A Passion for Sailing and Volunteerism
The Adventures of Otter
by Randy & Gayle Morgan
The idea of sailing into retirement began as a dream in 1985. Our daughter, Lindy, had just turned two, when we conceptualized the great adventure: sell the practice when Lindy graduates from High School; place her safely in college; and set sail on a sailboat to see the world. All our plans for the next sixteen years revolved around that dream.
We read about, attended classes, learned to sail and finally purchased our first sailboat in 1992. Over the next decade, the family spent many a vacation sailing in the San Juan Islands, WA, while learning the craft of sailing.
The Great Adventure
In 2002 we sold the dental practice in Baker City, OR and headed north to British Columbia for a two-month trip to prep our third vessel, Otter. We sailed along the inside passage, and thereafter, returned to Oregon to put Lindy into college. That winter, and now empty nesters, we spent our days getting Otter ready for an extended test: the big adventure was on!
In April 2003, our maiden voyage was north along the inside passage of the San Juans, through British ?Columbia and eventually southeast Alaska. We spent the next four months exploring the islands and fiords of southeast Alaska, fishing, crabbing and netting shrimp. We saw killer whales, sea lions, and a multitude of bird life along the coastal waters. We hiked and explored the coastlands, both rich in history and scenic beauty.
For the next fourteen months, we headed south and harbor-hopped down the Washington, Oregon and California coasts, stopping in most of the small harbors and towns to explore as we sailed. Eventually our course extended beyond San Diego to Mexico. We rounded the Baja Peninsula at Cabo San Lucas and headed north to La Paz, to do volunteer work at a dental clinic. Although acting as the ‘free dentist’ in each location we provided service, it was just as extensive as if we were operating out of a dental office in Oregon. General hygiene and fillings dominated our work, but some cosmetic dentistry was completed too. When back on the boat, we continued south along the Mexican mainland coast with stops in Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Alcapulco and Zijuatenejo. We enjoyed the rich culture and food of Mexico, and especially the wonderful people we met along the way.
Helping the Community en Route
As a matter of record, Otter was equipped with a full suite of portable dental equipment, stored in boxes and suitcases. When in port, the cabin door would open to conduct volunteer dental treatment for residents of seaside towns. During the adventure, Dr. Morgan also trained others in dental work. For instance in 2004, when in La Paz, Baja, Mexico, he worked with the two resident dentists, teaching them advanced techniques in surgery and root canals.
Once we arrived along the coast of El Salvador, we ventured inland via a small estuary to Baja del Sol, outside San Salvador, the capitol. We spent five months exploring the inland of El Salvador and Guatemala by car and bus. We would later continue south into Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. As an aside, we spent many weeks exploring the amazing bird, animal life and rain forest beauty of the Costa Rican mountains.
We left Panama and went offshore 500 miles to start a 5-day/night trip to Ecuador. During this time, there was only Gayle and I aboard the Otter, not a crew. We took 4-hour alternating watches and had our first taste of a long distance sail. We arrived safely in Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador, which was to become our headquarters for the next three years. We enjoyed numerous trips inland, found the people to be most hospitable, and the area around Bahia de Caraquez a safe place to leave Otter anchored for the six months we were there.
Volunteering in Ecuador
In 2006 while in Ecuador, another opportunity presented itself to volunteer. We went up the River Kiapa in northern Ecuador by dugout canoe to a small village thirty miles upriver. The canoes were 26 feet long, carved out of a huge tree, and powered by an outboard motor. We arrived at a small village and were housed in small thatch roof cabins made of bamboo. We carried a small Honda generator to power our portable equipment. The local men constructed some benches to use as dental chairs from bamboo and local woods. Each day people who heard of the gringo dentists in the village would greet us. Since there were no roads, all patients came by river in dugout canoes to receive treatment, some as far as three days away. We stayed for a month and cherish the memories of that time in the wilds of Ecuador.
Over the next 2 years, we sailed back north to Costa Rica, to Panama and again to Ecuador. We also made a side trip to spend a month exploring the Galapagos Islands. In early 2008, with sea tans and rough hands, we decided it was time to go back home. We started north by making the 5-day jump back to Panama, then followed the coast of Central America north to Mexico, finally arriving in Puerto Vallarta in May 2008. ?We spent the next season in the Sea of Cortez, exploring the many beautiful islands and anchorages there. To this day, Otter is currently moored at a marina in San Carlos, Mexico.