Baz tells all:
3 October 2016 5pm Cocos time Woke up as normal about 6 am. Get a coffee and a 2 wheat bix. So today I head out across the Indian Ocean. Really not quite sure why I am doing this apart from to say I have done it. Well I suppose life is a collection of experiences. Still no email from Margaret, I do hope everything is OK. I sent a note to Doug so I will at least know if the system is working tomorrow. It finally occurred to me today that I will be on the ocean for 2 weeks. The swell is not too big but it is very messy, so the boat rocks and rolls. The wind did pick up a little while ago and we hitting 15 knots, so we took the main down only to have ken change his mind and put the main back up with 2 reefs. Ken really is a competent sailor. There is one slightly frightening moment when a wave hit the underside of the boat – Bang! The wind is dying so juts as well we made good time this morning. Oh and yesterday the Sharks won! Hooray!
LISTENING TO THE AFL GRAND FINAL WITH NEW BESTIES ON COCOS ISLANDS
5 October 2016: Yesterday was a beautiful day except the wind disappeared! So we motored during the night. oh, and yesterday the spinnaker rope (that pulls it thru the hoop) broke. We have now repaired (we hope so !) so we can launch when the wind is right. I cooked a roast dinner which was pretty good if I do say myself. eed to sleep at regular intervals which in many ways suits my issues. During my watch the auto pilot spat the dummy. I then woke Ken up and had to steer the boat manually which I had completely forgotten how to do. Fortunately the wind was low and so we didn’t get into any problems. Currently about 400 N Miles from Cocos- about 13% of way there!
Midnight 5th October I am on the first watch. It is just after midnight. It has been a struggle to stay awake. I will pop a pill tomorrow to see if that help. (There is no right mouse click on this laptop – it is very annoying). Part of me feels like this is an endurance test, something that I need to endure not really enjoy – maybe (like a farm) I just need to do it to get it out of my system. I have been reading my downloaded book. The illuminated screen is great to read at night. I don’t know that I could read anew scientist. My eyes aren’t good enough. 10 minutes til I shut my eyes…
7th October 4:50 am Nearly the end of my watch. A lot more wind! But still less than what is forecast. I don’t think I am going to be a long term long distance sailor. I struggle with watches, I can’t stay awake and I am a bit scared. May be better with another person on board? No chance to read another book. Have to stay focused on sailing the boat. So just a quick note before I go back to sleep in the washing machine!
ROOM WITH A VIEW
240am Saturday 8th of October Nearly the end of my 2nd watch. Really I think we have too much sail up but I bow to Ken and Jon’s greater knowledge that this is smoother ride.25-35 knots tonight and we are doing 11-12 knots. A bit scary for me and I will be pleased when the wind dies down which it is supposed to some time today. Actually it is probably the waves more than the wind. BANG! Goes the wave under the boat. BANG goes the wave that hits the side of the boat. We are about ½ way there after the latest very fast last 24 hours. This has cured me of long distance sailing. A little hop up the coast is great where you can pop in and anchor in a little bay or port but not night after night of fear.
Sunday 3pm 9 October A beautiful day. We are racing along at over 10 knots, sometimes we get to 17 knots when we catch a wave. The spinnaker is up. I must admit I was a bit worried but things have gone really well. The water is so wonderfully blue and sparkling. We actually have less waves crashing into the boat. Last we had spag bol with the noodles cooked in Indian ocean water. A bit salty for my tastes but an interesting concept. Finished off the last of the green beans we bought in Cocos. Jon is cooking tonight – a tuna potato bake. Should be interesting
MASTER GREEK (CHEF)
Over ½ way now and we are nearly down to less than a 1000NM. We are likely to arrive Friday, maybe even Thursday. And as predicted Jon wants to leave early if we do. In some ways I would too, in others I think I should look around. I’ll decide when I arrive.
Sunday midnight Well some excitement this afternoon. I had just had a shower to wash the salt off and was getting dressed in my room, when Jon rushes in and says quick on deck with the kite… put your pants on first. The spinnaker had ripped and was going in the water – we didn’t want it to act as a sea anchor or get caught around the propeller. So Jon and I had the get out on the trampoline and pull it in. we did – it was a big effort and I got covered in salt. Anyway back on my watch
Wednesday 12th October 11:21 pm (added Thursday at 7pm) just remembered that on Wednesday we saw land! We could see Rodriguez island. It was 20NM away but clearly very mountainous. What we saw was blue shade on the horizon. I would have liked to see it (as I will never have another opportunity) but heh I am not the captain. Not too much of an issue, really just a whim. Who knows maybe I will visit RI on my 87th birthday!
Second last night. two previous night’s where the first watch is fine and the second is very tricky. Today we broke a batten and then “fixed’ it. Boy am I looking forward to a long shower, not to mention staying in bed all night! I am a bit relaxed on watch now. Still need to negotiate with Ken as to how much sail we have up. It is battle between safety and how much you wobble with this crazy cross swell which is heaps worse at low speed.
Enough for now maybe my next watch will be less busy.
Thursday 13th October 5:45pm Another beautiful day with lighter winds. We are cruising along at 7-8 knots. Jon is in the galley cooking his new signature dish – tuna potato bake. It is his second go and really the first was pretty good. Today we seemed to have crossed a shipping lane. We have seen about 6 or 7 carriers or tankers. We have a gadget on the boat that tells us when they get within “coo-ey” of us. Good to see them in the daytime.
So what have we done? Not much really; I have read new scientist, the economist, 2 e books, talked and chatted and talked some more. Oh, we have sailed a boat across the Indian Ocean…
Thursday 13th October 11:50pm Well, my last night aboard Resolute 2 – my 2nd last watch – my last night on an open Indian ocean. What do I feel? Success? Relief? Satisfaction? A bit of all 3 I guess. Sadness that the trip is ending? Well…no. Could I do this again? Yes, if I had to. Do I feel I have learnt something? Yes, I do. I believe I understand the boat better. I do stuff like tidy up ropes automatically. I can wrap ropes the right way. I panic less when the boat takes off. Do I want to do this again? Not on big stretches of ocean. Around the Caribbean? Yes. Around the med? Yes. Hire a cat in the Whitsundays? Yes.
BIG STRETCHES OF OCEAN
Friday 14th October 5am It has come to this – my last watch. Less than 80 NM to go. We will see Mauritius today, probably at the end of Jon’s watch. I have travelled over 2000NM across the Indian Ocean. The wind has been constant all night 15knots or so with boat doing 8-9 knots. The forecast was for the wind to die. It has a bit but is still a definite breeze. It is also a bit cloudy. I hope it fines up as we get close.
I have made some decisions. I will definitely look to simplify my share portfolio. Roll up Angus and Erica’s and Margaret’s and then put some more into Super. I will also diversify my account out of fixed interest and into infrastructure, property and shares. I want to do a course on IT and learn how get more out of “technology”. I just hope my children “grow-up” enough to let me. I am also going to set some goals for the next 12 months depending upon whether I have a new job or not.
Friday 14th October 8:45 am Mauritius – we fucken made it! I can see “Round island” off the Starboard bow and just a taste of the main island. The wind has died in the arse so we are motor sailing, although we could pull out the reef in the main, not sure how much difference it would make. It is still ‘early’; we are on ship’s time. The time here is 6:15am. At the northern end of the main island is a strong current, the direction of which is tide dependent. We need to get there before midday so we can ride the current around the corner. We are generally on schedule.
Friday 14th October 11:27am Mauritius – you can see the volcanic origins and what is that white thing? Windmills! How delightful!