Chris Wilde is flat out and leaves the UK on Tuesday afternoon, 3 days after being told he is onboard Talisker Bounty Boat. I actually woke him up at about 10am on Saturday Morning to start talking about it. That was maybe the last decent sleep he is going to have for awhile. Top job to clear the decks so fast…he will pop up on the blog once he slows down after Sydney.
Dave Price has been out “Shopping” today…maybe it is a “Dave” thing?…but he sails away on Wednesday onboard “Blizzard” for a birding Charter booked six months ago. As soon as he is back he leaves to join us in Tonga, so he has only one more day to prepare and pack his bags.
Beside emails, I have been repairing the Octant case with the help of Doug Campbell who built the boat, checking the pocket watches we will use, writing final lists, sourcing extra medical monitoring gear for onboard TBB and answering the phone! So what is the final time line?
On April the 9th at the Mitchell library in Sydney, we will hold our final TBB send off and get to view many of Bligh’s personal artefacts including his “Note book” that he wrote whilst in the boat sailing to Kupang, his log book, telescope, personal seal and some letters he wrote to his wife after the Mutiny and the open boat voyage from Kupang . It will make for an amazing day and really create a profound sense of time and place for us all. I am very excited about this amazing opportunity. All these items are now owned by Australia and only rarely on display…go to the “Resources” section/button of the TBB web site and there are links to the materiel…also check out the great animated Bligh site (while there) that the ABC in Australia have set up..it takes a bit to down load but it great fun.
On April the 12th we arrive in Nukualofa in Tonga and set up base at the www.royalsunset.biz resort for a week before, setting sail on the April 19th to sail north to the site of the Mutiny and the official start of the expedition on April 28th….what happened to the last four years??? Don
Posts
6 comments:
Don ... Thanks for the informative post about the upcoming events. Enjoyed looking up Kupang & Nuka'alofa; one's never too old to learn new geographical terms. Glad your crew is complete and all systems GO. I suppose you all will deserve the paradise atmosphere of the Royal Sunset being life after that for awhile will be the exact opposite but my main question is will Margie allow you to dance with the hula girls? :-)
Hello Don and Crew: I've been following your blog since early January when I became aware of it and your mission on the Talisker Bounty Boat...an excellent 'adventure' (to say the least) and for a very worthy cause.
(For anyone who has missed it, not only is the Bounty Boat expedition about some guys taking very real risks and an amazing adventure, it is about raising monies for MND (Motor Neuron Disease), Alzheimer and Parkinson’s Diseases. I hope everyone reading this blog will take time to make a contribution --of any size. ...To contribute and/or read Don's & Margie's comments, go to http://www.justgiving.com/BountyBoatAdventure.)
OK guys! Wishing ALL of you only the best for an amazing, safe, and successful voyage! (....that's one heck of a way to loose weight though!!!!!)
Blessings,
Janell in Oklahoma, USA
(PS - Don & Margie: THX for putting time and money into Jessica Watson's adventure. She is a REAL WINNER! I love that girl!!)
It's great we have a full crew again!
Have fun you guys!!!
Hope you all had a great Easter!
Billy!
Malo e lelei Don (and all of the replica 'Mutiny on the Bounty' crew),
The Tonga Visitors Bureau (www.tongaholiday.com) are closely following your preparations and are eagerly awaiting your arrival.
We are sad we won't be in Sydney to see Bligh's personal artifacts at Mitchel Library on 9 April.
We wish you the best of luck the coming days and a safe journey to the Kingdom of Tonga (Ancient Polynesia).
'Ofa atu (with love),
The Tonga Visitors Bureau (Ministry of Tourism)
Vuna Rd, Nuku'alofa, KINDGOM OF TONGA
Phone: + 676 25334
Website: www.tongaholiday.com
I know what you are taking on is a hugely dangerous voyage - but you really are making the right move getting off the Australian Mainland. Too dangerous for words at the moment - it seems now Wombats are attacking humans, totally unprovoked. First we had snakes, crocs, sharks, funnel webs and now the Wombats to fear.........Geez, I thought the only dangerous Wombats hung out in places like Kings Cross and Fortitude Valley.......These wombats are just outta control...(apparently there are a few Bundy Drop bears seeming a little aggressive of late as well) hmmmmmmmm there is just no discipline in this younger generation. You'll be heaps safer bouncing around on waves in the middle of nowhere with a few snacks than being on the Mainland of Australiait appears!! LOL MJ
What a lovely and heartfelt post from Tonga Bureau of Tourism - as always, they are wonderful, kind hearted people and bet they spoil you to bits!! Thanks Tonga!! There will be a few nations watching this soon so hope it has some positives for Tourism in your beautiful part of the world through your hospitality. xx MJ
Post a Comment