The wind has kicked in and we are on GPS which showed us 50 miles further ahead than we thought..our ETA off boat Passage by Bligh Reef is around 5am tomorrow..the tide turns in at about 0700 and our great friends Bob and Margaret Edwards will meet us just outside the entrance at 0730 in their beautiful globe trotting Nordhavn 46 that they have just sailed up from Sydney..they are going to be camera boat for the next week and Stu is on board..
Mixed emotions for me at the moment..hard to believe we have come so far with the days all molding into one after the other...there have been a few occasions over the past 10 days when I was on the verge of getting emotional for various reasons..yes that means crying??..not sure why...never did but it was close and it really surprises me..I had to stop talking a few times on the Phone to Margie and when speaking about some things on the boat..weird!.there is always this pressure on the organizer/Capt. I suppose? the health issues did not help and I don't think the diet is conducive to good nerves either...maybe it is because things have been so good for so long that I am getting worried about when it is going to hit the fan so to speak..or when we have to pay the piper???..I know I was shocked when David W just calmly said he was thinking of walking out on us at Restoration Island...but the three of us will do OK without him if that is his decision...Dave P. is a tower of strength and truly my right hand man.. but I must say Chris is more than pulling his weight so we would be a good team..
The boat is good all except for the batteries that gave up this afternoon while trying to charge one of the cameras so I have enough for this blog and will hopefully have the solar system working when at the Island so been a bit of a juggling act but we survived..we can still charge our sat phone direct off one panel so our safety link is still live..
So this is the end of the next goal for us..just to get here makes us all feel very HAPPY!.
Customs arrive at the island around midday and I recon we will get there about 1300hr so there is a bit of anticipation on board..I have to keep reminding everyone to keep focused on Kupang...myself included..as this is just a quick stop over and some of the trickiest parts are yet to come...we will leave at first light on the 3rd so only one full day stopover..Bligh left this morning at 0400hrs
Last night we had one of those special moments..a Booby was trying to land on the rolling mast at sunset..which he did a few times before getting flicked off by the motion and he was cruising past so I said to Chris who was on the helm..I was filming it..Stick your arm out Quick!..he did and as I thought he landed on his arm!..no this is no little bird! something the size of a big Chicken..of course we were both laughing like crazy and "Brioan" his new name was wondering what the big deal was about..anyway we brought him on board to show the other watch below asleep..more laughs and the first bird poo!..and then we took him and put him on the back of the boat where he stayed all night with us keeping us company till an hour after Dawn when with one last Poo!..about 12 in total..he flew off..a very "COOL!" wildlife encounter..
Saving power so at the moment we have 20kts ESE wind right behind..sailing at 5kts, trade wind clouds with a little rain about..surging along with occasional water splashing into the cockpit,25 degrees and a 2mtr sea with some big rolling on the boat every now and then..but tomorrow it is inside the Great Barrier Reef and tonight it is tinned corned Beef again ..then 24 hours latter..Boiled Chicken Stew!!!..YEEHAAA!
Stand By for a couple of BIG days ahead..will send plenty of Pics when we get more power...Oh yes..Chris picture was really me..I swam ashore without clothes of course..I have been wearing the same shorts and shirt for a month now..never had any fiber pile layers on..only worn my wet weather pants once in the cockpit and once below in the dodger..hardly ever open my bag..so life is simple...same with Dave P. BUT..Chris and Dave W get into Pajamas every night...I just dive in and straight to sleep..tomorrow night I am on the beach!!!
Life is good!..Don
Mixed emotions for me at the moment..hard to believe we have come so far with the days all molding into one after the other...there have been a few occasions over the past 10 days when I was on the verge of getting emotional for various reasons..yes that means crying??..not sure why...never did but it was close and it really surprises me..I had to stop talking a few times on the Phone to Margie and when speaking about some things on the boat..weird!.there is always this pressure on the organizer/Capt. I suppose? the health issues did not help and I don't think the diet is conducive to good nerves either...maybe it is because things have been so good for so long that I am getting worried about when it is going to hit the fan so to speak..or when we have to pay the piper???..I know I was shocked when David W just calmly said he was thinking of walking out on us at Restoration Island...but the three of us will do OK without him if that is his decision...Dave P. is a tower of strength and truly my right hand man.. but I must say Chris is more than pulling his weight so we would be a good team..
The boat is good all except for the batteries that gave up this afternoon while trying to charge one of the cameras so I have enough for this blog and will hopefully have the solar system working when at the Island so been a bit of a juggling act but we survived..we can still charge our sat phone direct off one panel so our safety link is still live..
So this is the end of the next goal for us..just to get here makes us all feel very HAPPY!.
