Here we go AGAIN!!!

Join the "BLUE TREASURE" Expedition.

Bligh managed to sail away from Tonga, but many sailors did not make it with
their ships overrun,then all the crew killed and their ships burnt to the
waterline and sunk after being plundered..SO?? Some are still there,
untouched in the Deep Blue! I am going back! It could be an interesting
story.

If you want to follow this new adventure go to www.bluetreasure.me and if
you want to come I am looking for crew!

In the mean time...HURRY!! The auction below is about to finnish!!

I am about to head to the Philippines to visit ICE and make some
preperations for next year, then off to Antarctica!

Attention Important Auction of Memoribilia from Talisker Bounty Boat expedition 2010

EBAY CHRISTMAS CHARITY AUCTION LAUNCHES WITH UNIQUE F1 AND MANCHESTER UNITED GOODS-

Bid for money-can’t-buy experiences and raise funds for Motor Neurone Disease

Fancy having a personal meeting with Jenson Button or Lewis Hamilton and your own VIP tour of the world famous McLaren Technical Centre? How about one of only 600 exclusive Hublot Red Devil Bang Manchester United watches personally presented by Manchester United players? These are just a few of the priceless experiences up for grabs on a special Christmas auction for which the entire money raised will go towards finding a cure for Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

From midnight tomorrow (00.01, Wednesday 1^st December), Formula 1, football and whisky fans alike will have seven days to vie for these money-can’t-buy items, on the Talisker Bounty Boat auction page on eBay at www.taliskerbountyboatauction.co.uk.

· One of only 600 Hublot Red Devil Bang Manchester United watches personally presented by Manchester United players. This is the official Manchester United watch and is highly sought after among watch collectors. This package also includes four VIP hospitality tickets to a Manchester United match at Old Trafford.

· Personal VIP tour of McLaren’s state-of-the art Technology Centre in Surrey followed by a three course lunch and one-on-one meet with either Jenson Button or Lewis Hamilton.

· A tour of the McLaren Technology Centre for 4 people & a look at the McLaren MP4-12C roadcar for four people, with a drive in the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes development simulator for one of the guests

· A framed set of Lewis Hamilton’s overalls from his 2008 World Championship winning season

· A replica race helmet signed by Jenson Button

· A tour of the McLaren Technology Centre for two people

· NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race helmet, from the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500. Autographed by the starting field, including Jeff Gordon, Jamie McMurray, Carl Edwards, Jeff Burton and many others.

· Nascar overalls worn by Greg Biffle

· Four Talisker VIP packages, including a personalised tour of the Talisker distillery in Scotland, by Distillery Manager Mark Lochead and bottle of Talisker 18 signed by the Distillery Manager.

· 20 bottles of Talisker 10 year old single malt whisky with labels that were on the Talisker Bounty Boat throughout the historical expedition and signed by the crew members in Kupang.

Ryan Giggs, first team player at Manchester United, said in support of the auction: “Both myself and the team are honoured to be able to help raise some much needed funds for Motor Neurone Disease. We’re looking forward to meeting the successful bidder and presenting this exclusive Hublot watch.”

The auction, organised by the Talisker Bounty Boat Expedition, is raising vital funds for the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), whose new world-class research centre into Motor Neurone Disease is due to be inaugurated by HM the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in Sheffield on 18^th November. The money raised specifically from this auction will provide funding for a world leading researcher to spend a year working with the SITraN team, advancing our understanding of Motor Neurone Disease, giving sufferers the hope of an efficient treatment and hopefully a cure.

To bid for your favourite items in the auction, go to: www.taliskerbountyboatauction.co.uk

WHAT A DAY!!! AMAZING....

Don outside the New SITraN Building the day before the official opening.( Press Day)
Don being Capt Bligh again with with Cabin Boy Chris prior to the Queen arriving.
Don Chatting to S.I.F patron's Julie & Nick Palmer, Nick has Motor Nuerone Disease.

You can read all about it at the end of this blog but yes!! SITranS is now open and I met the Queen and his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh. The Queen was quite interested in the expedition and impressed with pictures of the boat. His Royal Highness, being a sailor thought we were crazy I think, but had a laugh about me being “Bligh” with the crew. We chatted for a few minutes. I bowed and shook hands with both…it was an amazing experience to feel that Royal “presence” which is simply too hard to describe. I was caught up in it. Everyone there that day was feeding off the Queen’s energy and you felt the real warmth and giving from her. I wore my kilt with a dagger in my sock?? as you do, but the very tight security did not mind…I was a low risk obviously.

