THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 21, 1994 TAG: 9408210036
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY DARA MCLEOD, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: WANCHESE LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
When the inexperienced crew of the 26-foot Carnase II left Long Island, N.Y., for Ecuador in early August, they were hoping they'd arrive there this week. But with more than 3,500 miles to go and storms wandering across the Atlantic, they realize now they were overly optimistic.
The Carnase II ran aground in Oregon Inlet the night of Aug. 9, damaging the small cabin cruiser's propeller and transmission.
After being stranded there for two days and nights in water so shallow the U.S. Coast Guard couldn't get them out, a Salty Dawg Marina salvage boat towed them to the Mill Landing Marine Maintenance Center in Wanchese.
``Well, so much for night sailing,'' said Nelson Mendoza, one of the boat's three crew members.
Mendoza and Argentinian scuba-diving instructor Tomas Biterski decided it would be an adventure to cruise from New York, where they've been living, to Ecuador, where they plan to establish a scuba-diving school. The other crew member, Buddy Sheldon, a retired Connecticut policeman who now lives in Ecuador, said ``he's just along for the ride.''
Sitting in the 6-by-8 foot cabin strewn with clothes, a bag of chocolate chip cookies, a broken coffee pot and a bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey, they laughed as Capt. Fred Tuttle, a California man whose boat is also docked at the maintenance center, questioned their judgment for even attempting the voyage on such a small vessel.
``This boat was built for the Great Lakes - not for the ocean,'' he said.
Tuttle, who's been cruising the Chesapeake Bay and Outer Banks waters with his wife, said he's not even sure the three were aware that they could have taken the Intracoastal Waterway.
But Biterski said he decided they could save time and fuel by charting an ocean course from Long Island to Atlantic City, N.J., Ocean City, Md., Virginia Beach, Va., and then here.
The adventurous trio, who admit they have limited boating experience, seem to know a good thing when they see it; they've been more than willing to accept some expert advice from Capt. Tuttle.
``I just couldn't believe they were going on this trip and didn't know what they were doing,'' Tuttle said as he went over the navigation charts for the rest of the trip with Biterski.
Biterski conceded that they were lucky they were grounded at Oregon Inlet.
``Now we're in much better hands than we were had this not occurred,'' he said.
And Tuttle's good-natured ridicule hasn't discouraged them a bit.
``If you have good judgment and strong will you can accomplish anything,'' Mendoza said. ``We've got a lot of willpower and a little knowledge. And that's how Columbus did it.''
Getting stuck in the inlet was just one of the memorable moments of the voyage so far. They've also had two birthday celebrations and a kitchen fire. And now they're keeping a watchful eye on Hurricane Chris, whose winds remain a distant threat to the Eastern Seaboard.
The three were hoping a needed engine part would be delivered over the weekend, and plan to resume their voyage as soon as it's installed.
Although they insist the Coast Guard could have done more to help them, overall, they said they've enjoyed their stay in Wanchese and have met lots of friendly, helpful people.
The question on the minds of their new acquaintances is whether the trio and their tiny boat will make it to Ecuador.
Salty Dawg Marina owner Harry Schiffman, who towed them to Wanchese, said, ``Well, they'll have to have a little better luck than what they've had here.''
Tuttle said that ``if conditions are favorable, they can do it. I do have my doubts, seriously, but I don't want to discourage them.''
And Biterski said, ``We know we have problems - but we keep going.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
DREW C. WILSON/Staff
Buddy Sheldon, 68, left, Nelson Mendoza, 39, and Tomas Biterski, 44,
were in the middle of a voyage from Long Island, N.Y., to Ecuador
when their boat was grounded in Oregon Inlet. They plan to resume
their trip once a needed engine part arrives and is installed.
by CNB