What up. So we're still just cruising across the paddock. I guess by the time it gets to Sunday, you've already had all the juicy happenings of the week from the others, so my bad if I'm just reiterating all that has been said.
Highlights of this week? Well early on in the week I blew my top at Dave, his clumsiness, laziness and unreasonable attitude finally got on my last nerve. Something needed to be said, for my benefit at the very least as I was bottling my frustration. Let me paint you a picture with my imagination brush. It was probably Monday, just arriving at noon, the heat of the day pummeling our little boat. Having been off from 6am to 12pm, the last few hours of my morning were spent squaring away my daily duties. It just hit the hour, Dave was set on just going straight to sleep, no questions asked. So after a little complaining that I was now "on shift" - I was under the floorboards getting out water - I suggested he make the most of the oppourtunity to sort his single responsibility as quartermaster and sort the food out to make more space for me. To which he expectedly replied, "I'll do it later".
"Why don't you just do it now Dave?"
"I'll just do it tomorrow when I have to."
*I try gentle persuasion with no result*
"You're fully annoying. Why can't you just do your job?"
"It's my job. You just worry about what you're doing and I'll worry about what I'm doing."
"Seriously, all you have to do everyday is pull out food and divide by four. If you don't do your job efficiently, it makes it harder for me to get my own stuff sorted and in turn the boat suffers."
"Stop being so childish."
"Stuff it."
Okay, I may have cleaned up the dialogue a little...anyway, it got pretty heated for a little bit but by the end of the day we talked about it, apologised and things were cordial again. I have since made it my personal challenge to deal with Dave's habits with a Zen-like attitude to avoid any further conflict, there is after all, a long way to go. I think I might be giving the impression that Hong Kong Dave is a real hindrance, but he's a great guy, I've just been venting my aggravation from him onto here. Since then there has been no other real arguments. Good times.
Well, apart from Quilter's over-reaction at my souvenir shells. Bad times. To cut a short story shorter, I picked up a couple of colourful shells on the Sand Cay we pulled up at, as a memento of this picturesque shore leave. He spouted out the green cross code's old motto, "Take only photos, leave only footprints". Which, reasonably, I take as a subjective guideline rather than an absolute rule. The beach was made up of a fine, coral sand, so soft in places it felt like walking on fresh snow powder. Quilter dumped a load into the bilge from his shoes when he got back. Probably an amount equal to, if not more, than a few eroded shells. He followed up with the overused line, "If everyone did it, there wouldn't be anything left". Not everyone does it and if they did it would probably be deemed socially acceptable, making it a moot point. Now I really do my part for the environment, but that was just a bit silly. Quilter is so passionately dedicated to environmental awareness and conservation, which I wholeheartedly admire. But he also seems to go by, "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem".
Got buzzed by an Australian Coast Watch surveillance aircraft, who are dedicated to protecting the coastline. We had to answer a few questions and give them our particulars, all pretty standard and the really low fly-by was a nice interruption from a moment of boredom. Spent a few hours unraveling twine for a new fishing line, SO MUCH FUN. I think I'll take that up as a hobby when I get back.
That's pretty much all I can dramatise from this week's events.
I spoke to a freelance reporter the other day, she asked what I was looking forward to in Kupang. "Bit of culture, a soft bed, warm food and a well earned rest". Since then my thoughts have shifted to all the logistical issues I'll be faced with at the finish line, but with such little contact that's just one thing I'm going to have to just set aside, I can't do anything about it out here.
I had a few lesser revelations this week, just a few smaller aspects of my own life I need to adjust, a few friendships I need to renew.
Anyway, every thing's awesome on the boat, Restoration is just over the horizon and I can pretty much taste that chicken stew.
See you the other side of the reef,
Later,
Chris
Highlights of this week? Well early on in the week I blew my top at Dave, his clumsiness, laziness and unreasonable attitude finally got on my last nerve. Something needed to be said, for my benefit at the very least as I was bottling my frustration. Let me paint you a picture with my imagination brush. It was probably Monday, just arriving at noon, the heat of the day pummeling our little boat. Having been off from 6am to 12pm, the last few hours of my morning were spent squaring away my daily duties. It just hit the hour, Dave was set on just going straight to sleep, no questions asked. So after a little complaining that I was now "on shift" - I was under the floorboards getting out water - I suggested he make the most of the oppourtunity to sort his single responsibility as quartermaster and sort the food out to make more space for me. To which he expectedly replied, "I'll do it later".
