Home sweet Home

oldfella · Nov 23, 2007

Well I made it back from a real journey. Even though it was cut short due to problems with the boat, maily engine problems.

I do have some pictures to share and will load them up in the next few days. The weather was shit so i didn't get as many picture as I wanted to. Look everyone I want to sincerely thank you all for thinking about me. It means a lot to me to know so many care. Thank you all.

There are some stories, some kind of funny at my expense and some that were quite serious and had some real danger involved. But an adventure it was. I learned more about myself and my limits, my shortcomings and just what the hell I am capable of in this last ten days. Being exposed to all the elements and left at the mercy of them all is a real sobering experience. The sea is a beautiful but dangreous mistress. She can swallow you up in an instant if she wants you and there is absolutely nothing you or anyone else can do about it. Some very scary moments and some incredibly beautiful ones as well were had.

We managed to blow out the Jib (frontsail) one the boat during on of the big ocean passages. We were 230kms out to sea when it started to let go. But I will highlight some of these moments later. I just wanted to let you all know that i am alive and very well. Richer for the experience and thankful for it as well. I have well and truely been humbled by nature and what it can do. You feel so very insignificant out there with 12-16ft waves crashing around you. It is so good to be ALIVE!!!!

I say to all, do not take anything for granted in your life, go out and do what you feel you must and respect all things alive. We are only here for a short time, so enjoy it to the fullest.

I have to say a very special thank you to OZZGIRL. I could not have done any of this without her, Thank you so much sweetheart. You just have no idea!!! I am blessed I tell you!

After this I read my sig line.................................Now it all makes sense!!!

MAINEVENT · Nov 23, 2007

Welcome back Big Man. Good to hear you are safe and sound. Cant wait to hear some stories. Post em up when you get a chance.

Hows the foot?

BOOMSHAKER · Nov 23, 2007

Welcome back my friend! It's good to see you here alive and well! Hope you enjoyed yourself out there while playing the role of Gilligan!

WELCOME HOME!

thebrick · Nov 24, 2007

Welcome home friend. I am glad you made it home safe! Fill us in after you have a chance to catch your breath and settle in!

JustWannaBeHuge · Nov 24, 2007

welcome back OF! sounds like it was a lot of fun with some danger thrown in to shoot the adrenaline through the roof huh? When you get the chance, make sure you share a few stories and looking forward to the pics you were able to get.

oldfella · Nov 25, 2007

Hey guys, thanks so much for your thoughts. You know we go through life and do our thing, but it is not until you step out of your comfort zone that you begin to realize just how much life there is out there to be had. it is not until you expose yourself to the real world and it's elements that you realize how fragile we are. There were some very trying and anxious monets out there and i will share them and my real feelings with you all here. As I said in a pm to one of the bros here, I'm no hero and there were times i was scared, but I did not feel that I was in any real threat of losing my life. I just did what had to be done and yes the adrenaline rush was out of this world!!! At one stage I only got roughly three hours of sleep in 48!! Holy hell man I was exhausted. We were about 230kms off shore and in rough heavy seas. I was at the helm and stayed there since I had the most experience with the boat. We were 4 days out at sea without sight of land and this was the most sobering experience of them all. You feel lonely and at the mercy of nature. Your heart is racing and your mouth is dry. You are copping waves over the bow and the water is cold. The salt stings your eyes and your lips. Even with wet weather gear on you are soaked. partly from nervous perspiration and partly from the waves. Your hands are locked on the wheel in a death grip, you just dare not let go. The night is pitch black, and I mean that. You can't even see the front of the boat let alone any waves that approach. Scared??? You bet your ass. But something in you tells you you will be alright, just keep your wits and do what has to be done and you will come out of it ok. It is hard to hold on cause your hands are cramping and sore but you dare not let go!! The boat pitches and rolls, you struggle for balance but somehow you manage. You feel the boat nose up the next wave and you brace for the rush of water to meet you as you crest the wave. Then the drop down the backside and your heart is in your throat!!! This is the stuff that makes you so unbelievably humble. It is right there you realize you could be gone in a second. Snuffed out without a trace, smashed under tons of water!! I now know how so many go missing on the ocean. Things just happen so fast!! Split second decisions are needed to keep you alive and on course. You franticly work the wheel for all it's worth. It is here you find yourself, who you are and what you are made of!! It's good to be alive I tell you. This is the not so funny side of things, but I am richer for the experience. I have stared at danger and come to respect so much in life. We are so very small in the big scheme of things!! It's so good to be back.

