24th October
Boy, time really has picked up speed lately. My life seems to be whirlpool of getting things completed, coupled with working, studying and organising.
We have a moving date of the 10th of December…now technically we don’t have to have everything gone by that date as we will need a fridge and a bed to sleep on while we are in Johannesburg, but we do need to thin out our belongings. We are selling everything we do not use everyday and a few things we do use but can live without. Our plan is to be able to move into a single room if necessary so it becomes as cheap as possible to live up here while we visit…perhaps stay with friends on our visits once our house is sold and have no belongings besides our suitcases…
We are all looking forward to December but before we reach that we have a loads of happenings and things to do…I have literally filled every weekend between now and our leaving date in order to fit in seeing people not to mention my mom’s visit from the UK. This is turning out to be an action pack, fun filled couple of months.
I signed up to do a TEFL course. My English is good…or so I thought. I remember most of what my friends have forgotten about grammar and my spelling is better than most people I know, but this course is turning out to be more in depth and thorough than I thought, I have a limited time in which to complete it as well so the pressure sure is on. At the end, and if I pass, I will receive a certificate which should enable me to teach English as a foreign language in any country around the world…we will see how this works out…it is all very exciting.
We have spent a lot of time packing, clearing and deciding what we want to keep and what we would like to get rid of, jumble sale day is fast approaching and I have tentatively booked the 25th of November for this. Everyday we clear one small section in the house, be it a shelf in the garage or a draw in the house or whatever small area we pick and we go through everything. It seems we find little to take with and most things end up in our jumble sale pile looking for a new home. There really is very little from our land life that suits our new envisaged boat life. These are definitely two completely different worlds.
The boat comes with everything we need, it has built in furniture and all electrics are 12volt as opposed to the 220v we are used to. We can’t fill our walls with books and erect paintings and mirrors everywhere, our crockery is melamine rather than glass and with the limited space ornamentals go out the window. We are scaling down our life to become simpler and less cluttered. I once read that it is more like a 100 years ago, where the woman cooks, cleans and takes care of the kids while the man does the manual labour of fixing and repairing with the odd bit of hunting (for fish mostly).
Ah, going back to the good old days!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Sunday, October 10, 2010
We could see a storm coming
10th October
Barry and I have started this little game. We imagine ourselves on the boat in a specific incident and try to figure out exactly what we would be doing. Last night after it got dark we could see a storm coming, the sky was pitch black when suddenly it was alight with lightning. We used this opportunity to play our new game.
We discussed what we would be doing as we watched the storm pass over us. Send Rauen to close and lock all the hatches. Too much lightning…unplug as many electronic items as we can manage without, we sail blind. Still see the lightning and hear thunder coming closer, we cannot see how long this storm extends, is it a line squall? Which direction is it coming from? It is too difficult to see in the dark, we discuss the difference between a storm in daylight hours and those after dark. We head up to the deck and put 2 reefs into the main sail. We furl the jib in completely. We wait…the wind starts to turn gusty, lucky we have reefed already. We send Kyle down to get mine and Barry’s wet weather jackets, we will wear those as the whipping wind is cold and the rain will soon be pelting down. We are sitting in the saloon at the table, the sliding door ajar and we are watching, listening and waiting. I can feel the anticipation but our auto pilot can handle this weather. The rains starts to come down, the boat is drench within seconds and with the rain comes powerful wind, we close the cockpit door because the water is coming inside, Rauen fetches a towel to place at the door so we don’t the trudge water right though the boat, we also reduce the slipperiness. We can hear the pounding of the rain on the roof, the heavens have really opened, the waves have increased in height together with the wind and we are being tossed and churned. Kyle is scared, sitting next to me, holding onto the chair and table asking how long ‘til this is over? I have to reply that I don’t know, it makes me feel terrible for taking him to a place this scary. Barry and I will have to go outside and check regularly both because we have no electronics and to check how the auto pilot is handling things. Oh I start to feel ill, I need to remember to take seasickness pills if a storm is coming, the heightened movement coupled with the increased fear bring on a bout and I am spilling cookies. This can’t go on. Stop back to reality…
Wow, I had to drop that one there, maybe if I had remembered the seasickness pills? No, maybe if I was braver! We closed the garage door completely and discussed what had just happened…we are not ready just yet, a little more experience, a little more confidence and perhaps we need a list so we remember to do all those things and more. I can’t afford to forget the seasickness pills at a crucial moment. We need to take the batteries out of our electronics as a lightning strike will fry even unplugged items, having the batteries out may reduce the effect. Will we lead a line from the mast into the water to help divert the lightning on a direct hit? We would after all be the highest point in a 100 miles!
