Thursday, May 27, 2010

Slow Days!............. Another Mutiny!


Yesterday was my worst day for some time...not sure why but I was totally lethargic,no energy at all to the point of concluding I could not go for a swim as I did not have the energy to pull myself back onto the boat..no appetite at all, headache and glands in my throat bulging out and hurting..I wondered if the Flow-max tablets were having a side effect..you are supposed to take them after a big meal??..or was it the rebound from the stress of the Kidney stones ..but one thing for sure I had an infection as my thought was killing me..very hard to swallow...

We often share spoons on board as we are down to one good spoon and one fork?..it was a very hot day so I was not happy..I have since my first Gout session weeks ago thought I would have to crack open the tin of fruit salad in the emergency food to give me some more energy and some food other than Protein..this diet on board is bad for me no doubt...but I could not face the others if I did that so I am sticking with it...

Last night when I was not good I thought I may have to crack a tube of condensed milk to give me an energy kick...but today after taking some cold and Flue tablets I am OK with just a raging soar throat...now I cannot take the condensed milk..even though I know I should as my body is telling me something...I will stick with what we get..I went for a swim today and got back OK!..

On that we have to start cutting our rations..we had 6 weeks at the current rate and knew it was 7 weeks...so on the Great Barrier Reef stage we will try not to use any of our food and live off the land.

We are drifting again today..about less than 1kt average so the last two days we are going nowhere..now I recon we will be at Restoration Island maybe the 2nd ?? and Kupang the 17th/18th...Bligh is roaring ahead

As for life on board it is hotting up..Dave W and Chris had a falling out yesterday over jobs and when they should be done..quite heated and lasted about 15 minutes..Dave Pryce and I just shut up and said nothing. Dave Has a few things on his mind at the moment!

We bare not supposed to be having any outside contact..except for media and expedition logistics and there is plenty of that going on..But Dave really missed his kids so a few days ago I folded and said he could make a call to his kids..to my great surprise it turned into everything but..all about business..could not get the kids..then next day he asked to try again and had to sort his return air fare..that turned into calls to clients in the UK , checking the Dow and stock-markets that are all moving down..I said to him then that this will have to stop as he owes it to himself to keep his head on the boat..he did not agree...

Ive had for some time, the feeling that Dave is not settled into the boat..always uncomfortable,cant sleep as we make too much noise...still unhappy about the food...always just something..most of the time things are fine and he is great company...so I was not surprised today when Dave said he will need to make calls to check on Business things and see how it is all going..if it is no good..HE WILL GET OFF IN RESTORATION ISLAND!

What I have agreed to is that he can ring his partner and ask two questions...how are things good or bad?...Do I need to come back to Hong Kong...that is all..if he then wants to leave then nothing I can do about that!..we shall see..

Last night we had a bird on board all night..a Booby..sat balanced on top of the main mast..beautiful night and spectacular place to be ..But we want to make miles..we are slow slow we now have 9 Goose barnacles on the hull which we will get off before Australia..the amazing one this afternoon was a Cricket crawling out into the cockpit unexpectedly..I freaked and said grab him...and we put him over the side..unbelievably about 10 minutes latter after swimming for a bit he flew back on board...we sent him off again....and when Chris was swimming again about an hour later..there he was hanging onto the side of the boat!!..I said KILL HIM!...gave Chris the cup but he swam away...we have been on watch for a few hours but we think we finally lost him....We also had a big Dragon Fly cruise around today..and plenty of birds..

Wish we were faster!!..Australia here we come..One Day!..currently 28C, cool 5-8kt breeze , a few clouds and a frustrated crew!

Don

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh dear! Feel sorry for Don and do think he is doing his health no favours and maybe needs to relent and eat some fruit salad/condensed milk whatever is necessary. Would have to let the others do the same though.....While it is a truly admirable thing these guys are doing - is pointless to do it at the expense of their own health I feel. Sure Margie will put her foot down if it get's too much and make them change diet.

Dave W I believe has made his mind up to get off at Restoration. Being away from his business is obviously eating him up. Fair enough but sure business is OK. Can understand Don's frustration at allowing him to ring the girls and then discuss work.........Too Bloody many people in this world like that, that put their business/livelihood before family. Am a strong believer in "work to live" not "live to work". Bloody shame to come this far and not complete the job.

Easy enough, I guess to judge from my loungeroom and nice dinner about to happen tonight......but I think he will really regret not seeing it out to the end.

Here's hoping Don's body get's it's act together, Dave W has a cup of cement and hardens up (tongue in cheek!) and go Dave P and Chris - quietly soldiering on!!

Stay safe and may the winds and donations pick up for these intrepid sailors!! MJ from Brisbane

Ehvee said...

Honestly, I've thought Don was going overboard all along in his zeal to mimic the experience of the bounty crew, and this proves it to me. What he didn't talk about before the trip, if he knew, was how this experience may have affected the life spans of the poor guys who endured it. Did they all die ten years younger than average, or even a few years? Was that something people knew before they agreed to this? The whole toilet paper angle is quaint so they can keep pooing off the side of the boat, but I franjly feel they need to face some rational thought and leave Bligh fantasy behind. Eat a diet to stay in reasonable health.