Sassy · Nov 27, 2007

What an awesome experience!!! Glad you are back safe and sound.

Dusty Hanshaw · Nov 27, 2007

DAMN IT OF I WANT MORE STORIES!!!!!

I had no idea that you were headed on such an amazing adventure. I love the ocean and grew up on boats of all kinds. I used to love to go out sailing and lose sight of the land. I use Harley's as my escape and reflection time now but I have to admit that nothing brings more clarity than a few days on the open sea. You painted such a perfect picture of your feelings while at sea that I actually could see everything you were writing. You tell a great story and i hope to read more.

Welcome back, you were missed.

D

Tyrone · Nov 27, 2007

Dang oldfella, just glad to have you back in one piece bro!!

HUTCH · Nov 28, 2007

I had no idea you were doing this...Your a crazy old man...

ozzgirl · Nov 28, 2007

HUTCH said:
I had no idea you were doing this...Your a crazy old man...

Hey Hutch! This is the original thread that I started when OF left.
Trace

http://www.professionalmuscle.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30644

nosmas · Nov 28, 2007

Unfortunately...
You and I had a disagreement before you left. I have thought about it many times since then. When Trace mentioned you had problems on the trip it got me thinking about how small I would have felt if God for bid something had happened and that was the last discussion we had with one another. No argument in the world would be worth that. I take things for granted sometimes. I suppose I just thought it would pass in time but we really never know how much time we have left on the clock. I don’t know what I am trying to say exactly except that I am glad you are back and safe.

-Kris

oldfella · Nov 29, 2007

nosmas said:
Unfortunately...
You and I had a disagreement before you left. I have thought about it many times since then. When Trace mentioned you had problems on the trip it got me thinking about how small I would have felt if God for bid something had happened and that was the last discussion we had with one another. No argument in the world would be worth that. I take things for granted sometimes. I suppose I just thought it would pass in time but we really never know how much time we have left on the clock. I don’t know what I am trying to say exactly except that I am glad you are back and safe.

-Kris

I know what you are trying to say Nos, and I will say this ...................Thank you my good friend!!

Kcm3000 · Nov 29, 2007

u guys see any greatwhite sharks out there. that would be cool... glad to see ur back old fella, any pics?

KCM

oldfella · Nov 29, 2007

Kcm3000 said:
u guys see any greatwhite sharks out there. that would be cool... glad to see ur back old fella, any pics?

KCM

No white sharks, did see a dolphin playing in some of the big waves we were caught in and he ended up playing in the bow wake of the boat. That was an awesome sight to see. he was much more at home with those elements than I was!! LOL. Go to the members photos forum. I just put a few there!!

bulldog21 · Nov 29, 2007

oldfella said:
No white sharks, did see a dolphin playing in some of the big waves we were caught in and he ended up playing in the bow wake of the boat. That was an awesome sight to see. he was much more at home with those elements than I was!! LOL. Go to the members photos forum. I just put a few there!!

I am sure glad you made it back to us Big Guy!!

What a hell of an adventure my friend!!! You can't get stories like these out of any of the outdoor Magazines in print!!!

BTW I love Dolphins or any sea mammal for that matter......when I was in Hawaii there were a pod of about 200 dophins that palyed around our boat and were playing the bow and doing crazy flips and stuff in the ocean while the boat I was on was trying to manuever through 12 foot swells that that weren't capping....I was loving it while there were about a dozen people in teh back getting sick....LOL

Looking forward to reading more stories!