We decided we were only brave enough to last as long as we did and that more practise and more imaginary practise will be necessary. First I need to be able to deal with the imaginary life on board during a storm before we sail it. We will do this exercise many times, we will do it in our garage where the sounds are real, tied to our walk-on where the wind and water are real, hooked to a mooring buoy where we will spin and hop around with the wind and waves, at anchor where we will be at the mercy of the weather and our own ground tackle. We will end up facing many of these crazy storms, line squalls and whatever weather happens to build and pass over us. We need to be prepared and ready for it.
Yes we know sailing is 60% good weather, 30% becalmed and 10% storms, but the 10% storms are the times we will be tested. And pass that test we must.
Barry and I have started this little game. We imagine ourselves on the boat in a specific incident and try to figure out exactly what we would be doing. Last night after it got dark we could see a storm coming, the sky was pitch black when suddenly it was alight with lightning. We used this opportunity to play our new game.
We discussed what we would be doing as we watched the storm pass over us. Send Rauen to close and lock all the hatches. Too much lightning…unplug as many electronic items as we can manage without, we sail blind. Still see the lightning and hear thunder coming closer, we cannot see how long this storm extends, is it a line squall? Which direction is it coming from? It is too difficult to see in the dark, we discuss the difference between a storm in daylight hours and those after dark. We head up to the deck and put 2 reefs into the main sail. We furl the jib in completely. We wait…the wind starts to turn gusty, lucky we have reefed already. We send Kyle down to get mine and Barry’s wet weather jackets, we will wear those as the whipping wind is cold and the rain will soon be pelting down. We are sitting in the saloon at the table, the sliding door ajar and we are watching, listening and waiting. I can feel the anticipation but our auto pilot can handle this weather. The rains starts to come down, the boat is drench within seconds and with the rain comes powerful wind, we close the cockpit door because the water is coming inside, Rauen fetches a towel to place at the door so we don’t the trudge water right though the boat, we also reduce the slipperiness. We can hear the pounding of the rain on the roof, the heavens have really opened, the waves have increased in height together with the wind and we are being tossed and churned. Kyle is scared, sitting next to me, holding onto the chair and table asking how long ‘til this is over? I have to reply that I don’t know, it makes me feel terrible for taking him to a place this scary. Barry and I will have to go outside and check regularly both because we have no electronics and to check how the auto pilot is handling things. Oh I start to feel ill, I need to remember to take seasickness pills if a storm is coming, the heightened movement coupled with the increased fear bring on a bout and I am spilling cookies. This can’t go on. Stop back to reality…
Wow, I had to drop that one there, maybe if I had remembered the seasickness pills? No, maybe if I was braver! We closed the garage door completely and discussed what had just happened…we are not ready just yet, a little more experience, a little more confidence and perhaps we need a list so we remember to do all those things and more. I can’t afford to forget the seasickness pills at a crucial moment. We need to take the batteries out of our electronics as a lightning strike will fry even unplugged items, having the batteries out may reduce the effect. Will we lead a line from the mast into the water to help divert the lightning on a direct hit? We would after all be the highest point in a 100 miles!
We decided we were only brave enough to last as long as we did and that more practise and more imaginary practise will be necessary. First I need to be able to deal with the imaginary life on board during a storm before we sail it. We will do this exercise many times, we will do it in our garage where the sounds are real, tied to our walk-on where the wind and water are real, hooked to a mooring buoy where we will spin and hop around with the wind and waves, at anchor where we will be at the mercy of the weather and our own ground tackle. We will end up facing many of these crazy storms, line squalls and whatever weather happens to build and pass over us. We need to be prepared and ready for it.
Yes we know sailing is 60% good weather, 30% becalmed and 10% storms, but the 10% storms are the times we will be tested. And pass that test we must.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Drawn to a life at sea
2nd October
This morning we planned to leave for a day sail at 7am after a great cooked breakfast and a quick clean up. It is quarter past six and I am the only one awake…
The unpredictable howling south westerly arrived at 2am together with the mandatory overcast weather, big short waves and crazy confused seas. We are not going anywhere so no one really wants or needs to rise on this our last real day of holiday.