Dave's clearly not up to this task and should never have been allowed to continue after his first tantrum. I do think conducting business spoils what meaning there is to the historical aspect of this. He should leave at Restoration islnd, and not necessarily because he made the choice. Boot his butt. Let Zac Sunderland finish the voyage and it wil be much more interesting.

I would think that one of the things Don wants to end up with out of this is respect from the audience... people like me. He won't lose any respect if they start eating enough to stay healthy. Especially since factors, like weather and wind, and so much worse than Bligh had it. To do othewise just because it was Bligh's plight is silly.

But making personal calls for pleasure is insulting to the meaning of the expedition. And Dave should donate another 10k to the foundation to demonstrate his apologies.

Unknown said...

I think Dave probably sees how there is a double standard. Don calls and talks to Margie about his pains, location, Jessica finishing, and everything else. Unless there is an emergency why would he need to talk to Margie everyday?

It would be frustrating to have the "captain" still involved in his own life, but not allowing the crew to be involved in theirs--does not seem fair!

Also, I feel like Don should not eat extra food just because he is feeling no energy, etc...I am sure the others are too! I am getting tired of hearing about Don and his woe is me and would like to hear about the rest of the crew more and their take on things...

Good luck you guys...

Unknown said...

To clarify, I do feel they all need to eat more food and be healthier...it would not be right and is not right when Don eat or drinks more and does not allow the rest of the crew too...by all means EAT! They have not stuck to the whole historical aspect anyway--even less than the other two attempts!

Sahaja Sam said...

OK, here we go...the adventure happening out on the water and the way it is reported to the world is now beginning to push the buttons of the bloggers....ha ha ha !
We are witnessing the unfolding of a micro-version of our macro-existence, and it might start making more than just the crew feel uncomfortable about how humankind manages/or doesn't.
I love it. Good luck gents and please.....health first-ego crap last !
Praying for wind.

Anonymous said...

2 cents? Let Dave go home where his heart is. Ask Zac to step in. . . and to bring Nataza Caban with him! She'll get the readers attention!
Having a great read each day! Even with the drama (which i've got to be honest I look forward to reading!) Could you let Chris and Dave go at it a little more?
Good luck with your health and all of the challenges. Thanks for making us aware of the history and your cause.

Janell in Oklahoma,USA said...

Hey Guys!

It is good news that no one has been tossed overboard but sad that mutiny has reared its ugly head. The objective of the Bounty Boat voyage is most admirable --raising funds for MND/ALS, and truly, I hope people are responding with generous donations from around the globe to help with research for this dreadful disease.

Your objective is definitely good. And I don't think any one ever expected the actual voyage to be anything but difficult. The 'suffering' onboard is only a slight representation of what people with MND experience....so please consider that you are under no obligation to risk your own health to raise awareness and funds for MND. Your voyage will loose nothing of its purpose if you relent and eat a diet more appropriate for your well-being. We all want you to arrive at the finish line in good health and be able to continue to further the cause of MND. Please keep that in mind.....

You guys are really brave to undertake such an adventure. Hang in there together and do the right thing!

Blessings,
Janell in Oklahoma, USA

Anonymous said...

To Dave!

Good looks are far from true beauty, like the money and fortunes so far from being rich.

We come into the world with nothing and we leave it just the same.

Your only true success are the people that you inspire, your morals no matter how great or small, family values, those around you, your strength when under pressure and self control.

Your fight for all life with what you believe in is right. Success is to know who you are and to never stop learning or teaching, with a voice that’s embraced and wants to be heard is a gift for success.

The only success in this life time is what you inflict onto those who do love you and what they will inflict on the next. Your brothers and sisters, your childrens children and all those around them, from your love, your life, passion and fun times that you share are their memories and true stories that no one forgets.

The only real success in this life time is your legacy, for there is nothing else on this planet that is ever truly forever yours.

Go Dave! Go!

Billy!

Ehvee said...

Reine has a good point that had not occurred to me... that being that Don's contact with "command center" is actually a call to his spouse. That is a double standard. If, however, it were where each person took a turn to call some individual they don't know to report in, this would not be a point of debate. Since this has no parallel with Bligh's situation, and thus no precedent, it should have been handled more equitably as it does a person good to talk to someone else, even a stranger, when they are isolated.

I do still agree that they should either eat well enough to maintain ther basic health, or limit the starvation diet to the number of days that bligh spent eating like that. After that eat well until the voyage is done. That will mimic Bligh's situation as long as it lasted for Bligh. Had bligh been in the weather they're having, its possible only a few, or perhaps no one, would have survived.

Anonymous said...

hahaha I thought it was nuts to jump out of a perfectly good plane but really who the bloody hell pays to go on an old open classed sailing boat for this long with bugger all food. You'd have to be crazy!!!

"Well Heck" I'm in! I'll do it!!!

It sounds to me as if Dave's already pulled the pin! The business should be fine as he knew what he was in for. (Maybe just an excuse). I wish they could read their blog comments and he'd probably push him self harder. We all want them to make it but we can't get through. Everyone sometimes needs a push and we need to be inspired to comment. Rules can be changed for the cause can't they.

Wish you'ze commenters would leave names and locations.

WoooHoooo Talisker Crew.

Billy.

Victoria
Australia