The Duke of Devonshire was also there with many local dignitaries, all the patrons and supporters of SIF along with the all important researchers who now reside permanently in the most amazing facility. It is a modern, open building which simply feels right. It is state of the art everything. All involved with it’s creation can feel justifiably proud. I am not a scientist, but you can sense that the work environment will be conducive to creativity. We will surely see some big things come from here in the future.

When it was all done that morning, a few select people ( me too) got to have lunch with the Queen. This was a whole new experience in a grand hall straight out of Harry Potter. About then I really did have to pinch myself, as it was very surreal. No pictures were allowed, but I got to keep the invitations to remember a very special day.

Tomorrow I fly back to China where I hope to hide till Xmas and start writing the book!! I managed to spend an afternoon working on the James Caird yesterday which is all progressing well. There is plenty of info about SIF on this web site, so check it out and if you wanted to donate $ to SIF, you can do it through the “Just Giving” links here too.

The QUEEN TO VISIT SHEFFIELD FOR OPENING OF NEW RESEARCH CENTRE

ROYAL INAUGURATION OF NEW INSTITUTE
HERALDS FRESH HOPE FOR VICTIMS OF MND

QUEEN TO VISIT SHEFFIELD FOR OPENING OF NEW RESEARCH CENTRE

The first Institute for Motor Neurone Disease will be inaugurated by HM the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in Sheffield on 18th November.
The £16m Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, SITraN, is a world-class research centre lead by Professor Pam Shaw who, with her team of nearly 100 international scientists will work towards solving the mysteries of MND – one of the world’s most under researched diseases for which currently there is no cure and very low options of treatment.
There are 40,000 patients who suffer from MND in Europe, 6,000 in the UK alone. The life expectancy of a patient is about three years and only ten per cent live over five years from diagnosis. A key feature of this condition is the speed of the progression of the symptoms.
Four years ago a team of dedicated Patrons set up the Sheffield Institute Foundation for MND (SIF) The have raised with the help of the University of Sheffield £16million.
SITraN will more than double the current research capacity in Sheffield and will allow new and existing programmes of research to be developed and extended. It will bring laboratory studies into the clinic where new research will be applied to the patients after being cleared by the appropriate committee of safety of medicine (MHRA).
Professor Pamela Shaw, MBBS MD FRCP FMedSci, commented:

“SLA is one of the world’s ‘orphan diseases’. For too long it has been neglected and received inadequate research funding. The opening of the Institute will hopefully be a step towards advancing our understanding of the disease and making life easier for sufferers.

“Having assembled the building, research equipment and a world class research team, we now need to work on raising the funds for the programmes of research within SITraN and we intend to make our Patrons and supporters proud of their investment.”


If you want to help this research work, contact the Foundation Secretary at irene@irbeard.net
For a medical dossier with information on MND, SITraN and case studies please contact the SITraN press office
Professor Shaw is available for press meetings in London on Tuesday 16th November. Please contact the press office for appointments.

- Ends -

Notes to editors:

For more information, please contact Eileen McGuinness at the SITraN press office on 0113 398 4012/07909 685924

Back in TONGA!! At the start again!

Hi All

Well sorry about the long silence. My Life seems to be bouncing off walls at
the moment with so much going on. Since my last Blog I have been back to
England to a function with Tim Jarvis to talk about the James Caird voyage
and had the Pleasure of meeting Alexandra Shackleton, the granddaughter of
Ernest Shackleton. Then two weeks ago I headed back to Tonga with my friend
Marcus Blackmore on his beautiful Nordhavn 78 "Ammonite" I was there to look
at a possible diving project for next year which is quite interesting to say
the least. More on that in weeks to come.

The amazing thing was that I could reflect quite clearly on how some of
these crazy things , like the Talisker Bounty Boat voyage actually happen.I
was onboard Ammonite anchored off the same island where we had our last
taste of civilization before setting sail into the unknown,4000 miles across
the Pacific, in a dangerously overloaded boat. I thought to myself,
surrounded by luxury, if I saw four guys in the same boat, about to do the
same thing, I would think they were absolutely bonkers! Crazy! really not
much of a chance and why would they??..then I thought, but hang on ..I just
did that and did not think twice about it, never once thought that it was
not possible and just wanted to get on with it?? So why??

It was quite a revealing moment. I quickly realised that it starts with the
idea and then you pull all the parts of the activity to pieces and look at
each element of danger and risk in your mind and work out ways you can
overcome them. You then you make all the plans and go through a big period
of preparation so that by the time you get to the execution you have faith
in everything you have done. Then you just get on with it...If you are on
the outside of all that..such as a bystander you just think it is crazy and
WOW!!! But if you have been living it for so long you just want to do it and
know you can!

Having said that I still would think..what a crazy idea!!