I am not a late sleeper so I am normally up early taking the alone time to write and plot and plan. Not much beats working in the early hours of the morning, sitting at the saloon table overlooking the marina, with the sounds of the ocean in the back round. This is the life.
My thoughts over the last 2 days have been on our return. This is going to be 2 and half months of crazy business. We need to price and sell all our furniture and odds and ends, we need to sell our house, I have a student to teach, a extra part time job organised for most of October/November and the final term of school is to be played out including Honours evenings, entrepreneurial days, fund raising events, exams, school magazine articles and speeches that Rauen needs to have completed and practised with loads of mom’s help of course. Add to this my mom’s visit from the UK, my regular business and work and the fact that I have a new employee who is in training to take over some of my workload and it adds up to hard work, more hard work and a little extra hard work. I guess I’ll be back to working weekends and evenings because December will be here before I can blink my eyes twice and wish it around. And I am wishing it around…it means we move aboard!
We have yet to decide on our exact December plans as our choices are staying home and enjoying a last Christmas in Joburg or coming down here and enjoying a first Christmas on the boat. I guess it depends if our Christmas tree is sold yet!
We have a few last visitors who will be coming down and then things should settle down and we will spend a lot more alone time on board. Translate to: work time on board. It is hard to entertain and work, but this is work I am really looking forward to!
Sitting here at the table watching the water, feeling the bounce and swaying of the yacht as the swell from the huge seas come in and wind shifts her around on her mooring lines is amazing. Even though I can hear the wind howling and know we will end up facing these conditions out at sea it still inspires me. I would never have thought I could be drawn to a life at sea like I am. Amazing.
This morning we planned to leave for a day sail at 7am after a great cooked breakfast and a quick clean up. It is quarter past six and I am the only one awake…
The unpredictable howling south westerly arrived at 2am together with the mandatory overcast weather, big short waves and crazy confused seas. We are not going anywhere so no one really wants or needs to rise on this our last real day of holiday.
I am not a late sleeper so I am normally up early taking the alone time to write and plot and plan. Not much beats working in the early hours of the morning, sitting at the saloon table overlooking the marina, with the sounds of the ocean in the back round. This is the life.
My thoughts over the last 2 days have been on our return. This is going to be 2 and half months of crazy business. We need to price and sell all our furniture and odds and ends, we need to sell our house, I have a student to teach, a extra part time job organised for most of October/November and the final term of school is to be played out including Honours evenings, entrepreneurial days, fund raising events, exams, school magazine articles and speeches that Rauen needs to have completed and practised with loads of mom’s help of course. Add to this my mom’s visit from the UK, my regular business and work and the fact that I have a new employee who is in training to take over some of my workload and it adds up to hard work, more hard work and a little extra hard work. I guess I’ll be back to working weekends and evenings because December will be here before I can blink my eyes twice and wish it around. And I am wishing it around…it means we move aboard!
We have yet to decide on our exact December plans as our choices are staying home and enjoying a last Christmas in Joburg or coming down here and enjoying a first Christmas on the boat. I guess it depends if our Christmas tree is sold yet!
We have a few last visitors who will be coming down and then things should settle down and we will spend a lot more alone time on board. Translate to: work time on board. It is hard to entertain and work, but this is work I am really looking forward to!
Sitting here at the table watching the water, feeling the bounce and swaying of the yacht as the swell from the huge seas come in and wind shifts her around on her mooring lines is amazing. Even though I can hear the wind howling and know we will end up facing these conditions out at sea it still inspires me. I would never have thought I could be drawn to a life at sea like I am. Amazing.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
No time to take seasickness pills
1 October
This week has really flown past. We managed to fit a few exciting things into our schedule like our first official sailboat race, an offshore day sail and a cup of coffee with Greg the previous owner of Yrumoar. We managed to fix a broken water pump, play a host of games with the kids and get to the end of our latest book Bumfuzzle. Kyle managed to gain confidence and with it excitement for sailing, Rauen actually stayed awake during an offshore trip and Barry and I learnt more and more about our boat, our sailing skills and each other.
