A trip and a half
Some of you know but for those that didn't. This was to be an epic voyage which was sheduled to traverse aprox 1/3 of the australian coastline from northeast to southern tip. it was cut short due to many problems with the boat.
You know we do so many things in our lives but few would compare to something like this. Even though I did not get to complete the voyage, well short in fact it was an experience of a lifetime. The kind of experience that changes your perspective of things, changes your views and changes you! You encounter challenges that, depending on your decision could mean life or death, success or failure. The weather was pretty bad for the most part, compound this with fuel consumption issues and the relaying of wrong information and you have the maklings of a real train wreck. The advantage of being on a sailing vessel is you have alternative means of mobility. The dangers are real and your decisions make up the outcome of returning home safe or being lost forever in high seas. I was faced with some of these moments and am happy to say I am here safe and sound. Funny thing is while all this is going on around you, you are not preoccupied with the thought of danger but more like how the hell are we going to get out of this.
Now don't get me wrong, I have said to one of our bros, i am no hero man and yes i was scared. When you have up 16 foot of waves coming at you side on and it is breaking at the top, you tend to get worried. Now a normal boat would have been done for in those circumstances but with about 6 ton of lead slung on the bottom of your boat you generally will not roll. It still gets you though as the boat heels way over and then drops down the back of that wave, only to be greeted by another one of equal magnitude. As you punch through the water just covers the bow of the boat and you are in for a soaking. Now it is summer here but that water in the open ocean, about 230kms offshore was f'ing cold!! Yes with wet weather gear on you still get wet.
It is good to back on dry land. I will relay some more experiences and troubles in another thread. Hope you enjoy and i can say it was a blast. I learned more about myself in those ten days and what I can and cannot do! A real eye opener. As I call it, I was so humbled by mother nature it was scary!!
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