So we did it and it really was fun..I finally got to read all the comments
to the blog which was really interesting. Now I start to write the book and
cut the Documentary which is shaping up OK. Talisker Bounty Boat will be on
display at the Tasmanian Wooden Boat Festival but I will be sailing back
from Antarctica so will not be there unfortunately.

This site will start to slow down now on the blog front.I am about to get a
new Expedition up for next year which will be "CHASING THE BLUE DREAM" 8
months diving across the Pacific, in search of?? in all the out of the way
places and then ending up back in Tonga, yes I love that place!! There are
still a few things falling into place, but the boat I may be using is at
www.mcintyre50ms.com If you are up for a "soft" adventure and are into
diving then there may be spots available on ICE for you so keep following
this.

Next week I am back to the UK again for the opening of the Sheffield
Institute which is a big day indeed. Something that is close to the heart of
many and which will mark the beginning of a very special era. It will be on
the 18th of NOV. I will post the details here and hopefully a few pic's
later.

Yes life is too busy at the moment, never enough time or money but that is
always the case. I will blog here every Friday again now ( sorry about the
silence again) till I launch the new expedition in the next few weeks. The
EBay Auction of items for SIF will be very soon and will announce that too
and my TBB voyage envelopes carried onboard will be available as Partners to
the Book when it is published next year all to raise much needed funds to
help with the operation of the Sheffield Institute.

Pogo2 mini Transat boat!

Two very interested punters?? On the dock thinking MINI?..Guess who??..at
the Southampton Boat show which was quite good, the food and trafic quite
bad as usual but a great day out. Hard to keep up with all the new
technology though!..Impressed with the latest "SPOT" safety and tracking
beacon.

Jessica's next Adventure!!

The Boat show was really cool!

James Caird at the Henman Steam Rally...biggest in the world@

Saturday. Well I really get off on anyone who has passion and today was an
over load of spine tingling experiences. I had to work on the James Caird
and it had been moved. All I was told was that it was going to be at a
country steam rally, but I could still do all the planning and thinking
while it was there, so I said fine.

In the car driving there, I hear on the radio that they are expecting 20,000
people at the "little" rally in one day!! And sure enough it was BIG!!
Amazing radio controlled air craft, every conceivable type and size of steam
device you could imagine, all driven, made, restored and stoked by some real
characters. The sounds and smells of the coal fires, steam, whistles were a
kids dream. There were vintage Bikes, normal petrol engines, vintage cars,
fire engines, tractors, steam driven herdy gurdy's..just truly amazing. I
was VERY Excited and was there by myself, so just had to bottle a bit of the
energy I was generating...turns out it is the biggest steam rally in the
world!

In the corner was the Boat and even with the distractions I was able to
spend 5 hours onboard making some very important decisions. Just one was the
realization that even though Shackleton had 6 onboard. we will be pushed to
get just five. Tomorrow it is the boat show with Jess!

25 steam tractors in the main arena!

I think this is a scale model!

Every piece hand made..unbelievable working scale copy of the real thing.

Still under warrantee!

Some were pristine but had a hard working history then refurbished over ten
years.

Living , breathing monster machine!

You had to be there to hear and smell these beasts..truley amazing

MINI Tripple expansion steam engine! every piece hand made!

For over a year in 1979 I lived on the last comercially opperating steam tug
in Australia YELTA as ship keeper, It had this exact engine which were also
fitted in Navy ships during world war two, except they were full size!
Amazing! This fully working engine was exactly as I remember it.

Party Time!

Back in the UK now staying with Mike Perham and Jessica has just turned up after her USA book tour, so a bit crazy here right now!

 

I am working on the James Caird today and then tomorrow,Sunday, Jess and I will head down to the Southampton Boat show. Incredible to think just one year ago I was in the car towing Talisker Bounty Boat down to the Southampton show after our press launch in London and the phone rang to tell me Jess had just lost the mast after hitting a little ship..we laughed about that last night???…so much has happened in the last 12 months it seems like it must have been two years ago. Will put Pic’s up here of the James Caird and the boat show on Monday!

 

The three guys on the Jet ski’s had to be rescued unfortunately. They hooked up with some bad weather which basically flooded the hull compartments and started shutting down their engines. They set off their Epirbs and were picked up by helicopter a few hours later…all this the day AFTER they cancelled their expedition, as they were too far behind their schedule and they were trying to beat some bad weather to get back to the mainland from an island offshore in the Mediterranean. All rather unfortunate, but they are all safe.

 

Mike is starting a new three year film making course at University here next week and still learning to fly planes for another adventure, Jessica is off to France this coming week to consider some sailing options, Dave Pryce had is cabin nearly snowed in last week and kept the home fire burning, Dave Wilco is apparently scheming some new adventures?…we tried to catch up sort of in Hong Kong, but never quite made it and I should be staying at Chris Wilde’s place on Monday night if all goes well..so can report on his latest soon.

 

We have made a plan to have Talisker Bounty Boat on display at the Tasmanian Wooden Boat festival in mid February 2011. I will still be on the ORION with Margie returning from Antarctica, so will not be there, but this is the first time the boat has been on display since the expedition was finished. Dave Pryce may be there to chat if he is not in Antarctic so if you would like to check it out, that is the time..it is a great event held every two years. The Boat was on display there two year ago and attracted a lot of interest. I promised then that if we survived the voyage, we would have it there again and it is thanks to the generous support of the organisers that we can do this, even though I will not be there, so thanks to them!!

 

 

 

 

 

      

They were the days!!even with stones?

Well I am on my way to the UK again for some Antarctic Tourism meetings (I
am expedition leader on www.orionexpeditions.com.au) and while there, will
catch up with camera man Stu to talk about the Doco..he is currently filming
three guys who are "attempting" to ride three JET SKIS from London to
Sydney..can you believe that!! I will also visit the James Caird with Tim to
plan the final fitout of the boat in preperation for sea trials later next
year.Importantly I will also be talking with all my Sheffield Institue
Foundation friends about more fundraising and linking up with the Shackleton
James Caird trip.

Dave Wilco is promising a blog soon. He is very busy with work and family,
but his passion now is acting in a play which sounds amazing. Will let him
tell you about that later. I will catch up with Chris in the Uk soon and
demand a blog. He is looking for work still and enjoying home cooking. He
has gained a stone in weight..me..well this is the last time I will mention
it till next year...I am just holding at 90kg...so 10 kg on in three months
is it? Dave P. is out house hunting at the moment , still looking at little
boats and enjoying life in Tassie.

The big surprise for me was another kidney stone that just sort of popped
out recently..for the rest of my life Stones will always take me back to
Talisker Bounty Boat...for those who know the dramas of the voyage, this one
was a breeze..a little back pain , took a flowmax and in the morning
bingo..a 3mm stone??..getting good at it now and certainly drinking lots of
water. I am hoping that must be the last of the crop I was growing on the
superb Bounty Diet...set for medicle tests end of Sept. Have some BIG
adventure plans for 2014, but Margie is saying..what about the stones? I
just recon no one is perfect and life goes on hey!!

If you have been following this from Hong Kong,looks like we are planning a
TBB talk at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht club sometime in November so watch
this space!Still trying to get the McINTYRE ADVENTURE web site organised to
pull together the last 30 years of adventures under the one roof! Now that
will be interesting.I will let you know when we turn that on.

On a completely different track, if you ever wanted to sail around the world
late next year through the Southern Ocean, via Cape Horn, on a six month
voyage that will include a visit to South Georgia, Kergulen Islands, Cape
Town etc. in a specially built Southern Ocean boat and you have about
$50,000 I may be able to solve you problem! But it will be wet, cold
,miserable and Oh so exciting.....

Life is fun hey!

Quilter's 3 x 3 mtr is bigger than this!

Dave P..QUILTER!!..latest

"Returning to Tasmania from Kupang I launched straight into work aboard my expedition yacht "Blizzard" for the upcoming handover to her new owner and several months later this is almost completed.

 

In the meantime I have been busy with the finishing touches to "Brandyuck Hut", my 9sqm cabin, an experiment in micro-housing. The experiment is going well and life in 9sqm is proving very comfortable. The greatest suprise was after Matt Orbell from Green Marine completed the installation of the electrical system and I found that even in the dead of winter, with no direct sunlight, the solar panels were providing more than enough power to deliver light, phone, music and computer. No more elctricity bills - what more could you want. In fact life is luxurious after three months in an open boat.

 

Today squalls pass over Brandybuck Hut, occasionally delivering snow, so I have remained inside with the fire. I am starting to look forward and seriously plan the next adventure - "The Grand Tour - an attempt to cycle around the world. Maps are spread across the floor and I have started to make lists of "jobs to do". My trusty Surly Long Haul Trucker will get some clip-in pedals and a comfy Brooks saddle, however what is really required is for me to saddle up and start pedalling one hill at a time. 

 

I hope you are having as much fun as me

 

Cheers Quilter

 

P.S.  "Is your carbon footprint bigger than your arse?"

 

Finally started unloading, washing, sorting LUCK this guy was NOT at Restoration Island!.