Barry and I participated as crew on board Tiana with Barry (Baz) and Allison for the fortnightly Sunday race. We were racing on a monohull and we were slightly apprehensive as neither of us particularly enjoyed monohull sailing in the past. But we dropped the lines and headed to the pond to hoist sails, once up we sailed up the channel out into the harbour. We were following race course 5 past buoy 1 to starboard, the shipwreck marker to port and out into the ocean around the wave rider keeping it to our port side. We were going strong keeping up to the lead yacht Silhouette for this first section of the course but as we rounded the waverider things went wrong, some lines got tangled and the steering which Barry (Baz) had been working on came off the quadrant which left Tiana with no steerage. He quickly shifting everything out of a stern lazarette onto the deck to reconnect it while we brought down sails and Allison tried in vain to get us back on course. We sadly had to abort at this point but had we a great time of it.
Barry (Baz) had pushed Tiana hard and asked if I had been nervous or scared and I answered honestly with a No. I think he secretly tried to make us nervous because last time he was on board with us I dropped the steering wheel and walked away saying I can’t do this when things did not go my way. At that time he had mentioned to my sister that it takes a special type of person to do what we are doing and most people don’t cope out there and turn around. But he saw a different side of me this week and I think he was surprised.
Later when I thought about it, it seemed a little strange that I had not been scared as we had tilted far over and had to walk on the walls, water had washed over the decks and we had been soaked by a few waves as they crashed over the bow in the 25 + knots of wind. Seems my confidence is growing!
The following morning dawned with great sailing weather. 15 Knots of wind accompanied by 3 metre waves but with a 9 second interval we decided to take our chances and headed out for a harbour tour hoping to poke out our nose. Barry backed out of the mooring with no incident and we were off. We headed towards to the opening in the harbour but decided to take a short trip past Tuzi Gazi as we had so many visitors this time.
Barry and I sat in the cockpit with Kyle discussing our options, this whole harbour tour thing is getting a little boring and we sent Kyle to the bow to ask the others if they fancied an ocean trip. It was unanimous, we were heading out. I quickly readied the boat, ensuring all the doors were clipped into place and nothing loose was lying around. Kyle took to his usual spot and said he was going to hold down the table. But I convinced him to come out into the cockpit and sit with me.
We were still in the harbour just as the swell starts to pick up when Dean started to feel ill and ducked into the room with Amy for a lie down. We were still under motor at this point as we had a cargo ship following us out of the harbour. Yeni and Keagan were sitting with us in the cockpit enjoying the ride but the motion eventually got to them as well and they too headed downstairs for a little lie down on their bed. Kyle in the mean time had realised he was not really scared and was up and down checking on the Dean and Amy and Rauen (who was trying to stay awake) and fetching things and once we turned downwind was even asking to help with the rope work as we had hoisted the jib. We managed to sail all the way into the final channel before dropping sails and once again setting her down in the mooring. One giant leap for Kyle’s confidence and he keeps asking he when we are taking an overnight to Durban…one step at a time Kyle!
I also had no time to take seasickness pills, as it was a last minute decision once we had done a half a harbour tour to exit the harbour. The pills take between ½ hour and 2 hours, depending on the make, before they start to work so I figured I would take my chances and see. I didn’t get sick for one second, I was perfectly okay, no drowsiness or nausea, the motion was incredibly relaxing and enjoyable and for the first time I felt perfectly comfortable…guess I’ll be keeping the pills and only using them when really needed from now on! Boy does this make the trip a whole lot easier.
We managed to break the cover for the filler on the water pump and the lock mechanism for the geyser cover while out, and we are getting used to the idea that we will be fixing things on the boat all the time as the movement of the ocean definitely makes for breakages onboard. I once heard the comment “Sailing around the world has little to do with your sailing ability but rather more to do with your ability to fix the things that break on board” and we are starting to discover this reality.
This week has really flown past. We managed to fit a few exciting things into our schedule like our first official sailboat race, an offshore day sail and a cup of coffee with Greg the previous owner of Yrumoar. We managed to fix a broken water pump, play a host of games with the kids and get to the end of our latest book Bumfuzzle. Kyle managed to gain confidence and with it excitement for sailing, Rauen actually stayed awake during an offshore trip and Barry and I learnt more and more about our boat, our sailing skills and each other.
Barry and I participated as crew on board Tiana with Barry (Baz) and Allison for the fortnightly Sunday race. We were racing on a monohull and we were slightly apprehensive as neither of us particularly enjoyed monohull sailing in the past. But we dropped the lines and headed to the pond to hoist sails, once up we sailed up the channel out into the harbour. We were following race course 5 past buoy 1 to starboard, the shipwreck marker to port and out into the ocean around the wave rider keeping it to our port side. We were going strong keeping up to the lead yacht Silhouette for this first section of the course but as we rounded the waverider things went wrong, some lines got tangled and the steering which Barry (Baz) had been working on came off the quadrant which left Tiana with no steerage. He quickly shifting everything out of a stern lazarette onto the deck to reconnect it while we brought down sails and Allison tried in vain to get us back on course. We sadly had to abort at this point but had we a great time of it.
Barry (Baz) had pushed Tiana hard and asked if I had been nervous or scared and I answered honestly with a No. I think he secretly tried to make us nervous because last time he was on board with us I dropped the steering wheel and walked away saying I can’t do this when things did not go my way. At that time he had mentioned to my sister that it takes a special type of person to do what we are doing and most people don’t cope out there and turn around. But he saw a different side of me this week and I think he was surprised.
Later when I thought about it, it seemed a little strange that I had not been scared as we had tilted far over and had to walk on the walls, water had washed over the decks and we had been soaked by a few waves as they crashed over the bow in the 25 + knots of wind. Seems my confidence is growing!
The following morning dawned with great sailing weather. 15 Knots of wind accompanied by 3 metre waves but with a 9 second interval we decided to take our chances and headed out for a harbour tour hoping to poke out our nose. Barry backed out of the mooring with no incident and we were off. We headed towards to the opening in the harbour but decided to take a short trip past Tuzi Gazi as we had so many visitors this time.
Barry and I sat in the cockpit with Kyle discussing our options, this whole harbour tour thing is getting a little boring and we sent Kyle to the bow to ask the others if they fancied an ocean trip. It was unanimous, we were heading out. I quickly readied the boat, ensuring all the doors were clipped into place and nothing loose was lying around. Kyle took to his usual spot and said he was going to hold down the table. But I convinced him to come out into the cockpit and sit with me.
We were still in the harbour just as the swell starts to pick up when Dean started to feel ill and ducked into the room with Amy for a lie down. We were still under motor at this point as we had a cargo ship following us out of the harbour. Yeni and Keagan were sitting with us in the cockpit enjoying the ride but the motion eventually got to them as well and they too headed downstairs for a little lie down on their bed. Kyle in the mean time had realised he was not really scared and was up and down checking on the Dean and Amy and Rauen (who was trying to stay awake) and fetching things and once we turned downwind was even asking to help with the rope work as we had hoisted the jib. We managed to sail all the way into the final channel before dropping sails and once again setting her down in the mooring. One giant leap for Kyle’s confidence and he keeps asking he when we are taking an overnight to Durban…one step at a time Kyle!
I also had no time to take seasickness pills, as it was a last minute decision once we had done a half a harbour tour to exit the harbour. The pills take between ½ hour and 2 hours, depending on the make, before they start to work so I figured I would take my chances and see. I didn’t get sick for one second, I was perfectly okay, no drowsiness or nausea, the motion was incredibly relaxing and enjoyable and for the first time I felt perfectly comfortable…guess I’ll be keeping the pills and only using them when really needed from now on! Boy does this make the trip a whole lot easier.
We managed to break the cover for the filler on the water pump and the lock mechanism for the geyser cover while out, and we are getting used to the idea that we will be fixing things on the boat all the time as the movement of the ocean definitely makes for breakages onboard. I once heard the comment “Sailing around the world has little to do with your sailing ability but rather more to do with your ability to fix the things that break on board” and we are starting to discover this reality.
Monday, September 20, 2010
19th September
I haven’t written in a while, not only because I haven’t felt inspired but also because I came to new realisation that I needed to put into perspective.
Barry and I received our latest Amazon order, a book called Sailing Promise, written by Alayne Main. She sailed around the world on a 33’ catamaran with her husband. This book was particularly eye opening as it dealt more with the emotional side of undertaking this trip and gave me a new perspective on the trip itself.
