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Far Reach Voyages

~ The sailing, maintenance, and upgrades of a highly modified and custom built Cape Dory 36 sailboat. Please visit our other website that documents the six year rebuild and modification of the sailing vessel Far Reach at www.farreachvoyages.com.

Far Reach Voyages

Category Archives: Uncategorized

Hacked!

12 Sunday Jun 2022

Posted by farreachvoyages in Uncategorized

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Last weekend I called a contact number for WordPress Tech support. I got the number from Mr. Google. It turns out it was not WordPress. In fact WordPress does not provide support over the phone. It was a slick operation. I never suspected I was not talking with a WordPress employee. The fake rep asked to screen share. We have all done that with Apple and other tech companies. So I said OK. What he did was download some software on my computer. I saw the curser suddenly uncover my WordPress password. Still posing as a WordPress technician he wanted money to fix a problem that did not exist. He explained it was not covered under my Premier WordPress plan. I said no. He pushed. I pushed back. No, I repeated. I hung up. I immediately changed my password. It was too late.

Fortunately, I received a notice from WordPress via email asking if I meant to delete my last post and thanking me for purchasing a $750 e-commerce plan! I contacted WordPress, this time via chat. The person on the other end was superb. They quickly figured out what happened. They walked me through the steps to look for the offending programs (Zoho a screen sharing app). They refunded the fees the hacker had charged to my account. They thanked me for responding so quickly and suggested since I did not fall for the money scam the hacker retaliated. The tech rep also recommended I call Apple. WordPress said they would look into recovering my posts.

I called Apple Care and they were also superb at walking me through the steps I needed to take to ensure the MacBook was secure. They screen shared (yes I was uneasy) but they explained how I contacted them via the correct phone number and how I could tell it was them. Anyway, they went through my entire hard drive running a virus malware program but only found a few remnants of the Zoho program.

WordPress contacted me the next day and said although they could not recover the deleted posts they did find an archived version and sent it to me to make it easier to repost it which I have done.

Wow. I am careful and cautious on-line but still fell, partially, for a scam. I learned a valuable lesson.

Sailing Home Singlehanded: Virgin Islands to North Carolina

11 Thursday Jul 2019

Posted by farreachvoyages in Navigation, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized, Voyaging

≈ 6 Comments

I don’t feel lonely at sea. After many thousands of miles together the Far Reach and I are a team.

With a reasonable weather forecast I slipped the mooring in Elephant Bay at 0800 on 10 June and sailed the Far Reach through the mooring field past all my live-aboard friends. I let loose on the conch horn I was given by my friend Ali Baba with as long a wailing trumpet blast as I could manage. With the wind out of the east about 15-20 kts I ran west along the south coast of St Thomas. My phone was buzzing with texts from my friends I had made during my time in the VI wishing me a safe trip home. I had a lump in my throat. While ready to get home I already missed my friends and the wonderful time I had in the Virgin Islands. But I needed to get focused on the voyage that lay before me. Once clear of the west end of St Thomas I turned the Far Reach NW leaving Savannah Island to starboard and then headed out into the Atlantic. In short order I had the whisker pole up and the jib winged out and started what would be days of downwind sailing wing and wing.

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Patience….

02 Sunday Jun 2019

Posted by farreachvoyages in Local Sailing, Modifications, Planning, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized, Upgrades, Voyaging

≈ 2 Comments

Sailing wing and wing from Christmas Cove to Elephant Bay, USVI.

The wind in the SW North Atlantic north of the Caribbean remains elusive. I discussed it with Chris Parker of Marine Weather Center last week. Together we came up with three options:

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Rain: Collecting Water

01 Saturday Jun 2019

Posted by farreachvoyages in Modifications, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized, Voyaging

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Our current rain collection system is exceedingly simple.

I was having morning coffee and lounging in the cockpit chatting on the phone with Gayle. I could see the rain coming…a lot of rain. I signed off and sure enough it was a real gullywasher.

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The Main Thing is to Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing….

23 Thursday May 2019

Posted by farreachvoyages in Modifications, Musings, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized, Voyaging

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Everyone needs a place of Zen and happiness…this is mine.

My good friend Colonel Steve Davis USMC was the first person I ever heard say “the main thing….” He was a terrific leader and had a unique gift for preventing his unit from getting distracted. He never lost sight of the mission and knew how to keep the team focused like a laser-beam.

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The Marine and the Rasta

23 Thursday May 2019

Posted by farreachvoyages in People, Uncategorized, Voyaging

≈ 1 Comment

The Marine and Tanza the Rasta barber.

As the departure date for the sail home gets closer it was time for a haircut. So I took Sweet Pea into the dinghy dock and walked up the hill to the local barber shop.

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Celestial Navigation: Going Back to the Beginning

21 Tuesday May 2019

Posted by farreachvoyages in Navigation, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized

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A part of my celestial navigation tool-kit.

I learned celestial nav a long long long time ago, as in way before anyone ever heard of satnav. But I was a youngster and never got proficient. And though we don’t have a chart plotter on the Far Reach, I, like most of the modern world, have come to rely on GPS because it’s quick, simple, and accurate. But…using GPS always leaves me feeling…unsatisfied. Like I cheated. It’s just too easy. There is no reward.

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Alone Again: Small Projects and Maximum Chill….

01 Wednesday May 2019

Posted by farreachvoyages in Maintenance, Musings, People, Repairs, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized, Voyaging

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Deep into Michener’s Tales of the South Pacific.

It was a sad day to see Gayle fly home. We had a great time together. But the kids have to declare their college selection by 1 May. She needed to assist them with another round of campus visits so they can make a wise choice. So we divided our combat power into two elements, each with missions to accomplish.

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A 30 Day Cruise in the Virgin Islands

25 Thursday Apr 2019

Posted by farreachvoyages in Boats, People, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized, Voyaging

≈ 2 Comments

We had a great cruise. The Far Reach performed wonderfully in a wide variety of conditions.

With fresh provisions on board we slipped the mooring in Elephant Bay, St Thomas on 12 March with only a basic plan—sail towards St John and proceed somewhere from there.

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Our Surface Supplied SCUBA System or Hookah

11 Thursday Apr 2019

Posted by farreachvoyages in Maintenance, Modifications, Uncategorized, Upgrades

≈ 1 Comment

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The basic hookah is the first stage, 50’ of air hose, and the second stage regulator. I added a pressure gauge to the second stage after the photo was taken.

I have a fair amount of diving experience. I earned my PADI card when I was 17. I’m also a military trained diver and served in dive billets for nine years. But I don’t have diving gear anymore and I think I made my last dive about 2003. I just snorkel now.  But I always think about options….

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