The Hartleys and the WAKARELU
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- Annuitants & Former ExPats
Author: Elmer Hartley
Released 21 August 2005
Elmer and Lucille Hartley
Photograph Contributed by Elmer Hartley
Bushehr, Iran
Photograph Contributed by Elmer Hartley
Elmer Hartley, born in 1923, joined Aramco in 1956. Among his many assignments with Aramco he held the position of Marine Superintendent from 1967-1974. In 1968 he purchased a 30 foot wooden ketch that was custom built in Japan and had it delivered to Ras Tanura by freighter. The boat was christened WAKARELU, "wa" for daughter Wanda, "kar" for daughter Karen, "e" for Elmer, and "lu" for Elmer's wife Lucille, and journeyed with the Hartley family from port to port in keeping with the many transfers required by Elmer's position with Aramco. The boat was registered in Saudi Arabia with a home port of Ras Tanura. The Saudi flag was always flown.
"This is a photograph of the three Ras Tanura Yacht Club boats that sailed to Bushehr, Iran during late 1972: the 32 foot Japanese built ketch, WAKARELU, the 32 foot English built sloop, Invincible, owned by Aramcon Ed Stecher, and the 25 foot Dutch built sloop, Fandango, owned by Aramcon Carlos Johnston. Lucille and Aramcon Jim Milne sailed with me. Aramcon Bob Gulvason sailed with Pat and Carlos Johnston, and Aramcons Larry and Jean St. Croix sailed with Bernice and Ed Stecher.
The Hartley family embraced sailing and made many memories sailing the Arabian Gulf. Jim Milne, a fellow Aramcon, usually accompanied the Hartley's as crew on these voyages which included many overnight sailing cruises to Jubayl, Abu Ali, Jana Island and Jurayd Island as well as one and two week cruises to Sitra and Manama, Bahrain, Umm Said, the Qutar Petroleum Company (QPC oil handling port), Bushehr, Iran, Mina Ahmadi, and the Kuwait Oil Company ( KOC oil handling port).
Pulling Boat, Ras Tanura
Photograph Contributed by Elmer Hartley
The Arabian Gulf cruises were made possible mainly by Elmer's association with other oil company Marine Superintendents and Aramco Industrial Relations personnel. They were able to assist him in obtaining the necessary permits to enter and exit countries and to assist in clearing the boat and crew through customs and immigration after he reached the various ports. WAKARELU was one of few private yachts to sail the Arabian Gulf and visit these various islands, ports and oil facilities.
"This is our boat named, WAKARELU, a 32 foot sailboat that had been built in Japan, being pulled from the water at the Sandy Hook, Tarut Bay boat launching ramp, Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia. I had a steel cradle built to support the boat for the approximately 1,200 mile trip to Beirut, Lebanon. The hauling of the boat was accomplished using company equipment and much assistance from fellow Aramco employees, no marina or marina personnel were available." ~Elmer Hartley
In June of 1974, Elmer transported his boat by truck from Ras Tanura to Beirut, Lebanon. The journey took 5 days venturing across the Saudi desert and the unpaved Tapline road to Iraq then on the paved roads from Iraq to Jordan, Syria, then to its final destination at the marina at Jounieh, Lebanon.
Lucille, Karen, and Lady, the Dog on WAKARELU
Photograph Contributed by Elmer Hartley
"Here we are moored in the Jounieh, Lebanon marina and ready to depart for Cyprus, Greece." ~Elmer Hartley
After delivering the boat to Jounieh, Lebanon, Elmer returned to Ras Tanura and requested early retirement. He and his wife, Lucille, planned to retire and sail to Cyprus to spend the winter of 1974 before continuing on in the Mediterranean. However, the Greek-Cypriot war started on Cyprus and the Hartley's had to change their plans. Aramco Management offered Elmer a project manager position working in the AOC, Aramco Overseas Beirut offices. The huge Aramco gas expansion program was under way and required project management personnel. Elmer and Lucille accepted the transfer. They airlifted Lady, their "barkless" Basenji dog, and Ginger, their calico cat, to Beirut where they eventually rented an apartment in Jounieh, Lebanon. This arrangement allowed them to be near the boat, to sail on Jounieh Bay and the "Med" on evenings and weekends.
During 1974, the Civil war activities began in Lebanon and eventually interfered with progress of the projects assigned to the AOC Beirut Project Management Design offices. Eventually, a decision was made to transfer design work to AOC offices in The Hague, Netherlands and Athens, Greece.
Elmer had earned vacation time, so he and Lucille decided to sail the boat to Athens. They left Jounieh, Lebanon in April, 1975 and sailed to Cyprus, Rhodes, through the many Greek and Turkish Islands, to Athens, Greece. Along the way they stopped at many ports at the islands and on the Turkish mainland. Karen, their youngest daughter, accompanied them as crew. Pets, Lady and Ginger, sailed along much to their displeasure.
