December 5
We set sail from Darwin on the 3rd, so I had some time to see the sights and experience the punishing local heat. It was too hot to do anything during the middle of the day, but we managed to get most of the boat chores done in the morning before the weather set in. The rest of the day would be spent reading or wandering around town. Apparently the population of Darwin drops to 20,000 because of the weather, and I understand why.
Now into day four of sailing, and we've probably had eight hours without the motor running. I'm convinced Mother Nature's stock portfolio is heavily invested in diesel, and she's trying to run up the price one sailboat at a time. It looks like we will b stopping in Timor for some fuel, but we hope we won't have to stay long. She has also decided to tantalize us with rain showers all around us, but never quite on top of us. The sun has been beating down on us since we left, making anything not
covered on the deck extremely hot. The crew berth that I sleep in is sweltering, so after one rough night I've taken to sleeping on the deck, which has been a great experience.
Night shifts are amazing, as the clouds usually separate and allow us to see every star in the sky. Even though I only recognize one (Orion), it's something you definitely don't see in Vancouver.
What affects me the most about being on this trip is the sheer size of the ocean. Since day two, we have been traveling without land in sight, and very rarely another vessel. It's awe-inspiring to be able to see as far as the horizon and yet not see any other signs of human life.
Cress, Matt, Cliff, and Fi are excellent people to be with on this trip. We eat delicious meals (not my contribution), and are convinced of the nutritional value of several cold beers on a hot day. I've found that Matt is a connoisseur of the arts, like myself, and we have been reciting our favorite South Park characters, episodes, and lines. It turns out we have the same sense of humour, how scary is that? For those who know me, imagine two Pete's carrying on a conversation about anything we
want. I think Cliff, Fi, and Cress deserve medals, though the pleasure of our company should be reward enough.
Cress and I have had a few discussions on politics, and he's surprised me with his emphasis on morals and ethics. I must admit that as poli sci students we had given up on such novelties at university by year two. It's an interesting new perspective, and often we end up not agreeing on anything. Nevertheless, it has been great to have an engaging talk about politics after nine months of shunning those talks since I graduated. Plus, I've found out that I actually remember some stuff!
I pray for the well-being of the Canucks every night, may they skate fast and score much (though I hear that isn't the case).
December 8
I can feel the change a comin'! Deciding to fuel up in an Indonesian port, we changed our course and came across a most unfamiliar thing; sailing weather! After five days, this was my first real taste of sailing and it was amazing. Having traveled by motor for so long, I still don't completely have my sea legs, and that only added to the excitement of finally using the boat for what it was made to do! Admittedly, I was merely in a supporting role on the boat compared to the experts I'm with,
but it was a fantastic rush to be speeding across the ocean with the boat heeling far on its side. Once again I found new respect for sailing as I experienced first hand the challenge of steering such a ship, though by the end I think I was doing a decent job.
Truly one of the most amazing experiences of my life happened tonight when a massive pod of dolphins swam with us after dinner! What must have been dozens upon dozens of dolphins, little ones and big ones, came jumping towards us, and then swam around as we cheered them on (Matt had it on good authority that dolphins respond to noise), clapping and yelling with no one else in sight. I could not believe the their agility, as they would swim around the bow, roll on their backs, and make lightning-quick
turns. It was amazing, but no pictures sadly, I didn't want to miss anything by going to get my camera!
So the plan is ever-changing as we adapt to the weather and our fuel levels. We will be making a stop in a small port to add some fuel, and then moving on to Bali. From there will decide what to do with the rest of the trip.
Thanks Rita for the hockey updates, even if they were not the results I wanted to hear.
Talk to you all again soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment