970's. The cruise was a hair-raising one to say the least. We were nearly run down on two separate occasions by two super tankers -- I remember standing at the rail looking up into the face of a crew member on the tanker looking back into my eyes (that was a close one - if it wasn't for the skillful handling of the Fantome by our captain I think it would have ended badly). Later in the cruise we were approached at high speed by a large power boat with no land in sight. The captain and some of the crew (all armed) put boats away and met the speed boat about 50 yards off the port side of the Fantome. After what seemed like an endless parlay, the speed boat turned and left as fast as it had arrived. Later I had heard that the captain had money allocated for bribing pirates if the event transpired -- which is what happened I guess (I suppose they thought it easier to take the bribe rather than fight their way through the crew and onto the Fantome). My captain-- Wynne Jones (formerly Royal Navy) can be seen in picture #5 in the album. The most terrifying part of the cruise was the storm we hit at sea. High winds, and I estimate about 20 foot waves (lines were run between the sterncastle, amidships, and the forecastle because waves were breaking over the deck. The day after the storm passed I was on the main deck talking to another fellow about the storm when a blur passed between us followed by a crash (we were about 18 inches apart). A chain and turnbuckle had carried away from the rigging and embedded itself in the deck between us severing the other fellow's small toe -- inches either way and it would certainly have killed one of us. There is so much more to tell about this cruise, but we were lucky compared to the Fantome's final cruise in 1998 when it was sunk in hurricane Mitch off the coast of Honduras losing all hands (31 crew members). Here is the account of the Fantome's final voyage;
http://www.fortogden.com/fantommiamiherald.html
The year before I had a much quieter cruise aboard the 40 foot yawl "Caballero d'Luna" sailing from Rio de Janero up the Brazilian coast to a fishing village, the rain forest, and back to Rio. Unfortunately I cannot find any photos of that vessel.
Thanks for listening,
Bill

[Naharaht]

That was a real adventure you had, Bill!

[Bligh]

Great stuff Bill.
Just what we need to keep things interesting .

Rob.

[Wentworth]

That was a real adventure you had, Bill!

Yes it was a hair raising voyage -- I didn't mention that during the storm a mechanical failure pumped all the fresh water overboard. We stopped at a small island where the captain went ashore to barter with a "hermit" (as he was described to me) for fresh water supplies (he apparently trapped rain water and had plenty after the storm). Until we reached Nassau we only had small amounts of fresh water for cooking and drinking while we bathed in cold salt water (not a lot of fun). We also put into a deserted small island for snorkeling on the coral reef (where I "met" my first Barracuda). The island was only about a mile long and maybe 50 yards wide with growth and palm trees dotting the spine of the island. When we crossed to the opposite side we saw a propeller blade from a small plane standing upright in the sand on the beach -- about 20 yards offshore was the crumpled tail section of a small plane protruding from the surf. The Dive Master went out and took a look returning to tell us there were two bodies in the plane. When the Bahamian police arrived they confirmed that the plane contained a substantial amount of illegal drugs. Apparently drug runs fly into these small islands at night and power boats from the Florida Keys and the mainland meet them and attempt to smuggle the drugs into the country past the U.S. Coast Guard patrols. I guess this plane misjudged his landing on the sandy beach. Finally, I didn't mention that during the storm a large several hundred pound oak table broke free from its moorings, careened across the deck catching me behind the knees and pining my ankles to the deck injuring one badly. The crew had to lift it off of me. After the storm the Carpenter's Mate made me (and the fellow who lost his toe) canes from the ship' s wood with big brass handles -- the Sail Maker's Mate decorated them with knotted blue and gold cording. I kept it for decades until it just fell apart with age. I was hopping around on one leg with the cane -- tricky business on a pitching deck -- all I needed was a parrot on my shoulder and an eye patch !

[Bligh]

What a superb tale of adventure on the high seas. Good job it was a table and not a cannon Bill, although I expect it felt like one at the time.
Thanks for sharing this with us.
Rob.