Up until now, I, like Alayne, have had off pat answers to the obviously fears and questions thrown in my direction. What about storms? We will check the weather and avoid them mostly, or we will sail through them. What about sinking? Catamarans don’t really sink they can capsize but then you can stay on the upside down ship waiting for rescue. What about dealing with the motion? Seasickness pills and the knowledge that; 3 days in I will recover and so on and so forth. Every question has a textbook answer.
I never really took any time to consider the real emotions I would feel and the effect that may or may not have on my relationships with my husband and children. Kyle, in particular, has been struggling with the idea of going on a boat and is fearful (as I am) even in calm waters. I just assumed we would both “get over it”. That by the time we had completed the shakedown cruise we would be comfortable and able crew on this adventure.
Reading this book made we realise that perhaps it may end up being slightly more difficult, my fear may not subside rapidly and Barry may take major strain trying to be husband, skipper, father, cook, navigator, teacher, emotional supporter and crew all alone in the middle of a stormy evening! Barry too may feel the fear I feel in these moments and our only help and assistance will be each other. We may argue, disagree and even want to give up at times. None of these things had ever really occurred to me as I had never taken the time to really consider the trip from this angle, to really look deep into my heart to discover the emotional strain this could and probably would place on each and every one of us.
So I guess the questions I had to really ask myself after considering all of this were:
Do I still want to go? Hell YES!
Am I more terrified than before? Hell YES!
But I take refuge in the fact that Barry and I have spent every waking hour together for the last 15 years and still we enjoy each other, we deal with our differences and feed of each other’s strengths and weaknesses. I believe none of this will change, I believe we will continue to be a powerful team, dealing with life and all it throws at us with the same attitude we have up to now. I trust we will learn more about each other and compensate more for each other than ever before. I trust this journey, like all those we have already completed will bring us closer, make us stronger and give us greater understanding.
Who am I trying to convince? Myself? Probably, but as our departure date inches closer, so the truth of our decision becomes clearer.
Barry and I received our latest Amazon order, a book called Sailing Promise, written by Alayne Main. She sailed around the world on a 33’ catamaran with her husband. This book was particularly eye opening as it dealt more with the emotional side of undertaking this trip and gave me a new perspective on the trip itself.
Up until now, I, like Alayne, have had off pat answers to the obviously fears and questions thrown in my direction. What about storms? We will check the weather and avoid them mostly, or we will sail through them. What about sinking? Catamarans don’t really sink they can capsize but then you can stay on the upside down ship waiting for rescue. What about dealing with the motion? Seasickness pills and the knowledge that; 3 days in I will recover and so on and so forth. Every question has a textbook answer.
I never really took any time to consider the real emotions I would feel and the effect that may or may not have on my relationships with my husband and children. Kyle, in particular, has been struggling with the idea of going on a boat and is fearful (as I am) even in calm waters. I just assumed we would both “get over it”. That by the time we had completed the shakedown cruise we would be comfortable and able crew on this adventure.
Reading this book made we realise that perhaps it may end up being slightly more difficult, my fear may not subside rapidly and Barry may take major strain trying to be husband, skipper, father, cook, navigator, teacher, emotional supporter and crew all alone in the middle of a stormy evening! Barry too may feel the fear I feel in these moments and our only help and assistance will be each other. We may argue, disagree and even want to give up at times. None of these things had ever really occurred to me as I had never taken the time to really consider the trip from this angle, to really look deep into my heart to discover the emotional strain this could and probably would place on each and every one of us.
So I guess the questions I had to really ask myself after considering all of this were:
Do I still want to go? Hell YES!
Am I more terrified than before? Hell YES!
But I take refuge in the fact that Barry and I have spent every waking hour together for the last 15 years and still we enjoy each other, we deal with our differences and feed of each other’s strengths and weaknesses. I believe none of this will change, I believe we will continue to be a powerful team, dealing with life and all it throws at us with the same attitude we have up to now. I trust we will learn more about each other and compensate more for each other than ever before. I trust this journey, like all those we have already completed will bring us closer, make us stronger and give us greater understanding.
Who am I trying to convince? Myself? Probably, but as our departure date inches closer, so the truth of our decision becomes clearer.
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