tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30067256231711322712024-02-02T07:42:00.496-08:00Jamie's VoyageJamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-3891081038858857172010-07-27T18:35:00.001-07:002010-07-27T18:35:54.659-07:00Thankyou to EverybodyI've had a couple of days of recovery now and am starting to feel like my old self. Finishing on Sunday felt like an out of body experience, I was there but I wasn't there! Fatigue definately had me by the short and curlies. Firstly I'd like to say a big thankyou to all the bloggers for following me as I circumnavigated Australia. Your comments along the way made the hard times a lot easier and I felt very humbled by them. Thankyou all. I'd also like to thank everyone that came down to see me in on Sunday at Rockingham and I'm sorry it was such short notice as I know there were others that would have come down but didn't know I was coming in. Thankyou to all the volunteers that have helped in making the voyage a possibility and believing in me enough to do it, also of course to the number of sponsors without whom I it would not have become a reality. And a final thankyou to all the people that supported me as I went around Australia and gave their valuable time to make sure that I felt welcomed and that the boat was well prepared and safe for me to continue on my way. You guys made the trip fun and I really enjoyed meeting new friends who were fantastic people - that was actually the highlight of the trip for me, besides coming home! The willingness of strangers to support what I was doing shows our Aussie spirit of mateship is still alive a well and made me proud of the country I live in. We are so much alike in the way we think from one end of the country to the other. The people I met really valued life and living it to the full, and want good futures for their children and children's children.<br /><br />Something that has come to light over the last few days is the time it took me to get around the country and the distances covered. For your interest, we are still calculating the exact distance but the last leg from Darwin looks like it was around 2000 nautical miles, I may be just under that, may be just over it but whatever it is it will be a new world record for a quadriplegic sailing solo unassisted. The sailing time to do the circumnavigation taking the stops out of it was 57 days. The current record was set about a month ago by Ian Thompson from Airlie Beach at 42 days, before he broke that record it was 68 days! So, I am ecstatic that I've managed to knock 11 days off the old record that had stood for years. Damn you Ian!<br /><br />This is possibly the last blog for this voyage. I'm still in shock that I have completed the trip and am still alive and in one piece! I'm sure I have a guardian angel that was looking after me, there were a number of extremely close calls. I keep looking at the tracker page with the red line circling around the whole of Australia and I just can't believe that Spirit and I made that track! <br /><br />For those that are wondering about the plans for a world trip, well its back to the drawing board on that. It's not a goal that will disappear out of my life but it would not be a possibility in Spirit. There is too much to maintain and I have some major issues with the extreme cold and heat which were the two things that nearly took me out due to the thermoregulatory issues of being a quadriplegic. I have some very long term ideas to explore, I think it is possible but of course its a matter of finance and support. After this eight year project I know how long things can take and quite honestly it might be quicker to take over the world than try to sail around it!Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-1255715439121913822010-07-25T20:16:00.001-07:002010-07-25T20:22:01.988-07:00Photos of the finish<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilPsCrRZAxc6Xmj9zU8cyXr8YRkMre_7ojtzsYpF3ufCI9ZW89dChM2ft6I70ni7ICkC9JCVZ0bfGrCzrP93JYiWmMhWqCzxq6qPD6RLqXEdd1SyHDFZuym6IsXYeF9jzPMwyq9Prt_J8/s1600/IMG_3600.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilPsCrRZAxc6Xmj9zU8cyXr8YRkMre_7ojtzsYpF3ufCI9ZW89dChM2ft6I70ni7ICkC9JCVZ0bfGrCzrP93JYiWmMhWqCzxq6qPD6RLqXEdd1SyHDFZuym6IsXYeF9jzPMwyq9Prt_J8/s200/IMG_3600.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498049798499013570" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMFuD6fy-Gg7jb5SZKcSwIGHs0JbJ2aSL1Re2NmEFXDVoZgUue0v7qskv7JmC9ADTYA5mflMOODdJ_A8aKGC8AUIHfM2Ij_y3n6j1dj5xqL0XOOAXJi_vxcjFQ1Y-4aVGcZucBIp3Ogs/s1600/IMG_3590.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMFuD6fy-Gg7jb5SZKcSwIGHs0JbJ2aSL1Re2NmEFXDVoZgUue0v7qskv7JmC9ADTYA5mflMOODdJ_A8aKGC8AUIHfM2Ij_y3n6j1dj5xqL0XOOAXJi_vxcjFQ1Y-4aVGcZucBIp3Ogs/s200/IMG_3590.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498049788685168994" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg49PNc_Ky9AgXqdsHND0pV695aWXLJm2JgwTzgd270KyJCKQoA8lGcwdr5dzvd8wRxVySfXxizgJYNQosW2wS1rq49Xz3y64Te8YMdddExglLWOmPxJCaPGPfk_ZyX_ajBGkpfL-Tr0v8/s1600/IMG_3588.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg49PNc_Ky9AgXqdsHND0pV695aWXLJm2JgwTzgd270KyJCKQoA8lGcwdr5dzvd8wRxVySfXxizgJYNQosW2wS1rq49Xz3y64Te8YMdddExglLWOmPxJCaPGPfk_ZyX_ajBGkpfL-Tr0v8/s200/IMG_3588.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498049780336504578" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHegG7mdjT1-jcV1DFVPN06C6R6bF0fmENes-30LWYhluyulgoPQz1IN5ZKXQBC7fiqFkB7etQdjvVGxBgIfrf-nfWvh3xTTi0COKP3BeSNyM3J9G8F5HfVZ3hd6e0uzRXIbO-Ad98Ns/s1600/IMG_3587.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHegG7mdjT1-jcV1DFVPN06C6R6bF0fmENes-30LWYhluyulgoPQz1IN5ZKXQBC7fiqFkB7etQdjvVGxBgIfrf-nfWvh3xTTi0COKP3BeSNyM3J9G8F5HfVZ3hd6e0uzRXIbO-Ad98Ns/s200/IMG_3587.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498049777606091490" /></a>Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-47381898144804036172010-07-23T06:24:00.001-07:002010-07-23T06:24:36.603-07:00Coming HomeJamie is now making his way back to Rockingham and expects to arrive at the Val St. jetty around 2PM this Sunday 25th July. He has been making good progress over the day and is now not far north of Jurien Bay but a fair way off the coast. He's extremely fatigued after being at sea for so long, and has been unable to get much sleep the last couple of nights due to being bashed about by the southeasterlies that come in overnight.. He's also coping with pressure sores on top of being generally a bit battered and bruised, so its definately time to come home. He has however managed to sail non-stop from Darwin and by the time he reaches Rockingham that will be a distance of over 1900 nautical miles, breaking his own previous record of the longest distance sailed solo by a person with quadriplegia. Typical Jamie is, however, disappointed that he probably won't have cracked the 2000 nautical miles! <br /><br />If anyone is interested in welcoming Jamie home to congratulate him on completing the circumnavigation please feel free to come down to the jetty by about 2PM on Sunday.Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-86869167737913402662010-07-21T06:55:00.000-07:002010-07-21T16:51:18.545-07:00Probably passing Geraldton tooWell I'm not passing Geraldton just yet, but it won't be too far off. I've been making really good ground over the past few days, averaging 6 - 7 knots, and am thinking I don't have any great reason to stop before getting home now. Yes I'm tired, sore, uncomfortable and can't wait to get off the boat but I'm only a few days away from home now. I can almost smell it - well there's actually a lot more unpleasant things I'm smelling now but I have a good imagination! It's as if there's a magnet sucking me down southward, although it's probably just that I have been using the big jib instead of the storm jib and Spirit has taken off. That, and being in the Leeuwin current. There's been some very good sailing in the mix of some really tough times, particularly at night when the wind seems to pick up and it gets really rough. I have had quite a bashing. In fact my trusty little Spot (my tracker) cradle, finally blew a hinge after all this way and I just managed to save it from going for a dive overboard. The "McRaedle" as I call it, has a story attached. The Spot tracker was kindly donated by Richard Evans from Underwater Video Systems just before I left WA. On the trip to Albany I found it very difficult to attach to any good position in the cockpit and nearly lost it several times. In Albany I explained the difficulty to Mark McRae (from Southern Ocean Sailing, who has been a fantastic support to me all the way around the country), who went away and came back just 45 minutes later with what I call the "McRaedle". This has kept Spot in position attached to the tiller, always facing the sky - until now! Well Mark, it so very nearly made it all the way, I've managed to tie it up but it no longer swings with the movement of the boat.<br /><br />I've possibly now passed my previous sailing distance record which was from Albany to Hobart, if not I would be close to doing so. In the next day I will also pass my own record of sailing time spent on Spirit, beating the 15 day trip to Hobart. Unfortunately I seem to now be getting more south easterly than easterly in the wind, so think I'm in for a bit of a slog to get back. But not too far now thank goodness.Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-12045380383076213292010-07-19T02:47:00.001-07:002010-07-19T02:47:22.651-07:00Passing ExmouthToday was Decision Day in terms of continuing on down the coast or pulling in at Exmouth and having a rest. The next possibility for me in terms of stopping is not until Geraldton, several days sail away. The west coast is nothing like the east coast, in that marina's are few and far between - actually none between Darwin and Exmouth - and I can't anchor or attach to a mooring due to the whole disability thing. Based on the forecast weather, which is in a favourable pattern to get me down the coast, I've decided to go for it. If I pulled in at Exmouth I may miss this weather window and I don't know when it would come through with these easterlies again. I don't want to have to be bashing into southerlies or southwesterlies all the way down the coast, it would do me in. Apart from nursing a very sore backside from dragging it around, I'm not in bad shape and neither is Spirit. I'm still having issues with the batteries holding charge so am having to run the genset a lot more than I would like. She is also still taking water in through a fitting in the stern, and the bilge pump is playing up. Today I had to pull the floor boards up to get to it which took me forever, but was achievable. Have had some good sailing and made some good distance over the past day or two. Have passed a couple of oil rigs - massive structures - one of them was sitting in over 3000 metres of depth, which means that's how far down it was drilling, the mind boggles at the engineering involved. <br /><br />I currently feel like I'm in a sailing garbage truck. Spirit stinks. Of course I don't throw anything overboard, and my stored rubbish and food scraps really went on the nose going through the heat. She's going to need a good airing by the time I get back! I imagine I probably smell similar by now. Good thing I'm on my own.<br /><br />Just like to make mention of Josh Bell who owns the fibreglass repair business Greg's Marine outside of Fremantle. Josh first learnt to sail when he was crewing for me in races, on my Adams 10 "Caramia", several years ago. He had a baptism of fire on his very first time out when I managed to lay the boat on its side, mast in the water, in the course of the race. Out of 8 crew, only 3 were still on board when the boat righted itself - and one of them was Josh! He returned for more after that, and I knew he was a sailor at heart. Anyway, Josh managed to find time out of a very busy work schedule to send a couple of his staff down to do some urgent repairs to Spirit to enable me to get away on this trip back in March, for which I am very grateful. He's a great bloke who runs a good business and I wouldn't hesitate recommending him to anyone needing some fibreglass repairs done.Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-24753585501656085312010-07-16T16:27:00.000-07:002010-07-16T16:38:21.688-07:00Attack of the Flying FishMost Australians know how big the trucks on the road get in the north of the country -you know those massive road trains that are up here? Well I've seen the equivalent in ships! There seems to be a bit of traffic going in one direction, I'm assuming its Port Hedland, nowhere near me thankfully. Yesterday I saw the biggest ships imaginable - even from 8 nautical miles away, I could still see the bridge on them. Saw one and was astounded at the size, then another came on the radar and I swear it was a third bigger again! I'm assuming these are giant iron ore carriers probably heading for China. Wouldn't want to be in that shipping lane...<br /><br />Nothing much else to report, other than a thwack on the side of the head by a rogue flying fish. They usually only jump about two feet off the water, so this one must have been on fish steroids because it hit halfway up the back stay before bouncing into my head and flipping back into the ocean. All in the space of a split second, leaving me slightly stunned and having a "what the?" moment. Other than that, winds have been light so I have had to work hard to keep the boat moving and its also still really hot.