Pepsi and Water Stop
Photograph Contributed by Elmer Hartley
"We stopped many times along the desert road to purchase Pepsis from Arab shacks. Coke was not allowed in Arabia at that time because of a boycott." ~Elmer Hartley
After 74 days, they arrived at Athens. Elmer returned to Beirut, leaving Karen, Lucille, Lady, and Ginger living on the boat. The Beirut Design offices were closed and the work transferred to the AOC offices in Athens and The Hague. Elmer settled in an apartment in The Hague as the majority of his job responsibilities were in that city. Lucille, Karen, and the animals remained living on the boat in the Zia Marina at Passalimani Harbor in Athens, Greece. They did not want to spend the winter in the Netherlands.
In early 1976, Elmer transferred to Aramco Services Company (ASC) in Houston, Texas. He was assigned to the Project Management Design offices in Newark, New Jersey. Lucille arrived in Houston, along with Lady and Ginger, in September, 1976, at which time they rented a home in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey.
In August of 1976, WAKARELU was utilized for a 30 day cruise from Athens to Corfu and back. Aramcons, George and Sylvia Rader and retired Aramcon Carlos Johnston sailed with Elmer as crew. The team sailed through the Corinth Canal, through the Ionian Islands in the Adriatic, to Corfu, and then sailed back to Athens returning the boat to its slip at the marina. Lucille had decided not to make this cruise and remained in the United States.
During the latter days of September, 1976, WAKARELU was placed in a lash barge, floated on to a lash ship and shipped on this lash-type freighter from Piraeus, Greece to Brooklyn, New York. Karen, having remained in Greece, made arrangements to have the boat loaded aboard the freighter and shipped to Brooklyn. Elmer cleared the boat through customs in October 1976 at the piers in Brooklyn. The boat was transported by truck to the marina at Atlantic Highlands. Karen joined the family in New Jersey the latter part of 1976.
West of Damascus, Headed for Beirut
Photograph Contributed by Elmer Hartley
"We had just passed through the city of Damascus. We had stopped there to get the truck's rear brakes fixed. It was Friday and no one could or would fix them, so we proceeded to drive over the Lebanese mountains and into Beirut through the night. We arrived in Beirut early the next morning." ~Elmer Hartley
During the summer of 1977, the boat was moored at the Atlantic Highlands Marina and was sailed in New York harbor under the Verrazano Bridge, past the Statue of Liberty, to Long Island and Staten Island, and to Sandy Hook, New Jersey.
In July, 1977, Elmer was transferred to the Houston offices of Aramco Services Company. Again, he had earned vacation time and was granted 35 days to report to his new assignment at ASC. Lucille, Karen and Elmer decided to use the vacation time and sail the boat to a Galveston Bay marina, a marina that was south of and approximately 60 miles from Houston. This was the closest marina to the city of Houston.
Jounieh Marina and Bay
Photograph Contributed by Elmer Hartley
"After five days, we arrived at Jounieh, Lebanon. The boat was off-loaded by crane and then moored at the Automobile Club of Lebanon's marina. After being transferred to work in the AOC Beirut offices, Lucille and I rented an apartment in Jounieh, Lebanon. It was on the 7th floor and encompassed the entire floor. This picture is of the marina where the boat was moored. The apartment was 12 miles from my office. Mountains 7,500 feet high were to the East of our apartment and we could go sailing in the Mediterranean Sea in the morning and play in the snow in the afternoon. The weather was similar to southern California with orange, palm, date and banana trees growing everywhere. We probably would still be there if it were not for the 1975 civil war that started. The design offices were relocated to Athens, Greece." ~Elmer Hartley
They left the Atlantic Highlands marina in September, 1977 and sailed out of New York harbor to the Atlantic Ocean then south to an anchorage in the Manasquan River in New Jersey, and from Manasquan back to the ocean and then into Cape May, New Jersey harbor. They then sailed in the Atlantic to Chesapeake Bay and to Norfolk, Virginia. There they entered the Inter-Coastal Waterway (ICW) system. The ICW allowed them to sail in protected waters all the way to Stuart, Florida. They did not have to sail in the Atlantic Ocean again, a great relief for the crew and animals.
Drivers, Misfer and Bekhit, Teatime on the Tapline Road
Photograph Contributed by Elmer Hartley
"The two drivers could not speak English and my Arabic was not that good. We had one horrible time trying to carry on a conversation. My attempts to communicate that we must drive slow and protect the boat as we drove the unpaved roads were usually in vain. The drivers were in a hurry and had a job to do. How the boat traveled on the rough road did not matter to them, but it did to me! It was difficult to get my request understood. We drove from sun-up to sun-down, mostly 15 hour days. With the three of us in the front seat of the cab, I would have a severe headache every night from attempting to converse. At night, I slept in the boat while the drivers slept on the ground. Tea was made every three or four hours, and I subsisted mainly on this and peanut butter sandwiches and crackers." ~Elmer Hartley
At Stuart, Florida they sailed west in the St. Lucie River across Lake Okeechobee to the Caloosahatchee River and the Canal to Fort Myers, Florida. There they turned north and entered the Florida west coast ICW and sailed across Tampa Bay to Boca Ciega Bay. Nels and Sue Hubbard, retired Aramcons, had a townhouse on the Bay and the Hartley's had made arrangements by phone to moor at their dock.
