Mana Marina (near Wellington)
Saturday 18 & Sunday 19 April 2020
Having put aside social-networking – in search of crew members – I suddenly have all this time on my hands! Who would have thought spending time on Facebook could consume so much of the day …??!!
It’s not that I was making many “Comments”, or “Replies” … and there were only about five sites I was trawlling … not trolling … that’s something quite different apparently. As every angler knows … Trolling is when you drag a line behind a slowly moving boat. Trawling is trolling with a net.
On one Crew-Finding Facebook site, though, I saw a little symbol next to my name that looked like a star. It IS a star, how cute …
… and next to it were the words … “Rising Star: You and 3 others have made engaging posts within the first month of joining.”
Wow! Kind of makes you want to go back for more. Doh!! That’s the whole rationale. Like the upbeat tunes and noises attached to pokie machines … they know how to keep you hooked.
But like I say, I wasn’t communicating very much on the sites, but there are so many “rabbit burrows” on Facebook and in forum groups. And pretty soon you’re reading a quirky comment, which leads to checking out what sort of boat they have … then you read some of their sailing-blog from Panama to the Galapagos … then suddenly I get a thought … “oh, I wonder what Deb’s doing now she’s out of Hotel isolation at Crown Towers Hotel in Melbourne” … and from there you see a link to a 3-minute video of baby goats in pajamas I just GOTTA see … (and so do you) https://www.facebook.com/moxiandsass/videos/2333856996653987/?t=63
… and pretty soon, two hours have gone by, you’re making a fourth cup of coffee, eating chocolate two squares at a time, watching a slide presentation titled … “36 Living Actors Over 80 Years Old | Then And Now 2019”. (No link to that, I’m being kind)
But like I say, that’s all behind me. Now I’ve set my sights on flying home, one week from tomorrow. Well, that’s assuming Air New Zealand don’t cancel the connecting flight again from Wellington to Auckland.
The “Chimere Operations Manual” is coming along in leaps and bounds, with maybe 60 or more photos taken already to accompany the text. Everything from winches and wind instruments to switch-panels and fuel caps … nothing will be overlooked … well, at least that’s the goal.
Being Sunday, I was able to log into our church service back in Ringwood North, and this week, the clever IT and multi-media folk in the congregation even set up a “Coffee Catch-up” afterwards so we could meet … in a manner of speaking.
Once everyone was logged in, the screen looked a bit like a colourful chess board, full of faces, although in my case with … “you-have-used-over-40GB-so-far-this-month-slow-screen-time”, at least till my plan rolls over on Wednesday, there were more than a few black squares quietly buffering away …
After the initial “group meeting”, we were then directed off into groups of 5 or 6 – selected at random … which was really clever, and a great opportunity to say hello to old friends – not seen for a few months.
My cousin Keith gave me his regular “just checking up” call this afternoon. I’d been very disciplined, working away on the computer most of the afternoon, (see, no social-networking) typing up details of on-board equipment and recording processes and highlighting areas of risk etc etc – plus racing around taking more photos where necessary – and in chatting with Keith, it occurred to me that I hadn’t been out at all today. “Well you’ve got 1½ hours before the sun goes down”, observed Keith in his no-nonsense way.
Soon after, I was off for a stroll, let off my leash for a run … while across the water the sun was beginning to dip behind the nearby hill. And talk about windy. I’d been feeling it through the rocking of the boat, and hearing it, from inside the boat. There’s been a permanent heel of about 3-4 degrees, on account of the wind. When gusts come, we tilt a bit more. Three or four degrees doesn’t sound much, but with the constant hummmm through the rigging, it’s an ever-present reminder again that this is indeed a boat.
One of the items close to the top of my “Things To Do” list, is clean up aboard Chimere, ready for the 35 mile hop around to Wellington. Not that it’s a mess, but there’s a range of items in “temporary” positions currently, just waiting to be put back in their rightful home.
I’ve also started taking a more active interest in weather forecasts as well. Particularly after Wednesday, when the “Level 4 – Lockdown” is rumoured to be relaxed somewhat. I’ve already notified the Wellington Harbour Master, who in turn notifies the Maritime Police, of my intentions. Which shouldn’t meet with any resistance, or issues … but you never know and it’s best to let them know well in advance.
I could just imagine the response and outcry if I simply sailed around to Wellington, unannounced. Given the number of people stuck in their homes right now. Combined with the large number of houses with sea views in these parts, and the likely percentage of people who will see us and think … “Hey, they can’t do that !!”
Given all of that, you’d expect a dozen or more people to take the next step and call the police to … “Report an Isolation Breach”.
Sounds like a good time to slip on yellow or orange flouro vests. Wear one of those, carrying a clipboard and maybe a shovel, and you can pretty much do anything without being challenged.
On my walk, I had to hold onto my hat … literally … with the north west wind just howling down the channel.
I passed one woman taking a photo, and I thought, “hey, you’re right” … the sunset and the sea look lovely and even though I’ve photographed it so many times before, (as regular readers will attests) … I got my camera out nonetheless to take a few snaps.
Well, as I soon discovered, she wasn’t into landscapes … she was there to document the wacky behavior of someone she obviously knew and cared about. Because she showed concern in helping him up when he hit the grass at speed. At that point she probably even put her camera aside, and in the process missed the chance for her Youtube video to go viral. A video should would have titled …
“Rollerblade Man speeding on road holding two parachutes in 30 knot gale”.
That’s “viral” in the OLD, internet sense of the word. NOT the really old sense of the word. That would be very much like the current way things have gone viral … but I’ll let the photo explain the rest of the bizarre scene.
Sorry I missed photographing the crash, presumably when his rollerblade hit the grass at the edge of the tar seal … but I did see him get up and consider going back for more.
In closing news, and I’m sure Linda won’t like to read this, but I finally gave up using sticky tape on my spectacle to hold the starboard arm on. That’s my reasonably new (and highly expensive) spectacles.
In my defense … the restraining cord that Linda recommended, means that I haven’t lost my glasses completely … but a boat can be harsh environment for eyewear. But fortunately I have a range of repair materials onboard, none better than something called “Forj”.
The online blurb about Forj reads like a wonder-drug … and I quote: “Forj is a high strength, lightweight thermoplastic tape-ribbon that molecularly fuses to itself in a matter of seconds. Simply heat, press and repeat to repair tools, create custom grips, fix broken sports equipment and more. Once cooled, the self-bonding plastic hardens, creating a bond as strong as steel.”
I’m here to say the claims on the box are true… although “nearly” as strong as steel might be closer to the truth. Steel after all is pretty strong. But as the above photo shows … the arm on my glasses won’t be coming loose any time soon.
Smooth seas, fair breeze and countdown to departure
Rob Latimer
NZ2020 