Customs arrive at the island around midday and I recon we will get there about 1300hr so there is a bit of anticipation on board..I have to keep reminding everyone to keep focused on Kupang...myself included..as this is just a quick stop over and some of the trickiest parts are yet to come...we will leave at first light on the 3rd so only one full day stopover..Bligh left this morning at 0400hrs
Last night we had one of those special moments..a Booby was trying to land on the rolling mast at sunset..which he did a few times before getting flicked off by the motion and he was cruising past so I said to Chris who was on the helm..I was filming it..Stick your arm out Quick!..he did and as I thought he landed on his arm!..no this is no little bird! something the size of a big Chicken..of course we were both laughing like crazy and "Brioan" his new name was wondering what the big deal was about..anyway we brought him on board to show the other watch below asleep..more laughs and the first bird poo!..and then we took him and put him on the back of the boat where he stayed all night with us keeping us company till an hour after Dawn when with one last Poo!..about 12 in total..he flew off..a very "COOL!" wildlife encounter..
Saving power so at the moment we have 20kts ESE wind right behind..sailing at 5kts, trade wind clouds with a little rain about..surging along with occasional water splashing into the cockpit,25 degrees and a 2mtr sea with some big rolling on the boat every now and then..but tomorrow it is inside the Great Barrier Reef and tonight it is tinned corned Beef again ..then 24 hours latter..Boiled Chicken Stew!!!..YEEHAAA!
Stand By for a couple of BIG days ahead..will send plenty of Pics when we get more power...Oh yes..Chris picture was really me..I swam ashore without clothes of course..I have been wearing the same shorts and shirt for a month now..never had any fiber pile layers on..only worn my wet weather pants once in the cockpit and once below in the dodger..hardly ever open my bag..so life is simple...same with Dave P. BUT..Chris and Dave W get into Pajamas every night...I just dive in and straight to sleep..tomorrow night I am on the beach!!!
Life is good!..Don
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10 comments:
To Margie...By chance my own flexible panel stopped charging today! Happened once before, was told by experts the panel was dead. I traced the fault to a kink in the cable between the solar panel and the battery. Removing the kink by replacing the cable,just wiring in a new section solved the problem...it's the same brand as Chris B's spares, so might be worth trying as a solution. Good luck, speed on Bounty Boat! Grant, Hobart.
Looking at your quest so far, it makes my emotional rollercoaster of life pale into blandness.
Keep up this beautiful spirit.
☺☺☺ Hoo Roo ☺☺☺
Hi Guys
I’ve just discovered this blog after seeing a news story about your voyage on Sydney TV a few days ago. I had no idea you were undertaking such a trip. Has there been much publicity here to date? If so, I guess I just missed it, because I certainly haven’t been comatose for the last 3 weeks!
I hope you are getting the support you so thoroughly deserve. You have set yourselves a very challenging & potentially dangerous task & it would be a great shame if your efforts went unrecognised especially when you are trying to raise funds for such a worthwhile cause. I will do my bit to spread the word & encourage others to support you & contribute to the kitty as well.
It’s a bit odd to be blogging in this one sided manner - I'm very new at this. I gather you can’t read these comments but I’d just like to say that I really admire & respect you guys for putting yourselves on the line in this way. It takes courage as well as commitment & I for one, applaud you for that. Dave W appears to be wavering – I was quite surprised to read Don’s comment that he might quit & walk away when he gets to the island. Surely not? I’m not sure of his reasons for considering this – I have yet to read all the past blogs – but unless there is some emergency in his personal life that demands his attention, I would certainly consider it a betrayal of the team, to depart at this point, even if the voyage can continue safely without him. Does anyone else have a view on this?
Well I will leave it at that for tonight. I will catch up on all the past blogs in the next day or so & look forward to following your progress over the next few weeks. Hope the weather is kind to you. Cheers, Maurie – Sydney.
have a good 2 days break, you deserve it.
Viv
I say let Dave W leave if he wants to, as you'll be better off with a committed team of three.
Once you land on Restoration Island you would be wise to load up on food and water, and make any repairs that are needed. I would replace that battery and solve the solar cell problem before leaving, especially since the hard part is yet to come...unless you like unnecessary grief.
Hey Don, Dave P ; Dave W and Chris; great job ; it sounds as though you have caught up on Billy Bligh's schedule a bit. Enjoy the chicken stew and the stop-over on Restoration; it's winter in Melbourne so make the most of the warm weather and sunshine fellas!I'm just hoping there will be four of you departing Restoration. Cheers and stay safe Digit
Yep I'm with you Digit, hope there are 4 of them departing Restoration Island and not 4..........feel Dave W would regret it forever if he pulls the pin. Safe sailing. MJ
Red square at restoration island. You made it! Congratulations. Enjoy the stew crew, job well done.
Now, what will Dave W. decide to do. The question of the hour. The suspense builds. Perhaps a long phone chat with his daughters and business partners would tide him over for a few more weeks. I'd say give him the damn phone with unlimited minutes.
Keep going Dave W. I know you've got it in you to follow it through, despite what others say who don't know you.
I know you've always been a determined person and have come safely through some tough times in the past.
Don't be distracted by the call of material things.
All the best whatever your final decision.
I must have written the wrong co-ordinations down.
Google Earth showed the boat to be in the middle of land and heading for Darwin!!
Ah that's better after re-checking, now you are back in the sea.
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