"Why don't you just do it now Dave?"
"I'll just do it tomorrow when I have to."
*I try gentle persuasion with no result*
"You're fully annoying. Why can't you just do your job?"
"It's my job. You just worry about what you're doing and I'll worry about what I'm doing."
"Seriously, all you have to do everyday is pull out food and divide by four. If you don't do your job efficiently, it makes it harder for me to get my own stuff sorted and in turn the boat suffers."
"Stop being so childish."
"Stuff it."
Okay, I may have cleaned up the dialogue a little...anyway, it got pretty heated for a little bit but by the end of the day we talked about it, apologised and things were cordial again. I have since made it my personal challenge to deal with Dave's habits with a Zen-like attitude to avoid any further conflict, there is after all, a long way to go. I think I might be giving the impression that Hong Kong Dave is a real hindrance, but he's a great guy, I've just been venting my aggravation from him onto here. Since then there has been no other real arguments. Good times.
Well, apart from Quilter's over-reaction at my souvenir shells. Bad times. To cut a short story shorter, I picked up a couple of colourful shells on the Sand Cay we pulled up at, as a memento of this picturesque shore leave. He spouted out the green cross code's old motto, "Take only photos, leave only footprints". Which, reasonably, I take as a subjective guideline rather than an absolute rule. The beach was made up of a fine, coral sand, so soft in places it felt like walking on fresh snow powder. Quilter dumped a load into the bilge from his shoes when he got back. Probably an amount equal to, if not more, than a few eroded shells. He followed up with the overused line, "If everyone did it, there wouldn't be anything left". Not everyone does it and if they did it would probably be deemed socially acceptable, making it a moot point. Now I really do my part for the environment, but that was just a bit silly. Quilter is so passionately dedicated to environmental awareness and conservation, which I wholeheartedly admire. But he also seems to go by, "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem".
Got buzzed by an Australian Coast Watch surveillance aircraft, who are dedicated to protecting the coastline. We had to answer a few questions and give them our particulars, all pretty standard and the really low fly-by was a nice interruption from a moment of boredom. Spent a few hours unraveling twine for a new fishing line, SO MUCH FUN. I think I'll take that up as a hobby when I get back.
That's pretty much all I can dramatise from this week's events.
I spoke to a freelance reporter the other day, she asked what I was looking forward to in Kupang. "Bit of culture, a soft bed, warm food and a well earned rest". Since then my thoughts have shifted to all the logistical issues I'll be faced with at the finish line, but with such little contact that's just one thing I'm going to have to just set aside, I can't do anything about it out here.
I had a few lesser revelations this week, just a few smaller aspects of my own life I need to adjust, a few friendships I need to renew.
Anyway, every thing's awesome on the boat, Restoration is just over the horizon and I can pretty much taste that chicken stew.
See you the other side of the reef,
Later,
Chris
Posts
3 comments:
I agree with you Chris that taking a few shells off the beach is no big deal and Quilter overreacted but after watching a video recently of all the plastic washing up on a remote Hawaiian beach, the world needs more Quilters, that's for sure. We are the only species who has evolved the intelligence to even contemplate the taking of souvenirs, so does that make it right? I say it does. Take what you want as long as the rest of earth's life in unaffected. But at what level of life do you protect? Do you protect the microorganisms living on the shells? No.
Chris, I always enjoy your posts! As a very much younger member of the crew, it's interesting to hear your perspective and you're also a good writer - might there be a book to come out of this experience? As you are the one crew member who wasn't a sailor beforehand, I'd be interested to hear whether you've got involved in the actual sailing of the boat out there and, if so, whether it's something you're likely to continue to do once this journey's over?
Just curious - I'm older than any of you but only took up sailing last year. Wish I'd started years ago but can't imagine doing the voyage you guys are!
Hope you hit Restoration soon. Best of luck!
Your posts are awesome Chris.
Another true spirit perhaps.
Keep up the good work and keep them old blokes on their toes.
Billy.
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