Time waits for no man least of all me..and OK I will make sure I get a blog from Dave, Chris and Dave W. asap....Chris is still holidaying in Sydney at the moment and due to fly back to UK in a few days to look for work and maybe prepare for some fun in Tonga with me next year?? more on that latter...Dave W. has been working, Adventure holidaying with his daughter and we are trying to meet up somewhere in the world, Dave P is coming over for dinner again tonight..we have a regular Wed. night appointment to watch Tim Cope's Doco ( ABC2 X 6 part 30 min. series) about his amazing ride across the world. So will not feed him till he writes something!!

 

Have not started on the Talisker Bounty Boat Doco yet but assume it will not go to air until late next year. Same with the book. Sorry about the wait but we need to do it right and I know you will not be disappointed when you see it.

 

Being back in Hobart it is hard to believe what has just happened, sorting all the gear is similar to when you just get ready to go, so the feelings are quite strange. hard to understand that it seems to have just??? happened. I have to admit that I have just about come out of the "after effect",...it happens every time when you go through an adventure. Takes you sometime to get back in the "grove" and hit all those responsible things you are supposed to do. I know that this trip was very Physically demanding on my body for a few reasons and that played on every other human part, including my brain...anyway I am still me and very happy about the whole experience, the people I met and the very special moments the four of us had onboard. I already look back on that reliving the simple times...I really want to go on another long sail again, as I realised how much I missed being out on the water, so yes I am scheming again for the future. There are just some things you know you have to do in your life and I have now come away from TBB with a whole new set of dreams, ideas, and ambitions...

 

I am 55 at the moment and most people probably start to think about managing their lives and organising for the last half right!! so I am very normal..I have set a plan in my head that will take me through to the early 60's...crazy hey..not even sure why I am saying all this here. I have been contemplating many things in the past few weeks! including the meaning of life!..again!!!...I have been so lucky too to have met some really interesting friends, make new relationships and be exposed to differing ideas, all at a time when it really matters, so thanks to those people...it all comes down to which came first?? the chicken or the egg!..apparently science has now worked it out! really???? well I just know that you have to live your life without regrets and have a strong belief in Karma.

 

If you are still reading this ..I am surprised..some would have just concluded that I have finally lost it and clicked off!!  

 

Tim Jarvis, Dave P and I had a day together in Hobart on the weekend planning the James Caird trip. Yes Quilter is up for it too!!! I am headed to the UK late Sept. to start work on the Boat, do some presentations to sponsors and supporters of the expedition and make some plans with SIF too. Tim has been working on the Shackleton voyage for some time so I will be meeting his connections there in the UK. all very exciting. A new web site ids planned and should be up by the end of this year once things have settled down.It will be similar to the TBB sight, but heaps better..and I promise the tracking system will be real-time live all day we are on the boat.

 

We are still raising funds for SIF. I am sorting the memorabilia from TBB that was carried onboard will package them with the book and some other things when that is all done. the Ebay Auction of some big ticket items is still being set up..so thanks again for everyone's support. looks like at the end of the day we will pull over 100,000 pounds?

 

How's my weight..just managing to hold at 87kg..but it is hard work now and I think Margie has a plan to push it higher..her cooking is awesome??? still have not had my major medical check up??..I actually feel really good but will do soon.

 

How is TBB..well she survived the trip and transport really well all things considered, the varnish is all cracking , the paint is starting to flake a little, lots of little knocks and bruises, the Talisker logo on the mizzen is looking part of history now, but lets just say the boat now has some real character? like a fine vintage wine. You cannot help but look at her and think WOW!! she has just done an amazing voyage.. I look and think WOW!! that is a small boat..how did we do that?..did we??   I guess so....

 

Don         

Margies office trashed!

Talisker Bounty Boat out of the box!!! at last.

Well it was a crazy week but as I write this I am finally back in Hobart with the boat. In the previous 12 months it has been from here, shipped to England , back to Sydney, then shipped to Auckland then to Tonga, sailed to Kupang, then shipped again to Sydney and now back home..What will happen to TBB now?? not sure. there was talk of having it in the wooden Boat show in Sydney but I could not find anyway of storing it till then and it cost about $4000 to get it up and back so that may not happen now. I will clean it out and put it away in our Aircraft hanger ready for the next adventure. There are a few possibilities but finding the time in the schedule is always the challenge..

 

On the Wed morning I went to terry Hills to pick up the trailer that was left behind at friends back in February. driving out to the container terminal I had our boat cover strapped to the trailer and was watching to make sure it did not fall off. Of course it did in the last 300mtrs when I stopped checking it, so dragging along the road it was trashed under the trailer which was a Bugxxr..it cost $3000!!!...the guys in the yard were really great helping pull the boat out. I had no idea how we were going to get it onto the trailer but it was easy. Our friends at Meridian Freight have been fantastic on all these moves and I know Graham in Kupang will be happy to know that all his work organising cradles and a cast of hundreds to manhandle and tranship the boat worked.. Thanks to all...Now the voyage really does seem to have come to an end!