Elmer was running out of vacation time and it was getting near the date he was supposed to report to the Houston ASC offices for his new job assignment. He flew back to New Jersey to retrieve the family automobile. Lucille, Karen, Lady and Ginger stayed with another retired Aramco family and friends, Hilda and Sy Koryus who lived in the same residential complex with the Hubbards.
After driving the family automobile from Atlantic Highlands to Florida, Elmer's vacation time had nearly expired. He made arrangements to moor the boat at the Madeira Beach Municipal Marina for the 1977-78 winter period, or until he could return to Florida and sail the boat the rest of the way to Texas. Sy would babysit the boat for the Hartley's until Elmer could return to Florida.
The Hartley's left for Houston in the car and Elmer went to work in the ASC Houston offices.
In April, 1978, Fred Drucker, an ASC Houston employee, and Elmer flew to Florida to sail the boat from Florida to Clear Lake, Texas. In Florida, Fred and Elmer met with Sy Koryus who had agreed to sail as crew. After outfitting the boat for the cruise across the Gulf of Mexico, they set sail from Clearwater, Florida and headed for the entrance of the Mississippi River. After two days and nights of light winds, they arrived in the morning at the South West pass of the Mississippi River. From the pass they sailed west, in the Gulf of Mexico, towards Galveston, Texas. Due to very light winds the entire cruise, Fred was running out of vacation time and had to get back to work. Sailing plans and the course were changed. They had originally planned to sail across the Gulf to Galveston. Now they headed for the entrance to the Atachafalaya River and after arriving at the river’s mouth powered north in the Louisiana river to the intersection of the river and the East and West running ICW. There they powered west in the ICW to Intercoastal City, Louisiana. Once there, Fred inquired about transportation to Houston. Having no luck, Fred hitchhiked from Intercoastal City to Houston. He made it to work on time.
Customs, Syria-Lebanon Border
Photograph Contributed by Elmer Hartley
"Every customs clearance boarder crossing was an ordeal for me. The Arab drivers handled all the paperwork, but I was concerned that my boat would not clear customs and the boat would join the full lot of cars and trucks that had never made it through customs." ~Elmer Hartley
Sy and Elmer continued powering west in the ICW to Galveston. At the intersection of the ICW and the Houston ship channel they powered north in the channel and through Galveston Bay to Clear Lake, Texas. There the boat was moored at a Clear Lake Marina. Sy then flew back to Florida.
During 1980, the Hartley's purchased a waterfront home in Rockport, Texas and the boat was sailed to Rockport from Clear Lake. It was moored to the dock in the backyard. In June 1981, Elmer retired as a Project Manager from the SCECO (Saudi Consolidated Electric Company) organization. He had been loaned and transferred to that organization while working in the ASC Houston offices. Elmer was the first Aramco employee to retire from the Houston AOC office.
We departed Sandy Hook, Ras Tanura on November 1, 1972. All three boats were back at their Sandy Hook moorings on November 9, 1972. It was a lovely and eventful cruise with good and bad sailing conditions. Actually a cruise of a lifetime to an interesting port and part of the world." ~Elmer Hartley
During his career with Aramco, Elmer had the good fortune to be employed and the opportunity to work for a great organization. His work took him to Abqaiq and Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, AOC offices in Beirut, Lebanon, The Hague, Netherlands, Athens, Greece, ASC offices in Newark, New Jersey and Houston, Texas, and SCECO offices in Charlotte, North Carolina, St. Louis, Missouri and Kansas City, Missouri. Both the boat and his family were able to follow him on many of his assignments.
Elmer's wife Lucille was the First Mate and cook on all the cruises they sailed, however Elmer always considered her the Captain. Lucille never learned to swim although she attempted to learn many times. She remained terribly afraid of the water, yet she was always ready to go sailing with Elmer. She was more than capable of handling the helm and steering the boat. Elmer and Lucille shared a favorite reply when asked how she dared to go sailing on the water when she was so afraid of it, it was "we are going sailing not swimming". Lucille could and did prepare meals during storms and rough weather and only became seasick once in all the years they sailed together - this occurred on their first cruise to Qatar. She said she felt so bad that she was determined to never become seasick again.
WAKARELU in Rockport
Photograph Contributed by Elmer Hartley
During a 1982 cruise in the Gulf of Mexico from Rockport to Port Isabelle, Texas, the boat became tangled in a fish net that wrapped around the boat's propeller. Power and steerage were lost. The boat could not be sailed due to the dragging fishing gear. It drifted on to the beach in 5-7 foot seas and the boat was "totaled". The Hartley's took the insurance payoff.. The boat was eventually salvaged by the insurance company and adopted by a young couple who refurbished it to its original shipshape condition.