<br /><br />As I draw closer to home I am thinking of the many people who volunteered their time to make this journey a reality for me, and just how grateful I am for their efforts. At this point I'd particularly like to thank Tim Dallas from South of Perth Yacht Club who put together and ran my tracker page, as well as maintaining the website. He's just returning home from hospital after serious illness, and even from hospital was still working on it! Thankyou Tim, that tracker page has been focal point of the website and crucial to people following, its just been fantastic.Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-73633460836363556882010-07-14T06:44:00.000-07:002010-07-14T06:45:21.406-07:00Stars in My EyesSince my last post, the wind has picked up and become more consistent again, ranging between 10 - 20 knots, coming mostly from the south east. I did change course slightly and moved further west away from the coast, to try to stay in better breeze and perhaps that move has paid off. The sea state is a bit lumpy and I'm having to adjust to it hitting me side on, I'm finding it pretty uncomfortable. Fortunately the edge has been take off the heat by the wind, so I'm no longer feeling like I'm being baked in a slow oven. I have Geoff Smith at Airlie to thank for installing the 12 volt fan in the cabin for me back there, in anticipation of warmer climes. Without that fan I don't think I could have carried on, it probably made the difference in me being able to complete this trip - well keep going anyway, I guess I've still gotten a way to go!<br /><br />So, what's been happening over the past few days? A couple of things to report - when I was becalmed a couple of nights ago and sleeping out in the cockpit, I experienced a total glass out of the ocean. Not a breath of wind, the ocean had not a ripple on it, there was no moon and a clear sky so all the stars were reflecting off the ocean. One of the most beautiful things I've ever seen, like drifting in a sea of stars. Shame I was on my own, it was very romantic. Then the next night I came across a couple of boats fishing (I think) but with no nav lights on and not responding to my radio calls. I kept my distance and kept an eye on them on the radar. <br /><br />This whole area past the Kimberley coast is just teeming with wildlife, so encouraging to see it. All kinds of fish, both flying and swimming, pods of dolphins everywhere, and plenty of birdlife too. I've seen a whale, not sure what kind but it had a dolphin type look to it. Today I've been sailing through weed of some kind, its gotten quite thick in some parts. Its a golden colour and I don't know where it comes from.Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-47323472459363692010-07-11T06:11:00.000-07:002010-07-11T06:12:10.921-07:00Baked, Boiled and FriedDrifting in a south westerly direction, with a few deviations backwards or sideways, is about all I managed today. Sailing is becoming a bit of a distant memory, as I had my first "glass out" of the trip up here for hours today. No clouds, no swell, and nothing on the horizon. No wind either. Bit disconcerting, certainly makes you feel a bit insignificant and alone on the wide blue ocean. Fortunately I have another lot talking books to keep my mind from wandering too much. Did see some wildlife to distract me though. A pod of dolphins swam by, including one that somehow managed to stick himself out of the water down to his fins - head up at a bit of an angle - and then propel himself along looking around as he went. Quite intrigued as to how he managed it. Was also followed by a shark and a few fish. Tried to lure him to the surface for a better look with some of my packaged food, but I should have realised that wouldn't be very tempting. At another stage the boat sailed, I mean drifted, through some kind of fish ball. The water was literally boiling around the boat with fish, never seen anything like it. They were all moving so fast I couldn't get a good look at any, so don't know what they were.<br /><br />The heat is really starting to make life very difficult for me as I battle to keep cool. Today was stifling - 42 degrees in the cabin, and not enough shade in the cockpit. Fortunately a slight westerly breeze sprang up at around 2 this afternoon, which just took the edge off the heat and meant I did in fact start sailing again for a while until it dropped out again this evening. It is such a relief when the sun goes down. I am going to try to sleep in the cockpit tonight to stay out of the heat in the cabin. Despite doing everything I can to keep cool, I am finding it exhausting and am only hoping some decent wind comes in soon to push me along a bit and give me some relief.Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-29984742190343891142010-07-09T07:19:00.000-07:002010-07-09T16:41:42.598-07:00EngulfedIt's been a fairly uneventful and pleasant sail across the Bonaparte Gulf to the Kimberley Coast since leaving Darwin on Wednesday. Winds were light at first but settled into a steady 15 knot southeaster all day today, with not a lot of swell to contend with either. All in all it has made for great sailing - except for the heat! There is just no escaping it out here, due to the direction I'm sailing and the angle of the sun I'm not getting much shade in the cockpit and inside the cabin is stifling. Once again the difficulty my body has in regulating body temperature is causing me a few problems. Basically my body no longer has a functioning "thermostat", so my body temperature doesn't regulate itself as it should and instead takes on the temperature of the air around it. This gave me great difficulty dealing with the cold in the Southern Ocean, in trying not to get hyperthermia and now in the north I have to work to cool down so I don't overheat. My technique of buckets of cold seawater tipped over the head helps. It's lovely to come outside during the night and enjoy the cooler night air. I've seen the most amazing night skies of the trip up here - lovely clear skies full of stars. I've also seen the phosphorescence on the water that other sailors have told me about, which is a treat. Like little patches of LED lights sparkling under the surface of the water.<br /><br />Nothing has come up on the radar out here, no other boats at all - just another couple of customs planes buzzing me but I'm getting used to that. I did see three sea snakes slithering past yesterday, I'm not too comfortable with that as I do worry about them landing onboard in a wave. Otherwise lots of flying fish, and a large submerged metal object covered in barnicles that floated by. I only knew it was there because a bird was standing on it, which was lucky because if I'd have banged into it there would have been some damage done. <br /><br />Thankyou to my daughter Bella who is now back in Perth after following me from Port to Port and giving me lots of support on the way around. Couldn't have done it without you Bella, and thanks for your lovely message on the blog. Look forward to seeing you again in a couple of weeks!Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-35177678236077678422010-07-06T16:22:00.001-07:002010-07-06T16:22:47.476-07:00On the Road AgainBy about 2PM today I should be heading out of Darwin harbour. I've been doing quite a bit of homework for this leg as to what to expect, basically I think the rest of the trip has prepared me for this final leg. Albany to Hobart prepared me for the long distance hauls, Hobart to Sydney prepared me for dodging ships, Sydney to Airlie taught me a lot about the little squalls that come through and the kind of wind that goes with them and basically from Airlie to Darwin all about current against wind and navigating through reef. This next leg will have a bit of everything, but I intend to stay outside all the reef. <br /><br />I need to do some big thankyous to some individuals, starting with Tony and Jan Somerville for their fantastic support while in Darwin. I couldn't have gotten the boat ready without Tony. To Bailey's fuels for the fuel-up while I'm here, thanks Glen, WA. Manager, and Josh who runs Darwin. Darwin Sailing Club for their hospitality - David Omnes and all the flag officers there. To Kevin, Neil, the two Tracey's and the rest of the team from the TCYC (local Rockingham Yacht Club) who are up here with the kids competing in the Minnows Nationals. It was great to see some friendly faces and thanks for the moral support, look forward to catching up when I get home. Make sure you keep those Ouzo's cold for me Kevin! And finally Beau and his family - Beau has trained with me on the Sonar's at Royal Perth and we bumped into him yesterday. I really appreciate your support, a big thankyou to you and your family.<br /><br />Complacency has definitely not set in with me, I know that anything can happen on this leg particularly with the length of time that I will be out on the water, but its now time to finish the circumnavigation and I am looking forward to getting Spirit of Rockingham and myself home.Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-33888856142029889822010-07-04T19:10:00.000-07:002010-07-04T21:32:30.455-07:00video blog day 2 Cairns to Darwin outside the Reef in the Coral Sea<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VcivCzgVOhg&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VcivCzgVOhg&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-14401420400706877672010-07-02T00:16:00.001-07:002010-07-02T00:16:55.275-07:00Having a Cracker of a TimeBeen working on the boat with Tony Sommerville, getting it ready for the next leg. Thanks again Tony, as he is actually the one doing all the work as per usual. When I entered the Marina the other day, coincidentally a couple of well known Perth sailors Peter Robinson and Mark Loder were there having just brought a boat up from Fremantle so I had an unexpected welcome. Mark was kind enough to offer to dive on the boat and inspect the keel for me as well clean the hull while he was at it. The report from him was some gel-coat and anti-foul scraped off the bottom, but the lead keel was perfectly intact which was what I expected as I know how strongly Spirit has been built. I'm very grateful to Mark for doing this task for me and putting my mind at rest, also considering the genuine crocodile risk in the Marina (I kid you not!).<br /><br />Was fortunate to be in town this week and so be here for "Northern Territory Day". I lived in Darwin for a year when I was 11, its not quite how I remembered it, a bit like "the wild west gone north". This is the one day of the year that Territorians can purchase and let off their own fireworks. We went to the local Mindil Beach Markets where they had the public firework display over the beach. Very impressive and atmospheric. Driving back however was another experience again, basically a bit like being in a war zone with explosives and rockets going off everywhere and in all directions as people let off their own private stash - from apartment balconies, carparks, the street verge - wherever. We took cover in the hotel and watched the action.<br /><br />After a few of the blog comments recently, and some frustration from followers perhaps at wanting more frequent blogs than I have been putting on here, I think the logistics of putting the blogs on needs to be explained. Basically due to my disability I can only type with one finger. I do have voice recognition software on the computer but it won't work on the boat due to background noise of bangs, sloshes, screeching booms, ropes etc etc. The logistics of a one finger typist churning out daily blogs whilst keeping balance in a bucking bronco is difficult to say the least. My sponsorship deals don't extend to internet connectivity and satellite phone coverage, so I only have limited email and satellite phone capability whilst offshore due to the exorbitant cost. We've been doing the blogs when at sea by me telephoning Jo on the satellite phone and as briefly as possibly telling her the information to go in the blog. Jo and I have a good connection and she writes it exactly how I would have done it, except in a much more literate and educated way! The problem with the last leg was that the sat phone wasn't working properly and only limited information came off the boat. There was quite a bit that happened in the first part of the last leg that didn't make it onto the blog because of the poor communication, some of it would make your hair curl. <br /><br />Looking at leaving next Tuesday 6th July at this stage. After the last leg, I have a much better understanding of what the sea state is like with wind against current, which is very taxing on me trying to move around the boat. I'm realising that I might have to stop at Exmouth to have a break which means I won't be able to break my current world record of some 1500 nautical miles but I do want to get myself and Spirit back in one piece. I'll make the decision based upon how the first part of the trip goes, as to whether I go in at Exmouth or not.Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-66234831429565281342010-06-29T05:30:00.001-07:002010-06-29T05:30:57.195-07:00Locked InFirst night in Darwin, arrived with the high tide at 8.30 this morning. Thanks to Tony Sommerville, another ex-Rockinghamite and David Omness from Darwin Sailing Club who kindly ventured out in a boat at 6.30 this morning in order to get me through the lock into Bayview Marina. I've never seen a lock before and it was an interesting experience. Just a recap on the last few days as I haven't had a good satellite phone connection to be able to update the blog. Three nights ago I had a ship come on the radar about 3AM, their usual time to visit, this was a bit different in that it was coming from the north heading towards me. Every time I altered course it followed me and I was starting to think that maybe it was pirates coming to do a raid. Armed with my mate Mal's leatherman that he left on the boat in Townsville, I was ready to take them on! I hope you can picture me with a leatherman in my good right hand ready for the fight. I radioed to see what their intentions were with no response. They still drew closer. I then turned the deck light on so I was completely visible and a minute later I had a call on the radio and it was just a customs boat trying to sneak up on me. I had quite a few encounters with customs or marine patrol boats all the way across, its actually good to see the north of the country under a very watchful eye. <br /><br />I also seemed to always have the company of a dolphin over the past two days, quite a small species. A couple of nights ago with the full moon I was sitting on deck and it leapt out of the water a few times, really high, right in front of the moon. It was as if it was staged, quite beautiful to be out there watching it. <br /><br />The final part of the trip into Darwin had yet another surprise in store. Going past Bathurst Island, I hooked into a tidal flow that was running with me, but against an opposing wind. Went flying down the side of Bathurst Island at times doing over 8 knots but with an absolutely out of control sea state. Waves rolling over the boat from bow to stern, it was just like going the wrong way up rapids really fast. It was a one hour thrill ride I'll never forget! <br /><br />Will do a blog in the next couple of days with my plans for the next leg. I have to have a rethink on how I tackle it as the situation with wind against current in these northern areas is extremely taxing on myself as well as the boat. In fact, there were times when I wished I was back in the Southern Ocean and I never thought I'd say that. I probably had only four hours sleep in the last two days out there.Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-49844427229460584652010-06-25T16:52:00.000-07:002010-06-27T05:10:01.592-07:00Saunas and Sea SnakesIt has been a wonderfully uneventful sail across the gulf, I can't believe the consistently strong winds out here, dropped a bit for a while yesterday to around 15 knots then picked up again. No drama's with Spirit, except she decided to go for a surf when I was trying to cook my microwave dinner, swearing at her didn't seem to help. Also the autohelm isn't working, went out on me when I was going through the reef so the windpilot has saved the day. The main wildlife out here seem to be sea snakes and flying fish. Yesterday when I had a wave dump on me in the cockpit (don't really mind that up here, it cools me down) I had a thought that I wouldn't want a sea snake coming in that way and just at that moment I saw a brilliantly yellow and black striped specimen slither past the hull. On the outside fortunately. Earlier on I saw a really fat one glide by.<br /><br />My cabin has now turned into a sauna in the heat and moisture up here. It has rained every day while crossing the gulf, so inevitably water comes in as I go in and out of the cabin, and it all just steams up inside. I can't open the windows, because I won't be able to close them again so I am getting used to living in the equivalent of a sweatlodge. I cool off outside in the wind and rain.<br /><br />I was buzzed by a customs plane the other day, scared the life out of me. Heard it coming before I saw it fly what seemed to be just above the mast. They then made contact on the radio "Spirit of Rockhampton. Spirit of Rockhampton" - set them straight on that one and then answered a million questions before they happily went on their way.<br /><br />At this stage it looks like I may make Darwin on Monday or Tuesday next week, depending on the wind and also the tides to get me in there.Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-76177433813494420592010-06-23T05:46:00.000-07:002010-06-23T05:47:42.385-07:00Playing Footsie With the ReefJust as I thought I was through the worst of it, the reef decided not to let me pass without having a more up close and personal encounter to remember her by. Last night I was almost through the channel around Cape York, open ocean literally within view, when I noticed that the boat had stopped dead! My worst nightmare really (or one of them). In keeping to the edge of the channel to get out of the way of the many ships passing through, the bottom of the keel ended up scraping on a small piece of reef, bringing Spirit to a standstill. I was probably stuck for about an hour before the incoming tide lifted her clear. Apart from the very bottom of the keel, the rest of the boat is fine and I managed to sail off and continue. I will have to get someone to dive on her and check out any damage in Darwin. I guess the whole incident was the result of a couple of really intense days sailing with very little sleep. I have noticed how much fatigue will cloud my thinking, and I feel really fortunate to have escaped the incident so lightly. My state of mind after that was not so great, and I'm just glad I am now out of there. Today I managed to get much needed rest, put the boat back to rights after everything was thrown around the cabin in the swell and surf of the previous couple of days and get my head back into gear to focus on the rest of this leg. <br /><br />Winds have eased off a little, as has the swell, I have put up the storm jib to balance the boat better and Spirit continues to make good time toward Darwin. It's as if she knows she's rounded the corner and is heading for home, and is almost sailing herself there!Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-6315258836876312772010-06-22T03:52:00.000-07:002010-06-22T03:53:41.223-07:00To Cape York via the Southern OceanI think the aliens have been playing with me again. Went out the reef from Cairns on Saturday, had a bit of a snooze and when I woke up I could have sworn I was back in the southern ocean. 35 knot south easterlies along with 6 metre swells, grey overcast skies, the only difference was the air temperature which was decidedly warmer than the southern ocean. Wasn't exactly what I had been anticipating, but Spirit is built to handle those conditions and handle them she did. She had no trouble in doing speeds of 7.5 - 8.5 knots even though I was trying to slow her up a bit, had no jib up and only half the main. Did a fair bit of surfing too, managing to clock up to 12 knots when going down waves. I had to alter my planned course through the reef as it would have put me square in front of the wind, I actually ended up in the shipping lane heading north. The strong winds have been unrelenting and combine the following swell conflicting with an opposing tidal current and you have to experience it to believe it. Lets just say I haven't had a lot of sleep.