 

I then drove that afternoon to till dark, stopping in a small motel for the night. It was 3 degrees and stormy weather and made me think..YES!! the Shackleton "James Caird" trip is going to be a bucket load of fun!!!  

 

Driving all day Wednesday arriving in Melbourne late I then loaded onto the Spirit of Tasmania ferry to cross Bass Straight during the night, then the next morning off loaded in Devonport for the four hour drive to Hobart. I made a slight diversion to the airport there to chat with a friend about working on my ultralight float plane for a new adventure in a few years time.. ..another historic recreation!!! and plenty of fun!! It was a big deal at the time but little know today. the story of two guys called McIntyre and Goble in 1924...??  more about that after Shackleton! 

 

While on that I should just say that Tim Jarvis will be taking on the roll of Shackleton ..I will be taking on the roll of Frank Worsley..Capt. of the Endurance and the James Caird, so big shoes to fill as he may be considered the unsung hero of much of Shackleton's endeavours. To get the James Caird to South Georgia is an epic and I have just re read Worsley's account of that little voyage...no comment!...the book is titled ..Shackleton's Boat journey by F. A. Worsley..if you can find a copy have a look...as I said ..a bucket load of fun!!

 

Don  

Hell and High Water!

So the Talikser Bounty Boat clip is now up…Google “ 60 Minutes video library” and you should go straight to it…or just try “60 minutes Australia” and then go to “Video library”…Brings back recent memories for me!!..Don

60 minutes story was cool..!!!

Took a quick trip up to Tamworth over the weekend to check on my Gyrocopter
that has not been flown for awhile?? And while there flew the latest
model...slick!! Then back to Sydney and watched the story on 60
minutes..they did a great job...so it will be available online in the nest
24 hours...Google '60 Minutes chennel 9" and you will go straight to the
program and will be able to read the script and then slick onto the video
and watch it...did not get much in about Talisker or SIF
unfortunately....but still a good story...Don

60 minutes story on Sunday night 8th AUG. yes this is the JAMES CAIRD...See previous Blog!

OPPS Time is flying!..New look PINK!

I have been really busy with the boat show and all the other things
happening in the past week...sorry about no Blog on Friday..Yes I am on
Jessica's boat..and it is hers now...She had her book launch at the start of
the show and it was very impressive...we finally got to spend a little time
together but her fan base is HUGE!..she was litterally mobbed at the show on
Saturday, it was amazing to see. I sold the boat to her as she has fallen in
love with it..at the end of the show she was in Tasmania doing her book
tour, so Mike Perham and I moved the boat out for her to another Marina!

I did a number of breakfast Talikser Bounty Boat talks and two other
presentations every day at the show. It was good to catch up with some of
the TBB expedition followers and Chris was on hand a couple of days too.
Still no TBB? the ship has arrived at last and hoping to get into the
container in the next couple of days but I am now looking at trying to keep
it in Sydney. There are a few things happening here. The National Maritime
Museum are having a Wooden Boat Festival in October..so it would be great to
finally let people in Sydney have a look at it then. If I can keep it here
till next year we may also put it in the Sydney Boat Show as we may well be
launching the Book and Doco Series in Australia about then?

Yes I did make a bit of a Quiet anouncement about future plans at the show,
so I will make it quetly here too. No major media statement for now as that
will be on hold for ??? So whats next!!...well I am looking at teaming up
with Tim Jarvis, another adventurer of some note..check out
www.timjarvis.org As you know I have been thinking about the James Caird
Shackelton trip for many years, but kept it in the background till the Bligh
trip was completed....well I am no mountain climber and Tim is no
sailor...but it would be propper to try to do the double!..so Tim will take
on the Mountain and me the James Caird..there will be six in the boat and it
is going to be very wet, cold and seriously challenging..but more on that
later...

