Ocean sufficiency

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After six months of island life and work, Sofia left the rum, sugar cane, and calypso of the West Indies for the alluring San Blas Islands, golden Colombia, and the Panama redlands. Then on to New Zealand . . . where we are now, fairly broke after a year of sailing the lovely South Pacific. Many of the crew are taking jobs ashore, while others are leaving the ship and will be replaced by new members. After six months we'll probably move on to Australia and Indonesia to find more work . . . possibly with cargo, although this is impossible in most countries because of strong local unions and shipping regulations.

Another moneymaking possibility for us has turned up here in New Zealand: An American outdoors organization has expressed an interest in employing Sofia to carry a group of 12 divers, canoeists, and hikers around the islands. Our craft is no luxury charter yacht, but we have sometimes taken on passengers who were more interested in the romance of a traditional sailing vessel than in having their martinis properly chilled.

Our most reliable source of income is from turnover in the crew (only one of the original owners is still aboard). As members of the group leave, we accept newcomers at the rate of $2,000 per year. These contributions cover all food, fuel, and port charges . . . but living expenses account for only a small fraction of the overall budget. What does gulp the dollars is Sofia's appetite for paint, varnish, caulk, tar, steel, etc.

Our roving life helps us keep our outlay for food, household needs, and such relatively low. As we sail from port to port we're usually able to buy in bulk certain inexpensive goods in each of the countries we visit. We purchased 700 pounds of sugar in Fiji at 7¢ a pound, for instance, and 400 pounds of dried milk in Costa Rica for 30¢ a pound. In the islands we laid in dozens of stalks of bananas, and dried the fruit by slicing it and leaving it in the sun for three to five days.

We also cure fish by rubbing a small amount of salt into prepared fillets and stringing the bits from the rigging. After a few days the flesh is like jerky. We then prepare the fish for cooking when we want to eat by soaking it in fresh water for one day. It's good in soups and stews, and can even be eaten dry (a true sailor hardly notices the salt).

While in New Zealand we've found still other ways to save on food. By buying through growers' auctions, picking fruit and vegetables, and canning the produce ourselves, we're able to take full advantage of the bounty of this fair land.

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