<br /><br />Am now just rounding Thursday Island and am looking forward to getting back in open water. The winds, although easing a little on the western side of Cape York, are forecast to continue for the next week so I expect to be in Darwin much faster than anticipated.Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-23999690374760520832010-06-19T04:10:00.001-07:002010-06-19T04:10:39.150-07:00Next Stop DarwinYes I know it's Saturday and I said I was going to leave Friday, but I had forgotten yet again about the dangers of leaving Port on a Friday, remembered just in time - well maybe I was also held up by Jo and Bella who decided Friday was a good day to do a day trip to the reef, so all in all Saturday just seemed a better option. Finally got away today after dealing with a concerning leak in the toilet flush, which meant that the toilet wouldn't stop filling, but that got sorted (hopefully) and I was away - thanks to Joe at the Marina and a couple of other helpers who untied and helped push Spirit in the right direction. As I was heading out the Marina, eagle-eye Jo noticed that the main halyard was still tied up to the stay, which we had done to stop it banging the mast in the wind and annoying the neighboors. So I had to turn around and come in - Joe held the boat while Bella did her monkey act and climbed up to untie it. It was a real relief that it was spotted before I tried to pull up the main sail, or it could have been really disastrous. <br /><br />Am feeling well and prepared for the next leg. I do feel very much like I'm venturing into the unknown so although I am anxious about it, I can't help being just a bit excited at the thought of rounding Cape York and heading across the north of the country. So far today I have been averaging 6.5 knots in steady 20knot southeasterlies, which has meant a quick passage out through the reef and back into open ocean. I should have a couple of days of straightforward sailing, keeping the reef to port, until I have to head back through it up towards the tip of Cape York. My plan is to get as much rest as I can in the open ocean before needing to be alert to navigate around the Cape. If these winds stay consistent it should be a fast passage around and out the other side.Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-16623579242435324262010-06-12T17:01:00.000-07:002010-06-12T17:02:08.018-07:00Good Training RunMade it in to Marlin Marina in Cairns first thing yesterday morning, after a good practise run for the next leg in terms of negotiating reefs, Islands and other vessels. Going in to Townsville I had a lot of trouble getting the main down on the furler and decided to get it looked at while I was there. Yet another ex-Rockingham couple, Mal and Kay Wilson met me at the jetty. It was great to see them, I haven't seen Mal in years. Thanks for all your help Mal, and also Les who was on the boat next door to me. Between the two of them they knocked off a lot of jobs for me. Les was a great bloke to meet, he had fantastic lifestyle living on his boat and he'd done some amazing adaptations on it. Mal had a look at the furling system for me and while we were trying to get it working better it was that tight that it ripped the main sail. I then decided to get the professionals in to sort it out, which now included repairing the sail as well. Michael from Hood Sails was good enough to drop what he was doing to repair my sail, and John the rigger pulled the furl boom apart for me and got it working properly. The problem was the build up of salt in the cog system from all the water that went over it from the trip, and I should have really had it serviced back in Airlie. It's now working better than it ever has, thanks to John. So that done, I was underway that afternoon on the next high tide. The staff at Breakwater Marina were really helpful and friendly people and certainly made it easier for me with their support in coming in and out of the Marina. Thanks Graham for making sure I didn't end up in the mud! <br /><br />Besides dodging the reef and a few boats it was another fantastic sail with the wind up my backside all the way. It got to the point towards the end of the trip that I wanted to slow Spirit up so as not to get in at Midnight, and despite taking down the headsail I still couldn't go slower than about 6 knots. Once I got around Fitzroy Island into the bay, I furled the main and drifted until morning. I ended up being dragged up the coast in the current and had a two hour sail back to Cairns in the morning. Not that I minded, as it was a beautiful view. This was the first Marina I ventured into without my shore team of Jo and Bella to assist - they deserted me in favour of another night in their rainforest hut at Mission Beach. I can't blame them, I'm not the nicest smelling person when I get off the boat and it did sound magnificent where they were. Joe and the guys at Marlin Marina in Cairns were great at helping me in, about 4 burly blokes materialised on the pontoon to tie me up (or rather tie up Spirit, not me) as well as an old friend of Wally Patten in Rockingham, Peter Battle and his mate Tim.<br /><br />Will spend the next few days preparing Spirit for the next leg and will head off again this Friday 18th, weather permitting, this time for Darwin without stopping.Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-65515472929663151802010-06-08T03:42:00.000-07:002010-06-08T03:43:03.339-07:00Great Sailing Up to TownsvilleArrived safely at Breakwater Marina in Townsville at about 3.30 this afternoon. Had a wonderfully uneventful trip from Airlie, although didn't get any sleep last night - needed to stay on watch for ships of which there were many moving up and down the channel. Winds started off about 24knots south easterlies, easing down to next to nothing just before getting into Townsville which thwarted my intention to sail all the way in. Beautiful sailing out there all morning - cutting through a flat ocean in a well balanced boat doing around 5 knots with sunshine and lovely views. Was followed by a pod of dolphins just to top off the experience.<br /><br />Have now decided to do another short hop up to Cairns on my way to Darwin, before heading outside the reef and going around Cape York. Does it look like I'm practising avoidance perhaps? Yes I think I am! Maybe its also a part of the world that I'm struggling to tear myself away from just a bit. Plans are to leave here on Thursday morning, arriving Cairns Friday sometime. I will spend a few days going up the coast in the car with Jo and Bella before leaving to sail to Darwin.Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-64934873509077899052010-06-05T18:13:00.000-07:002010-06-05T18:22:49.282-07:00Arrival at Airlie<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9kAWccCLlvfq4vy1fLZF4fuPEwLxbBQUCKzT-vOdiiIZgWbH9DzXjkwztYBmG7v-keWCTx3yoYRnkiZT92i3xHk__bkEMCbofrqpc_tTwjIiRSyGpkD87U7XACoaChjj5KSbRsgcymxc/s1600/P5270627.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9kAWccCLlvfq4vy1fLZF4fuPEwLxbBQUCKzT-vOdiiIZgWbH9DzXjkwztYBmG7v-keWCTx3yoYRnkiZT92i3xHk__bkEMCbofrqpc_tTwjIiRSyGpkD87U7XACoaChjj5KSbRsgcymxc/s200/P5270627.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479464358328272658" /></a><br />This is a photo of Spirit arriving at Airlie Beach, with John Carrol on his boat "Tropical Dream".Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-54359089584159974362010-06-05T17:31:00.000-07:002010-06-05T17:32:05.622-07:00Anxiety Level: 10Am now psyching myself into leaving for the next leg around Cape York to Darwin, leaving Airlie Monday morning 7th June around 10am. Am almost wishing it were the Southern Ocean again (well not really)- at least down there there was nothing except the odd whale to bump into, not like up here with the reefs, endless boats, and tidal currents - none of which I'm familiar with. It won't be the longest leg of the trip, but it will be by far the most challenging. Have been working out the best route to take and have decided to do a short jump up to Townsville, stopping there for a few days to have a look around, and then go out through the reef just north of there where there is an easy passage through to the outside. I will then stay well outside the reef until I have to come in again around the top of Cape York and that is where things may get a bit hairy for me. I've heard it is beautiful sailing up there, I just hope I can be relaxed enough to enjoy it. <br /><br />Airlie is just a great place to hang out, it really is hard to move on from if you are into sailing. Also it was great to see some people from home who popped in to say hi - Helen and Don, Norm who I used to sail with back home years ago and his wife Monica, Steve and Lillian, and of course Mum and Dad who have been here for a few days now helping with the boat and giving Bella a welcome distraction from us! . Rodney, the skipper of Zig-Zag which was parked next to Spirit in Fremantle is also here at the moment and dropped by yesterday. Rodney was always a great help when needed, and I look forward to catching up again in Darwin. Have had some work done on the boat, hopefully have solved the electrical issues I was having and I had the engine and gen-set serviced - thanks to Steve Smith - which was fortunate as the impeller on the engine was breaking, and bits had fallen into the heat exchange unit. This could have been disastrous as the engine is crucial to charging my batteries, more so than the gen-set.<br /><br />Rod and his team at Meridien Marinas in Abel Point are a fantastic bunch and I am extremely appreciative of their support for my stay here. I had numerous offers of assistance from other boaties in the Marina, and even was hosted to a free breakfast from the Abel Point Kiosk at the Marina. Great bacon and eggs, lovely people. I also have to thank Tania and Steve Watson from the Whitsunday Sailing Club for all their help both onshore and in coordinating my arrival. The Sailing Club here is fantastic, really active part of the community and they serve a great meal up on their veranda overlooking the bay. Airlie truly lives up to its motto of being "a drinking town with a sailing problem"! I'm sorry it doesn't look like I will be able to catch up with Ian Thompson (sosoceanracing.com) who by the time I get to Darwin should be in the record books for doing the fastest circumnavigation of Australia. I definately want to get back here so we will catch up then.Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-3340153594607568222010-05-31T00:00:00.000-07:002010-06-01T02:51:52.658-07:00I'm in Yachtie HeavenFirstly apologies for not reporting in for a few days. It's nice to stand down after getting in to catch my breath (and sleep). I've also been wandering around in a daze in paradise here in Airlie. A few sailors from Rockingham have come over to Airlie beach over the years and never returned. Now I know why. Perfect sailing conditions, perfect weather and great sailing location with the Whitsunday Islands and the Great Barrier Reef at your doorstep. Thanks again to Meridien Marinas at Able Point for their kind hospitality - its a beautiful Marina with first class facilities and friendly locals.<br /><br />I'd like to respond to some of the bloggers comments. Firstly to Judy, Rob and Michael who trekked all the way to Sydney and missed me - really sorry I didn't get to catch up! If you can make it up here to Airlie I promise to be here for you! And the added bonus is you would be out of that awful weather you must be getting about now. To "anonymous", the fish scale left on my windshield was about the size of a five cent piece. To Richard from Maryland - I couldn't tell if the pole dug in and pivoted the boat during the knockdown as I was pinned down in the side of the boat, but the pole is joined at the mast at the bottom, not at the standard position of a metre and a half up. This allows for greater angle and height out of the water. The boat is over-engineered to allow for such instances given that I can't manoeuvre around to fix things quickly. To Susan from Oregan - in response to the suspected alien interference around the Islands up here, I would say that would classify as "outside assistance"! However without any evidence I should be OK. <br /><br />Have been getting some maintenance done on Spirit. A big thankyou to Geoff Smith who braved pulling apart my toilet to get to the screw stuck in the emulsifier, it was a much bigger job than we thought but the toilet is now operational thanks to Geoff's work. I will also try to get the electrical problems sorted out this week. Am currently planning the route around to Darwin and will blog again in a few days when I am clearer as to the timing of leaving here. I've noticed that I'm not getting many handshakes here - just to let all and sundry know that I did thoroughly wash and disinfect my hand after it got stuck down the toilet before getting here!Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-67983814144448121732010-05-26T22:48:00.001-07:002010-05-26T22:49:02.620-07:00Rocketing to AirlieAirlie Beach is almost in sight as I round the top of Hayman Island. The last couple of days have provided me with extremes in terms of good and not so good sailing conditions. The night before last I had no sleep at all as I had to hand sail around a couple of Islands, dodging shipping as well, in light breezes with tidal currents. I must say at that stage morale was not particularly high - I was so close, yet with the wind dropping out on me and the currents going against me I felt I could have been days away. Fatigue certainly has a way of altering your mindset, however things picked up yesterday - I got into some good westerly winds that took me where I wanted to go, I managed to keep clear of the shipping lanes get some much needed rest. Then last night I still wasn't sure if I'd make Ailie today or tomorrow, but overnight I picked up speed again. Had a few hours of sleep and when I woke up and checked where I was I was astounded at the progress - felt as if I must have been picked up by aliens when asleep and deposited within easy reach of Airlie! Today is a beautiful day, beautiful sailing weather, am surrounded in Islands and blue blue water, fair breezes and one tack all the way in. Can't wait. Many thanks to Tania at the sailing club and the kind folk at the Marina for organising my berthing and support when I arrive. I look forward to meeting all of you.<br /><br />One other event that didn't improve my mood yesterday was getting my hand stuck down the loo. What the?? I hear you ask... well what happened was when the boat was bobbing around a lot - my toilet in the bow is a bit like a bucking bronco - and in grabbing hold of a rope to steady myself on the way in the screw came loose and dropped into the bowl. Uh oh, didn't want that flushing into the emulsifier below so reached in to get it, boat moved suddently as it does and my hand got firmly wedged in there. Thoughts of being found in this way a few days later were not good, eventually managed to free myself but the screw did get into the emulsifier unfortunately. Good thing I'm almost in Port.Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-56056548986809932872010-05-24T05:04:00.000-07:002010-05-24T05:06:52.908-07:00Great SailingAfter finally getting far enough north to escape the grip of the rain storms, I managed to get some good consistent winds from the south east, 20-25 knots, and cruised along on the same sail setting for at least twelve hours. Managed to hold speeds of six and a half to seven knots which helped to feed my appetite for speed and make up some distance from the previous days. I'm now heading down the Capricorn Channel toward Airlie - and have noticed that when I'm sailing through Marine Park waters I don't see the fishing trawlers, which makes sailing a little more relaxing for me. Have hardly seen any boating activity at all for the past day or two. I am starting to witness the effects of the tidal currents, as my wind dropped out to about seven knots today but my speed stayed up around five knots. I know that Spirit can't do five knots in just seven knots of wind, so I'm sure the tide was helping us along. <br /><br />Other reportable events - well I nearly ripped off my big toe today, but I did manage to patch it up. I'm getting a bit of practise putting bandaids on my big toe out here, am getting quite good at it! Also I was visited by some sort of marine life today, didn't get outside to see what it was but sounded like a big fish hit the deck just above my bed, flopped around frantically then managed to flop itself back off the boat. When I went outside I saw it had left a mark and a fish scale on my windshield where it must have bounced. I'd loved to have seen what it was. <br /><br />I also want to let people know that there is someone else out there currently circumnavigating Australia ( bit like sharks circling really). Ian Thompson from Airlie Beach, who took the time to contact me and help with contacts in Airlie for when I arrive. A really nice guy, attempting a speed record for circumnavigating Australia solo non-stop and unassisted. He is doing fantastic time, left Airlie about 20 days ago, and is currently trying to pop down around the corner of WA (the dreaded Cape Leeuwin), my home turf. You might like to check out his website - www.sosoceanracing.comJamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3006725623171132271.post-5304768334265005312010-05-21T23:28:00.000-07:002010-05-21T23:29:13.101-07:00Cat StrogonoffIts been a fairly exhausting couple of days, with wind going all over the place and almost constant rain for 24 hours, meaning that until today I had very little rest. I haven't been able to put the guard zone up on the radar because of all the storms coming through so have been on almost constant watch for ships. I racked up a couple of firsts for the trip - in the midst of the rain and storms I experienced a perfectly flat ocean and had a beautiful sail on it for a couple of hours doing 5.5 knots before the next lot of swell came through. Reminded me of Cockburn Sound back home. The other first was the sheer volume of water coming out of the sky on top of me at one point - including a fairly scary lightening strike that was a bit too close for comfort. Unfortunately I also paid the price of being lazy. I needed to head more east to pick up a northward moving current and thought I might get lucky and the wind would get me there without having to pole the jib to help her along. It's quite an effort to get the pole out, and what with all the rain I put it off meaning that by the time I realised I wasn't going to get there without it, the wind was hard on the nose from the east and it was a slog to get where I wanted to go. I'm learning a lot of lessons out here! The wind also backwinded the jib again - although this time didn't lay the boat completely over like it did last time and I also had a bit of warning when I heard the sails starting to flog and was already halfway out the cockpit so managed to right things in time.<br /><br />I knew the day was likely to be a tough one when I opened the days food bag and discovered my selection for dinner was my favourite (not!) "cat" strogonoff. For some reason its called beef strogonoff on the packet but there's nothing in there that looks or tastes like beef. Was making my way through it in the evening when I came across a foreign body (even more foreign than the rest of it) in the gravy. Gingerly picked it out imagination going wild (cats nose? Paw? Claw?) when I realised the gravy was congealed around one of my used ear-plugs that must have dropped in unnoticed. Then last nights dinner that I was actually looking forward to, managed to get flipped out of the microwave and splatted all over the companionway. The distance some of it travelled was unbelievable. I've been picking bits of meat out of cracks and crevices ever since, and wiping gravy off rough non-skid surfaces is just a nightmare.<br /><br />Things have improved today, the rain has eased off and I have been able to get things dry and set the sails with a degree of certainty. I have also managed to catch up on some sleep.Jamie Dunrosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363153683902175149noreply@blogger.com6