Yes my health is great and I am now at 86kg and trying to put the brakes on,
my tan is fading and the simplicity of life on the ocean waves is really
appealing now!..Hope to have some full health checks back in Hobart in weeks
to come....Don

60 minutes & PLASTIKI & Boat Show

I made it to SYDNEY but Talisker Bounty Boat did not...PLASTIKI arrived on
Monday and I caught up with some of the crew. Amazing Boat, Skipper, Crew
and story. Hope to go to a presentation/talk on Wed. Night. Jessica is
launching her Book on Thursday Night and Mike Perham is here too now.They
will all be at the Boat show and I will be giving two talks a day. On the
Thursday I am on at 12-1230 in the afternoon, then each day after that I am
on at 1-1.30 in the afternoons..the second talk is on at 5.30-6.00 each
day..so look forward to seeing some of you there...I had a sneak Preview of
the 60 minutes story today and it is really good. Focuses on Adventure so I
am very happy about that. It will definitely now run on Sunday 8th August at
7.30pm, so make a note and tell your friends...for those not in Australia
you will be able to watch it on the 60 Minutes web site from the following
Monday onwards..check it out!!

I may be making an interesting anouncement here and at the Boat Show so stay
tuned....Don

Miss my friends!!

WEll it has been quite a few weeks now since stepping off Talisker Bounty
Boat and I do miss that simple life...the hermit crab was on our surprize
sand Cay just before Australia!..

So it is Official...the boat is still on a ship and will not be at the
Sydney International Boat show...what a HUGE!! Dissapointment..we all worked
hard to try to get it there on time...anyway I will still be doing two talks
a day on stage ..I will post the times here tomorrow...so come in and say hi
anyway..the boat arrives the day the show finishes!!!

I am driving up to Sydney at the moment..came across on the Tassie Ferry and
will get in just before Plastiki arrives..that is the cat made of recycled
bottles that has sailed across the Pacific..will be fun to catch up with
them...also Jessica is sending her boat down for the show and will also be
doing talks...and Mike Perham is also coming out for the show...he just
announced plans to fly solo around the world..something we were going to do
together, but I have some more exciting plans underway for the next few
years which will be announced soon!!...so remember to check back!!...Chris
is still in Sydney so he will be at the show sometimes as well. If you want
to meet him I will put the days up here that he will be at the talks!!...I
think there will be a few fun get togethers in Sydney!!

I am only now trying to catch up on all the emails and things ..some from
months ago...for some strange reason I lost quite a few I think into my Junk
mail...so if I have not answered one of your emails, please send it
again...it may well have gone to my Junk and I do not know???

Still no 60 minutes story...the elections here are using up all the media
space...so no idea when it was to run.I will post something here as soon as
I hear...

I hope to have a new TBB track up here shortly on the Map page of the web
site. That will allow you to zoom in and see exactly where we went..right
down to the beaches we stopped and the reefs/islands we nearly hit!!...I had
thought that during the expedition you would be able to do that and that you
were all following that rtrack closely...unfortunately there was some Tech
issues and it did not happen..the position was coming off the boat every
hour..but it was not relaying to the web...I was really dissapointed about
that and did not know till I got off the boat!!!...SORRY!..it would have
been a lot of fun...anyway we can get it up now and you can play with it
..zoom in and out...etc...so enjoy...

Keep coming back here and if you are in Sydney come to the talks and say
HI!! See you then.....Don

Bligh's house..

It is occupied by the owners as their home..it is not a museum or anything,
which remind's me that 221 years ago is not that long ago..the pub on the
corner was there when Bligh was around, so you can go and hang at the same
bar and try some Talisker!!

Bligh's Grave..again!

Well it has been another very hectic week. After the BBC interviews last
Sunday Chris and I decided to head to the National Maritime Museum to check
out the James Caird replica there while we killed some time before our
flights to Australia..as we left there headed to the airport under GPS..I
said to Chris hey we should have gone to check out Bligh's grave...about 15
minutes later the GPS took us straight past the church..FATE..so we parked
and finally got to sit beside his grave for a few Quiet minutes..it was a
profoun experience I have to tell you. The church just across the river from
Westminster is now the Museum of Garden history and was Previously Bligh's
church..his house is just a few hundred metres down the road..His wife and
children are also in the same crypt. In 1977 the Church was to be demolished
to make way for a car park! The Australian Govt. wanted to save Bligh's
grave and offered to buy it! Eventually it was saved and a few years later
during renovations the Grave was accidentally opened by workers and Bligh is
reported to be a perfect skeleton with Ginger hair. It was immediately
resealed. To have just sailed along side him all that way and then to be
beside him there was a feeling too hard to verbalise?? But it was very
special and I suppose an interesting way to close the loop so to speak on
the entire expedition.

I have put up some links to the CNN online story and the BBC TV. I think the
60 minutes story could go up this Sunday in Australia?

