This article is compliments of Greg Froud, who says; “I absolutely love delving into the history of boats.”
After “Contingent Sea’s” re-fit revealed her secrets and the story of the Mendes’s three year circumnavigation, I thought I would never again own such an interesting vessel. I thought that the plain little Columbia 28 that I acquired almost by chance on selling “Sea” was unlikely to have been around the bay, let alone the world.
Little did I know that her story would eclipse the Mendes’s tenfold.
I have used a little writers licence to paint the following picture, but it is based on the accounts of various people who have kindly supplied me with information
Shortly before Christmas in 2002 a little sailboat entered Durban bay. As is often the case with “true” blue water boats she was not what one would expect at all. “Second Wind” has a rather long coach roof, somewhat stumpy nose and is only 28 feet stem to stern. She does not have a fancy roller furling headsail, or spinlock cleated sheets. No autopilot guided her stern hung rudder, and no GPS hung in the companionway. In fact she had no inboard diesel at all, only an old Yamaha outboard hung from the pushpit rail. And squawking loudly from their vantage point on the foredeck were three Rhode Island Red Chickens!
What she lacked in size however, she made up for in attitude. Amid a chorus of squawks she dropped anchor, in the middle of the main harbour. I can only imagine the response from the huge harbour tugs, and I know they would have been completely ignored by the lone skipper. At a little over 70 years old, dressed in his trademark yellow jacket, with a handheld compass secure on a string around his neck at all times, “Chicken Shit” Jack had made landfall.
“Jack” (have yet to learn his real name) first visited Tony Herrick at Cruising connections, and later Nick Hastie of Seaport supply, both of whom remember him well. Tony even tried to contact his relations in the states who appeared to want little to do with him. “He was not crazy” says Tony, “but very eccentric.”
The usual pratique required of a visiting yacht did not bother Jack. No yellow flag flew from the spreaders and in fact he did not even allow customs on board at all! When he was finally convinced to take a berth in the marina (so that the harbour could continue) he did so, only to be evicted by a chorus of complaints about the chickens.
After only two weeks Jack left the harbour at night, sailed straight out of the mouth without contacting the tower and straight into the path of an inbound tanker in what has been described as an “international incident”. Not only having refused to pay dues and clear customs “Second wind” had some additional signage too. Written in large red letters on her topsides were the words; “F**k Durban”, “F**k Customs”!
Jack made for Port Elizabeth next. Again on entry he refused to moor where the other yachts were, but tied up in a working berth instead. As expected an argument ensued, but the harbour realised he may be a little “different” and decided to leave him be, for the time being anyway. Roy Crossley from the Yacht club remembers him, and was one of the few people to interact with him. He learned that “Jack” was a Vietnam veteran, and apart from the chickens he was also brewing beer on board “Second Wind”.
Few others from the club ever saw Jack, and he left again without paying any dues. But now the Authorities had had enough, and when he reached Port Elizabeth they were waiting for him.
Jack was arrested and incarcerated in St Albans.
Estelle Ellis of the Herald picks up the story:
“Phil Rademan who is the safety officer at the harbour says he remembers him very well
He was then put on a plane to the USA and Second Wind was docked at the yacht club. Another incident happened at the plane as they refused to take him as he wasn’t wearing any shoes and authorities had to find him a Size 11s before he was allowed to board.
The PE Yacht Club’s problems however only started then. Jack left his chickens behind and one of the legendary yachtsman at the harbour, Robbie “Blackleg” Gone was put in charge of Second Wind. (Yes his nickname really is Blackleg – you’ve got to love this place.) Animal Welfare was called in to take the chickens who were apparently quite prolific in the egg laying department. Jack returned to come and fetch his boat but it was badly damaged and he couldn’t leave. They tried using a tugboat to get him out of the harbour because he insisted to leave but apparently the yacht wasn’t going to make it. Eugene Fincham, also a lifelong yachtsman said last time he saw Second Wind it was in the dry-docks with a badly damaged hull (the words F…you Durban and F…you Tax People still written on the side. Second Wind was moored two yachts away from his yacht for a while. Nobody seems to know what happened to the yacht. Phil said he remembers something about a marine agent being told to sell it as it was no longer seaworthy without extensive repairs.”
Well Jack was eventually deported, and as much as I don’t think I would have liked him, it is people like him who make life just a little more colourful, and I for one would not have it any other way. To Jack, wherever you are – thank you and fair winds!
As for “Second Wind” I am happy to report she was completely re-fitted and has made her way first to Durban, and then inland to a small club at Midmar dam. Now called “Seabiscuit” she is on the hard at HMYC.
Controversy continues to plague her, but that is another story altogether…
Greg Froud
Editor: Please fill in the gaps in Greg’s story in the comments section below.