Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Meeting the Locals

I had some company on deck today. A giant moth of some kind flew in from nowhere, rested up on my leg then took off again. Followed by a flying beetle! Bit amazed at where they came from, almost 300 nautical miles from the coast. Otherwise, apart from a most beautiful fiery red sunset, it has been a slow and frustrating day, with very little wind. When my speeds were dropping to around the 1 knot mark, I could not help thinking of you Sarah, rowing across the Indian Ocean and making better time than that! The windpilot self-steerer managed to hold Spirits course in whatever small breeze there was, without it I am sure I would have drifted in circles. I decided I would have to make my own wind and opened a tin of baked beans, managing to flick a quantity of them over myself and the cabin with the lid in the process. The clean-up kept me busy until the wind finally picked up in the afternoon and I was underway again. Jay, I've been enjoying your talking book which kept me company for the day.

8 comments:

  1. Hello Jamie
    Just heard about your trip from an old friend in WA (Geoff Chambers). We live at Lethbridge, Victoria (near Geelong about 40km from Torquay and about 100 km from the tip of Cape Otway). Here, we've had warm wind from the north and northeast for a few days and it's been raining Bogong Moths. Fair bet that your giant moth was one of these. They blow down from the Vic and NSW Alps in late summer and early autumn. In the past, Aboriginal people used to trek up to the highlands in summer and feed up on their version of Nutella. Recipe/instructions:
    Remove the wings from a few hundred Bogong Moths; using a nearby flat or slightly concave rock surface as a mixing bowl/platter, mush the big fatty bodies into a paste with assorted sweet blossoms and honey (if available). Gorge yourself till you can't stand up. Sleep. Wake up and do it again. When the moths depart or the weather turns cold, pack up and head back down to the lowlands.
    Cheers and good luck with your trip
    Nicholas Clark (Amietta Vineyard and Winery)

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  2. Mmm yum. Perhaps you could rig up a net in your rigging and get together a meal for yourself Jamie!

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  3. Hi Jamie. Great to catch up with you in Albany on Saturday. You looked and sounded in great spirits! It was providence that you were forced into the skilled hands of Darren Russell at Emu Ponit to sort out those problems. Skip the Bogong moth recipe and just keep dreaming of a scallop pie in Hobart. I will let an old Club member Michael Paley know you are on your way to Tassie. He lives in Kettering just South of Hobart and works on boats. I'm sure he would call down for chat about yachts and the blue yonder and where to get the best scallop pie with a good sauv. blanc. Cheers Anthony

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  4. Dont worry mate pretty soon you will be on a number 3 and surfing down some waves at good speeds. If minke whales are heading in your direction then you know youre on a winner because they find the easiest way from point a to b with the wind and waves and current.

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  5. North easters coming your way then on friday a change into the southwest with some good pressure

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  6. One knot sitting on a yacht watching sunset & moths is better than two knots rowing rowing rowing. All the best Jamie. We've not met, I am a friend of Jo's from school.
    Nils.

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  7. Hi Jamie,
    Looks like your going really well. I've been tracking your progress each morning. Good to hear the boats keeping dry and the microwaves getting plenty of use. Sounds like your enjoying the trip so keep on truckin towards Tassie.
    Cheers Murray.

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  8. Hi Jamie, I read about you on Jessicas blog so I looked you up. I am amazed at you courage. I pray you are ok through this whole thing. What happens if you have a knock down or worse? do you have a way to make a grip for tins so you could just slide it in and then open them ? The tv dinner not sure how to handle that one. will be keeping track of you too now that I know you are out there setting a record too. All for now. Linda from ohio usa

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