Bit of a battle to get the Talisker Bounty Boat back to Sydney in time for
the Sydney Boat show. I heard this week that the ship may be delayed which
will be a disaster?..anyway should have confirmation this coming
week?..fingers crossed..if it does not make it I will still be at the show
twice a day giving talks about the trip on stage so come in and say Hi!
Chris is now in Sydney looking for work and Dave Pryce is up in Queensland
looking at a new boat! He may be about to sell his "Blizzard"

I head to Australia on Monday and something tells me I will be very
busy?....Don

FW: Talisker Bounty Boat on CNN

 

CNN have now posted the piece which can be read at http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/07/14/captain.bligh.voyage/?fbid=JjeOmtaEJCI

 

It’s a great hit with 35.5 million unique users per month !

Some radio interviews !

Chris and I doing London Radio stations!!

Here are the final versions of the radio edits from last week for your files:

http://www.yousendit.com/download/K0JRc2ZERncwZ2xjR0E9PQ

 

And the final versions of the audio features (without music) are here:

http://www.yousendit.com/download/K0JUUWVwMHdRYTlFQlE9PQ

http://www.yousendit.com/download/K0JUUWVwMHdoMld4dnc9PQ

FW: BBC Breakfast Clips

11.07.2010%20-%20BBC%201%20%20Breakfast%20News%20-%2006.50%20-%20Talisker%20Bounty%20Sailing.mpg.wmv Size: 46.84 MB    Content will be available for download until July 21, 2010 10:28 PDT. Download

If the above link does not work, you can paste the following address into your browser: https://rcpt.yousendit.com/909297115/9dcfc15aef2c1f1ec05de29eaf2bdc3d

 
 

11.07.10 - BBC 1 - 08.50 hrs

11.07.2010%20-%20BBC%201%20%20Breakfast%20News%20-%2008.50%20-%20Talisker%20Bounty%20Sailing.wmv Size: 46.66 MB    Content will be available for download until July 21, 2010 10:33 PDT. Download

If the above link does not work, you can paste the following address into your browser: https://rcpt.yousendit.com/909300581/0418016b2a2862b75775a2eff8b20004

 

Duke and Duchess Dinner

A big week in England. Spent the first night with Mike Perham and his family and I am happy to report he has put on 8kg since the Talisker Bounty Boat training in in Sydney in Feb and is now fully recovered..he also happens to think Jessica Watson is pretty cute! I have put on 4kg by the way!

The reception by the Duke and Duchess at Chatsworth House was absolutely fantastic, incredibly relaxed and really special. Yes that is me in the dress on the sofa! With the Duchess on my left and the Duke is fourth from the left at the back. Most are holding a ship's biscuit, the very same ones that we had on Talisker Bounty Boat..I had brought them with me to include in the menu. We dined in the private dining room and the conversations were unique. I will never forget this special moment with sponsors, SIF friends and supporters with the Duke and Duchess being so warm, welcoming and really interested in everything that had happened since we were at the country fair ten months ago. I have been to some very regal occasions in the past but this was all of that but more like a dinner with old friends. I am so grateful for everyone’s involvement in this expedition and the kind words that were said that night. We did not leave till after midnight.

Next day I headed to Sheffield with my mate Stuart Keane to meet up with Prof. Pam Shaw to look at progress with the SIF building that is now due to open in Nov. this year. I was stunned. It is so exciting to see it for real. The work spaces are very modern and the work environment will encourage creativity. It is a huge facility and will house 150 researchers. This to me is like watching the logistics of a great adventure fall into place, an adventure simply because it really does have an unknown outcome, but we all know and hope that it will lead to something very special on into the future!

Then it was back to London for media and a presentation to our sponsors Talisker/Diageo at their headquarters. I had to pick up Chris at his home in a little village on the way and I had a better understanding of his “Quiet life” before becoming involved in this voyage..it is a little village with only a few hundred people in it…

Today I checked out a replica of the James Caird in Lowestoft, that has been built for another Australian Tim Jarvis for a future Shackelton recreation, but that is another story?

For now it is back to London and a visit to BBC Breakfast just before 7am on Sunday 11th..we will be on a second time, same day, just before 9am and this will also go to BBC networks around the world and be on BBC online so that is cool!!..we also managed another story on CNN online to 30 million people, so there are a few smiles at Greyling our UK PR company! They and Splendid our Aust. PR company, have been doing a great job. Talisker are all smiles!

Next on the agenda are discussions about the Book and Plans for the Documentary. The eBay Auction planning is underway and looks like the donations for SIF will climb through 100,000 pounds soon which is very exciting. To all who have been helping this fundraising challenge..THANKS..it will continue as part of the Talisker Bounty Boat expedition right through till the book comes out sometime next year.

Dave Pryce has recovered from the teeth issue, Dave Wilkinson arrived in the UK a few days ago with his daughter to go camping and Chris..well he is just in party mode!!..Me??..I am trying to slow my eating now and feel very healthy so life is good..