S/V Vega 26. january 2005. The 115 year old Norwegian built historical vessel Vega sailed from Langkawi, Malaysia on the 17^th of January heavily loaded with relief supplies for the disaster stricken islands of Northern Sumatra. This makes Vega the oldest vessel so far to actively participate in the tsunami disaster relief efforts. Vega is carried her latest cargo in support of relief efforts by Global Sikhs and Waves of Mercy.

Vega was emptied of all furniture and fragile items then reloaded with approximately 18 tones of high weight low volume cargo.  Her cargo consisted primarily of food, medical supplies and beddings. She also carried “Care” packages for the relief workers already on site working along Sumatra’s hard hit northern coast. Once loaded VEGA set her sails and headed west.

The crossing to Sumatra was uneventful with the exception of floating trash, derelict boats, and a pod of whales that scared at least 10 years from the skipper’s life. “Those whales surfaced just in front of us looking exactly like over turned fishing boats”, said Vegas captain, “They were so close we couldn’t possibly turn away in time” With Vega’s bow only 10 meters away they peacefully slipped under the waves leaving a stunned, well shaken, crew in their wakes.

40 hours after leaving Langkawi VEGA arrived at the port of Sabang located on the northern most island of Pulau Weh. The welcome was warm and helpful. Even staunch beaureacrats moved with exceptional speed to ensure rapid clearances. Everywhere we found a sincere desire to put politics aside and do what ever was needed so that relief could reach those most in need.

We had barely arrived when small fishing boats began to bring word of villages along the rugged west coast that were completely cut off, destroyed, and in desperate need of help. One father and son had rowed their small boat for five days almost non-stop through some of the world’s roughest currents seeking aid for the remains of their village. From those brave people we learned that Vegas supplies were needed even more urgently than before. We also learned that our cargo was needed much further a field than originally expected.

It was one thing to sail a heavy load of cargo to Sabang harbor, it was something else to go around the tip of Sumatra across those notorious shallows with their 5-8 knot currents and dangerous rip tides. Getting back we would have to worry about once we had unloaded our cargo.

This was not a light decision to make. That area had already damaged two relief vessels much larger, younger, and better equipped than VEGA. This meant that not only would the boat be in greater danger, but also the lives of her entire crew would be at risk. Vega has no working radar to avoid wrecks at night, her autohelm/ RayMarine autopilot is broken, and most of her electronics such as depth sounder and navigational equipment are old and marginal.

In a secret ballot the entire crew agreed that we should go. One deciding factor was the urgent need for our cargo of food and medicines along a coast where others would or could not go. Early the next morning Vega slipped her mooring lines and once again set sail on her mission of Mercy.

Facing currents of over 5 knots, winds against the current greater than 30 knots, and seas that would make a whale seasick while all the time worrying about our exact location was an experience none of Vega’s crew enjoyed. A feeling of honest fear was often with us during those long hours. But Vega was built by master Norwegian shipwrights for the North seas worst conditions. We did our jobs while Vega did what she was built to do and has done best for over a hundred years.

The warm thankful welcome we received on arrival made it all worthwhile. Our urgently needed cargo was quickly off loaded. As fast as it arrived ashore food and first aid supplies were whisked away to needy villages further along the coast. In some cases small fishing boats with only paddles and willing hands for power were deeply loaded as they set out for what was left of their homes and families. We were all deeply impressed by the pride and dignity those hard suffering people showed in the face of such massive devastation and personal losses.

As soon as our cargo was off loaded Vega pulled her anchor and headed back toward Sabang. The first part of our journey went quickly with strong currents pushing us towards our destination. It was only when we turned East across the shallows that we met the full raging violence of Northern Sumatra’s rip tides. At times Vega’s 215 HP engine could only give us 1 knot of speed as we slammed into those powerful head seas in a seemingly endless fight to round that terrible head land.

Arriving in Sabang was one of life’s little pleasures. We had made it and were still alive. Vega seemed not to have suffered at all. Once there we checked out with the local officials and headed east toward Langkawi. We expected that trip to last two days. In the end it was much longer.

Vega had fought valiantly to deliver her cargo and could have carried many tons more within her strongly built hull. Spirits were high and hopes of a rapid second cargo were the ships favorite topic. That is before the problems began. First our new exhaust uplift split pouring raw exhaust into the cabins. This meant that working below was not only difficult, but also dangerous. Deck space for sleeping became a priority.

Then the variable pitch prop jammed into a coarse position, refusing to respond to its controls. This caused the engine to overload pouring black smoke throughout the boat. As if that were not enough the factory engine alternator broke down severely limiting our available 12-volt power.

Those mechanical difficulties forced our speed to less than 2 knots at times, as we could not power through head seas when the tides turned. For 6 hours we could make 4-5 knots then for another 6 hours we would slog along at 2 knots or less. Through out these difficult times crew moral was still high as we constantly reminded our selves that our difficulties were nothing compared to those of the people we had just left.

Four long dirty days later Vega limped back into her berth at Langkawi. She was black from the engine smoke and stank of partly burned fuel. All of the crew was covered in soot streaks. Even sitting on the head meant getting a “ring around the backside”, which in itself brought on a lot of jokes. Constant collisions with floating trash had striped the paint from her bows and her sails were streaked black from smoke. A once proud, spotlessly clean, sailing ship looked like an abandoned hulk ready for the breakers yards.

Two days later, a lot of additional help, and 25 liters of engine degreasing soap removed the worst of the dirt both internally and externally. Vega was almost back to her usual state of sea worthy cleanliness. What cannot be repaired so quickly are the broken exhaust and variable pitch propeller control unit. The exhaust is now back to the shop that made it for repairs and reinforcing.

The variable pitch prop parts are on their way from Norway, and Balmar in cooperation with Xantrex, both of Canada, have provided us with a magnificent marine grade 12 volt alternator, charging system, and control unit. The 12-volt system, at least, is one worry we can now completely forget.

As soon as our repairs are made Vega will once again load cargo and head out to where she is needed the most. In the mean while her crew waits, making small repairs, and often looking longingly to the west where we know our help is needed. There are only two months left now before the monsoon turns, making that whole east coast inaccessible from the sea. Supplies must be taken in now. Later it will be impossible.

To do that Vega needs to improve her systems, above all getting her RayMarine autopilot working again and her Silva-Nexus navigational electronics up to date. A working radar with bottom profiling depth sounder would be our dream come true. In areas where thousands of boats were washed out to sea, the bottom has actually changed, and charts give no details at all both are critical for safe navigation.